ABORTIVE INFECTION OF A STRAIN OF ESCHERICHIA COLI BY COLIPHAGE T2

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Abstract
A large proportion of phage particles adsorbed on starved E. coli strain K12 is lost as infectious centers. This phenomenon, called "abortive infection," is probably due to the inability of a fraction of the bacterial population to support phage synthesis. The loss of ability of starved cells to support phage growth can be reversed by incubating them in growth medium for 30 min. before infection. This reversibility did not depend on the adsorption of phage by multiplying bacteria, though multiplying bacteria are not subject to abortive infection. Some resistance to the bactericidal effect of u. -v. light was noted in starved cultures although the frequency of induced lambda formation was the same in starved and unstarved cultures at doses resulting in equivalent levels of bacterial survival. At an early stage in the adsorptive process, the adsorbed phage particle is sensitive to inactivation by antiserum.