Genetics and biochemistry of the peptidoglycan-associated proteins b and c of Escherichia coli K12.

To collect information on synthesis and regulation of the peptidoglycan-associated pore-forming outer membrane proteins b and c, mutants resistant to phages Me1 and TuIa were analyzed. Genetic analysis showed three linkage groups, corresponding with the genes tolF (phenotype b-c+), meoA (phenotype b+c-) and ompB (phenotypes b-c-, b-c+, b++c- and b++c+/-). It has recently been described that also a b+c- phenotype can occur in the latter linkage group [Chai, T., Foulds, J., J. Bacteriol. 130, 781-786 (1977)]. Among ompB (b-c+)/meoA (b+c-) double mutants strains were found with the b+c- phenotype, showing that ompB is not the structural gene for protein b. Studies on purified proteins b and c showed profound differences between the two proteins with respect to the electrophoretic mobility of fragments obtained by treatment with cyanogen bromide, trypsin and chymotrypsin. The amino acid in position three of the amino-termini of proteins b and c, isolated from isogenic strains, were identified as isoleucine and valine respectively. Both the genetic and biochemical results are consistent with a model recently published [Ichihara, S., Mizushima, S., J. Biochem. (Japan) 83, 1095-1100 (1978)] which predicts that tolF and meoA are the structural genes for the proteins b and c respectively and that ompB is a regulatory gene whose product regulates the levels of both proteins.