Nature of the penetration barrier in Escherichia coli K-12: effect of macromolecular inhibition of penetrability in strains containing the envA gene.

The envA mutation in Escherichia coli K-12, which maps at 1.5 min, was previously shown to mediate sensitivity to gentian violet as well as to several antibiotics. Moreover, strains containing the envA gene were recently found to be lysed by lysozyme in the absence of ethylenediaminetetraacetate. It is here reported that the envA mutation mediates an increased uptake of gentian violet. The uptake of the dye was markedly affected by growth with different antibiotics interfering with macromolecular synthesis. Amino acid starvation of a strain containing envA with a stringent control of ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis resulted in a decreased uptake of gentian violet. However, no decrease in dye uptake was found during starvation in an envA transductant with a relaxed control of RNA synthesis. Inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis by nalidixic acid decreased the uptake of gentian violet of envA cells and, in addition, rendered the cells insensitive to the lytic action of lysozyme. Chloramphenicol treatment increased penetrability in wild-type and starved envA cells. In most instances, this effect of chloramphenicol was prevented by selectively interfering with DNA or RNA synthesis. A coordinate regulation of nucleic acid synthesis and penetrability is suggested.