Evidence relating cessation of respiration, cell envelope changes, and death in ultraviolet-irradiated Escherichia coli B-r cells.

Ionic and nonionic detergents have little effect on respiring bacteria, but in cultures poisoned with KCN rapid solubilization of the cell membrane, as indicated by turbidity losses, takes place. Ultraviolet radiations cause Escherichia coli cells grown in minimal medium with glycerol as a carbon source to cease respiring and growing about 1 h after irradiation. We tested the effect of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 on growth and cell membrane dissolution (both measured by turbidity changes), respiration, and viability of unirradiated and irradiated E. coli B/r cells. When the detergent was added to cells immediately after irradiation, a decrease in turbidity occurred only when respiration was about to cease; when it was added after cessation of respiration, the turbidity loss was immediate. In both cases the turbidity loss was about 60%, and disintegration of the cell walls did not take place. 5-Fluorouracil (FU) and thermal (42 C) treatments cause respiration of irradiated cells to be maintained and also cause viability increases. Irradiated cells treated with FU and detergent show no turbidity loss just prior to the time respiration normally ceases, but a loss does occur in irradiated cells incubated with detergent at 42 C. We conclude that FU maintains respiration for all of the cells, but that thermal treatment maintains respiration for only part of the cells. In all cases the detergent had only a negligible effect on the respiration and viability of unirradiated and irradiated cells. We conclude that Triton X-100 causes solubilization of cell membranes of only nonrespiring cells that are not destined to survive.