title: Primary structure and characteristics of the melibiose carrier of Klebsiella pneumoniae.
abstract: The melB gene coding for the melibiose carrier of Klebsiella pneumoniae was cloned and sequenced. There were two potential translation initiation sites. It was predicted that the melibiose carrier consists of 471 (or 467) amino acid residues. Seventy-eight percent of the 471 amino acids were identical to the Escherichia coli melibiose carrier. Sugar transport characteristics were studied using an E. coli mel- mutant expressing cloned K. pneumoniae melB gene. Accumulation of melibiose via the K. pneumoniae melibiose carrier was not stimulated by adding NaCl or LiCl which stimulates melibiose accumulation via the E. coli melibiose carrier. Lactose was accumulated only in the presence of LiCl. TMG (methyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside) was accumulated in the absence of added NaCl or LiCl. The accumulation was stimulated by LiCl but not by NaCl. Rapid H+ uptake was observed when melibiose or TMG was added to cell suspensions. These results suggest that the preferred cation couplings via K. pneumoniae melibiose carrier are H(+)-melibiose, Li(+)-lactose, and H+/Li(+)-TMG. This coupling spectrum is quite different from that of the E. coli melibiose carrier. It is of special interest that the K. pneumoniae melibiose carrier seems to be lacking the ability to recognize Na+ which is a preferred coupling cation of the E. coli melibiose carrier for all known sugar substrates. Further investigation of these two carriers may give us insight into the Na+ recognition site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hama
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002712:Chlorides / Q000737:chemistry; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism; D008094:Lithium / Q000737:chemistry; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon; D010641:Phenotype; D010957:Plasmids; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D027981:Symporters
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D027981:Symporters; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C021548:melibiose permease; D008094:Lithium; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D007785:Lactose