Amino acid and sugar transport in Escherichia coli (ColIb) during abortive infection by bacteriophage T5

Abstract

T5 bacteriophage cannot replicate in Escherichia coli containing the colicinogenic factor ColIb. We show that active transport of proline and glutamine begins to decline at about 10 min after infection, the same time at which macromolecular synthesis stops during abortive infection. Uptake of a-methylglucoside is stimulated, however, and this change is evident even by 5 min after infection. These changes in membrane function do not occtir during infections that are productive because of mutations on the plasmid or phage. The results suggest that the abortive infection is caused by membrane depolarization.a Measured by killing of E. coli B and C. b ColIR indicates resistance to the external action of colicin lb. c ColIb hindicates the mutant ColIb P9 factor, which allows T5 growth.

Alteration of active transport after bacteriophage T5 infection

“…When synthesis of FST proteins did occur, in the so-called SST complexes, an inhibition of transports was also observed at high MOI, and the same hypothesis may be formulated as for FST complexes under the same conditions. However, the phenomenon first observed at the SST stage by Glenn and Duckworth (13), namely a significant increase in the transport of proline and glutamine above the uninfected level, was also observed here only for low MOIs. The stimulation of glutamine transport might be related to resumed intracellular ATP accumulation in T5 st0 SST complexes.…”

“…On the other hand, net uptake of amethylglucoside is stimnulated (13). Ten minutes after infection, the inhibited transports return to the levels of uptake exhibited by uninfected bacteria (13). These modifications of different metabolite transport systems indicate that membrane changes occur during the first steps of phage development.…”

“…The insertion of these proteins into the bacterial membrane may be responsible for later changes observed both by Hantke and Braun (16) with ANS fluorescence and by Glenn and Duckworth (14) with membrane-bound NPN (N-phenyl-1naphthylamine) fluorescence.Furthermore, soon after T5 infection, amino acid accumulation, as well as thiomethylgalactoside transport, is transiently inhibited (8,13). On the other hand, net uptake of amethylglucoside is stimnulated (13). Ten minutes after infection, the inhibited transports return to the levels of uptake exhibited by uninfected bacteria (13).…”

“…Furthermore, soon after T5 infection, amino acid accumulation, as well as thiomethylgalactoside transport, is transiently inhibited (8,13). On the other hand, net uptake of amethylglucoside is stimnulated (13). Ten minutes after infection, the inhibited transports return to the levels of uptake exhibited by uninfected bacteria (13).…”

Bacteriocinlike killing action of a temperate bacteriophage phiBA1 of Bacillus aneurinolyticus

“…Although a number of particulate and soluble bacteriocins from different sources have been shown to possess killing activity on a narrow range of related bacteria (for high-molecular-weight bacteriocins, see reference 4), little is known about bacteriocinlike killing action of a complete phage which does not accompany the expression of the phage genome. The limited cases of killing action of a complete phage include the abortive infection of Escherichia coli phage (8,10,27,33), Salmonella phage (38), and Bacillus subtilis phage (32,42) onto sensitive hosts which are lysogenic for another prophage or carry a plasmid. We are not aware of any example of killing activity of a complete phage which is independent of the expression of phage DNA or which is active on an apparently prophagefree host.…”