Colicin-Tolerant Mutants of Escherichia coli : Resistance of Membranes to Colicin E1

Abstract
Colicin E1 blocks proline accumulation by membrane vesicles prepared from wild-type sensitive Escherichia coli. Two classes of mutant cells are unaffected by colicin. Vesicles from colicin-resistant strains are sensitive to colicin E1, whereas vesicles from colicin-tolerant strains are unaffected by colicin El. These results suggest that the colicin E1 receptor is on the cell membrane and that colicin-tolerant strains have altered membranes while colicin-resistant strains have altered cell walls.