Effect of Spermine on Lysis and Reproduction by Bacteriophages φX174, λ, and f 2

Abstract

Groman, Neal B. (University of Washington, Seattle), and Grace Suzuki . Effect of spermine on lysis and reproduction by bacteriophages φX174, λ, and f 2 . J. Bacteriol. 92: 1735–1740. 1966.—A test was made of the hypothesis that lysis by all bacteriophages shares as a common and critical step an alteration in the osmotic stability of the infected cell. This was done by examining the effect of spermine on lysis. Spermine is one of a number of compounds which can stabilize spheroplasts and protoplasts to lysis in distilled water. Spermine stabilized both φX174- and f 2 -infected cells at concentrations ranging from 2 × 10 −3 to 4 × 10 −2 m , but failed to stabilize λ-infected cells at concentrations up to 8 × 10 −2 m . Stabilization was reflected both in optical density measurements and in the retention of mature phage in structures sedimentable at low speeds. At optimal concentration, over 90% of the phage was retained in these structures. These data suggest that the mechanism of lysis by φX174 and f 2 differs sharply from that caused by λ, and other observations suggest that there are differences in the lytic process of φX174 and f 2 as well. Spermine also displayed a differential effect on phage reproduction. The reproduction of λ and f 2 was inhibited by spermine, though the data do indicate that maturation occurs in its presence. The reproduction of φX174 was enhanced by spermine.