Effect of nutritional constraints on the biosynthesis of the components of the phosphoenolpyruvate: sugar phosphotransferase system in a fresh isolate of Streptococcus mutans.

A procedure for the purification of enzyme I (EI) and the protein HPr, the general components of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system, from Streptococcus mutans serotype c is presented. The method was also applied successfully to the purification of EI and HPr from Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sobrinus, and Streptococcus sanguis. Using specific antibodies obtained against the proteins purified from S. mutans DR0001, we determined quantitatively by rocket electrophoresis the cellular levels of EI and HPr in a freshly isolated strain of S. mutans grown under various conditions in continuous culture. The activity of a few specific EIIs was also determined by an in vitro phosphorylation test. Results indicated that maximum EII activities for glucose, mannose, and 2-deoxyglucose were obtained under conditions of glucose limitation, at pH 7.0 and low dilution rate (D = 0.057/h). Increasing the amount of glucose or the dilution rate (D = 0.40/h) or decreasing the pH from 7.0 to 5.5 resulted in a 1.4- to 24-fold decrease in these activities. The EII activity for fructose was not influenced by the growth conditions in the same way as the other EIIs. The fructose EII was highest at pH 5.5 and at high dilution rate under conditions of glucose or nitrogen limitation and was always repressed at pH 7.0 and at low dilution rates. The intracellular levels of EI were also dependent on the growth conditions. The highest concentration (0.65 nmol/mg of protein) was observed in cells grown under glucose limitation at pH 7.0 and high dilution rate, and the lowest concentration (0.12 nmol/mg of protein) was found in cells grown under glucose excess at pH 7.0 and high dilution rate. The other general component of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system, the protein HPr, was not influenced significantly by varying growth conditions.