Characterizing Heterogeneous Bacterial Surface Functional Groups Using Discrete Affinity Spectra for Proton Binding

Here we report results from a quantitative investigation of the types and densities of proton binding sites on a bacterial surface, Bacillus subtilis, from replicate acid−base titrations on bacteria at two ionic strengths (0.025 and 0.1 M). In contrast to the surface complexation modeling (SCM) approach developed and widely used for mineral, e.g., iron oxides, and more recently bacterial surfaces; we fit the data using the linear programming …