Essential Sulfhydryl Group in the Transport-catalyzing Protein of the Hexose-Proton Cotransport System of Chlorella

The polyene antibiotic nystatin transforms the sugar-proton contransport system of Chlorella to a mere facilitated diffusion system. This experimental condition was used to test the sugar-translocating unit of the active uptake system for possible essential sulfhydryl groups. It could be shown that the catalyzed translocation of sugar is sensitive to the sulfhydryl-reactive compound N-ethylmaleimide. Sugar flow by passive leak as induced by the detergent Triton X-100 is not affected by sulfhydryl reagents. These results show that the sugar-translocating carrier protein possesses a sulfhydryl group, which is essential for its function.