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. 1978 May;75(5):2483–2487. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.5.2483

Reduction of membrane potential, an immediate effect of colicin K.

M J Weiss, S E Luria
PMCID: PMC392578  PMID: 27788

Abstract

Colicin K causes a rapid and drastic reduction of the membrane potential of Escherichia coli cells, as measured by the uptake of the lipophilic cation triphenylmethylphosphonium. The colicin causes no major changes in the pH gradient, as measured by the uptake of butyric acid. The decrease in membrane potential following addition of colicin K to the cells is a prompt response that parallels or precedes known physiological effects such as efflux of accumulated substrates. Hence the loss of membrane potential qualifies as the primary action by which the colicin uncouples membrane-associated function from respiration. Certain peculiarities of bacterial cells pretreated with EDTA in their response to uncoupling agents and lipophilic ions are described.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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