Studies on gallium accumulation in inflammatory lesions: II. Uptake by Staphylococcus aureus: concise communication.

Gallium-67 was demonstrated to be taken up in significant amounts by a number of common micro-organisms. The mechanism of gallium-67 uptake was studied in S. aureus. It is found to involve two separate processes. One is insensitive to temperature or metabolic inhibitors, and is not inhibited by a high concentration of nonradioactive gallium. This process probably operates through nonspecific binding of Ga-67 to components of S. aureus. The second process is not inhibited by metabolic inhibitors either, but it is temperature-sensitive and is inhibited by high concentrations of stable gallium. This component of the Ga-67 uptake is most likely due to a carrier-mediated transport system (facilitated transfer).