A novel phosphotransferase system of Streptococcus mutans is responsible for transport of carbohydrates with α-1,3 linkage

Mol Oral Microbiol. 2013 Apr;28(2):114-28. doi: 10.1111/omi.12009. Epub 2012 Nov 1.

Abstract

The most common type of carbohydrate-transport system in Streptococcus mutans is the phosphoenolpyruvate-sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS). Fourteen PTS exist in S. mutans UA159. Several studies have shown that microorganisms growing in biofilms express different genes compared with their planktonic counterparts. In this study, we showed that one PTS of S. mutans was expressed in sucrose-grown biofilms. Furthermore, the same PTS was also responsible for the transport and metabolism of disaccharide nigerose (3-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-d-glucose). Additionally, the results indicate that the studied PTS might be involved in the transport and metabolism of carbohydrates synthesized by glucosyltransferase B and glucosyltransferase C of S. mutans. To our knowledge, this is the first report that shows PTS transport of a disaccharide (and possibly extracellular oligosaccharides) with α-1,3 linkage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Adhesion / genetics
  • Bacteriological Techniques
  • Biofilms
  • Dextranase / pharmacology
  • Disaccharides / genetics
  • Disaccharides / metabolism*
  • Fructose / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Glucans / metabolism
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glucosyltransferases / genetics
  • Glucosyltransferases / metabolism
  • Hexosyltransferases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Open Reading Frames / genetics
  • Operon / genetics
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System / metabolism*
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / metabolism
  • Protein Array Analysis
  • Streptococcus mutans / enzymology*
  • Streptococcus mutans / genetics
  • Sucrose / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic / genetics

Substances

  • Disaccharides
  • Glucans
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • laminaribiose
  • Fructose
  • Sucrose
  • 1,3-alpha-D-glucan synthase
  • Glucosyltransferases
  • Hexosyltransferases
  • glucosyltransferase C
  • inulosucrase
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System
  • Dextranase
  • Glucose