Solubilization and reconstitution of the Na(+)-dependent citrate carrier of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The citrate carrier of Klebsiella pneumoniae fermenting this substrate has been solubilized from the bacterial membranes with Triton X-100. The transport function was reconstituted by incorporation of the carrier into proteoliposomes using a freeze-thaw sonication procedure. Citrate uptake into these proteoliposomes required the presence of Na+ ions on the outside; the amount of citrate accumulated increased as the external Na+ concentration increased from 0 to 100 mM. Proteoliposomes preloaded with citrate catalyzed citrate counterflow when added to external [14C] citrate. Sodium ions were required for counterflow activity. The kinetics of citrate uptake, counterflow, or efflux were not influenced by an inside negative membrane potential, and the presence of the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone was without effect on citrate uptake. The data therefore suggest an electroneutral Na(+)-citrate symport mechanism for the transport of this tricarboxylic acid into K. pneumoniae.