title: Identification of a glucose permease from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2 155.
abstract: We report here the molecular identification of a glucose permease from Mycobacterium smegmatis,a model organism for our understanding of the life patterns of the major pathogens Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae. A computer-based search of the available genome of M. smegmatis mc(2) 155 with the sequences of well-characterized glucose transporters revealed the gene msmeg4187 as a possible candidate. The deduced protein belongs to the major facilitator superfamily of proton symporters and facilitators and exhibits up to 53% of amino acid identity to other members of this family. Heterologous expression of msmeg4187 in an Escherichia coli glucose-negative mutant led to the restoration of growth on glucose. The determination of the biochemical features characterize MSMEG4187 (GlcP) as a high affinity (K(m) of 19 microM), glucose-specific permease. The results represent the first molecular characterization of a sugar permease in mycobacteria, and thus supply fundamental data for further in-depth analysis on the nutritional lifestyle of these bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisângela F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Pimentel-Schmitt
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jahreis
authors.forename: Mike P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Eddy
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amon
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burkovski
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Titgemeyer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001692:Biological Transport; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005947:Glucose / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020102:Mycobacterium smegmatis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D005947:Glucose