The Role of Phage in the Transduction of the Toxinogenic Factor in Corynebacterium diphtheriae

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Abstract
Strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae which produced large amounts of toxin (e. g. PW8) were found to be non-lysogenic, but they contained a cytoplasmic toxinogenic factor designated as T+. After infection with phage they produced less toxin. It is possible to remove the phage from the lysogenic strains without affecting the T+ factor by treatment with small amounts of acriflavine. When treated with larger amounts of acriflavine the T+ factor was also removed, rendering the strain non-toxinogenic. The toxin-inducing phages can be converted in vitro into non-toxinogenic phages by treatment with small amounts of acriflavine. After passage through the PW8T+ strains these phages revert to toxin-inducing ability. Similarly, the naturally occurring, non-toxinogenic [gamma] phage can be made to induce toxin production. This indicates that the role of phage in diphtheria toxin production is to transduce the T+ factor.