Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1978 Feb;133(2):995–1007. doi: 10.1128/jb.133.2.995-1007.1978

Production of giant cells of Escherichia coli.

W S Long, C L Slayman, K B Low
PMCID: PMC222112  PMID: 342516

Abstract

Giant cells, with volumes up to 500-fold those of normal cells, have been produced by both genetic and pharmacological means in Escherichia coli K-12. In the genetic approach, an envB or mon mutation (conferring rounded or irregular morphology) was combined with a lon mutation (block of septation after irradiation). UV irradiation and subsequent incubation for 2 to 5 h in a rich medium supplemented with 1% sodium chloride led t; production of polymorphic giant cells. In the pharmacological approach, incubation of several different strains of E. coli K-12 with the drug 6-amidinopenicillanic acid (FL1060) in the same rich medium gave rise to a homogeneous population of smoothly rounded giant cells.

Full text

PDF
995

Images in this article

998Image
on p.998
998Image
on p.998
1001Image
on p.1001
1002Image
on p.1002
1002Image
on p.1002
1003Image
on p.1003

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adler H. I., Terry C. E., Hardigree A. A. Giant cells of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1968 Jan;95(1):139–142. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.1.139-142.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allison D. P. Giant cells of Escherichia coli: a morphological study. J Bacteriol. 1971 Dec;108(3):1390–1401. doi: 10.1128/jb.108.3.1390-1401.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Anderson P. Sensitivity and Resistance to Spectinomycin in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1969 Nov;100(2):939–947. doi: 10.1128/jb.100.2.939-947.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bachmann B. J., Low K. B., Taylor A. L. Recalibrated linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12. Bacteriol Rev. 1976 Mar;40(1):116–167. doi: 10.1128/br.40.1.116-167.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bloom G. D., Gumpert J., Normark S., Schuhmann E., Taubeneck U., Westling B. Morphology and growth pattern of a rod-negative envB mutant of Escherichia coli K12. Z Allg Mikrobiol. 1974;14(6):465–477. doi: 10.1002/jobm.3630140603. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Bukhari A. I., Zipser D. Mutants of Escherichia coli with a defect in the degradation of nonsense fragments. Nat New Biol. 1973 Jun 20;243(129):238–241. doi: 10.1038/newbio243238a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Castellazzi M., George J., Buttin G. Prophage induction and cell division in E. coli. I. Further characterization of the thermosensitive mutation tif-1 whose expression mimics the effect of UV irradiation. Mol Gen Genet. 1972;119(2):139–152. doi: 10.1007/BF00269133. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. James R., Haga J. Y., Pardee A. B. Inhibition of an early event in the cell division cycle of Escherichia coli by FL1060, an amidinopenicillanic acid. J Bacteriol. 1975 Jun;122(3):1283–1292. doi: 10.1128/jb.122.3.1283-1292.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kirby E. P., Jacob F., Goldthwait D. A. Prophage induction and filament formation in a mutant strain of Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Nov;58(5):1903–1910. doi: 10.1073/pnas.58.5.1903. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kohiyama M., Cousin D., Ryter A., Jacob F. Mutants thermosensibles d'Escherichia coli K 12. I. Isolement et caractérisation rapide. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1966 Apr;110(4):465–486. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lloyd R. G., Low B., Godson G. N., Birge E. A. Isolation and characterization of an Escherichia coli K-12 mutant with a temperature-sensitive recA- phenotype. J Bacteriol. 1974 Oct;120(1):407–415. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.1.407-415.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Low B., Gates F., Goldstein T., Söll D. Isolation and partial characterization of temperature-sensitive Escherichia coli mutants with altered leucyl- and seryl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetases. J Bacteriol. 1971 Nov;108(2):742–750. doi: 10.1128/jb.108.2.742-750.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Low B. Rapid mapping of conditional and auxotrophic mutations in Escherichia coli K-12. J Bacteriol. 1973 Feb;113(2):798–812. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.2.798-812.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MARKOVITZ A. REGULATORY MECHANISMS FOR SYNTHESIS OF CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDE IN MUCOID MUTANTS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI K12. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Feb;51:239–246. doi: 10.1073/pnas.51.2.239. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MITCHELL P. Coupling of phosphorylation to electron and hydrogen transfer by a chemi-osmotic type of mechanism. Nature. 1961 Jul 8;191:144–148. doi: 10.1038/191144a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Matsuhashi S., Kamiryo T., Blumberg P. M., Linnett P., Willoughby E., Strominger J. L. Mechanism of action and development of resistance to a new amidino penicillin. J Bacteriol. 1974 Feb;117(2):578–587. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.2.578-587.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Melchior N. H., Blom J., Tybring L., Birch-Andersen A. Light and electron microscopy of the early response of Escherichia coli to a 6beta-amidinopenicillanic acid (FL 1060). Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol. 1973 Aug;81(4):393–407. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02222.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Normark S. Mutation in Escherichia coli K-12 mediating spherelike envelopes and changes tolerance to ultraviolet irradiation and some antibiotics. J Bacteriol. 1969 Jun;98(3):1274–1277. doi: 10.1128/jb.98.3.1274-1277.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Shanahan A. J., Eisenstark A., Tanner F. W. Morphology of Escherichia coli Exposed to Penicillin as Observed with the Electron Microscope. J Bacteriol. 1947 Aug;54(2):183–189. doi: 10.1128/jb.54.2.183-189.1947. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Shineberg B., Zipser D. The ion gene and degradation of beta-galactosidase nonsense fragments. J Bacteriol. 1973 Dec;116(3):1469–1471. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.3.1469-1471.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Slater M., Schaechter M. Control of cell division in bacteria. Bacteriol Rev. 1974 Jun;38(2):199–221. doi: 10.1128/br.38.2.199-221.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Weisblum B., Davies J. Antibiotic inhibitors of the bacterial ribosome. Bacteriol Rev. 1968 Dec;32(4 Pt 2):493–528. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Westling-Häggström B., Normark S. Genetic and physiological analysis of an envB spherelike mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 and characterization of its transductants. J Bacteriol. 1975 Jul;123(1):75–82. doi: 10.1128/jb.123.1.75-82.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES