Permeability increases in cells of Salmonella enteritidis induced by ethylenediaminetetraacetate and temperature treatments

Abstract

Treatment of cells of Salmonella enteritidis with ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) resulted in losses of less than 4% of the total cellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and protein. No lethal effects could be observed when treated cells were plated and counted. The uptake of 14C-actinomycin-D, 22Na+, and 65Zn2+ into EDTA-treated cells and the release of 65Zn2+ from EDTA-treated cell walls were strictly temperature-dependent. The uptake of 22Na+ and 65Zn2+ in control and EDTA-treated cells appeared to be enzymatically controlled and could be inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate. The uptake and release of these radioisotopes in treated cells was two to five times that of untreated, control cells. The release of lipopolysaccharide could be correlated with a change in permeability of cells when they were treated with EDTA.