39K, 23Na, and 31P NMR studies of ion transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The relationship between efflux and influx of K+, Na+, and intracellular pH (pHin) in yeast cells upon energizing by oxygenation was studied by using the noninvasive technique of 39K, 23Na, and 31P NMR spectroscopy. By introducing an anionic paramagnetic shift reagent, Dy3+(P3O5(-10))2, into the medium, NMR signals of intra- and extracellular K+ and Na+ could be resolved, enabling us to study ion transport processes by NMR. Measurements showed that 40% of the intracellular K+ and Na+ in yeast cells contributed to the NMR intensities. By applying this correction factor, the intracellular ion concentrations were determined to be 130-170 mM K+ and 2.5 mM Na+ for fresh yeast cells. With the aid of a home-built solenoidal coil probe for 39K and a double-tuned probe for 23Na and 31P, we could follow time courses of K+ and Na+ transport and of pHin with a time resolution of 1 min. It was shown that H+ extrusion is correlated with K+ uptake and not with Na+ uptake upon energizing yeast cells by oxygenation. When the cells were deenergized after the aerobic period, K+ efflux, H+ influx, and Na+ influx were calculated to be 1.6, 1.5, and 0.15 mumol/min per ml of cell water, respectively. Therefore, under the present conditions, K+ efflux is balanced by exchange for H+ with an approximate stoichiometry of 1:1.