Effects of multiple deletions of murein hydrolases on viability, septum cleavage, and sensitivity to large toxic molecules in Escherichia coli.

Abstract excerpt

The multiplicity of murein hydrolases found in most bacteria presents an obstacle to demonstrating the necessity of these potentially autolytic enzymes. Therefore, Escherichia coli mutants with deletions in multiple murein hydrolases, including lytic transglycosylases, amidases, and DD-endopeptidases, were constructed. Even a mutant from which seven different hydrolases were deleted was viable and grew at a...

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Bacitracin
• Bacteriolysis
• Cell Membrane Permeability
• Escherichia coli
• Gene Deletion
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Microscopy, Electron
• N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase
• Penicillins