TRANSDUCTION OF CHLORAMPHENICOL AND NOVOBIOCIN RESISTANCE IN STAPHYLOCOCCI

Abstract

Two of 21 strains of naturally lysogenic, chloramphenicol-resistant staphylococci yielded phage on ultraviolet induction which transduced chloramphenicol resistance to chloramphenicol-sensitive staphylococci. One donor was of phage group III and yielded phage which transduced group III strains only; the other was of group I and its phage transduced group I strains and one group III strain.Some phages derived from naturally lysogenic strains seem lacking in ability to transduce chloramphenicol resistance even to known acceptor strains. On the other hand, those phages capable of transducing chloramphenicol resistance were also able to transduce tetracycline resistance independently.Transduction failed to show linkage of the markers for tetracycline and chloramphenicol resistance or for tetracycline and penicillin resistance.Transduction of novobiocin resistance was only proved in one of several phage–staphylococcus systems.