Transport of 2-deoxy-D-galactose in Saccharomyces fragilis.

2-Deoxy-D-galactose (dGal) transport in Saccharomyces fragilis is characterized by energy requirement and accumulation of the free sugar against a concentration gradient, indicating active transport. Besides free sugar dGal-1-phosphate, UDP-dGal and a trehalose-like derivative were found inside the cells. The accumulation of the phosphorylated derivatives was balanced by a concomitant decrease of ATP, orthophosphate and polyphosphates. With pulse labeling experiments it could be shown that the free sugar is transported into the cells. This conclusion was supported by several other experimental results, e.g. the lack of correlation between the sugar transport parameters and the dGal phosphorylation capacity, and the countertransport of free dGal evoked by galactose in the medium. The typical differences between this active transport mechanism and the transport-associated phosphorylation system, described previously, are discussed.