Glucose transport by a mutant of Streptococcus mutans unable to accumulate sugars via the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system.

Streptococcus mutans transports glucose via the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS). Earlier studies indicated that an alternate glucose transport system functions in this organism under conditions of high growth rates, low pH, or excess glucose. To identify this system, S. mutans BM71 was transformed with integration vector pDC-5 to generate a mutant, DC10, defective in the general PTS protein enzyme I (EI). This mutant expressed a defective EI that had been truncated by approximately 150 amino acids at the carboxyl terminus as revealed by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis with anti-EI antibody and Southern hybridizations with a fragment of the wild-type EI gene as a probe. Phosphotransfer assays utilizing 32P-PEP indicated that DC10 was incapable of phosphorylating HPr and EIIAMan, indicating a nonfunctional PTS. This was confirmed by the fact that DC10 was able to ferment glucose but not a variety of other PTS substrates and phosphorylated glucose with ATP and not PEP. Kinetic assays indicated that the non-PTS system exhibited an apparent Ks of 125 microM for glucose and a Vmax of 0.87 nmol mg (dry weight) of cells-1 min-1. Sugar competition experiments with DC10 indicated that the non-PTS transport system had high specificity for glucose since glucose transport was not significantly by a 100-fold molar excess of several competing sugar substrates, including 2-deoxyglucose and alpha-methylglucoside. These results demonstrate that S. mutans possesses a glucose transport system that can function independently of the PEP PTS.     

Effect of sugar type on the survival of frozen-thawed rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) sperm

Sperm-freezing extenders supplemented with sugar or a combination of different sugars are widely used for the cryopreservation of nonhuman primate spermatozoa. Understanding which sugar or combination of sugars offers the highest level of cryoprotection would be beneficial for the development of sperm-freezing extenders. In the present study we aimed to investigate the effect of glucose, lactose, and raffinose separately or in combination on the cryosurvival of rhesus monkey spermatozoa. Toward that end, we prepared eight extenders by adding various types of sugars to a basic medium (BM): G-BM (0.3 M glucose), L-BM (0.3 M lactose), R-BM (0.3 M raffinose), LG-BM (0.15 M lactose+0.15 M glucose), RG-BM (0.15 M raffinose+0.15 M glucose), LR-BM (0.15 M lactose+0.15 M raffinose), and LRG-BM (0.1 M lactose+0.1 M raffinsoe+0.1 M glucose). A saline control (0.157 M sodium chloride) was also used. The results showed no significant difference in post-thaw motility when spermatozoa were frozen with G-BM, L-BM, LG-BM, RG-BM, and LRG-BM, but the post-thaw motility was significantly lower when it was frozen with R-BM, LR-BM, and the saline control. The highest plasma membrane integrity was achieved when spermatozoa were frozen with G-BM, L-BM, LG-BM, RG-BM, and LRG-BM, and the highest acrosome integrity was achieved with G-BM, L-BM, LG-BM, RG-BM, LRG-BM, and the saline control. The results indicate that the various sugars offered different protective effects. For the cryopreservation of rhesus monkey spermatozoa, glucose (monosaccharide) and lactose (disaccharide) were shown to be more suitable than raffinose (trisaccharide) for preserving spermatozoal motility, plasma membrane, and acrosome. Specifically, raffinose was detrimental to sperm acrosome integrity.     

Extracellular invertase of Rhizobium japonicum and its role in free sugar metabolism in the developing root nodules of Sesbania grandiflora

Extracellular invertase of Rhizobium japonicum and its role in free sugar metabolism in the developing root nodules of Sesbania grandiflora L. was studied. The enzyme hydrolysed sucrose extracellularly, and its release was substrate inducible. 0.1 Mβ-mercaptoethanol released the cell-bound form of this enzyme. The production of invertase was low when glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose and raffinose were used as carbon sources in the growth medium. In the developing nodules sucrose was the major sugar. The content of fructose was low in comparison with that of glucose – suggesting that in the nodules, fructose is converted to glucose prior to its entry into the bacterial cell. The content of glucose synchronised with the pattern of change in the activity of invertase in the nodules.     

