Previous publications have demonstrated the presence of a cryptic gene encoding a novel Enzyme I of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS). Recent Escherichia coli genome sequencing revealed a gene (ptsA) encoding a new Enzyme I homologue in the 89.1-89.3 centisome region. We have analysed this region, and here describe and characterize open reading frames (ORFs) encoding (1) a fused PTS Enzyme I-IIAFru homologue, (2) a glycerol dehydrogenase, (3) a transaldolase homologue, (4) two PTS IIBFru homologues, (5) a PTS IICFru homologue, and (6) homologues of pyruvate formate-lyase and its activating enzyme. Binary comparison scores, multiple alignments and phylogenetic trees establish the families of proteins to which each of the relevant ORFs belong. Identification of the putative products of this gene cluster leads to the proposal that several of the proteins encoded in this region function in anaerobic carbon metabolism.