DRUG RESISTANCE OF ENTERIC BACTERIA. II. TRANSDUCTION OF TRANSMISSIBLE DRUG-RESISTANCE (R) FACTORS WITH PHAGE EPSILON

Abstract

Harada, Kenji (Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan), Mitsuo Kameda, Mitsue Suzuki, and Susumu Mitsuhashi. Drug resistance of enteric bacteria. II. Transduction of transmissible drug-resistance (R) factors with phage epsilon. J. Bacteriol. 86:1332-1338. 1963.-Transmissible drug-resistance (R) factors, which transfer resistance to tetracycline (TC), chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and sulfonamide by cell-to-cell contact, were found to be transduced in the system of Salmonella E group with phage epsilon (epsilon(15) and epsilon(34)). The R(+) transductants of S. newington (S-84) and S. chittagong (S-224) were all found to be unable to transfer their R factors by conjugation, and their R factors were not eliminated by treatment with acridine dyes so far as tested. The R factors containing TC resistance were consistently segregated when transduced. At low multiplicities of infection, the R(+) transductants with epsilon(15) were all nonlysogenic and unable to produce normal epsilon(15) phage particles; among the R(+) transductants with epsilon(34), 34% were lysogenic and 66% were sensitive to epsilon(34).