Mutant of Escherichia coli with anomalous cell division and ability to decrease episomally and chromosomally mediated resistance to ampicillin and several other antibiotics.

In a mutation experiment with a rough, ampicillin-resistant strain, we isolated two smooth mutants which were both sensitive to ampicillin and carried defects in the cell envelope. One of the strains (with the envA gene) is hindered in its completion of septa and forms chains of cells. The envA gene has been mapped to a position between leu and proB, at 2 to 4 min. The envA gene decreased the resistance mediated by both episomal and chromosomal genes for resistance to several antibiotics. During growth the envA mutant was characterized by abnormal ratios between viable count or cell count and optical density. The ratio between viable count and optical density was affected during shift-up and shift-down experiments. When compared to the parent strain, the envA mutant was found to be more resistant to ultraviolet irradiation on plates. Prestarvation for tryptophan had a protective effect against irradiation both on the parent strain and the envA mutant.