title: Enterocin P causes potassium ion efflux from Enterococcus faecium T136 cells.
abstract: Enterocin P is a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium P13. We studied the mechanism of its bactericidal action using enterocin-P-sensitive E. faecium T136 cells. The bacteriocin is incapable of dissipating the transmembrane pH gradient. On the other hand, depending on the buffer used, enterocin P dissipates the transmembrane potential. Enterocin P efficiently elicits efflux of potassium ions, but not of intracellularly accumulated anions like phosphate and glutamate. Taken together, these data demonstrate that enterocin P forms specific, potassium ion-conducting pores in the cytoplasmic membrane of target cells.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología III, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. cburgy@eucmax.sim.ucm.es
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herranz
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cintas
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Driessen
mesh_terms: D000838:Anions / Q000378:metabolism; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D001430:Bacteriocins; C417717:enterocin P; D011188:Potassium