STUDIES ON THE BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MYCOBACTERIOPHAGES (I)

Abstract

Gardner and Weiser (1947), Hauduroy et al. (1948), Penso et al. (1949) and Whittaker (1950) reported concerning mycobacteriophages. Their host mycobacteria were all saprophytic. Froman et al. (1953, 1954, 1959) isolated bacteriophages active against virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. But, these were reports about phage isolation and electronmicroscopic morphology. Recently in Japan, Takeya et al. (1957, 1958, 1959) discovered a method to isolate high titre phages. So, systematic studies of mycobacteriophages have been reported by many investigators. Sellers and Runnals (1961) reported on the physical and chemical characteristics and serological relationships of mycobacteriophages D28, D29 and D32. The present paper deals with the biological characterization of mycobacteriophages A6, B1 and C3, which have different host range specificity, and which were isolated in Japan by Takeya et al. The author wishes to make use of these characteristics in classification and genetics of mycobacteriophages.