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EVIDENCE FOR PRESENCE OF A XYLITOL PHOSPHOTRANSFERASE SYSTEM IN STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS OMZ 176
Author(s) -
ASSEV S.,
RöLLA G.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica series b: microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0108-0180
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1984.tb02800.x
Subject(s) - xylitol , streptococcus mutans , phosphotransferase , metabolite , chemistry , pep group translocation , biochemistry , phosphate , microbiology and biotechnology , catabolism , enzyme , biology , bacteria , phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase , fermentation , genetics
A cariogenic bacterial strain, Streptococcus mutans OMZ 176, was found to be able to take up xylitol by a phosphotransferase system (pts) in spite of lack of ability to catabolize this pentitol. A metabolite with an R f value in TLC similar to xylitol 5‐phosphate was extracted from resting cells which had been exposed to 14 C xylitol. Phosphatase treatment of this metabolite yielded xylitol. It is suggested that the inhibition of growth of Strep. mutans observed in several laboratories can be explained in terms of accumulation of xylitol phosphate (presumably xylitol 5‐phosphate) inside the cells. It is furthermore suggested that xylitol is transported and phosphorylated through the fructose pts.