BACTERIOPHAGE COMMON TO PASTEURELLA PESTIS AND ESCHERICHIA COLI.

Hertman, I. (Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel). Bacteriophage common to Pasteurella pestis and Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 88:1002-1005. 1964.-Phage Y of Pasteurella pestis and phage T(3) of Escherichia coli are serologically related and have common bacterial hosts. Anti-Y serum neutralizes the homologous phage and phage T(3) to a similar extent. Anti-Y serum, absorbed with T(3), still neutralizes the activity of phage Y for P. pestis, but not the activity for E. coli B/r. A mutant of phage Y was isolated from turbid plaques formed on P. pestis at 27 C. This mutant infected P. pestis only if this organism had been grown at 27 C; it lost its infectivity towards E. coli B/r and was not neutralized by anti-T(3) serum. From this phage, additional mutants were isolated on P. pestis, some of which were infective for both P. pestis and E. coli B/r and some of which remained infective for P. pestis only. The reacquired infectivity for E. coli B/r was neutralized by anti-T(3) serum. The name T(3)P is suggested for phage Y.