Abstract
IT was observed by Lederberg1 that cells of E. coli B, grown in the presence of penicillin, changed in hypertonic solutions to spherical corpuscles that were readily lysed when transferred to a hypotonic medium. These corpuscles exhibited osmotic characteristics similar to those of various bacterial protoplasts. We have studied the adaptive activity to synthesize β-galactosidase of E. coli B ‘protoplasts’ obtained by penicillin treatment, according to Lederberg's method. We found that the addition of T2 phage immediately stops β-galactosidase synthesis, as it does in E. coli B cells2. The present communication deals with the mechanism of this process.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lederberg, J., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 42, 574 (1956).
Monod, J., and Wollmann, E., Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 73, 937 (1947).
De Mars, R. I., Virology, 1, 83 (1955).
Weidel, W., Koch, G., and Lohss, F., Z. Naturforsch., 9 b, 398 (1954).
Park, J. T., and Strominger, J. L., Science, 125, 99 (1957).
Lederberg, J., J. Bact., 73, 144 (1957).
Salton, M. R. J., and Shafa, F., Nature, 181, 1321 (1958).
Work, E., Nature, 179, 841 (1957).
McQuillen, K., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 27, 410 (1958).
Brenner, S., et al., Nature, 181, 1713 (1958).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
DÉNES, G., POLGÁR, L. T2 Phage Infection of ‘Protoplasts’ obtained by Penicillin Treatment of Escherichia coli B . Nature 183, 696–697 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/183696a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/183696a0
This article is cited by
-
Failure of Bacteriophage ?X 174 to multiply in Serum Spheroplasts
Nature (1967)
-
Further studies on phage reaction with spheroplasts and l-forms of proteus mirabilis
Archiv f�r Mikrobiologie (1964)
-
The relationship between two Proteus mirabilis L-forms and bacteriophages
Archiv f?r Mikrobiologie (1963)
-
The microscopic picture of cells and penicillin-induced spheroplasts ofEscherichia coli exposed to the action of colicin
Folia Microbiologica (1962)
-
T i and ? Phage Adsorption on Protoplast-like Bodies of Escherichia coli
Nature (1960)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.