Table 1 Escherichia coli strains and plasmids used

PB28

ΔptsI, ptsH, crr::kan, pykA::cat, pykF::gen

[28]

JM101 pck^-

Sup E, thi, Δ(lac-pro AB), F’, pck::cat

[53]

W3110

F^- λ^- INV(rrn D - rrn E)1

[48]

VH32 galP⁺

W3110 ΔptsH, ptsI, crr::Km, ΔlacI, lacZ::loxP ΔP _galP ::cat,P _Trc

[50]

VH33

VH32 galP⁺ ΔP _galP :: P _Trc

This work

VH34

VH33 pykA::cat

This work

VH35

VH33 pykF::gen

This work

W3110 pck^-

W3110 pck::cat

This work

VH33 pck^-

VH33 pck::cat

This work

VH34 pck^-

VH34 pck::cat

This work

VH35 pck^-

VH35 pck::cat

This work

W3110A

W3110/JLBaroG^fbrtktA, pTrcpheA^ev2

This work

VH33A

VH33/JLBaroG^fbrtktA, pTrcpheA^ev2

This work

VH34A

VH34/JLBaroG^fbrtktA, pTrcpheA^ev2

This work

VH35A

VH35/JLBaroG^fbrtktA, pTrcpheA^ev2

This work

Plasmids

pCP20

FLP⁺, λci857⁺, λ p_RRep^ts, Ap^R, Cm^R

[52]

pJLBaroG^fbrtktA

aroG^fbr under control of the lacUV5 promoter; and tktA under its native promoter, carries lacIq and tet genes. Replication origin from pACYC184

[55]

pTrcpheA^ev2

Evolved pheA^ev2 under the control of lacUV5 promoter. Ev2 superscript means 2nd version of evolved pheA^fbr gene.

[32]