Influence of the genetic background on cell division and cell lysis: behaviour of different Escherichia coli strains carrying the ts-52 or the ftsA-3 mutation.

The analysis of Escherichia coli strains harbouring division mutations, namely the ts-52 or the ftsA-3 division alleles, in different genetic backgrounds showed that treatment with chloramphenicol in cells incubated at the restrictive temperature induced either cell lysis (ts-52 and ftsA-3 in MC-6 genetic background) or cell division (ts-52 in OV-2 genetic background). This chloramphenicol treatment of ftsA-3 filaments (previously designated at divA) does not induce cell division but does induce cell lysis.