Cation specificity for sugar substrates of the melibiose carrier in Escherichia coli

A study has been made of the sugar substrate specificities and the cation specificities of the melibiose transport system of Escherichia coli. The following beta-galactosides were found to be transported: lactose, L-arabinose-beta-D-galactoside, D-fructose-beta-D-galactoside, o- and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactosides. These beta-galactosides were cotransported with Na+ but not with H+. The alpha-galactosides raffinose, melibiose and p-nitrophenyl-alpha-galactoside were transported with either H+ or Na+. Of the monosaccharides tested D-galactose could use either Na+ or H+ for cotransport whereas D-fucose, L-arabinose and D-galactosamine could use only Na+. The sugar specificity requirements for H+ cotransport are therefore more exacting than those for Na+ cotransport.     

Influence of frost damage on the sugars and sugar alcohol composition in quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) floral nectar

Cold stress adversely affects growth and productivity, and triggers a series of morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular changes in plants. Since sugars are present in all floral nectars in greater amounts than any other constituent, the aim of this study was to examine how frost exposure changes sugar metabolism and how it affects on the content of sugar components in the nectar of quince. Three quince cultivars (‘Vranjska’, ‘Triumph’ and ‘Leskova?ka’) were investigated in this study. The contents of sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, trehalose, maltose, isomaltose, rhamnose, arabinose, ribose, melezitose, raffinose, and panose) and sugar alcohols (sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol and galactitol) were analyzed by high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with amperometric detection. The results showed that after late spring frosts and irreversible damage of flower parts, the nectar of the three quince cultivars contained elevated levels of fructose, trehalose, arabinose, ribose, rhamnose, raffinose, galactitol and mannitol, indicating an impairment of central carbohydrate metabolism. The ratios between individual sugars, such as the glucose/fructose ratio, were changed in the nectar of damaged flowers in all three quince cultivars. The examined cultivars showed similar sugar response to cold stress. The only exception was ‘Leskova?ka’ for the glucose and melezitose pathway, which means that composition of those two sugars changed significantly according to the genotype. The larger are the carbohydrates reserves in different parts of a fruit tree, the higher is the tolerance to any form of frost damage, the results of this study could help in the understanding of how different quince cultivars react to this kind of stress and how they modulate their sugar metabolism.     

Development of a buffer system for dialysis of bovine spermatozoa before freezing. II. Effect of sugars and sugar alcohols on posthaw motility

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of sugars (glucose, lactose and raffinose) and the effect of those sugars (C(3) to C(6)) or their correspondent sugar alcohols on the dialysis of bovine semen. First, the effect of isosmotic solutions of glucose, lactose or raffinose at five different levels (0, 25, 50, 75, 95% V/V) on sperm motility of semen dialyzed prior to freezing were studied. These levels were used in extenders and dialysates, and the final volume was complemented with Piperazine-N-N-BIS (2-ethane sulfonic acid (PIPES) titrated to pH 7.0 with TRIS (hydroxymethyl) amino-methane (TRIS) to form PIPEST or a 1:1 (V/V) combination between PIPEST and sodium citrate solutions. In the second experiment, 30% of the buffer volume contained solutions of sugars (C(3) or C(6)) or their correspondent sugar alcohol, and the final volume was completed with PIPEST-citrate buffer. Semen aliquots were extended (1:10) and dialyzed (1:50) for 2 h while cooling from 37 to 5 degrees C in semipermeable dialysis bags of 12,000 to 14,000 molecular weight cut off. The samples were frozen in pellets 1 h after dialysis was terminated. Sperm survival was significantly higher in PIPEST-citrate than in PIPEST buffer alone (P<0.05). No significant difference (P>0.05) was obtained between the use of glucose or lactose or between lactose and raffinose. High levels of sugar appeared to be detrimental to sperm motility of fresh and thawed semen samples. Motility of cells extended in buffers containing 30% (V/V) isosmotic solutions of glucose, galactose, ribose, xylose, arabinose or their correspondent sugar alcohols was significantly higher (P<0.05) than their motility in extenders without sugar.     

Control of sugar transport in human fibroblasts independent of glucose metabolism or carrier-substrate interaction

