The potassium binding protein Kbp is a cytoplasmic potassium sensor

Escherichia coli possesses a number of specific K+ influx and efflux systems that maintain an appropriate intracellular K+ concentration. Although regulatory mechanisms have been identified for a number of these transport systems, the exact mechanism through which K+ concentration is sensed in the cell remains unknown. In this work we show that Kbp (K+ binding protein, formerly YgaU), a soluble 16-kDa cytoplasmic protein from Escherichia coli, is a highly specific K+ binding protein and is required for normal growth in the presence of high levels of external K+. Kbp binds a single potassium ion with high specificity over Na+ and other metal ions found in biological systems, although, in common with K+ transporters, it also binds Rb+ and Cs+. Dissection of the K+ binding determinants of Kbp suggests a mechanism through which Kbp is able to sense changes in K+ concentration over the relevant range of intracellular K+ concentrations.