Changes of membrane potential following addition of NH4Cl. In the wild-type and mutant organisms, there was an immediate fall in potential due to alkalization of the interior, as shown in Fig. 4C, with an increase in ΔpH. In the wild-type strain, repolarization is due to a fall in pHin that is absent in the HP0244 deletion mutant, arguing for NH4+ permeation of UreI.