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J. Bacteriol., 08 1997, 5056-5061, Vol 179, No. 16
NN Nichols and CS Harwood
PcaK is a transporter and chemoreceptor protein from Pseudomonas putida
that is encoded as part of the beta-ketoadipate pathway regulon for
aromatic acid degradation. When expressed in Escherichia coli, PcaK was
localized to the membrane and catalyzed the accumulation of two aromatic
substrates, 4-hydroxybenzoate and protocatechuate, against a concentration
gradient. Benzoate inhibited 4-hydroxybenzoate uptake but was not a
substrate for PcaK-catalyzed transport. A P. putida pcaK mutant was
defective in its ability to accumulate micromolar amounts of
4-hydroxybenzoate and protocatechuate. The mutant was also impaired in
growth on millimolar concentrations of these aromatic acids. In contrast,
the pcaK mutant grew at wild-type rates on benzoate. The Vmax for uptake of
4-hydroxybenzoate was at least 25 nmol/min/mg of protein, and the Km was 6
microM. PcaK-mediated transport is energized by the proton motive force.
These results show that although aromatic acids in the undissociated
(uncharged) form can diffuse across bacterial membranes, high-specificity
active transport systems probably also contribute to the ability of
bacteria to grow on the micromolar concentrations of these compounds that
are typically present in soil. A variety of aromatic molecules, including
naturally occurring lignin derivatives and xenobiotics, are metabolized by
bacteria and may be substrates for transport proteins. The characterization
of PcaK provides a foundation for understanding active transport as a
critical step in the metabolism of aromatic carbon sources.
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology
PcaK, a high-affinity permease for the aromatic compounds 4- hydroxybenzoate and protocatechuate from Pseudomonas putida
Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
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