EVIDENCE OF SEROLOGICAL HETEROGENEITY OF T2 BACTERIOPHAGE

Abstract

The mechanism of neutralization of T2 bacteriophage by an anti-T2 rabbit serum was investigated as to the polyvalency of the virus particle. For hosts, E. coli B and three different strains of Shigella flexneri were used. The rate of neutralization of T2 by the specific antiserum depends upon the bacterium used for assay. However, the choice of host used in growing the phage stock has no effect. Several kinds of experiments were performed to analyze the serum reaction, and it was concluded that each T2 particle had a complex structure in its site of attachment which was neutralized differently by the corresponding antibodies.