Lysogeny by f2 phage? (original) (raw)

Nature volume 267, pages 860–862 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

TWO prominent properties of lysogenic bacteria are, first, inheritable potentiality for phage production and, second, immunity against homologous phage. Both characteristics are unaffected by growth in the presence of phage antiserum or by serial subcultures of single colonies. This indicates that every lysogenic cell carries the genetic information for the biosynthesis of a given type of the phage particle1; so far, however, this has been known only for some DNA bacteriophages. I present here the first demonstration that bacteria can also contain the genetic information for the production of an RNA phage. If Escherichia coli bacteria are grown and infected with f2 RNA phage in liquid medium supplemented with guanidinium chloride, many cells subsequently behave as true lysogens. They are ‘immune’ to f2 and spontaneously release phage identical in morphology, plaque type, serological property, male specificity and single-stranded RNA genome, to the phage used for the initial infection.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jacob, F. in Les bacteries lysogénes et la notion de provirus 21–22 (Masson et Cie, Paris, 1954).
    Google Scholar
  2. Lodish, H. F., Cooper, S. & Zinder, N. D., Virology 24, 60–70 (1964).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Summers, D. F., Maizel, J. V. & Darnell, J. E., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 54, 505–513 (1965).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  4. Cooper, S. & Zinder, N. D., Virology 18, 405–411 (1962).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Cuzin, F. & Jacob, F., Ann. Inst. Pasteur 112, 397–418 (1967).
    CAS Google Scholar
  6. Braun, W. in Bacterial Genetics 100–111 (W. B. Saunders, London, 1953).
    Google Scholar
  7. Bradley, D. E., J. gen. Microbiol. 44, 383–391 (1966).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Zgaga, V., Medić, M., Salaj-Smic, E., Novak, D. & Wrischer, M., J. molec. Biol. 79, 697–708 (1973).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Adams, M. H. in Bacteriophages (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1959).
    Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Cellular Radiobiology, Institute ‘Rudjer Boskovic’, 41001, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
    VERA ZGAGA

Authors

  1. VERA ZGAGA
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ZGAGA, V. Lysogeny by f2 phage?.Nature 267, 860–862 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267860a0

Download citation

This article is cited by