Determination of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate productivity and yield from glucose in Escherichia coli devoid of the glucose phosphotransferase transport system

The effect of inactivation of the glucose phosphotransferase transport syst em (PTS) on 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAHP) productivity and yield from glucose in Escherichia coli is reported. Strains used in th is study were the PTS+ PB103 and its PTS- glucose(+) derivative NF9. Their aroB(-) derivatives PB103B and NF9B were constructed to allow accurate meas urement of total carbon flow into the aromatic pathway. The measured specif ic rates of DAHP synthesis were 0.55 and 0.94 mmol/g-dcw . h and the DAHP m olar yields from glucose were 0.43 and 0.71 mol/mol for the PTS+ aroB(-) an d the PTS- glucose(+) aroB(-) strains, respectively. For the latter strain, this value represents 83% of the maximum theoretical yield for DAHP synthe sis from glucose. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.