[14C]methylammonium transport by Frankia sp. strain CpI1

We describe an NH4+-specific transport system in the N2-fixing symbiotic actinomycete Frankia sp. strain CpI1. [14C]methylammonium was used as an NH4+ analog. No specific transport process was detected when cells were grown on high concentrations of NH4+. A transport system with a high affinity for CH3NH3+ was synthesized after 3 to 4 h of nitrogen starvation. Methylammonium transport was not significantly inhibited by a variety of amino acids, primary amines, and polyamines. Ammonium completely eliminated CH3NH3+ transport. The Km for CH3NH3+ transport was around 2 +/- 1.8 microM with a Vmax of 4 to 5 nmol/min per mg of protein. The electron transport inhibitors cyanide and azide eliminated uptake, as did the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone. The sulfydryl reagent p-chloromercuribenzoic acid and the heavy metal thallium also inhibited uptake, suggesting the presence of an NH4+-specific permease. Concentration of CH3NH3+ across the membrane was demonstrated by conducting uptakes at low temperature to slow the metabolism of CH3NH3+ by glutamine synthetase. At 7 degrees C most of the label was concentrated inside the cells in a form that could be chased from the cells by adding excess NH4+ to the medium. At 30 degrees C most of the label was present as an impermeant metabolite. Thin-layer chromatography of cell extracts confirmed that the radioactivity inside the cells was mainly in the form of CH3NH3+ at 7 degrees C but was present as an unidentified metabolite at 30 degrees C. These studies demonstrate that Frankia sp. strain CpI1 has a high-affinity NH4+ transport system that is synthesized in response to NH4+ starvation.