Freeze etch morphology of outer membrane mutants of Escherichia coli K12

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta Vol. 426; no. 3; p. 581
• Main Authors: Verkleij, A J, Lugtenberg, E J, Ververgaert, P H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 19-03-1976
• Subjects: Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Cell Membrane - ultrastructure; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Escherichia coli - ultrastructure; Freeze Etching; Microscopy, Electron; Mutation; Species Specificity
• ISSN: 0006-3002
• DOI: 10.1016/0005-2736(76)90401-6

Freeze etching showed that the loss of each of the major outer membrane proteins b, c or d in mutants of Escherichia coki K12 does not influence the morphology of fracture faces of the outer membrane. Mutants that possess a heptose-deficient lipopolysaccharide and which in addition are deficient in one or more major outer membrane proteins exhibit a reduction in the number of intramembranous particles of the outer membrane. Moreover it was shown that lipid phase transitions induce a lateral lipid protein separation in the outer membrane, similar to that found in the cytoplasmic membrane.