ATP-dependent arsenite transport in everted membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli

Resistance to toxic oxyanions of arsenic and antimony in Escherichia coli results from active efflux of these anions out of the cell. Extrusion is an active process mediated by an ATP-dependent pump composed of two types of subunits, the integral membrane ArsB protein and the catalytic ArsA subunit. An in vitro assay for transport in everted membrane vesicles of E. coli was developed. Uptake of 73AsO2- by everted vesicles was time- and temperature-dependent and required both pump subunits. Transport required ATP; no other nucleotide, including GTP, CTP, UTP, or the nonhydrolyzable analog adenosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate), could substitute for ATP. Protonophores, ionophores, or inhibitors of other types of ion-motive ATPases did not inhibit arsenite uptake. The sulfhydryl reagent N-ethylmaleimide was a potent inhibitor of ATP-dependent arsenite accumulation in vesicles. The apparent Km values for ATP and arsenite were approximately 2 and 0.1 mM, respectively. Antimonite, the most potent activator of the ArsA ATPase, inhibited arsenite uptake with an apparent Ki of 10 microM.