Methods of Study of Antiphage Agents Produced by Microorganisms

Abstract

Methods useful in the screening of antagonistic organisms and in studies of antibiotic substances were applied to the isolation of microorganisms possessing antiphage properties and to the study of the antiphage agents themselves. The resulting techniques involve more variables than do the original and simpler procedures used in the study of antibiotics because of the complexity of the phage-host cell relationship. The production of antiphage agents by fungi and actinomycetes isolated from soil was investigated by the agar plate, agar streak, cup culture, agar dilution and agar diffusion methods. The principle of all these methods is the ability of the host to grow on a medium in which phage action is inhibited. The possibility of applying these methods or modifications of them to the study of substances active against plant and animal viruses remains to be detd.