LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES OF MYCOBACTERIUM-MYCOBACTERIOPHAGE INTERACTIONS I

Abstract

The latent period of mycobacteriophage B-1 on host strain Mycobacterium avium (Jucho strain) grown on a 3% glycerol agar medium was found to be 60 to 65 min. using the "lysis curve," which was determined by continuous observations of phage-infected cells under the phase contrast microscope. Cytological examination of the host cells during the latent period revealed that the neotetrazolium-reducing granules and metachromatic granules were not altered in size, number, and localization, but the chromatinic substance changed in a way similar to that of Escherichia coli strain B infected with T7 phage.