The chemical structure of two mucopeptides released from Escherichia coli B cell walls by lysozyme

Dissociation in 90% phenol uncovers a layer of the Coli B-cell membrane showing the typical antiviral specificity of the receptor for phages T3, T4 and T7. Chemical analysis proved glucose, glucosamine and a yet unknown carbohydrate, probably a heptose, to be components of the receptor material, which amounts to about 13% of the dry weight of the whole membrane.Analogous material obtained from the membrane of B/3,4,7, a B-mutant resistant against phages T3, T4 and T7, has no activity against these phages and contains glucosamine and small amounts of glucose, but no heptose.In view of similar findings of Jesaitis and Goebel with T3,4,7 - receptor material from Shigella Sonnei, the rôle of the heptose as a characteristic and functionally indispensable component of lipocarbohydrates with receptor activity against T3, T4 and T7 is discussed.

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Extent of cross linkage in the murein sacculus∗ of Escherichia coli B cell wall

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Mucoproteins and Mucopolysaccharides ◽

10.1016/0926-6534(65)90038-2 ◽

1965 ◽

Vol 101 (1) ◽

pp. 124-126 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

I. Takebe

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Cell Wall ◽

B Cell ◽

Cross Linkage ◽

Murein Sacculus ◽

Escherichia Coli B

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Hexagonal Pattern in Cell Walls of Escherichia coli B

Science ◽

10.1126/science.155.3761.472 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 155 (3761) ◽

pp. 472-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

D. A. Fischman ◽

G. Weinbaum

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Cell Walls ◽

Hexagonal Pattern ◽

Escherichia Coli B

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Sites of Adsorption of the Bacteriophages T3 and T5 on the Wall of Escherichia Coli B.

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100060490 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 96-97

Author(s):

Manfred E. Bayer

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Cell Wall ◽

Electron Microscope ◽

Uranyl Acetate ◽

E Coli ◽

Receptor Sites ◽

Rigid Cell Wall ◽

Host Cell Surface ◽

Bacterial Viruses ◽

Escherichia Coli B

Bacterial viruses adsorb specifically to receptors on the host cell surface. Although the chemical composition of some of the cell wall receptors for bacteriophages of the T-series has been described and the number of receptor sites has been estimated to be 150 to 300 per E. coli cell, the localization of the sites on the bacterial wall has been unknown.When logarithmically growing cells of E. coli are transferred into a medium containing 20% sucrose, the cells plasmolize: the protoplast shrinks and becomes separated from the somewhat rigid cell wall. When these cells are fixed in 8% Formaldehyde, post-fixed in OsO4/uranyl acetate, embedded in Vestopal W, then cut in an ultramicrotome and observed with the electron microscope, the separation of protoplast and wall becomes clearly visible, (Fig. 1, 2). At a number of locations however, the protoplasmic membrane adheres to the wall even under the considerable pull of the shrinking protoplast. Thus numerous connecting bridges are maintained between protoplast and cell wall. Estimations of the total number of such wall/membrane associations yield a number of about 300 per cell.

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