Characterization and virulence properties of Erwinia chrysanthemi lipopolysaccharide-defective, phi EC2-resistant mutants.

Outer membrane alterations were characterized in spontaneous mutants of the Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937jRH, which were selected for resistance to bacteriophage phi EC2. All but one of the mutants analyzed were affected in their lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure, lacking the entire heterogeneous region of apparent high molecular weight present in the wild-type E. chrysanthemi LPS. At least two 3937jRH mutants, one selected as phi EC2 resistant (RH6065) and the other previously selected (D. Expert and A. Toussaint, J. Bacteriol. 163:221-227, 1985) as bacteriocin resistant (R1456), were cross-resistant to bacteriophage Mu and had rough LPSs with an altered core structure. Two phi EC2r mutants (RH6053 and RH6065) were most severely affected in their outer membrane integrity and also lost their virulence on saintpaulia plants, although they still possessed normal extracellular levels of pectinolytic and cellulolytic activities. The two Mur mutants RH6065 and R1456 were also able to induce systemic resistance in the challenged plant. All the other phi EC2r mutants retained the virulence of 393jRH.