BacA-Mediated Bleomycin Sensitivity in Sinorhizobium meliloti Is Independent of the Unusual Lipid A Modification

Abstract
Sinorhizobium meliloti bacA mutants are symbiotically defective, deoxycholate sensitive, and bleomycin resistant. We show that the bleomycin resistance phenotype is independent of the lipid A alteration and that the changes giving rise to both phenotypes are likely to be involved in the inability of bacA mutants to persist within their hosts.