Inhibition of L-lysine uptake by α-methyl lysine in Escherichia coli and Bacillus sphaericus

α-Methyl lysine was investigated as a potential inhibitor of lysine transport in Escherichia coli and Bacillus sphaericus. At equimolar concentrations, no inhibition was observed in either organism, but at 10 × and 100 × the lysine concentration, α-methyl lysine caused a 20–50% reduction in the initial rate of lysine uptake in both bacteria. A similar inhibitory effect was observed with ε-N-methyl lysine on lysine uptake in B. sphaericus, but not in E. coli. α-Methyl lysine had a reduced effect on ornithine uptake and no effect on arginine transport in either bacterium.