Involvement of lactose enzyme II of the phosphotransferase system in rapid expulsion of free galactosides from Streptococcus pyogenes.

Streptococcus pyogenes accumulated thiomethyl-beta-galactoside as the 6-phosphate ester due to the action of the phosphoenolpyruvate:lactose phosphotransferase system. Subsequent addition of glucose resulted in rapid efflux of the free galactoside after intracellular dephosphorylation (inducer expulsion). Efflux was shown to occur in the apparent absence of the galactose permease, but was inhibited by substrate analogs of the lactose enzyme II and could not be demonstrated in a mutant of S. lactis ML3 which lacked this enzyme. The results suggest that the enzymes II of the phosphotransferase system can catalyze the rapid efflux of free sugar under appropriate physiological conditions.