A mutant of Escherichia coli with a thermosensitive defect, possibly in the outer membrane (omsA mutant), was isolated from E. coli K-12 by mutagenization and selection for thermosensitivity and beta-lactam supersensitivity of growth. The mutant also showed very high sensitivity to other antibiotics, such as macarbomycin, midecamycin, rifampin, and bacitracin. The mutation was recessive to the wild type and was mapped at about 4 min on the E. coli chromosome between fhuA and metD. The mutation caused rapid release into the medium of periplasmic enzymes such as RTEM penicillinase but practically no cytoplasmic enzyme when cells grown at 30 degrees C were transferred to 37 or 42 degrees C. Electron microscopic observations showed many large double-layered vesicles attached to the surface of cells incubated at 42 degrees C. We conclude that the mutant had a mutation that caused a temperature-dependent defect in the outer membrane structure or its assembly (named an oms mutation). The omsA mutant may be useful for production of periplasmic proteins, which it releases into the culture medium on shift up of temperature.