Transport regulation by different metabolizable and nonmetabolizable sugars was studied in human fibroblasts. Sugars were classed as glucose-like (D-mannose, 3-0-methyl-D-glucose, thio-D-glucose, and D-allose) and starvation-like (D-galactose, D-fructose, L-glucose, D-xylose, 6-deoxy-D-glucose and 2-deoxy-D-glucose) based on their competence in curbing glucose starvation enhanced transport. No significant correlation existed between the ability of a sugar to curb hexose transport and the KI of that sugar in inhibiting hexose transport. Independence of the transport curb from glucose metabolism was observed since nonmetabolizable analogs of D-glucose when substituted for D-glucose in the culture medium effected glucose [i.e. 3-0-methyl-D-glucose (3-OMG)] and starvation-like (i.e. 6- and 2-deoxy-D-glucose) effects. The KI of inhibition pf 2-deoxy-D-glucose transport for 3-OMG was 8.5 mM, similar to those obtained for 6-deoxyglucose and 2-deoxyglucose on 2-deoxyglycose transport (7.5 and 3.5 mM, respectively) and on 3-0-methylglucose transport (3.5 and 2.5 mM, respectively). An equimolar mixture of D-glucose and 3-OMG (5.55 mM each) was more effective than 11.1 mM D-glucose or 3-OMG alone in curbing hexose transport or reversing hexose starvation induced increases in transport. The effect of 3-OMG may be independent of glucose metabolism but it is possible that 3-OMG structurally mimics a metabolite of glucose that may interact with intracellular regulators of carrier degradation and or expression.     

Kinetic analyses of the sugar phosphate:sugar transphosphorylation reaction catalyzed by the glucose enzyme II complex of the bacterial phosphotransferase system.

The sugar phosphate:sugar transphosphorylation reaction catalyzed by the glucose Enzyme II complex of the phosphotransferase system has been analyzed kinetically. Initial rates of phosphoryl transfer from glucose-6-P to methyl alpha-glucopyranoside were determined with butanol/urea-extracted membranes from Salmonella typhimurium strains. The kinetic mechanism was shown to be Bi-Bi Sequential, indicating that the Enzyme II possesses nonoverlapping binding sites for sugar and sugar phosphate. Binding of the two substrates appears to occur in a positively cooperative fashion. A mutant with a defective glucose Enzyme II was isolated which transported methyl alpha-glucoside and glucose with reduced maximal velocities and higher Km values. In vitro kinetic studies of the transphosphorylation reaction catalyzed by the mutant enzyme showed a decrease in maximal velocity and increases in the Km values for both the sugar and sugar phosphate substrates. These results are consistent with the conclusion that a single Enzyme II complex catalyzes both transport and transphosphorylation of its sugar substrates.     

A binding protein-dependent transport system in Streptococcus mutans responsible for multiple sugar metabolism.

An 11-kilobase gene region of Streptococcus mutans has been identified which contains eight contiguous genes involved with the uptake and metabolism of multiple sugars (the msm system). Sequence analysis of this region indicates that several of these genes specify proteins with strong homology to components of periplasmic binding protein-dependent transport systems of Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, this operon is controlled by a regulatory gene (msmR) that acts as a positive effector. The proteins specified by the structural genes of the msm operon include alpha-galactosidase (aga), a "periplasmic-like" sugar-binding protein (msmE), two membrane proteins (msmF, msmG), sucrose phosphorylase (gtfA), an ATP-binding protein (msmK), and dextran glucosidase (dexB). Insertional inactivation of each of these genes along with uptake data indicate that this system is responsible for the uptake of melibiose, raffinose, and isomaltotriose and the metabolism of melibiose, sucrose, and isomaltosaccharides.     

Influence of the 20-kDa protein from Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis on the rate of production of truncated Cry1C proteins

Abstract The multiple-sugar metabolism ( msm ) locus of Streptococcus mutans constitutes a non-PTS sugar uptake system responsible for the transport and utilization of raffinose, melibiose and isomaltotrioses. While previous studies have used polar mutations to suggest that these genes are co-transcribed, there has not been any direct evidence to support this. In this report we present direct evidence that the msm genes can be transcribed as a single operon.     

Reprogramming of sugar transport pathways in Escherichia coli using a permeabilized SecY protein-translocation channel

In the initial step of sugar metabolism, sugar-specific transporters play a decisive role in the passage of sugars through plasma membranes into cytoplasm. The SecY complex (SecYEG) in bacteria forms a membrane channel responsible for protein translocation. The present work shows that permeabilized SecY channels can be used as nonspecific sugar transporters in Escherichia coli. SecY with the plug domain deleted allowed the passage of glucose, fructose, mannose, xylose, and arabinose, and, with additional pore-ring mutations, facilitated lactose transport, indicating that sugar passage via permeabilized SecY was independent of sugar stereospecificity. The engineered E. coli showed rapid growth on a wide spectrum of monosaccharides and benefited from the elimination of transport saturation, improvement in sugar tolerance, reduction in competitive inhibition, and prevention of carbon catabolite repression, which are usually encountered with native sugar uptake systems. The SecY channel is widespread in prokaryotes, so other bacteria may also be engineered to utilize this system for sugar uptake. The SecY channel thus provides a unique sugar passageway for future development of robust cell factories for biotechnological applications.     

