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Abstract
A strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum used for industrial production of glutamate had uptake systems for l-glutamate and l-serine. These transport systems were inhibited by a protonophore and by an ionophore, indicating that they were driven by a proton-motive force. Cells grown in the presence of an acylated surfactant used in industry to trigger glutamate excretion are known to have a decreased phospholipid content and highly saturated lipids. These surfactant-treated cells were no longer able to accumulate glutamate, while the serine uptake remained undisturbed. As a working hypothesis, it is proposed that the surfactant-induced membrane modifications could specifically result in an uncoupling of the glutamate uptake system, which could consequently be used as a specific excretion system.
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