title: Cation specificity for sugar substrates of the melibiose carrier in Escherichia coli.
abstract: A study has been made of the sugar substrate specificities and the cation specificities of the melibiose transport system of Escherichia coli. The following beta-galactosides were found to be transported: lactose, L-arabinose-beta-D-galactoside, D-fructose-beta-D-galactoside, o- and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactosides. These beta-galactosides were cotransported with Na+ but not with H+. The alpha-galactosides raffinose, melibiose and p-nitrophenyl-alpha-galactoside were transported with either H+ or Na+. Of the monosaccharides tested D-galactose could use either Na+ or H+ for cotransport whereas D-fucose, L-arabinose and D-galactosamine could use only Na+. The sugar specificity requirements for H+ cotransport are therefore more exacting than those for Na+ cotransport.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D005285:Fermentation; D005697:Galactosides / Q000378:metabolism; D005838:Genotype; D007700:Kinetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D027981:Symporters
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D005697:Galactosides; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D027981:Symporters; C021548:melibiose permease