Escherichia coli K-12 strain C600 was mutagenized by treatment with nitrosoguanidine (NTG). The resulting mutants were selected by replicaplating as supersensitive clones against CXM or CER.
The mutant clones were examined for the MICs to other β-lactams and SM, and for nutritional requirements. Clones manifesting supersensitivities to β-lactam antibiotics and retaining the same SM-sensitivity and nutritional requirements as those of the parent C600 strain were defined as β-lactam-supersensitive mutants.
The following results were obtained.
1) Twenty-six β-lactam-supersensitive mutants were confirmed in NTG-treated 5, 000 clones examined.
2) They were classified into 4 groups. Group I was supersensitive to CXM and MCIPC but not to others. Group II was supersensitive to cephalosporins, except CXM, but not to any penicillin. Group III was supersensitive to all β-lactams. Group IV was untypable.
3) One of four group I mutants lacked penicillin-binding protein (PBP) fraction 4. Two of four group II mutants lacked or decreased in PBP fraction 1Bs accompanied with some increase in amount of PBP fraction 1A and/or 2 and 5. Whereas, no changes were observed in the electrophoretic pattern of PBPs of the group III mutants.
4) It was concluded that the machanism of β-lactam-supersensitive mutation was complicated, even though the occurrence changes in PBPs was confirmed to be one of the causes of the mutation.
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