Alteration of Permeability of Lactobacillus plantarum caused by Chlorpromazine

Abstract

THE mechanism for penetration of oxalacetate into Lactobacillus plantarum 17–5 is inducible. Unless L. plantarum is grown for a few hours in a medium which contains either oxalacetate, acetoacetate or α-ketoglutarate, there is poor penetration of oxalacetate into cell suspensions of this organism afterwards prepared. Oxalacetate decarboxylase (which is also inducible) can be readily detected manometrically in whole organism suspensions of L. plantarum grown with any of the three compounds already mentioned, but can only be detected in disrupted (acetone-dried) organisms if the bacteria had been grown with L-malate, a compound which induces synthesis of oxalacetate decarboxylase but does not induce the mechanism for oxalacetate to penetrate the cell¹. An agent which increases cellular permeability, at least with respect to oxalacetate, may be detected by increase of oxalacetate decarboxylase activity of undisrupted L. plantarum which had been grown in a medium containing L-malate.