FIGURE 5.
MamK disassembly depends on potassium levels. Decay of light scattering intensities was assessed for 9.52 μm MamK after polymerization with 25 μm ATP-MgCl2 in polymerization buffer with either 25 or 75 mm KCl (A). Initial rates of polymerization were higher in the presence of 75 mm KCl, and no bulk depolymerization was observed. The effect is specific to potassium ions, and not chloride ions, because the behavior is similar in buffer with potassium glutamate (B). Each trace is the average of three measurements on the same day.