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. 1974 Feb;117(2):568–577. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.2.568-577.1974

Penicillin-Resistant Temperature-Sensitive Mutants of Escherichia coli Which Synthesize Hypo- or Hyper-Cross-Linked Peptidoglycan

Tatsuyuki Kamiryo a,1, Jack L Strominger a
PMCID: PMC285547  PMID: 4590477

Abstract

A group of Escherichia coli mutants which are ampicillin resistant at 32 C and which either are unable to grow or lyse at 42 C has been selected. These mutants have been classified by a number of characteristics: total peptidoglycan synthesis measured by [14C]diaminopimelic acid incorporation, extent of cross-linking of the peptidoglycan which is synthesized, growth characteristics at the two temperatures, and morphology. Two especially interesting groups of mutants have been described. In one of these, a hypo-cross-linked peptidoglycan was synthesized at the nonpermissive temperature. Most of these organisms lysed at 42 C. In another group, the peptidoglycan synthesized at 42 C was hyper-cross-linked. Many of these organisms were spherical. Studies of revertants indicated that ampicillin resistance, temperature sensitivity, cross-linking, growth characteristics, and morphological changes may be related to a single mutational event in both of these groups.

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Selected References

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

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