Transition temperatures in the sensitivity of escherichia coli B/r to lysozyme

Lysozyme attacked Escherichia coli B/r in the absence of EDTA or imposed osmotic shocks when the cells were rapidly cooled below specific temperatures. Cells subjected to lysozyme while being cooled to below 20°C began to lose ability to subsequently form colonies. This sensitivity increased with decreasing temperatures and almost all cells cooled to 0°C were affected. Slightly hypertonic solutions did not improve survival. Cells cooled first to as low as 5°C and then subjected to lysozyme while cool did not lose their ability to form colonies subsequent to rewarming. However, 70% of the cells cooled first to 0°C and subjected to lysozyme lost their colony-forming ability. Cell lysis also began when treated near 5°C, but even when treated at 0°C about 50% of the cells maintained their rod shape in the presence of lysozyme. These results are discussed in terms of a possible phase transition in a portion of the cell envelope and/or a transient osmotic swelling as a results of metabolic pumps failing at the low temperatures.     

Accumulation of guanosine tetraphosphate induced by polymixin and gramicidin in Escherichia coli

The effects of two polypeptide antibiotics, polymixin B and gramicidin S, on the intracellular pool size and turnover of guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) were analyzed in stringent (relA⁺) and relaxed (relA) strains of Escherichia coli. When either one of these two drugs was added to stringent bacteria cultures at a final concentration that blocked protein and RNA synthesis, ppGpp was found to accumulate. Under similar conditions of inhibition of macromolecular synthesis, ppGpp also appeared to accumulate in relaxed bacteria. Moreover, in either type of strain, no significant accumulation of guanosine pentaphosphate (pppGpp) could be detected upon drug treatment. It was, therefore, concluded that polymixin and gramicidin elicit ppGpp accumulation through a mechanism independent of the relA gene product and, consequently, quite distinct from the stringent control system triggered by amino acid starvation. Further experiments performed by using tetracycline as an inhibitor of ppGpp synthesis, showed that the increase in the level of this nucleotide induced by drug action was due, in fact, to a strong restriction of its degradation rate.     

Lactose transport in Escherichia coli cells Dependence of kinetic parameters on the transmembrane electrical potential difference

We determine the kinetic parameters $\text{V}$ and $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>T</mtext>}}$ of lactose transport in Escherichia coli cells as a function of the electrical potential difference (Δψ) at pH 7.3 and $\text{Δ}\text{pH}\text{= 0}$. We report that transport occurs simultaneously via two components: a component which exhibits a high $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>T</mtext>}}$ (larger than 10 mM) and whose contribution is independent of Δψ, a component which exhibits a low $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>T</mtext>}}$ independent of Δψ (0.5 mM) but whose $\text{V}$ increases drastically with increasing Δψ. We associate these components of lactose transport with facilitated diffusion and active transport, respectively. We analyze the dependence upon Δψ of $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>T</mtext>}}$ and $\text{V}$ of the active transport component in terms of a mathematical kinetic model developed by Geck and Heinz (Geck, P. and Heinz, E. (1976) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 443, 49–63). We show that within the framework of this model, the analysis of our data indicates that active transport of lactose takes place with a H⁺/lactose stoichiometry greater than 1, and that the lac carrier in the absence of bound solutes (lactose and proton(s)) is electrically neutral. On the other hand, our data relative to facilitated diffusion tend to indicate that lactose transport via this mechanism is accompanied by a H⁺/lactose stoichiometry smaller than that of active transport. We discuss various implications which result from the existence of H⁺/lactose stoichiometry different for active transport and facilitated diffusion.     

Experimental evolution of propanediol oxidoreductase in Escherichia coli comparative analysis of the wild-type and mutant enzymes

A model for the study of experimental evolution is provided by the novel metabolic system responsible for the progressive utilization of l-1,2-propanediol by mutants of Escherichia coli (strains 3 and 430). In these mutant strains, propanediol oxidoreductase, which serves as l-lactaldehyde reductase in fucose fermentation by wild-type cells, became a key enzyme for aerobic catabolism of propanediol. In the wild-type strain (strain 1), the enzyme is inducible only anaerobically; in strains 3 and 430, the enzyme is synthesized constitutively even in the presence of air. The propanediol oxidoreductase from all three strains was purified to homogeneity by the same procedure. The enzyme of strain 3 clearly differed from that of strain 1 in several respects: K_m and V in both directions of the reaction, energy of activation, thermal stability, pH optimum and substrate specificity. However, no difference in any of the above characteristics was found between the enzymes of strains 3 and 430. All three enzymes presented the same electrophoretic mobility. According to immunological data, all three strains differed in their intracellular enzyme level.     

