The Influence of Antibacterial Substances on the Interaction of Bacteria and Bacteriophages: 1. The Influence of Penicillin

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Abstract
Penicillin in concns. up to 100 U./ml. in broth or synthetic media has no demonstrable effect, after 20 hrs. incubation at 37[degree]C on the activities of Staphylococcus K phage, Coli-phage C 36, Coli-dysentery phage S13, a Streptococcal phage and a Bacillus subtilis phage. The simultaneous action of penicillin and phage on young cultures of Staphylococcus aureus (Oxford) in broth or synthetic medium at 37[degree] produces, under certain conditions, a more rapid lysis than occurs in the presence of penicillin or phage alone. The phenomenon of accelerated lysis through the joint action of penicillin and phage occurs with other organisms besides S. aureus, e. g., B. subtilis and Streptococcus pyogenes, group C, differing from that with S. aureus only in degree. Penicillin does not affect the adsorption of phage by the organisms. When the amt. of antibiotic is sufficient to interfere with the growth of the cell, then the multiplication of phage decreases. It is suggested that certain balanced intracellular reactions of metabolism are disturbed by the action of penicillin, and as a result, intermediates essential to growth of both cell and phage cease to be available. A phage-inhibiting substance was demonstrable in certain instances when S. aureus (Oxford) cultures were lysed by penicillin.

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