Mechanism of regulation of glucose transport in Rhizobium leguminosarum

Multiple glucose transport systems were distinguished in Rhizobium leguminosarum. We found nonlinear Lineweaver-Burk plots for the uptake of glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, and alpha-methyl-D-glucoside, and this implied the existence of at least two uptake mechanisms. Different patterns of inhibition of 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake and alpha-methyl-D-glucoside uptake at 0.1 mM by various carbohydrates revealed differences in the stereospecificities of the transport systems. Osmotic shock treatment abolished transport activities, and two independent glucose-binding activities were detected in the supernatants. Induction of glucose transport was repressed strongly by L-malate, even in the presence of excess D-glucose. Rhizobium bacteroids showed no significant glucose uptake activity at different oxygen concentrations. These results suggested that glucose transport is repressed by dicarboxylic acids during R. leguminosarum symbiosis.