Membrane transport of p-nitrophenyl-alpha-galactoside by the melibiose carrier of Escherichia coli.

p-Nitrophenyl-alpha-galactoside (alpha-pNPG) was found to be a substrate for the melibiose transport system of Escherichia coli. This sugar enters induced cells via the carrier and is split by alpha-galactosidase to galactose and p-nitrophenol. In mutant cells lacking the alpha-galactosidase [3H]-alpha-pNPG accumulated to concentrations 15 times higher than the external medium. The transport of alpha-pNPG is inhibited by both Na+ and Li+. Na+ (10 mM) reduced the Km for alpha-pNPG from 0.45 to 0.18 mM and reduced the Vmax from 6.7 nmoles/min/mg dry wt to a value of 3.0.