Studies of the Origin of Bacterial Viruses

Abstract

Exposure of B. megatherium 899 to about 5 x 10-3 M MnCl2 for 10 minutes at 25°C. results in an increase of about ten times in the proportion of phage-producing cells, terramycin-resistant cells, streptomycin-resistant cells, and phage-resistant cells. The proportion of phage-producing cells reaches a maximum in about 4 hours and that of the other cells is reached in about 8 hours.