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Productive Infection of Bacillus subtilis 168, with Bacteriophage SP-10, Dependent upon Inducing Treatments

Biological Sciences Laboratory, Department of the Army, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21701

ABSTRACT

Strains of Bacillus that harbor defective phage PBSX were found to be insensitive to SP-10(C), although the phage adsorbed to these insensitive strains. Strains that did not carry the phage were sensitive to SP-10(C). B. subtilis 168 ind^–, which can be tranduced by SP-10(C) but is nonpermissive for the phage, was rendered phage-sensitive after treatment with ultraviolet (UV) light or mitomycin C. After induction with UV light, maximal sensitivity to SP-10(C) was obtained at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of approximately 14; with mitomycin C induction, an MOI of approximately 1.0 was required. Phage maturation in sensitized cells was followed by plating infected streptomycin-sensitive cells in the presence of streptomycin at various stages during phase development. The latent period was estimated at 60 to 75 min. We suggest that the resistance of B. subtilis 168 to SP-10 is controlled, at least in part, by the presence of a defective prophage.