ON A MULTI-LYSOGENIC PSEUDOMONAS PYOCYANEA WHICH PRODUCES THREE DIFFERENT BACTERIOPHAGES

Abstract

The present paper describes some general properties of a multi-lysogenic Pseudomonas pyocyanea, strain T (L, m, tu), which carries three different types of prophage. The three phages produced from the strain can be distinguished from each other by plaque morphology, host-ranges, and by serological neutralization. They are all noninducible by ultraviolet light irradiation. The production of each phage type during the bacterial growth is considered to be independent each other, since no correlation has been observed among phage production of these phages. Burst frequency, measured by the probability for one bacterium to burst per generation time, was estimated to be about 1:50, 000 for phages L and m, about 1:100, 000-1:1, 000, 000 for tu phage. Burst sizes in spontaneous phage production of these phages were between 1 and 20.
From the viewpoint of serological neutralization, phages L and m are related, but phage tu is not related to the others.