Analysis of regulatory mechanisms controlling the activity of the hexitol transport systems in Escherichia coli K12.

The transport systems (enzymeII-complexes of the PEP-dependent sugar:phosphotransferase system) coded for in the mtl and in the gut (srl) operon of E. coli K12 have been shown to be the pacemaker enzymes in the catabolism of the two hexitols D-mannitol and D-glucitol, respectively. As for other pacemaker enzymes their activity is regulated in a complex way: (i) via competitive inhibition by analogues. (ii) via non-competitive (feedback) inhibition by the simultaneous, rapid uptake of a number of structurally related or non-related carbohydrates, regardless if these are transported by group translocation, active transport or facilitated diffusion. This type of inhibition is strongly reinforced, if the inhibitory carbohydrates are converted efficiently into hexose-phosphates at the same time. Among these, predominantly D-fructose-6-P seems to act as a feedback inhibitor for the hexitol specific enzymeII-complexes: (iii) inhibition of hixitol-phosphate accumulation by D-glucose-6-P. The influence of additional parameters (PEP level, P approximately HPr level) and indications for the existence of further mechanisms controlling the activity of hexitol and other carbohydrate transport systems will be discussed, as will be the part the inhibitory mechanisms described above play in the phenomena of transient repression and inducer exclusion.