Clustered genes for galactose metabolism from Streptococcus mutans cloned in Escherichia coli

DNA cloned into Escherichia coli from a serotype c strain of Streptococcus mutans allowed a galKTE mutant to utilize galactose for growth. However, the DNA does not appear to encode enzymes of the Leloir pathway used by E. coli, but rather appears to encode enzymes of the tagatose phosphate pathway.