This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vaughan, E. E. Articles by de Vos, W. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vaughan, E. E. Articles by de Vos, W. M. Agricola Articles by Vaughan, E. E. Articles by de Vos, W. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 05 1996, 1574-1582, Vol 62, No. 5
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology

The lactose transporter in Leuconostoc lactis is a new member of the LacS subfamily of galactoside-pentose-hexuronide translocators

EE Vaughan, S David and WM de Vos
Molecular Genetics Group, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, NIZO, Ede, The Netherlands.

The gene encoding the lactose transport protein (lacS) of Leuconostoc lactis NZ6009 has been cloned from its native lactose plasmid, pNZ63, by functional complementation of lactose permease-deficient Escherichia coli mutants. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame with the capacity to encode a protein of 639 amino acids which had limited but significant identity to the lactose transport carriers (LacS) of Streptococcus thermophilus (34.5%) and Lactobacillus bulgaricus (35.6%). This similarity was present both in the amino- terminal hydrophobic carrier domain, which is homologous to the E. coli melibiose transporter, and in the carboxy-terminal enzyme IIA-like regulatory domain. The flanking regions of DNA surrounding lacS were also sequenced. Preceding the lacS gene was a small open reading frame in the same orientation encoding a deduced 95-amino-acid protein with a sequence similar to the amino-terminal portion of beta-galactosidase I from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The lacS gene was separated from the downstream beta-galactosidase genes (lacLM) by 2 kb of DNA containing an IS3-like insertion sequence, which is a novel arrangement for lac genes in comparison with that in other lactic acid bacteria. The lacS gene was cloned in an E. coli-Streptococcus shuttle vector and was expressed both in a lacS deletion derivative of S. thermophilus and in a pNZ63-cured strain, L. lactis NZ6091. The role of the LacS protein was confirmed by uptake assays in which substantial uptake of radiolabeled lactose or galactose was observed with L. lactis or S. thermophilus plasmids harboring an intact lacS gene. Furthermore, galactose uptake was observed in NZ6091, suggesting the presence of at least one more transport system for galactose in L. lactis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Deutscher, J., Francke, C., Postma, P. W. (2006). How Phosphotransferase System-Related Protein Phosphorylation Regulates Carbohydrate Metabolism in Bacteria. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 70: 939-1031 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Barrangou, R., Azcarate-Peril, M. A., Duong, T., Conners, S. B., Kelly, R. M., Klaenhammer, T. R. (2006). Global analysis of carbohydrate utilization by Lactobacillus acidophilus using cDNA microarrays. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103: 3816-3821 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Fortina, M. G., Ricci, G., Mora, D., Guglielmetti, S., Manachini, P. L. (2003). Unusual Organization for Lactose and Galactose Gene Clusters in Lactobacillus helveticus. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 3238-3243 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kleerebezem, M., Boekhorst, J., van Kranenburg, R., Molenaar, D., Kuipers, O. P., Leer, R., Tarchini, R., Peters, S. A., Sandbrink, H. M., Fiers, M. W. E. J., Stiekema, W., Lankhorst, R. M. K., Bron, P. A., Hoffer, S. M., Groot, M. N. N., Kerkhoven, R., de Vries, M., Ursing, B., de Vos, W. M., Siezen, R. J. (2003). Complete genome sequence of Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100: 1990-1995 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Grossiord, B. P., Luesink, E. J., Vaughan, E. E., Arnaud, A., de Vos, W. M. (2003). Characterization, Expression, and Mutation of the Lactococcus lactis galPMKTE Genes, Involved in Galactose Utilization via the Leloir Pathway. J. Bacteriol. 185: 870-878 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rattray, F. P., Myling-Petersen, D., Larsen, D., Nilsson, D. (2003). Plasmid-Encoded Diacetyl (Acetoin) Reductase in Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 304-311 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Silvestroni, A., Connes, C., Sesma, F., de Giori, G. S., Piard, J.-C. (2002). Characterization of the melA Locus for {alpha}-Galactosidase in Lactobacillus plantarum. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 5464-5471 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Hung, M.-N., Xia, Z., Hu, N.-T., Lee, B. H. (2001). Molecular and Biochemical Analysis of Two {beta}-Galactosidases from Bifidobacterium infantis HL96. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 4256-4263 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Thomas, S., Brochu, D., Vadeboncoeur, C. (2001). Diversity of Streptococcus salivarius ptsH Mutants That Can Be Isolated in the Presence of 2-Deoxyglucose and Galactose and Characterization of Two Mutants Synthesizing Reduced Levels of HPr, a Phosphocarrier of the Phosphoenolpyruvate:Sugar Phosphotransferase System. J. Bacteriol. 183: 5145-5154 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Djordjevic, G. M., Tchieu, J. H., Saier, M. H. Jr. (2001). Genes Involved in Control of Galactose Uptake in Lactobacillus brevis and Reconstitution of the Regulatory System in Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 183: 3224-3236 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Weber, B. A., Klein, J. R., Henrich, B. (2000). Expression of the phospho-{beta}-glycosidase ArbZ from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis in Lactobacillus helveticus: substrate induction and catabolite repression. Microbiology 146: 1941-1948 [Abstract] [Full Text]