Investigating the role of F_OF₁ ATPase in Zymomonas mobilis through deletion of its F_O and F₁ subcomplexes.

Authors

Gerrich Behrendt, Reinis Rutkis, Uldis Kalnenieks, Katja Bettenbrock

Published in

Microbial cell factories. Jul 13, 2026. Epub Jul 13, 2026.

Abstract

Zymomonas mobilis has a typical F_OF₁ ATPase, yet does not exhibit oxidative phosphorylation. In order to investigate the function of the ATPase we sought to delete the F_O and the F₁ subcomplexes, respectively. Clean mutants could be obtained after selection under aerobic conditions. Growth analysis of the mutants showed that they strictly require oxygen for growth and that the oxygen supply is a factor determining maximal growth rate. This is contrary to the wild type, which grows fastest under anaerobic conditions. In the mutant strains, ethanol remains the main catabolic product; however glucose consumption rates are reduced, and the mutants show a higher sensitivity to low medium pH. Compared to the wild type, the mutants show an increased biomass yield. Our data support the previously proposed regulatory role of the F_OF₁ ATPase in controlling glycolytic flux, and indicate that the F_OF₁ ATPase plays an important role in expelling protons from the cytoplasm. In the mutants, this function is taken over by the electron transport chain in the presence of oxygen.

PMID:
42443955
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 14 Jul 2026.

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