The Entner-Doudoroff Pathway in Escherichia coli Is Induced for Oxidative Glucose Metabolism via Pyrroloquinoline Quinone-Dependent Glucose Dehydrogenase

Authors

Ronda Fliege, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Suxiang Tong, University of Nebraka - Lincoln
Annemarie Shibata, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Kenneth W. Nickerson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Tyrrell Conway, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

12-1-1992

Comments

Published in APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Dec. 1992, p. 3826-3829 Vol. 58, No. 12. Copyright © 1992, American Society for Microbiology. Used by permission.

Abstract

The Entner-Doudoroff pathway was shown to be induced for oxidative glucose metabolism when Escherichia coli was provided with the periplasmic glucose dehydrogenase cofactor pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ). Induction of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway by glucose plus PQQ was established both genetically and biochemically and was shown to occur in glucose transport mutants, as well as in wild-type E. coli. These data complete the body of evidence that proves the existence of a pathway for oxidative glucose metabolism in E. coli. PQQ-dependent oxidative glucose metabolism provides a metabolic branch point in the periplasm; the choices are either oxidation to gluconate followed by induction of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway or phosphotransferase- mediated transport. The oxidative glucose pathway might be important for survival of enteric bacteria in aerobic, low-phosphate, aquatic environments.