This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Fraser, K. R.
Right arrow Articles by O'Byrne, C. P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Fraser, K. R.
Right arrow Articles by O'Byrne, C. P.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Fraser, K. R.
Right arrow Articles by O'Byrne, C. P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, November 2000, p. 4696-4704, Vol. 66, No. 11
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Identification and Characterization of an ATP Binding Cassette L-Carnitine Transporter in Listeria monocytogenes

Katy R. Fraser,1 Duncan Harvie,1 Peter J. Coote,2 and Conor P. O'Byrne1,*

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland,1 and Microbiology Department, Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, England2

Received 30 May 2000/Accepted 17 August 2000

We identified an operon in Listeria monocytogenes EGD with high levels of sequence similarity to the operons encoding the OpuC and OpuB compatible solute transporters from Bacillus subtilis, which are members of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) substrate binding protein-dependent transporter superfamily. The operon, designated opuC, consists of four genes which are predicted to encode an ATP binding protein (OpuCA), an extracellular substrate binding protein (OpuCC), and two membrane-associated proteins presumed to form the permease (OpuCB and OpuCD). The operon is preceded by a potential SigB-dependent promoter. An opuC-defective mutant was generated by the insertional inactivation of the opuCA gene. The mutant was impaired for growth at high osmolarity in brain heart infusion broth and failed to grow in a defined medium. Supplementation of the defined medium with peptone restored the growth of the mutant in this medium. The mutant was found to accumulate the compatible solutes glycine betaine and choline to same extent as the parent strain but was defective in the uptake of L-carnitine. We conclude that the opuC operon in L. monocytogenes encodes an ABC compatible solute transporter which is capable of transporting L-carnitine and which plays an important role in osmoregulation in this pathogen.


* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, United Kingdom. Phone: (44 1224) 273151. Fax: (44 1224) 273144. E-mail: c.obyrne{at}abdn.ac.uk.


