We hypothesize that this PTS permits growth in gluconate, facilitates <i>E. faecalis</i> intestinal colonization, and exacerbates colitis.We generated <i>E. faecalis</i> strains containing deletions/point mutations in this PTS and measured bacterial growth and PTS gene expression in minimal medium supplemented with selected carbohydrates.We show that <i>E. faecalis</i> upregulates OG1RF_12399 transcription specifically in the presence of gluconate and that <i>E. faecalis</i> strains lacking, or harboring a single point mutation in, OG1RF_12399-12402 are unable to grow in minimal medium containing gluconate.