Compilation of Escherichia coli K-12 outer membrane phage receptors – their function and some historical remarks

Many Escherichia coli phages have been sequenced, but in most cases their sequences alone do not suffice to predict their host specificity. Analysis of phage resistant E. coli K-12 mutants have uncovered a certain set of outer membrane proteins and polysaccharides as receptors. In this review, a compilation of E. coli K12 phage receptors is provided and their functional characterization, often driven by studies on phage resistant mutants, is discussed in the historical context. While great progress has been made in this field thus far, several proteins in the outer membrane still await characterization as phage receptors.