Alkali ion transport of primycin modified erythrocytes.

The effects of the antibiotic primycin on alkali cation transport of human erythrocytes were investigated. Primycin selectively increases the permeability of erythrocytes to alkali-cations according to the sequence: Cs+ greater than Rb+ approximately K+ greater than Na+. The time course of the cation effluxes depends on the antibiotic concentration and can be altered by negatively charged SDS. Some evidence is given for the mechanism of primycin-membrane interaction.