Effects of Globomycin on the Morphology of Bacteria and the Isolation of Resistant Mutants

Abstract

Globomycin inhibited the incorporation of [¹⁴C]diaminopimeric acid (Dap) into the cold 5% TCAinsoluble fraction of Escherichia coli H2143at higher concentrations than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).
One-sixth or -seventh molecules of the lipoprotein were found per one molecule of N-acetyl glucosamine (GlucNAc) or Dap in globomycin-treated cells as compared with one-twelfth or -thirteenth molecules in normal cells. Amongglobomycin-resistant cells isolated, one-tenth were lipoprotein-less mutants and they showed a slightly swollen form and leaked RNase into the medium. It was interesting that spheroplast formation of the mutants in the presence of the antibiotic was not observed even at a high concentration.