CHARACTERISTICS OF BRUCELLAPHAGE

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Abstract
Methods of characterizing phage have been applied to a brucellaphage of Russian origin grown on its propagating strain, Brucella abortus R 19. Phage can be propagated by single plaque transfer. Phage titers of about 1010 particles per ml can be obtained by propagation on a young culture of R 19 in Albimi broth on a shaker at 37 C. After lyophilization, phage retains its activity during storage for at least 20 months at 4 C. Phage is stable in broth at pH values from 6 to 8 for 24 hr. at 37 C. Some loss in activity results from heating for 1 hr. at 60 C. All activity is lost in the presence of 10% chloro-form. It has a slow adsorption rate (K = 3.6 X 10-11 ml/min.), a latent period of 100 min., and a burst size of 121 particles. Electron micro-graphs indicate that the phage is approximately 65 m[mu] in diameter, polygonal in shape, with a short tail.