Multiple sugar: phosphotransferase system permeases participate in catabolite modification of gene expression in Streptococcus mutans.

Streptococcus mutans is particularly well adapted for high-affinity, high-capacity catabolism of multiple carbohydrate sources. S. mutansenzyme II (EII(Lev)), a fructose/mannose permease encoded by the levDEFG genes, and fruA, which encodes a hydrolase that releases fructose from fructan polymers, are transcriptionally regulated by the LevQRST four-component signal transduction system. Here, we demonstrate that: (i) levDEFGX are co-transcribed and the levE/F intergenic region is required for optimal expression of levFGX; (ii) D-mannose is a potent inducer of the levD and fruA operons; (iii) CcpA regulates levD expression in a carbohydrate-specific manner; (iv) deletion of the genes for the fructose/mannose-EII enzymes of S. mutans (manL, fruI and levD) enhances levD expression; (v) repression of the LevQRST regulon by EII enzymes depends on the presence of their substrates and requires LevR, but not LevQST; and (vi) CcpA inhibits expression of the manL and fruI genes to indirectly control the LevQRST regulon. Further, the manL, ccpA, fruI/fruCD and levD gene products differentially exert control over the cellobiose and lactose operons. Collectively, the results reveal the existence of a global regulatory network in S. mutans that governs the utilization of non-preferred carbohydrates in response to the availability and source of multiple preferred carbohydrates.