Studies on the damage to Escherichia coli cell membrane caused by different rates of freeze-thawing

Freeze-thawing of Escherichia coli cells caused a release of cell membrane components such as protein, phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides. A greater amount of release and a lesser extent of cell survival were seen in slow freeze-thawing than in rapid freeze-thawing. Several dehydrogenases in the cells were also freed. The mode of release was also dependent on the rate of freeze-thawing.The materials released by slow freeze-thawing were found to be mostly composed of outer membrane components, whereas the materials released by rapid freeze-thawing contained cytoplasmic as well as outer membrane components. The chemical composition of these fragments differed significantly from that of the original membranes. The relative content of cytoplasmic membrane-bound enzymes in these fragments also differed from that of the cytoplasmic membrane.The fragmentation was assumed to have resulted mainly from the crystallization of external water. In slow freeze-thawing, it was considered that the phase separation of the membrane phospholipid bilayer increased the possibility of outer membrane fragmentation. Rapid freeze-thawing caused cytoplasmic membrane damage to the cells as well as to the outer membrane. In rapid freeze-thawing, the effect of phase separation appeared to be small because of rapid passage through the transition temperatures.The presence of 10% glycerol completely inhibited the release of cellular materials and enzymes. Cell survival was maintained at a high level in the glycerol-treated samples whether freeze-thawed slowly or rapidly.     

Mode of action of heat-stable Escherichia coli enterotoxin Tissue and subcellular specificities and role of cyclic GMP

Some enteric strains of Escherichia coli release a heat-stable enterotoxin which, in contrast to cholera and heat-labile E. coli enterotoxins, stimulates guanylate cyclase (GTP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.2). We have exmined the tissue specificity of its action and the relation of its action to those of the 8-bromo analogues of cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP. Heat-stable enterotoxin stimulated guanylate cyclase activity and increased cyclic GMP oncentration throughout the small and large intestine. It increased transepithelial electric potential difference and short-circuit current in the jejunum, ileum and caecum but not in the duodenum or distal colon. This pattern of electrical responses was mimicked by 8-bromo-cyclic GMP. However, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP produced an electrical response in all intestinal segments. The enterotoxin failed to stimulate guanylate cyclase in liver, lung, pancreas or gastric antral mucosa. In the intestines, it stimulated only the particulate and not the soluble form of the enzyme. Preincubation of the toxin with intestinal membranes did not render it capable of stimulating pancreatic guanylate cyclase. Cytosol factors did not enhance the toxin's stimulation of intestinal guanylate cyclase. This study supports the role of cyclic GMP as intracellular mediator for heat-stable enterotoxin and suggests that the toxin affects a membrane-mediated mechanism for guanylate cyclase activation that is unique to the intestines.     

Sucrose transport by Streptococcus mutans. Evidence for multiple transport systems

The transport of sucrose by selected mutant and wild-type cells of Streptococcus mutans was studied using washed cocci harvested at appropriate phases of growth, incubated in the presence of fluoride and appropriately labelled substrates. The rapid sucrose uptake observed cannot be ascribed to possible extracellular formation of hexoses from sucrose and their subsequent transport, formation of intracellular glycogen-like polysaccharide, or binding of sucrose or extracellular glucans to the cocci. Rather, there are at least three discrete transport systems for sucrose, two of which are $\text{phospho}\text{enol}\text{pyruvate-dependent}$ phosphotransferases with relatively low apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ values and the other a non-phosphotransferase (non-PTS) third transport system (termed TTS) with a relatively high apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$. For strain 6715-13 mutant 33, the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ values are 6.25·10^?5 M, 2.4·10^?4 M, and 3.0·10^?3 M, respectively; for strain NCTC-10449, the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ values are 7.1·10^?5 M, 2.5·10^?4 M and 3.3·10^?3 M, respectively. The two lower $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ systems could not be demonstrated in mid-log phase glucose-adapted cocci, a condition known to repress sucrose-specific phosphotransferase activity, but under these conditions the highest $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ system persists. Also, a mutant devoid of sucrose-specific phosphotransferase activity fails to evidence the two high affinity (low apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$) systems, but still has the lowest affinity (highest $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$) system. There was essentially no uptake at 4°C indicating these processes are energy dependent. The third transport system, whose nature is unknown, appears to function under conditions of sucrose abundance and rapid growth which are known to repress $\text{phospho}\text{enol}\text{pyruvate-dependent}$ sucrose-specific phosphotransferase activity in S. mutans. These multiple transport systems seem well-adapted to S. mutans which is faced with fluctuating supplies of sucrose in its natural habitat on the surfaces of teeth.     

