title: Enzyme-mediated nutrient release: glucose-precursor activation by β-galactosidase to induce bacterial growth.
abstract: Bacteria will gain an advantage if they are able to metabolize nutrients that are inaccessible for other bacteria. To demonstrate this principle, we developed a simple model system, which mimics how bacteria exploit natural carbon sources. A masked glucose precursor that is activated by β-galactosidase was used as a carbon source for bacterial growth in a glucose-deficient medium. No bacterial growth was observed in the presence of control substances in which β-galactosidase mediated cleavage did not lead to glucose release. This study represents a proof-of-principle example in which a bacterium can grow in a nutrient-free medium by inducible, enzyme-mediated nutrient release from a precursor.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Naama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karton-Lifshin
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sella
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Seeberger
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shabat
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lepenies
mesh_terms: D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D005947:Glucose