title: Galactose transport in Streptococcus thermophilus.
abstract: Although Streptococcus thermophilus accumulated [14C]lactose in the absence of an endogenous energy source, galactose-fermenting (Gal+) cells were unable to accumulate [14C]galactose unless an additional energy source was added to the test system. Both Gal+ and galactose-nonfermenting (Gal-) strains transported galactose when preincubated with sucrose. Accumulation was inhibited 50 or 95% when 10 mM sodium fluoride or 1.0 mM iodoacetic acid, respectively, was added to sucrose-treated cells, indicating that ATP was required for galactose transport activity. Proton-conducting ionophores also inhibited galactose uptake, although N,N'-dicyclohexyl carbodiimide had no effect. The results suggest that galactose transport in S. thermophilus occurs via an ATP-dependent galactose permease and that a proton motive force is involved. The galactose permease in S. thermophilus TS2b (Gal+) had a Km for galactose of 0.25 mM and a Vmax of 195 micromol of galactose accumulated per min per g (dry weight) of cells. Several structurally similar sugars inhibited galactose uptake, indicating that the galactose permease had high affinities for these sugars.
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D005690:Galactose / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D007785:Lactose; D005690:Galactose