CHARACTERISTICS OF ACTINOPHAGES OF ACTINOMYCES GRISEUS AND SELECTION OF PHAGE-STABLE MUTANTS OF GRISIN-PRODUCING ORGANISM

  • 1 January 1975
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 20  (5) , 409-415
Abstract
Analysis of phagolysates in production of grisein provided determination of 3 serologically and morphologically different actinophages, 2 of which, Pg 81 and Pg 100, affected the sensitive culture as virulent phages and 1, Pg 2, affected it as a temperate phage. Investigation of the fermentation broth of strain 15 of A. griseus did not confirm the supposition that this strain was polylysogenic and actinophages Pg 81 and Pg 100 were virulent mutants of temperate phages present in the cells. A phenomenon of limitation and modification controlled by the host cell was noted in the sensitive culture infected with actinophage Pg 81. Actinomycete mutants which did not limit but modified the phage were isolated. Under the effect of chemical mutagens, actinomycete mutants stable to virulent phages were selected. Treatment of the phage-stable mutants with ethylene imine and UV-light provided an increase in their antibiotic production levels by 75-80%.