Transport and metabolism of trehalose in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium

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Abstract
The metabolism of trehalose in wild type cells of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium has been investigated. Intact cells of Escherichia coli (grown on trehalose) accumulated [14C]-trehalose as [14C]-trehalose 6-phosphate. Toluene-treated cells catalyzed the synthesis of the [14C]-sugar phosphate from [14C]-trehalose and phosphoenolpyruvate; ATP did not serve as phosphoryl donor. Trehalose 6-phosphate could subsequently be hydrolyzed by trehalose 6-phosphate hydrolase, an enzyme which catalyzes the hydrolysis of the disaccharide phosphate into glucose and glucose 6-phosphate. Both Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium induced this enzyme when they grew on trehalose. These findings suggest that trehalose is transported in these bacteria by an inducible phosphoenolpyruvate:trehalose phosphotransferase system. The presence of a constitutive trehalase was also detected.