Effects of temperature and energy inhibitors on complex formation between Escherichia coli male cells and filamentous phage fd

Journal of General Microbiology
M YamamotoM Yoshikawa

Abstract

The effect of temperature and various energy inhibitors on the formation of a complex between Escherichia coli male cells and filamentous phage fd was studied by a novel filtration method. Centrifuged male cells were observed by electron microscopy to have lost the majority of pili and to produce complexes with fd only above 25 degrees C. After preincubation of the cells at 37 degrees C without addition of the phage, nearly half the level of complex formation observed at 37 degrees C was detected at 0 degrees C and fd was at a minimum at about 20 degrees C. Several energy inhibitors and uncouplers drastically reduced complex formation at 37 degrees C, and also at 0 degrees C if the cells were briefly exposed to the reagents at the end of preincubation. Alteration of the cellular ATP concentration, either by shift-down of temperature or by the addition of the reagents, accompanied alteration in the ability of cells to form a complex with fd as well as alteration of the number of pili on the cell surface. In contrast to earlier reports, these results indicate that the complex formation between male cells and filamentous phage does not proceed either when pili disappear from the cell surface because of a decrease in the cellular e...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 10, 2007·Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR·Eric CascalesDanièle Cavard
Dec 3, 2015·BMC Microbiology·Mariángeles Briggiler MarcóAndrea Quiberoni
Jul 27, 2002·Annual Review of Microbiology·Minna M PoranenDennis H Bamford

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