Molecular analysis of treB encoding the Escherichia coli enzyme II specific for trehalose

The molecular analysis of TreB, the enzyme IITre, the phosphotransferase system (PTS)-dependent transport protein for trehalose, reveals the similarity in protein sequence as well as in the sequence of domains with another PTS enzyme, enzyme IIScr. The disaccharide trehalose, a nonreducing sugar synthesized in Escherichia coli during osmotic stress, maintains the fluidity of the membrane under dry conditions. The genes treB and treC are parts of an operon that is negatively regulated by TreR, which is encoded by a gene found upstream of treB.