ACTIVE TRANSPORT OF MAGNESIUM IN Escherichia coli*

  1. Simon Silver
  1. DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Abstract

Magnesium-28 is accumulated by cells of Escherichia coli by a process that is temperature-dependent and inhibited by dinitrophenol and cyanide. The rate of uptake of magnesium is concentration-dependent, with a “Km” of about 5 × 10-4 M in tryptone broth. There is evidence for cellular control over this rate. The magnesium accumulation system is specific, since neither potassium nor calcium (nor apparently manganese) competes with magnesium for cellular uptake. The magnesium that is accumulated by the cells can be released by treatment with toluene and partially exchanges with excess exogenous magnesium.

Footnotes

  • ↵ * This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (AI 08062) and the National Science Foundation (GB 5922). L.W. Wendt, E. Eisenstadt, and P. Johnseine have helped with the development of ideas and the carrying out of the experiments.

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  1. PNAS 1969-03 vol. 62 no. 3 764-771
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