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Characterization of myo-Inositol Utilization by Corynebacterium glutamicum: the Stimulon, Identification of Transporters, and Influence on L-Lysine Formation

Institute of Biotechnology, Research Centre Juelich, D-52425 Juelich, Germany,¹ Degussa R&D Feed Additives/Biotechnology, P.O. Box 1112, D-33788 Halle, Germany,² Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse 3, D-48149 Münster, Germany³

Received 28 June 2006/ Accepted 18 September 2006

Although numerous bacteria possess genes annotated iol in their genomes, there have been very few studies on the possibly associated myo-inositol metabolism and its significance for the cell. We found that Corynebacterium glutamicum utilizes myo-inositol as a carbon and energy source, enabling proliferation with a high maximum rate of 0.35 h^–1. Whole-genome DNA microarray analysis revealed that 31 genes respond to myo-inositol utilization, with 21 of them being localized in two clusters of >14 kb. A set of genomic mutations and functional studies yielded the result that some genes in the two clusters are redundant, and only cluster I is necessary for catabolizing the polyol. There are three genes which encode carriers belonging to the major facilitator superfamily and which exhibit a >12-fold increased mRNA level on myo-inositol. As revealed by mutant characterizations, one carrier is not involved in myo-inositol uptake whereas the other two are active and can completely replace each other with apparent K_ms for myo-inositol as a substrate of 0.20 mM and 0.45 mM, respectively. Interestingly, upon utilization of myo-inositol, the L-lysine yield is 0.10 mol/mol, as opposed to 0.30 mol/mol, with glucose as the substrate. This is probably not only due to myo-inositol metabolism alone since a mixture of 187 mM glucose and 17 mM myo-inositol, where the polyol only contributes 8% of the total carbon, reduced the L-lysine yield by 29%. Moreover, genome comparisons with other bacteria highlight the core genes required for growth on myo-inositol, whose metabolism is still weakly defined.

Published ahead of print on 22 September 2006.

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