Alterations of the Membrane Composition Induced by Manganese Depletion Are Late Events in the Nucleotide Fermentation with Brevibacterium ammoniagenes ATCC 6872

Abstract

The general hypothesis of enhanced membrane permeability as a cause of increased production of primary and secondary metabolites (the "leak model") was disproved for the nucleotide (NAD) fermentation with Brevibacterium ammoniagenes ATCC 6872, as manganese deficient producer cells displayed a high membrane potential, like non-producing cells supplied with 10μM Mn²⁺.
However, the protein composition of the membrane was affected by a manganese deficiency. A manganese deficiency-like protein pattern of the membrane could be induced, in the presence of 10μM Mn²⁺, by either inhibition of DNA precursor biosynthesis (ribonucleotide reduction) with 20HIM hydroxyurea (HU) or inhibition of DNA replication with 30μM mi torn vein C.