When Escherichia coli cells were grown with limited levels of oxygen, the glucose-induced transcription of ptsG was decreased whereas deletion of the arcA gene partially restored it, which was consistent with the previous report that the ArcA protein represses ptsG transcription. However, under this circumstance, we found that the level of EIICBGlc protein encoded by the ptsG gene was rather increased. This paradoxical phenomenon can be explained by the delayed turnover of ptsG mRNA in cells anaerobically grown in the presence of glucose. Finally, our data showed that anaerobic expression of the ptsHIcrr operon is also enhanced by increasing the longevity of the reduced mRNA levels. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.