Recent developments in the study of potassium transport in Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri

The effects of modifications in the cholesterol and fatty acid contents of membranes on the transport of potassium have been studied in Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri. A decrease in the cholesterol content from 110 micrograms/mg of membrane protein to less than 10 micrograms/mg of membrane protein is associated with a decrease in the level of intracellular potassium from 40 micrograms of K/mg of protein to 23 micrograms of K/mg of cell protein. Replacement of oleate plus palmitate by elaidate alone in the growth medium has only limited effects on the intracellular K content. In metabolizing cells, 42K influxes were 0.42, 0.65, and 0.69 micrograms of K/mg of cell protein per min for cholesterol-rich cells supplemented with elaidate or with oleate plus palmitate and for cells adapted to low cholesterol and supplemented with elaidate, respectively. This increase in influx was associated with an increase in membrane fluidity as determined by fluorescence polarization experiments in which 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene was used as a probe. For elaidate-supplemented cells, examination of the temperature dependence of 43K influx revealed the existence of a break or a discontinuity at temperatures corresponding to modifications in the physical state of the membrane. The lack of correspondence between the patterns of K+ influx and the Mg++-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity indicates that the sensitivity of this influx to the physical state of the membrane is not attributable to the Mg++-ATPase but likely reflects an effect of membrane lipids on the K+ carrier itself.