Purification and reversible subunit dissociation of overproduced Escherichia coli phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (EC 6.1.1.20) has been purified to homogeneity from a 100-fold overproducing Escherichia coli strain carrying a hybrid pBR322 plasmid containing the pheS-pheT locus. The purified enzyme is identical to the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase isolated from an haploid strain. The enzyme was found to dissociate in the presence of 0.5 M NaSCN and the α- and β-subunits composing the native α₂β₂ enzyme were separated by gel filtration. Neither isolated subunit showed significant catalytic activity. A complex indistinguishable from the native enzyme with full catalytic activity is recovered upon mixing the subunits. The N- and C-terminal sequences and the amino acid composition of each subunit were determined. They are compared to the available data concerning the primary structure of the subunits, as deduced from nucleotide sequencing of the pheS-pheT operon.     

Relation of aerobiosis and ionic strength to the uptake of dihydrostreptomycin in Escherichia coli

Aminoglycoside antibiotics exhibit a markedly reduced antibacterial activity under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobiosis or inhibitors of electron transport produced an extensive decrease in the uptake of dihydrostreptomycin in Escherichia coli K-12. Uptake of proline or putrescine were only slightly impaired under anaerobic conditions in the presence of glucose. Both the susceptibility to and the uptake of dihydrostreptomycin under anaerobic conditions were partially restored by addition of the alternative electron acceptor, nitrate. This stimulation required functional nitrate reductase activity. Abolition of uptake by 2,4-dinitrophenol under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions indicates that streptomycin uptake requires electron transport as well as a sufficient membrane potential. In addition, the initial rate of dihydrostreptomycin uptake was competitively and reversibly inhibited by added salts. The inhibition was relatively nonspecific with respect to the identity of salt added, being approximately dependent on the ionic strength. Although dihydrostreptomycin and polyamines mutually inhibited each other's uptake, several conditions (polyamine limitation, streptomycin uptake-deficient mutants) were found in which uptake of these two substrates was oppositely affected. Aminoglycosides thus do not appear to enter on one of the usual cellular transport systems, but perhaps utilize a component of the electron transport system.     

Ammonium (methylammonium) transport by Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae can accumulate methylammonium up to 80-fold by means of a transport system as indicated by the energy requirement, saturation kinetics and a narrow pH profile around pH 6.8. Methylammonium transport (apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}\text{= 100 μ}\text{M}$, $\text{V = 40 μ}\text{mol/min}$ per g dry weight at 15°C) is competitively inhibited by ammonium (apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>i</mtext>}}\text{= 7 μ}\text{M}$). The low $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>i</mtext>}}$ value and the finding that methylammonium cannot serve as a nitrogen source indicate that ammonium rather than methylammonium is the natural substrate. Uphill transport is driven by a component of the protonmotive force, probably the membrane potential. The transport system is under genetic control; it is partially repressed by amino acids and completely by ammonium. Analysis of mutants suggest that the synthesis of the ammonium transport system is subject to the same ‘nitrogen control’ as nitrogenase and glutamine synthetase.     

Reconstitution of the GalP galactose transport activity of Escherichia coli into liposomes made from soybean phospholipids

Galactose transport activity from Escherichia coli was solubilized with octyl glucoside, and reconstituted into liposomes made from soybean or E. coli lipid. Galactose counterflow in the proteoliposomes was inhibited by glucose, talose, 2-deoxygalactose and 6-deoxygalactose, confirming that it was due to GalP and not one of the other E. coli galactose transport systems.     

