SUPPLEMENTAL FINDINGS CONCERNING TRANSFORMATION OF SOMATIC ANTIGEN IN SALMONELLA

Abstract

1) It was found out that in antigenic transformation of Salmonella group E by epsilon 15 phage, and that of group B dy iota phage, strains, undergoing the transformation, followed by mitoses and multiplications, are lysogenized by the respective phages, producing them, while those not undergoing the transformation are not lysogenized, not producing them. Further, when the transformation was carrid out with the phage combined with radioactive isotope P³², radioactivity was stronger in those undergoing the transformation than in those not undergoing it.
From these facts it was assumed that the antigenic transformation by the phage would be different from the transduction of characters conveyed by the phage, but a change produced by the genetic material contained in the phage itself.
2) Anti-15 factor serum did not inhibit so much the multiplication of strains of subgroup E₁, containing somatic antigens 3, 10, but had strong activity to inhibit the multiplication of subgroup E₂, containing 3, 15. On the other hand, anti- epsilon 15 Phage, prepared with pure epsilon phage did not exert so much inhibitory action on the strain having antigens 3, 15. Further in experiments with the antibody combined with I¹³¹, it could not be demonstrated that neither the anti-15 antiboody nor the anti-epsilon 15 phage antibody could enter the cell body.
These facts seem to indicate that in antigenic transformation of Salmonella group E by anti-15 factor serum, in which from a strain of subgroup E₂ is produced by mutation a strain of subgroup E₁ through the loss of epsilon 15 phage, the factor serum would have at least selective action.