Anaerobic transport in Escherichia coli membrane vesicles.

Anaerobic beta-galactoside transport in whole cells and membrane vesicles from E. coli ML 308-225 is coupled to the oxidation of alpha-glycerol-P or D-lactate with fumarate as an electron acceptor. Alternatively, anaerobic beta-galactoside transport may be coupled to the oxidation of formate utilizing nitrate as electron acceptor. Both anaerobic electron-transfer systems are induced by growth of the organisms under appropriate conditions. Components of both systems are loosely bound to the membrane, necessitating the use of a modified procedure for vesicle preparation in order to demonstrate anaerobic transport in vitro. Addition of ATP or an ATP-generating system to vesicles prepared from anaerobically-grown cells or inclusion of ATP or the ATP-generating system during preparation of vesicles does not stimulate transport. The results support the conclusion that active transport under anaerobic conditions is coupled primarily to electron flow.