Spheroplasts of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. I. Biological characteristics

Abstract

The properties of glycine-induced spheroplasts of six pathogenic serotypes of E. coli were investigated. Fimbriae and flagella appeared to be only partially synthesized as was the somatic O antigen. Cytopathogenicity of these spheroplasts for tissue culture was reduced and the infection of the monolayers was retarded as compared with the normal bacillary forms. Sensitivity to phage was almost completely lost, suggesting that glycine had either interfered with the synthesis of phage receptors or had altered the mucopeptide layerwhich is the substrate for phage enzymes. Alternatively, the phage may become a prophage inside the spheroplast with the loss of virulence.