Applied and Environmental Microbiology, November 2000, p. 4696-4704, Vol. 66, No. 11
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Annamalai, T., Venkitanarayanan, K. (2009). Role of proP and proU in Betaine Uptake by Yersinia enterocolitica under Cold and Osmotic Stress Conditions. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 1471-1477 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Abram, F., Su, W.-L., Wiedmann, M., Boor, K. J., Coote, P., Botting, C., Karatzas, K. A. G., O'Byrne, C. P. (2008). Proteomic Analyses of a Listeria monocytogenes Mutant Lacking {sigma}B Identify New Components of the {sigma}B Regulon and Highlight a Role for {sigma}B in the Utilization of Glycerol. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 594-604 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chen, C., Beattie, G. A. (2007). Characterization of the Osmoprotectant Transporter OpuC from Pseudomonas syringae and Demonstration that Cystathionine-{beta}-Synthase Domains Are Required for Its Osmoregulatory Function. J. Bacteriol. 189: 6901-6912 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Turner, M. S., Tan, Y. P., Giffard, P. M. (2007). Inactivation of an Iron Transporter in Lactococcus lactis Results in Resistance to Tellurite and Oxidative Stress. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6144-6149 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chan, Y. C., Boor, K. J., Wiedmann, M. (2007). {sigma}B-Dependent and {sigma}B-Independent Mechanisms Contribute to Transcription of Listeria monocytogenes Cold Stress Genes during Cold Shock and Cold Growth. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6019-6029 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Choquet, G., Jehan, N., Pissavin, C., Blanco, C., Jebbar, M. (2005). OusB, a Broad-Specificity ABC-Type Transporter from Erwinia chrysanthemi, Mediates Uptake of Glycine Betaine and Choline with a High Affinity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 3389-3398 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wemekamp-Kamphuis, H. H., Sleator, R. D., Wouters, J. A., Hill, C., Abee, T. (2004). Molecular and Physiological Analysis of the Role of Osmolyte Transporters BetL, Gbu, and OpuC in Growth of Listeria monocytogenes at Low Temperatures. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 2912-2918 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fang, W., Siegumfeldt, H., Budde, B. B., Jakobsen, M. (2004). Osmotic Stress Leads to Decreased Intracellular pH of Listeria monocytogenes as Determined by Fluorescence Ratio-Imaging Microscopy. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 3176-3179 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Cetin, M. S., Zhang, C., Hutkins, R. W., Benson, A. K. (2004). Regulation of Transcription of Compatible Solute Transporters by the General Stress Sigma Factor, {sigma}B, in Listeria monocytogenes. J. Bacteriol. 186: 794-802 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Angelidis, A. S., Smith, G. M. (2003). Role of the Glycine Betaine and Carnitine Transporters in Adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes to Chill Stress in Defined Medium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 7492-7498 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sue, D., Boor, K. J., Wiedmann, M. (2003). {sigma}B-dependent expression patterns of compatible solute transporter genes opuCA and lmo1421 and the conjugated bile salt hydrolase gene bsh in Listeria monocytogenes. Microbiology 149: 3247-3256 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gardan, R., Cossart, P., The European Listeria Genome Consortium,, , Labadie, J. (2003). Identification of Listeria monocytogenes Genes Involved in Salt and Alkaline-pH Tolerance. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 3137-3143 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ferreira, A., Sue, D., O'Byrne, C. P., Boor, K. J. (2003). Role of Listeria monocytogenes{sigma}B in Survival of Lethal Acidic Conditions and in the Acquired Acid Tolerance Response. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 2692-2698 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fraser, K. R., Sue, D., Wiedmann, M., Boor, K., O'Byrne, C. P. (2003). Role of {sigma}B in Regulating the Compatible Solute Uptake Systems of Listeria monocytogenes: Osmotic Induction of opuC Is {sigma}B Dependent. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 2015-2022 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Angelidis, A. S., Smith, G. M. (2003). Three Transporters Mediate Uptake of Glycine Betaine and Carnitine by Listeria monocytogenes in Response to Hyperosmotic Stress. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 1013-1022 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sleator, R. D., Gahan, C. G. M., Hill, C. (2003). A Postgenomic Appraisal of Osmotolerance in Listeria monocytogenes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 1-9 [Full Text]  
  • Gardan, R., Duche, O., Leroy-Setrin, S., the European Listeria Genome Consortium,, , Labadie, J. (2003). Role of ctc from Listeria monocytogenes in Osmotolerance. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 154-161 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mendum, M. L., Smith, L. T. (2002). Gbu Glycine Betaine Porter and Carnitine Uptake in Osmotically Stressed Listeria monocytogenes Cells. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 5647-5655 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wemekamp-Kamphuis, H. H., Wouters, J. A., Sleator, R. D., Gahan, C. G. M., Hill, C., Abee, T. (2002). Multiple Deletions of the Osmolyte Transporters BetL, Gbu, and OpuC of Listeria monocytogenes Affect Virulence and Growth at High Osmolarity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 4710-4716 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Angelidis, A. S., Smith, L. T., Hoffman, L. M., Smith, G. M. (2002). Identification of OpuC as a Chill-Activated and Osmotically Activated Carnitine Transporter in Listeria monocytogenes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 2644-2650 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Okada, Y., Makino, S.-i., Tobe, T., Okada, N., Yamazaki, S. (2002). Cloning of rel from Listeria monocytogenes as an Osmotolerance Involvement Gene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 1541-1547 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sleator, R. D., Gahan, C. G. M., Hill, C. (2001). Identification and Disruption of the proBA Locus in Listeria monocytogenes: Role of Proline Biosynthesis in Salt Tolerance and Murine Infection. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 2571-2577 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sleator, R. D., Wouters, J., Gahan, C. G. M., Abee, T., Hill, C. (2001). Analysis of the Role of OpuC, an Osmolyte Transport System, in Salt Tolerance and Virulence Potential of Listeria monocytogenes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 2692-2698 [Abstract] [Full Text]