Defective enzyme II-BGlc of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system leading to uncoupling of transport and phosphorylation in Salmonella typhimurium.

Transport and phosphorylation of glucose via enzymes II-A/II-B and II-BGlc of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system are tightly coupled in Salmonella typhimurium. Mutant strains (pts) that lack the phosphorylating proteins of this system, enzyme I and HPr, are unable to transport or to grow on glucose. From ptsHI deletion strains of S. typhimurium, mutants were isolated that regained growth on and transport of glucose. Several lines of evidence suggest that these Glc+ mutants have an altered enzyme II-BGlc as follows. (i) Insertion of a ptsG::Tn10 mutation (resulting in a defective II-BGlc) abolished growth on and transport of glucose in these Glc+ strains. Introduction of a ptsM mutation, on the other hand, which abolishes II-A/II-B activity, had no effect. (ii) Methyl alpha-glucoside transport and phosphorylation (specific for II-BGlc) was lowered or absent in ptsH+,I+ transductants of these Glc+ strains. Transport and phosphorylation of other phosphoenolpyurate:sugar phosphotransferase system sugars were normal. (iii) Membranes isolated from these Glc+ mutants were unable to catalyze transphosphorylation of methyl alpha-glucoside by glucose 6-phosphate, but transphosphorylation of mannose by glucose 6-phosphate was normal. (iv) The mutation was in the ptsG gene or closely linked to it. We conclude that the altered enzyme II-BGlc has acquired the capacity to transport glucose in the absence of phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system-mediated phosphorylation. However, the affinity for glucose decreased at least 1,000-fold as compared to the wild-type strain. At the same time the mutated enzyme II-BGlc lost the ability to catalyze the phosphorylation of its substrates via IIIGlc.     

Plasmid-mediated uptake and metabolism of sucrose by Escherichia coli K-12.

The conjugative plasmid pUR400 determines tetracycline resistance and enables cells of Escherichia coli K-12 to utilize sucrose as the sole carbon source. Three types of mutants affecting sucrose metabolism were derived from pUR400. One type lacked a specific transport system (srcA); another lacked sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase (scrB); and the third, a regulatory mutant, expressed both of these functions constitutively (scrR). In a strain harboring pUR400, both transport and sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase were inducible by fructose, sucrose, and raffinose; if a scrB mutant was used, fructose was the only inducer. These data suggested that fructose or a derivative acted as an endogenous inducer. Sucrose transport and sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase were subject to catabolite repression; these two functions were not expressed in an E. coli host (of pUR400) deficient in the adenosine 3-,5'-phosphate receptor protein. Sucrose uptake (apparent Km = 10 microM) was dependent on the scrA gene product and on the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar:phosphotransferase system (PTS) of the host. The product of sucrose uptake (via group translocation) was identified as sucrose-6-phosphate, phosphorylated at C6 of the glucose moiety. Intracellular sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase catalyzed the hydrolysis of sucrose-6-phosphate (Km = 0.17 mM), sucrose (Km = 60 mM), and raffinose (Km = 150 mM). The active enzyme was shown to be a dimer of Mr 110,000.     

Complex regulation of simple sugar transport in insulin-responsive cells.

Facilitated sugar entry into mammalian cells is catalysed by multiple isoforms of the glucose transporter and regulated by hormonal stimuli, nutritional status and oncogenesis. A large reserve of latent glucose transport capacity must be maintained by muscle and adipose cells that are sensitive to insulin, the primary activator of sugar uptake after feeding. Intracellular sequestration of sugar transporters accounts for a large part of this latent capacity, but new findings suggest that there is also reversible suppression of intrinsic catalytic activity of those glucose transporters residing at the cell surface. The mechanism of this suppression appears to be occlusion or disruption of the exofacial sugar-binding sites on the glucose-transporter proteins.     

Sugar transport: Occurrence of trehalase activity in sugar cane

Summary Trehalase activity was detected in extracts of roots, leaves, and stalk tissue from sugar cane. The enzyme was not bound to cell particulates, and had a pH optimum of 6.2 and a Michaelis constant for trehalose of 1×10^-4 M. The level of enzyme detected in mature stalk tissue was too low to account for glucose transport into tissue slices. The enzyme level was high in immature stalk tissue in which the vacuolar sugar pool turns over rapidly. Trehalose synthesis and breakdown may be part of a system for transport of hexose out from the vacuole.     

