Changes in host cell phospholipid composition of φX174 gene E product

Abstract Expression of bacteriophage φX174 gene E from plasmid pUH51 induced lysis of Escherichia coli . Before onset of bacterial lysis, cellular phospholipase activity was induced due to the presence of gene E product within the cells. By comparison of the lytic behaviour of phospholipase-negative E. coli strains with the corresponding wild-type strain it was found that neither the action of detergent-resistant phospholipase A nor of detergent-sensitive phospholipase were essential for the lysis-inducing properties of the gene E product. It was concluded that induction of phospholipases after expression of the φX174 gene E was a consequence of membrane perturbation caused by the integration of the gene E product into the cytoplasmic membrane of E. coli .