The effects of weak acids on potassium uptake by Escherichia coli K-12. Inhibition by low cytoplasmic pH

The activity of the Escherichia coli K⁺ transport system TrkA was measured as a function of the cytoplasmic pH of the cell. For this purpose, pH_in was decreased by the addition of the weak acids acetic acid, benzoic acid or salicylic acid to K⁺-depleted cells. Under these conditions, the initial rate of K⁺ uptake decreased strongly with pH_in, and was almost independent of the acid used. This inhibition was due to a strong decrease in the V_max for K⁺ uptake, which indicates that low cytoplasmic pH inactivates the TrkA K⁺ uptake system. The relevance of this inhibition for growth and metabolism at low pH_in is discussed.     

7 S RNA: A single site substrate for the RNA processing enzyme ribonuclease E of Escherichia coli

7 S RNA accumulates at non-permissive temperatures in an RNAase E strain containing the recombinant plasmid pJR3Δ which carries a single 5 S rRNA gene and expression sequences. 7 S RNA is a processing intermediate that contains the complete sequence of 5 S rRNA as well as a stem-and-loop structure encoded by the terminator of rrnD. 7 S RNA can be processed in vitro by RNAase E. Structural analysis of the products (5 S rRNA and the stem) of in vitro processing of 7 S RNA revealed that the cleavage site of RNAase E in 7 S RNA is 3 nucleotides downstream from the 3′ end of the mature 5 S rRNA. The cleavage generates 3′-hydroxyl and 5′-phosphate termini.     

Characterization of a respiratory mutant of Escherichia coli with reduced uptake of aminoglycoside antibiotics

A strain of Escherichia coli (NSW77) which is partially resistant to streptomycin was isolated by selecting for growth on plates supplemented with 12.5 μg/ml streptomycin, a concentration which completely inhibits growth of wild-type strains. The low-level resistance of the mutant appears to result from a reduced ability to accumulate streptomycin intracellularly. In addition, the mutant strain is unable to use succinate for growth because of a defective respiratory chain. Thus, membranes of the mutant strain were found to have approximately half the NADH and D-lactate oxidase activity of the parent strain. Succinate oxidase activity was reduced more drastically, to a level of 7% that of the parent strain. Moreover, membranes of the mutant were found to contain demethyl-menaquinone and, in place of ubiquinone, a structural analogue, 2-octaprenyl-3-methyl-6-methoxy-1,4 benzoquinone. The mutation responsible for both the Suc⁻ phenotype and partial resistance to streptomycin was found to be located near minute 15 on the bacterial chromosome. Both the biochemical and genetic evidence suggests that the mutation in strain NSW77 resides in the ubi F gene. Another previously characterized ubi F strain was also found to have a reduced capacity to take up an aminoglycoside antibiotic (gentamicin). These results suggest that the respiratory defects in ubi F strains are responsible for the reduced capacity of such strains to accumulate aminoglycosides.     

The roles of RNA polymerase and RNAase I in stable RNA degradation in Escherichia coli carrying the srnB+ gene

In Escherichia coli cells carrying the srnB⁺ gene of the F plasmid, rifampin, added at 42°C, induces the extensive rapid degradation of the usually stable cellular RNA (Ohnishi, Y., (1975) Science 187, 257–258; Ohnishi, Y., Iguma, H., Ono, T., Nagaishi, H. and Clark, A.J. (1977) J. Bacteriol. 132, 784–789). We have studied further the necessity for rifampin and for high temperature in this degradation. Streptolidigin, another inhibitor of RNA polymerase, did not induce the RNA degradation. Moreover, the stable RNA of some strains in which RNA polymerase is temperature-sensitive did not degrade at the restrictive temperature in the absence of rifampin. These data suggest that rifampin has an essential role in the RNA degradation, possibly by the modification of RNA polymerase function. A protein (M_r 12 000) newly synthesized at 42°C in the presence of rifampin appeared to be the product of the srnB⁺ gene that promoted the RNA degradation. In a mutant deficient in RNAase I, the extent of the RNA degradation induced by rifampin was greatly reduced. RNAase activity of cell-free crude extract from the RNA-degraded cells was temperature-dependent. The RNAase was purified as RNAase I in DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. Both in vivo and with purified RNAase I, a shift of the incubation mixture from 42 to 30°C, or the addition of Mg²⁺ ions, stopped the RNA degradation. Thus, an effect on RNA polymerase seems to initiate the expression of the srnB⁺ gene and the activation of RNAase I, which is then responsible for the RNA degradation of E. coli cells carrying the srnB⁺ gene.     

