SULFATE AND THIOSULFATE TRANSPORT IN ESCHERICHIA-COLI K-12 - EVIDENCEFOR A FUNCTIONAL OVERLAPPING OF SULFATE-BINDING AND THIOSULFATE-BINDING PROTEINS

In Escherichia coli, sulfate and thiosulfate ions are transported by a n ABC-type transporter consisting of both the membrane components (the products of cysT, cysW, and cysA genes) and the periplasmic binders ( the products of cysP and sbp genes). The single cysP and sbp mutants a re able to utilize both sulfate and thiosulfate as a sole sulfur sourc e, while the inactivation of both genes leads to cysteine auxotrophy r esulting from the block in the transport of both ions.