Nisin dissipates the proton motive force of the obligate anaerobe Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679

• Published in: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Vol. 58; no. 8; pp. 2463 - 2467
• Main Authors: OKEREKE, A, MONTVILLE, T. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.08.1992
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone - pharmacology; Cellular biology; clostridium; Clostridium - drug effects; Clostridium - metabolism; Clostridium sporogenes; Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide - pharmacology; Food contamination & poisoning; Food industries; Food microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycolysis; growth rate; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; indice de crecimiento; membrana; membrane; Membrane Potentials - drug effects; membranes; nisin; Nisin - pharmacology; nisina; nysine; Protons; taux de croissance; Clostridium sporogenes; Nisin; Clostridiaceae; Clostridiales; Proton; pH; Bacteria; Membrane potential; Motive force; ATP; Viability; Antimicrobial agent
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/aem.58.8.2463-2467.1992

The influence of nisin on the proton motive force generated by glucose-energized cells of the obligate putrefactive anaerobe Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 was determined. The components of proton motive force, the transmembrane potential and the pH gradient were determined from the distributions of the lipophilic cation [3H]TPP+ ([3H]tetraphenylphosphonium bromide) and [14C]salicylic acid, respectively. The cells maintained a constant proton motive force of -111 mV, consisting of a pH gradient of 0.4 to 1.0 pH units at an external pH of 5 to 7 and a transmembrane potential of -60 to -88 mV. Nisin, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) at pH 6.0 elicited the complete release of preaccumulated [3H]tetraphenylphosphonium bromide and [14C]salicylic acid, with a concomitant depletion of transmembrane potential and pH gradient. Nisin and DCCD caused rapid drops in intracellular ATP levels from 1.2 to 0.01 and 0.06 nmol/mg of cells (dry weight), respectively. Cells exposed to nisin and DCCD lost the ability to form colonies, thus suggesting that transmembrane potential and pH gradient are necessary for cell viability. The data suggest that depletion of proton motive force and exhaustion of cellular ATP reserves are the basis for nisin inhibition of C. sporogenes PA 3679.