Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

In Vivo Monitoring of Transcriptional Activity During Metabolic Transition Using a Bioluminescent Reporter in Yeast
Published on: February 21, 2025
Maltose utilization in Enterococcus faecalis
Y Le Breton1, V Pichereau, N Sauvageot
1Laboratoire de Microbiologie de l'Environnement, USC INRA, IRBA, Université de Caen, 14032 Caen Cedex, France.
Aims:
The aim of this research was to characterize the metabolic pathway for maltose utilization in Enterococcus faecalis.
Methods And Results:
Screening a library of Enterococcus faecalis insertional mutants allowed the isolation of mutants affected in maltose utilization. Genetic analysis of the insertion loci revealed insertions in neighbour genes encoding an EII component of a phosphotransferase system (PTS) transporter (malT) and a maltose phosphorylase homologue (malP). The malP gene forms part of an operon which also includes genes encoding a phosphoglucomutase (malB), a mutarotase (aldose 1-epimerase) (malM) and a transcriptional regulator (malR). Analysis of (14)C-labelled carbohydrates uptake revealed that more than 97% of maltose enters the cells by the PTS transporter MalT.
Conclusions:
Both experimental data and genetic organization of the malPBMR operon strongly suggest that in Enterococcus faecalis, maltose enters using a PTS, leaving maltose-6-phosphate inside the cells which is hydrolysed by a maltose phosphate phosphorylase (MalP).
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
This study describes a new pathway for maltose utilization in lactic acid bacteria.
More Related Videos
14:42Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Refractive Index or Mass Spectrometric Detection for Metabolite Profiling in Lysate-based Cell-free Systems
Published on: September 23, 2021
14:53Techniques for the Evolution of Robust Pentose-fermenting Yeast for Bioconversion of Lignocellulose to Ethanol
Published on: October 24, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Other Glycolytic Pathways
Microbial Fermentation
Production of Alcohol
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...
Introduction to Carbohydrates
Microbes in Food Production