The active transport of carbohydrates by Escherichia coli

The active transport of carbohydrates by Escherichia coli is discussed with particular reference to (1) identification of an uptake process as 'active transport', (2) nature and control of transport proteins, and (3) mechanisms of energy transduction. (1) The use of substrate analogues, of mutants blocked in metabolism and of subcellular vesicles in the isolation of the transport process from interference by subsequent metabolic reactions is described. Criteria are outlined for establishing that the solute is taken up against a concentration gradient and that this is energy-dependent. Three types of poisons for energy systems that act primarily on respiration, on ATP formation and as uncoupling ('proton conducting') agents are considered. (2) Methods are described for the selection of mutants impaired in the active uptake of specific carbohydrates. (3) Results show that the uptake of galactose, D-fucose and arabinose by appropriate strains of E. coli is inducible, specific and accompanied by proton uptake. Such and other data support a model based on a chemiosmotic theory of active transport.