Involvement of outer membrane proteins in freeze--thaw resistance of Escherichia coli.
Two families of Escherichia coli mutants with altered outer membrane protein components were examined for sensitivity to freezing and thawing and other stresses. A mutant unable to make the lipoprotein (lpo) was extremely sensitive to freezing and thawing in water or saline and to challenge with detergent, while the mutant unable to make the porin proteins (ompB) was more resistant than the isogenic wild type; strains unable to make the tsx and ompA proteins were slightly more sensitive to the stresses. Similarly, the lpo deficient strain exhibited more and the ompB less wall and membrane damage than the wild-type strains. Little difference in the extent of wall damage, but more membrane damage, was seen for the two tsx and the ompA strains when compared with the wild-type strain. The roles of the specific proteins in determining sensitivity to freeze-thaw are discussed.
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005615:Freezing; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D004492:Edetic Acid