CHARACTERIZATION OF ENERGETICALLY FUNCTIONAL INVERTED MEMBRANE-VESICLES FROM CORYNEBACTERIUM-GLUTAMICUM

We show that inverted membrane vesicles from Corynebacterium glutamicu m, a Gram-positive bacterium, are able to generate and maintain an ele ctrochemical gradient of protons in response to the addition of NADH. This result indicates that the respiratory chain is intact and that th e vesicles are reasonably impermeable to protons. These membrane vesic les may be the starting point for in vitro translocation studies of pr oteins in Gram-positive bacteria.