Penicillin-resistant temperature-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli which synthesize hypo- or hyper-cross-linked peptidoglycan.

A group of Escherichia coli mutants which are ampicillin resistant at 32 C and which either are unable to grow or lyse at 42 C has been selected. These mutants have been classified by a number of characteristics: total peptidoglycan synthesis measured by [(14)C]diaminopimelic acid incorporation, extent of cross-linking of the peptidoglycan which is synthesized, growth characteristics at the two temperatures, and morphology. Two especially interesting groups of mutants have been described. In one of these, a hypo-cross-linked peptidoglycan was synthesized at the nonpermissive temperature. Most of these organisms lysed at 42 C. In another group, the peptidoglycan synthesized at 42 C was hyper-cross-linked. Many of these organisms were spherical. Studies of revertants indicated that ampicillin resistance, temperature sensitivity, cross-linking, growth characteristics, and morphological changes may be related to a single mutational event in both of these groups.