Bacteriophages of Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum

Part XIV Effect of Mono-and Divalent Cations on HM 2 Phage

Abstract

Monovalent cations such as Cs⁺, Rb⁺, K⁺ and Na⁺, and, to a lesser extent, NH₄⁺ had an inactivating effect on HM 2 phage (group I) and HM 7 phage (group III). The critical concentration of Na⁺ for inactivation of the phage was between 0.4 and 0.02M with its maximum at 0.1M. Divalent cations such as Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, Mn²⁺, Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺, and, to a lesser extent, Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺, had a protective effect on the inactivation of the phage by monovalent cations. The molarity of Na⁺ for maximum inactivation of the phage was shifted by increasing concentration of Mg²⁺ added (5×10^-4, 1×10^-3, 2.5×10^-3, 5×10^-3 and 1×10^-2M, respectively) from 0.1M to 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 1.5M, respectively. Polyamines such as putrescine and spermidine also had a similar protective effect.