The biochemical characterization of two phosphate transport systems in Phytomonas serpens.

Inorganic phosphate (P i ) is an essential nutrient for all organisms because it is required for a variety of biochemical processes, such as signal transduction and the synthesis of phosphate-containing biomolecules. Assays of 32 P i uptake performed in the absence or in the presence of Na + indicated the existence of a Na + -dependent and a Na + -independent P i transporter in Phytomonas serpens . Phylogenetic analysis of two hypothetical protein sequences of Phytomonas (EM1) showed similarities to the high-affinity P i transporters of Saccharomyces cerevisiae : Pho84, a Na + -independent P i transporter, and Pho89, a Na + -dependent P i transporter. Plasma membrane depolarization by FCCP, an H + ionophore, strongly decreased P i uptake via both Na + -independent and Na + -dependent carriers, indicating that a membrane potential is essential for P i influx. In addition, the furosemide-sensitive Na + -pump activity in the cells grown in low P i conditions was found to be higher than the activity detected in the plasma membrane of cells cultivated at high P i concentration, suggesting that the up-regulation of the Na + -ATPase pump could be related to the increase of P i uptake by the Pho89p Na + :P i symporter. Here we characterize for the first time two inorganic phosphate transporters powered by Na + and H + gradients and activated by low P i availability in the phytopathogen P. serpens . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]