Engineered production of lactate and acetate short-chain esters in Escherichia coli.

acetate is a classical uncoupling agent, permeating the membrane at comparable rates in the dissociated and undissociated forms. The lactate concentration ratio changes markedly after an initial period of sustained glycolysis. This change is most readily explained as resulting from a lactate transport system that responds to an indicator of glycolytic activity. The data further indicate that lactate permeates the membrane in both dissociated and undissociated forms. Both acids, then, are capable of catalytically dissipating the proton-motive force.