ISOLATION OF A NEW TEMPERATE PHAGE CAUSING THE LYSOGENIC CONVERSION IN CORYXEBACTERIUM DIPHTHERIAE

Abstract

Two types of temperate phage causing lysogenic conversion were obtained from certain toxigenic strains which were recently isolated from diphtheria cases or healthy carriers in Japan. Strains were not restricted to any biological type of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, while there seemed to be a certain relationship between the type of phage and the area of origin of the strains from which the phages were obtained. Although the sti ains were obtained at different times, same type of phage resulted from strains obtained from the same area. Inquiry in the clarification of the relationship between lysogenization and the outbreak of diphtheria has been performed without success.
One of the two types thus obtained is identical with β phage in all its properties, while the other, designated κ, a new one in regard to its host range, is not significantly distinguishable from type β in other properties.