title: A mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis defective in dipeptide transport.
abstract: A mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis unable to use the dipeptide carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) as a sole carbon or nitrogen source was isolated. Carnosinase activity and the ability to grow on beta-Ala and/or L-His were similar in the mutant and the wild type. However, the mutant showed significant impairment in the uptake of carnosine. This study is the first description of a peptide utilization mutant of a mycobacterium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Department of Surgery, UMDNJ/New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coles
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Condon
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Connell
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D002336:Carnosine / Q000378:metabolism; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D020102:Mycobacterium smegmatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D002336:Carnosine