Protection of Escherichia coli against Bacteriophage with Citrus Pectin

Abstract

Using the T2 bacteriophage and its host strain of E. coli as the test system some polysaccharides, similar to those that have been found to inhibit the influenza A virus, were tested for their ability to inhibit lysis. Citrus pectin was found to inhibit lysis and to permit an abundant growth of E coli when added to coli-phage cultures. The effect of the pectin was not to destroy the phage nor did it prevent multiplication of the phage. Citrus pectin did not prevent the attachment of the virus to the host cell. The inhibitory activity of a non-viscous tryptic digest of gelatin aided in showing that the viscosity of these compounds was a minor factor in their inhibitory activity.