Formate Hydrogenlyase Is Needed for Proton-Potassium Exchange Through the F₀F₁-ATPase and the TrkA System in Anaerobically Grown and Glycolysing Escherichia coli

Abstract.

Anaerobically grown and glycolysing Escherichia coli produced H₂ and carried out H⁺-K⁺-exchange in two steps, the first of which had the fixed stoichiometry for DCCD-sensitive fluxes (2H⁺/K⁺), and the second one had a variable stoichiometry for DCCD-sensitive fluxes. H₂ production and the 2H⁺/K⁺-exchange were lost in the ΔfdhF or ΔhycA-H mutant. In the ΔfdhF mutant, H⁺-K⁺-exchange with K _m for K⁺-uptake of 2.3 mM and less K⁺-gradient between the cytoplasm and the medium were observed. H₂ production and H⁺-K⁺-exchange with a high K _m for K⁺-uptake were carried out in the uncD mutant; however, both H₂ production and H⁺-K⁺-exchange were lost in the Δunc or uncE mutant. H₂ production was observed in the trkA trkD kdpA mutant. It was displayed in protoplasts with increased membrane permeability when donor or acceptor of reducing equivalents—formate with DTT or NADH respectively—was added. The F₀F₁ and the TrkA(H) or the F₀ and the TrkA(G) had been assumed to form the united supercomplexes, functioning as a H⁺-K⁺-pump or antiporter respectively (for review see Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 33:1, 1994). Results allow the proposal that H₂ production by FHL has a relationship with the H⁺-K⁺-exchange through a H⁺-K⁺-pump and via an H⁺-K⁺-antiporter. Formate and NADH can serve as a donor and an acceptor of reducing equivalent respectively, for operation of such supercomplexes.