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J Bacteriol. 1965 September; 90(3): 724-728
Copyright © 1965 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Assay for the Killing Properties of T2 Bacteriophage and Their "Ghosts"¹

^a McCollum-Pratt Institute, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

ABSTRACT

DUCKWORTH, DONNA H. (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.), AND MAURICE J. BESSMAN. Assay for the killing properties of T2 bacteriophage and their "ghosts." J. Bacteriol. 90:724–728. 1965.—A procedure for the assay of bacteriophage and their "ghosts" which is based on their ability to kill cells is described. The method is derived from the well-known ability of phage and ghosts to prevent the induction of ß-galactosidase. Conditions are described whereby a direct relationship is found between the decrease in ß-galactosidase and the number of phage or ghosts present during the induction period. The number of phage measured by this method was found to be identical with the number of plaque-forming units found in a fresh lysate. The method has been used to follow the fate of ghosts under several conditions and to measure killer (but nonviable) particles in various preparations of phage.

² Predoctoral fellow of the National Institutes of Health.

¹ Contribution No. 446 of the McCollum-Pratt Institute.