SENSITIVITIES OF DIFFERENT BACTERIOPHAGE SPECIES TO IONIZING RADIATIONS

Abstract

The sensitivities ("direct effect") to ionizing radiations (gamma rays from Co60) of 13 different phage species have been measured, and compared with the information available in the literature for still other species of phage (to a total of 26 species). The most sensitive (a Mycobacterium phage) is about 13 times more sensitive than the most resistant (coli-dy-sentery phage x-174, S13). The most common radiosensitivity value corresponds to about 4/10 of the radiosnesitivity of the T-even phages. Lysogenic hosts may repair a fraction of the damage produced in phage by ionizing radiations.