Some properties of a Klebsiella pneumoniae ammonium transport negative mutant (Amt-).
The main property of an Amt- (ammonium transport negative) mutant of Klebsiella pneumoniae is its inability to accumulate NH4+ intracellularly. When growing on nitrogen sources other than NH4+, the mutant constantly looses NH3 by diffusion. This loss results in poor growth. The NH3 excretion suggests the existence of a futile cycle (NH3 loss/NH4+ reabsorption) in the wild type and possibly other bacterial strains, which do not constantly excrete NH3.
D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D009591:Nitrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D000641:Ammonia; D009591:Nitrogenase; D009584:Nitrogen