Variation in bacterial ATP concentration during rapid changes in extracellular pH and implications for the activity of attached bacteria

• Extracellular pH was varied from 7.2 to values ranging from 3.5 to 10.5.
• Cellular ATP varied inversely with pH for the four neutrophilic strains studied.
• Single exception was Staphylococcus epidermidis, with no ATP variation at acidic pH.
• Exponential relationship was observed between extracellular pH and cellular ATP.
• Study provides insight linking bacterial activity to charge-regulated cell surface pH.

In this study we investigated the relationship between a rapid change in extracellular pH and the alteration of bacterial ATP concentration. This relationship is a key component of a hypothesis indicating that bacterial bioenergetics – the creation of ATP from ADP via a proton gradient across the cytoplasmic membrane – can be altered by the physiochemical charge-regulation effect, which results in a pH shift at the bacteria's surface upon adhesion to another surface. The bacterial ATP concentration was measured during a rapid change in extracellular pH from a baseline pH of 7.2 to pH values between 3.5 and 10.5. Experiments were conducted with four neutrophilic bacterial strains, including the Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis. A change in bulk pH produced an immediate response in bacterial ATP, demonstrating a direct link between changes in extracellular pH and cellular bioenergetics. In general, the shifts in ATP were similar across the four bacterial strains, with results following an exponential relationship between the extracellular pH and cellular ATP concentration. One exception occurred with S. epidermidis, where there was no variation in cellular ATP at acidic pH values, and this finding is consistent with this species’ ability to thrive under acidic conditions. These results provide insight into obtaining a desired bioenergetic response in bacteria through (i) the application of chemical treatments to vary the local pH and (ii) the selection and design of surfaces resulting in local pH modification of attached bacteria via the charge-regulation effect.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide