Abstract
Colony changes from rough to smooth were observed in a rough strain of Mycobacterium ATCC 607 after exposure to phages D29 and B4. The colonies surviving after exposure to these 2 phages were both smooth and lysogenic. Increased nitrate reductase and Tween 80 hydrolytic activities accompanied lysogenization. Loss of lysogeny was accompanied by conversion to the rough colony type and a decrease in nitrate reductase and Tween 80 hydrolytic activities. The rapid loss and gain of these multiple characteristics suggested that the genetic control lies in a plasmid of mycobacteria.