7Li and 23Na NMR studies of transmembrane cation transport mediated by ionophore lasalocid A.

Ion transport across phospholipid vesicles was studied by 7Li and 23Na-NMR using an aqueous anionic paramagnetic shift reagent, dysprosium nitrilotriacetate Dy(NTA)2, mediated by ionophores, lasalocid A and A23187. The intra- and extracellular 7Li and 23Na-NMR signals were well separated (20 Hz) at mM concentration of the shift reagent. The observed data on the rate constant for lithium transport across DPPC vesicles at various concentrations of the ionophores indicated that lasalocid A is a more efficient carrier for lithium ion compared with the sodium ion transport by this ionophore, while A23187 was not specific to either of the ions (Li or Na).