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Enzyme-induced Formation of Spheres from Cells and Envelopes of Escherichia coli¹

Department of Biochemistry, Research Laboratories, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141
Department of Zoology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637

ABSTRACT

Normal and filamentous whole cells and isolated envelopes of Escherichia coli B were exposed to various enzymatic treatments to remove surface layers and to characterize the component(s) conferring rigidity in this organism. Modification of cell rigidity was determined by sphere formation in both whole cells and isolated envelopes. Enzymes capable of converting trypsinized normal or untreated filamentous whole cells and untreated envelopes to spheres included: lysozyme plus ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, clostridial phospholipase C, and phospholipase D from cabbage. These data suggest that there are at least two components essential for maintenance of cell rigidity in E. coli B. The first is the peptidoglycan (mucopeptide), which is susceptible to lysozyme. The second is a phospholipid which is either covalently linked to the mucopeptide or in close association with it. This phospholipase C-sensitive component is protected more completely in normal than in filamentous whole cells by a protein layer which is easily modified by trypsin treatment to allow enzymatically induced sphere formation to occur.

¹ Presented in part at the 66th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Los Angeles, Calif., 1–5 May, 1966.