• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.468-473
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• 2005

The energetics of nitrate uptake by intact cells of the halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica were investigated. Nitrate uptake was inhibited by various protonophores suggesting the coupling of nitrate uptake to the proton motive force. An artificially-generated pH gradient across the membrane (${\Delta}pH$) caused an increase of nitrate uptake. In contrast, the suppression of ${\Delta}pH$ resulted in a decrease of nitrate uptake. The increase of external pH also resulted in an enhancement of nitrate uptake. The generation of the electrical potential across the membrane ($\Delta\psi$) resulted in no elevation of the rate of nitrate uptake. On the other hand, the valinomycin-mediated dissipation of $\Delta\psi$ caused no depression of the rate of nitrate uptake. Thus, it is unlikely that $\Delta\psi$ participated in the energization of the uptake of nitrate. However, $Na^+$-gradient across the membrane was suggested to play a role in nitrate uptake since monensin which collapses $Na^+$-gradient strongly inhibited nitrate uptake. Exogenously added glucose and lactate stimulated nitrate uptake in the starved cells. N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, an inhibitor of ATPase, could also inhibit nitrate uptake suggesting that ATP hydrolysis was required for nitrate uptake. All these results indicate that nitrate uptake in A. halophytica is ATP-dependent, driven by ${\Delta}pH$ and $Na^+$-gradient.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.464-469
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• 2001

A gene, dnaK2, encoding a distinct member of the HSP70 family of molecular chaperones is isolated from the halotolerant cyanobactrium Aphanothece halophytica. The dnak2 gene encodes a molecular wight of 68 kDa polypeptide with predicted 616 amino acid residues. The DnaK2 protein has a structural characteristic of bacterial DnaK homologues and shows high similarity to other HSP70/Dank proteins. The danK2 transcripts are hardly detectable at 28$^{\circ}C$ and strongly induced upon heat stress. It is also found that dnaK2 transcript is increased by high-salinity stress even in the absence of heat stress. These results suggest that the DnaK2 protein plays an important role in protecting A. halophytica against damage caused by salt stress at well as heat stress.