Regulation of methionine transport activity in Escherichia coli.

Methionine transport activity in cells of Escherichia coli K-12 is regulated by the level of the internal methionine pool. Transport activity is depressed either in cells grown in the presence of methionine or in cells exposed to methionine immediately prior to harvest. Alpha-Keto-gamma-methiol-butyrate, D-methionine, or methionine sulfoxide have little effect on the initial rate of uptake of L-methionine when they are added simultaneously with the substrate. However, methionine transport is markedly reduced in cells exposed to these sources of L-methionine before the addition of substrate. This reduction is prevented if the cells are treated with amino oxyacetic acid. The initial rate of uptake into L-methionine-loaded cells was lower than that into unloaded cells. This inhibition affected both methionine transport systems and the inhibition by the internal pool appeared to be non-competitive with the external methionine concentration. Two classes of mutants with increased methionine pools have decreased rates of uptake. Conversely, starvation for methionine in a methionine auxotroph with high rates of methionine degradation resulted in a substantial increase in the rate of methionine transport. Thus, these transport systems are subject to regulation by the internal pool size and possibly by repression.