Changes in streptonigrin lethality during adaptation of Escherichia coli to picolinic acid correlation with intracellular picolinate and iron uptake

Uptake studies with [¹⁴C]picolinate and ⁵⁵Fe³⁺ have provided an explanation for the change in streptonigrin killing on adaptation of Escherichia coli to picolinate, in terms of the available iron within the cell. When picolinic acid is added to a growing culture of E. coli an interval of bacteriostasis ensues; this adaptation period is followed by resumption of exponential growth. Addition of picolinate (4 mM) to a log phase culture of strain W3110 gave protection from the lethal action of streptonigrin (30 μM) when the two agents were added simultaneously. In contrast streptonigrin killed cells that had adapted to picolinate; however, a preincubation of adapted W3110 with phenethyl alcohol protected the cells from streptonigrin lethality. [¹⁴C]Picolinate uptake studies showed that initially picolinate entered the cells, but that it was excluded from adapted cells; addition of phenethyl alcohol permitted the entry of picolinate into adapted W3110. The changes in streptonigrin killing parallel the changes in concentration of intracellular picolinate, which can chelate the iron required by streptonigrin for its bactericidal action. ⁵⁵Fe³⁺ uptake studies showed that initially picolinate prevented iron accumulation by strain W3110, whereas adapted cells did take up iron in the presence of picolinate. Addition of phenethyl alcohol prevented any observed uptake of iron by adapted W3110. This modulation of iron transport by picolinate also affects streptonigrin lethality. Experiments with iron transport mutants showed that picolinate acted on both the enterochelin and citrate routes of uptake. Therefore picolinate affects the concentration of available iron within the cell both by (a) its intracellular presence resulting in chelation of iron and (b) its action on iron uptake; these effects explain the change in streptonigrin killing on adaptation of E. coli to picolinate.     

Inhibition of growth of Escherichia coli by lactose and other galactosides

A study has been made of the inhibition of growth caused by the addition of lactose or other galactosides to lac constitutive Escherichia coli growing in glycerol minimal medium. The effect was greater at pH 5.9 and pH 7.9 than at pH 7.0. Inhibition of growth by lactose was observed also in the case of a β-galactosidase negative mutant. However, a lacY mutant, which has a defect in the entry of protons normally coupled with galactoside transport, showed only slight inhibition of growth on the addition of galactosides. In the case of the parental strain the addition of lactose resulted in a sharp fall in ΔpH across the cell membrane and a reduction in intracellular ATP, and the recovery was slow. Under the same conditions the lacY mutant showed a smaller and only transient effect. It is postulated that the sudden entry of protons associated with lactose uptake lowers the protonmotive force, reducing the ATP levels and inhibiting growth of the cells. This hypothesis would account also for the selection of lacY mutants found when E. coli is grown in the presence of isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside.     

Architecture of the outer membrane of Escherichia coli K12 IV. Relationship between outer membrane particles and aqueous pores

The hypothesis that intramembraneous particles, observed in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, are the morphological representation of aqueous pores, was tested. A mutant which is deficient in five major outer membrane proteins, b, c, d, e and the phage λ receptor protein, contains a largely decreased number of intramembraneous particles and also shows a greatly decreased rate of uptake of several solutes. In derivatives of this strain which contain only one of these proteins in large amounts a strong decrease of the number of intramembraneous particles is observed, which is accompanied by a complete restoration of the rate of uptake of those solutes which use pores in which the protein in question is involved. The results provide strong evidence for the notion that an individual pore contains only one protein species, a property which has been found earlier for individual particles. The observed correlation between particles and aqueous pores strongly supports the hypothesis that the particles are the morphological representation of pores. Implications of this hypothesis for the structure of the particles are discussed.