Energy requirement for the initiation of colicin action in Escherichia coli

1. Starved cells of a strain of Escherichia coli and its mutant uncA, treated with colicin K, E2 or E3, remained fully rescuable upon trypsin treatment (stage I in colicin action). The transition to stage II in colicin action (cells no longer rescuable by trypsin) was promoted by the addition of either glucose or D-lactate. 2. Aerobically glucose-grown cells of the normal strain were irreversibly killed by colicin K, E2 or E3 under anerobic conditions, while similarly treated cells ot its mutant uncA remained fully rescuable. The stage I-stage II transition in colicin action was blocked in normal cells under anaerobic conditions when succinate was the sole carbon source. 3. Arsenate alone had little effect on the progression of the stage I-stage II transition in normal cells, treated with colicin K. However, this transition was abolished in the presence of both arsenate and anaerobic conditions. 4. The initiation of colicin action could be coupled to the anaerobic electron transfer systems formate dehydrogenase-nitrate reductase and alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase-fumarate reductase. 5. These results indicate that an energized state of the cytoplasmic membrane is required for the initiation of colicin action and that no high-energy phosphorylated compounds are necessary.