Alterations in membrane function in an Escherichia coli mutant tolerant to colicins Ia and Ib.

An Escherichia coli mutant (tolI) previously shown to be tolerant to colicins Ia and Ib is defective in several functions of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. When compared with its parental strain, X36, whole cells of tolI show reduced rates of respiration with succinate, malate, or lactate as the substrate but near-normal rates with glucose or glycerol. Cell membrane preparations prepared from tolI cells exhibit reduced succinate and D-lactate oxidase activity but elevated levels of reduced-form nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase. tolI cells have reduced levels of succinate and D-lactate dehydrogenase but normal levels of NADH dehydrogenase. Glycerol-grown tolI cells and membrane vesicles prepared from such cells are defective in the active transport of several amino acids and thiomethyl-beta-D-galactoside; however, they accumulate higher levels of alpha-methylglucoside when compared with X36 whole cells or vesicles. Although tolI cells adsorb less colicin Ia at high colicin concentrations than do X36 cells, it is shown that the adsorption of an Ia molecule to tolI cells has a lower probability of eliciting cell death than does Ia adsorption to strain X36 cells. It is concluded that a single mutation can lead to an alteration in several aspects of cytoplasmic membrane function and colicin I sensitivity.