Isolation and partial characterization of normal and defective bacteriophages of gram-negative hydrogen bacteria

Widespread defective lysogeny was detected in Alcaligenes eutrophus by electron microscopic analysis of cultures. Mitomycin C treatment of the cultures resulted in the production of defective (inco-) particles. Polysheaths were produced both with and without induction.With the simultaneous isolation technique six phages were isolated for hydrogen-oxidizing strains of the new species Pseudomonas pseudoflava. The phages were able to replicate under autotrophic conditions and were found to have a very restricted host range. Electron microscopic analysis allowed classification into two structural groups. Group I contained phages with contractile tails; group II contained phages with flexible, noncontractile tails. All but one (gb) of the new phages were shown to be temperate by isolation of lysogens and induction with mitomycin C.Non-Standard Abbreviations OD optical density - SM-medium standard mineral medium - KS-medium Kaserer medium - NB nutrient broth - p.f.u. plaque forming unit - c.f.u. colony forming unit - e.o.p. efficiency of plating - Do-phage buffer Dopatka-phage buffer - PTA phosphotungstic acid