Effect of primycin on monovalent cation transport of erythrocyte membrane and lipid bilayer.

The effects of primycin were investigated on the alkali-cation transport of human erythrocytes and on the electric conduction of bimolecular lipid membranes. In the concentration range of 3.10(-6) approximately 10(-5) M primycin increased the permeability of erythrocytes to alkali-cations according to the sequences Cs+ greater than Rb+ approximately K+ greater than Na+, while the conductance of the negatively charged phosphatidylserine bimolecular lipid membrane increased by 2 approximately 3 orders of magnitude. The resistance-lowering effect of primycin strongly depended on the cationic species applied and a selectivity order Na+ greater than K+ greater than Rb+ greater than Cs+ was found. A possible mechanism of the primycin-membrane interaction is suggested on the basis of experimental data.