Flowering‐mediated root‐fungus symbiosis loss is related to jasmonate‐dependent root soluble sugar deprivation

The role of flowering in root‐fungal symbiosis is not well understood. Because flowering and fungal symbionts are supported by carbohydrates, we hypothesized that flowering modulates root‐beneficial fungal associations through alterations in carbohydrate metabolism and transport. We monitored fungal colonization and soluble sugars in the roots of Arabidopsis thaliana following inoculation with a mutualistic fungus Phomopsis liquidambari across different plant developmental stages. Jasmonate signalling of wild‐type plants, sugar transport, and root invertase of wild‐type and jasmonate‐insensitive plants were exploited to assess whether and how jasmonate‐dependent sugar dynamics are involved in flowering‐mediated fungal colonization alterations. We found that flowering restricts root‐fungal colonization and activates root jasmonate signalling upon fungal inoculation. Jasmonates reduce the constitutive and fungus‐induced accumulation of root glucose and fructose at the flowering stage. Further experiments with sugar transport and metabolism mutant lines revealed that root glucose and fructose positively influence fungal colonization. Diurnal, jasmonate‐dependent inhibitions of sugar transport and soluble invertase activity were identified as likely mechanisms for flowering‐mediated root sugar depletion upon fungal inoculation. Collectively, our results reveal that flowering drives root‐fungus cooperation loss, which is related to jasmonate‐dependent root soluble sugar depletion. Limiting the spread of root‐fungal colonization may direct more resources to flower development.     

Antennal sugar sensitivity in the click beetle Agriotes obscurus

The occurrence of salt‐, sugar‐sensitive neurones and a mechanoreceptor neurone in the antennal hair‐like gustatory sensilla of the click beetle Agriotes obscurus L. (Coleoptera, Elateridae) is demonstrated using the electrophysiological sensillum tip‐recording technique. The stimulating effect of 13 water soluble sugars at 100 mm is tested on the neurones of these sensilla. Sucrose and fructose are the two most stimulating sugars for the sugar‐sensitive neurone, evoking almost 30 spikes s^?1 at 100 mm . The stimulating effect of arabinose, glucose, mannose, maltose and raffinose is three‐ to five‐fold lower, in the range 5.9–9.6 spikes s^?1. The remaining six sugars, xylose, galactose, rhamnose, cellobiose, trehalose and lactose, have very low (<1 spikes s^?1) or no ability to stimulate the sugar‐sensitive neurone. Concentration/response curves of the sugar‐sensitive neurone to sucrose, fructose and glucose at 0.01–100 mm overlap to a large extent in hibernating, cold reactivated and reproductively‐active beetles. A remarkable 9–50% decrease in the number of spikes evoked by 100 mm fructose and 10–100 mm sucrose occurs, however, in reproductively‐active beetles in June compared with beetles at the beginning of hibernation in October. These findings show that A. obscurus is capable of sensing a wide range sugars via their antennal gustatory sensilla.     

The human erythrocyte sugar transporter is also a nucleotide binding protein

We have previously shown that ATP interacts with an intracellular, stereoselective, regulatory site(s) on the human erythrocyte sugar transport system to modify transport function in a hydrolysis-independent manner. This present study examines the nucleotide binding properties of the human erythrocyte sugar transport system. We demonstrate by transport studies in ghosts, by nucleotide binding studies with purified transport protein by measurements of nucleotide inhibition of 8-azidoadenosine 5'-[gamma-32P]triphosphate (azido-ATP) photoincorporation into purified carrier, and by analysis of nucleotide inhibition of carboxyl-terminal peptide antisera binding to purified glucose carrier than the glucose transport protein binds (with increasing order of affinity) AMP, ADP, ATP, 5'-adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), and 1,N6-ethenoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (EATP) at a single site. The carrier lacks detectable ATPase activity and GTP binding capacity. While AMP and ADP bind to the carrier protein and act as competitive inhibitors of ATP binding, these nucleotides are unable to mimic the ability of ATP, AMP-PNP, and EATP to modify the catalytic properties of the sugar transport system. Limited tryptic digestion of azido-ATP-photolabeled carrier suggests that the region of the glucose transport protein containing the intracellular cytochalasin B binding and extracellular bis(mannose) binding domains [residues 270-456; Holman, G. D., & Rees, W. D. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 897, 395-405] may also contain the intracellular ATP binding site.