Some birth-death and mutation models for phage reproduction

Abstract

Several models for phage reproduction within a bacterium have recently been discussed by Steinberg and Stahl (1961), Gani (1962) and Ohlsen (1963); all are effectively birth-death type processes, with the first of these considering a single type of phage mutation. A detailed description of the biological processes involved may be found in Adams (1959), Weidel (1959), Sanders (1961) and Smith (1961). In this paper we shall consider some general models extending that of Steinberg and Stahl in which mutation may take place from normalaphages to mutantAphages.