In: Biology
Enzyme II A (EIIA) and Enzyme II BC (EIIBC) are both components of the phophostransferase system, working majorly in the carbohydrate metabolism/ transportation across membranes, including that of lactose, galactose, melibiose and mannose. These are linked components and appear in bacteria under the same operon (eg. Lac operon). EIIA is coded by lac F and EIIBC by lac E.
Studies have been carried on these enzymes by creating mutants for the particular enzyme and evaluating effect on growth and metabolism. In such an attempt, it was found that the functions of both these enzymes are the same. However, it was believed that both of them have role in galactose transport. But, it was later seen by a mutant under strong GUS promoter that both these enzymes have lac T antitermination activity in lac operon, but lac F was found to be a strong inducer of lac operon. Moreover, unphosphorylated EIIBC also helped in the galactose transport in small proportions.
Also, it has been seen that EIIA is equally important in nitrogen phosphotransferase system.
It is thus clear that the two enzymes have same functions, but may have additional functions too, for which they are coded by different genes.