Distribution of the phosphoenolpyruvate: glucose phosphotransferase system in bacteria.

A survey of the occurrence of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent glucose phosphotransferase system was carried out in a number of bacteria, representing both gram-positive and gram-negative facultative anaerobic and strictly aerobic types. The system was found to be present in representatives of genera that are characteristically facultative anaerobes, but the system was absent in members of those genera that are strictly aerobic. Thus, although the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system is an important system for the transport of sugars in bacteria carrying out anaerobic glycolysis, it plays no role in sugar transport by those organisms having a strictly oxidative physiology. A fundamentally different system, probably not involving phosphorylation during transport, is indicated in this latter group.