Enzyme-mediated nutrient release: glucose-precursor activation by β-galactosidase to induce bacterial growth.

Bacteria will gain an advantage if they are able to metabolize nutrients that are inaccessible for other bacteria. To demonstrate this principle, we developed a simple model system, which mimics how bacteria exploit natural carbon sources. A masked glucose precursor that is activated by β-galactosidase was used as a carbon source for bacterial growth in a glucose-deficient medium. No bacterial growth was observed in the presence of control substances in which β-galactosidase mediated cleavage did not lead to glucose release. This study represents a proof-of-principle example in which a bacterium can grow in a nutrient-free medium by inducible, enzyme-mediated nutrient release from a precursor.