[2-Amino-ethylphosphonic acid transport in Pseudomonas aeruginosa]

2-Aminoethylphosphonic acid (ciliatine) can be used as a source of phosphorus or nitrogen by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The conditions of its uptake have been investigated. The transport is inducible by ciliatine itself or by its homologue, 3-aminopropylphosphonate, but neither by other phosphonic compounds nor by carboxylic or sulfonic related derivatives. The induction was not suppressed by inorganic phosphate. The transport appears to be an active process, pH and temperature dependent: it requires energy and is dependent on new protein synthesis. The uptake follows Michaelis kinetics. The substrate specificity involved in ciliatine uptake favours the existence of two different transport systems: the first one, inducible by ciliatine, was very sensitive towards different aminophosphonic acids and was competitively inhibited by inorganic phosphate and methylphosphonate; the second transport system, inducible by 3-amino-propylphosphonate, appeared less sensitive towards alpha-aminophosphonic acids and was non competitively inhibited by phosphate and methylphosphonate. No interactions were observed with related aminocarboxylic acids or with taurine. Some molecular structural requirements for the binding of an effector on both permeases are discussed. The regulatory function of inorganic phosphate, the chief breakdown product of ciliatine, is also emphasized.