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Lysogenic Conversion in the Genus Proteus

Nature volume 189, pages 946–947 (1961)Cite this article

Abstract

THE presence of prophage renders a bacterial cell immune to homologous bacteriophage. Homologous phage often adsorbs and penetrates the immune cell but does not undergo reduction to prophage and its genetic material is gradually ‘diluted out’ during multiplication of the cell1. Burnet and Lush2 were the first to encounter a variation of this theme. They studied a lysogenic coccus which did not adsorb the homologous phage. Other workers3,4 have since described systems in Salmonella where the presence of prophage modifies adsorption of homologous or heterologous phage. Changes in properties of bacteria occasioned by the presence of prophage are termed lysogenic conversions5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria

    J. N. COETZEE

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  1. J. N. COETZEE
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COETZEE, J. Lysogenic Conversion in the Genus Proteus . Nature 189, 946–947 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/189946a0

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