Transport of sugars and sugar alcohols by lactic acid bacteria

Abstract

Transport of sugars represents an important step in sugar metabolism of bacteria, and is often a limiting step for control of metabolism. Little is known about sugar transport in most lactic acid bacteria (LAB), in particular in heterofermentative strains. In the recent years, important information was obtained from genome sequences of lactic acid bacteria. Here, the annotated genomes of Oenococcus oeni PSU-1 and other wine related LAB, Pediococcus pentosaceus ATCC 25745, Leuconostoc mesenteroides ATCC 8293, Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 and Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis IL1403 were screened for genes which are associated with uptake of sugars. In the homo- and heterofermentative LAB secondary carriers, phosphotransferase systems and ABC transporters are found which are candidates for the uptake of sugars and sugar alcohols. © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. All rights reserved.