The Value of Bacteriophage in Classifying Certain Soil Bacteria

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Abstract
Certain soil bacteria, notably the slow-growing non-spore-formers, have proved difficult to classify by either morph. or physiol. criteria. The authors show that progress in this line can be made by the use of lysis by bacteriophage. Previous authors have reported little progress in this line but the present authors have obtained promising results, due presumably to refinements in the technic. Methods are given in some detail. Employing this method the authors show the following: The bacteriophage developing from 6 strains of Agrobacterium radiobatcer seemed to be one and the same thing, as there was almost perfect cross-lysis between the strains. There was no cross-lysis between this species and the legume nodule bacteria (Rhizobium spp.) the Bacterium globiforme group or other soil organisms investigated. Six strains of the Bact. globiforme group developed apparently identical races of bacteriophage, while the other strains investigated showed practically no cross-lysis among themselves. Among the Rhizobium spp. the pea, clover, and bean organisms cross-lysed perfectly, suggesting that they may all 3 be one species; while the races* of bacteriophage developing from the alfalfa lima bean and soy bean organisms all seemed to be distinct. It is especially significant that this test correlates with the cross-inoculation grouping of the bacteria in this genus, although suggesting the need for larger groups; serological tests, on the other hand, have been found to show from 2 to 4 groups in each of the cross-inoculation groups. This seems to indicate that the groups established by means of bacteriophage are of more significance than those indicated by means of agglutination.

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