[Destabilization of defective lysogeny as the index of population dissociation of Erwinia carotovora]

Abstract

The method of quantitative determination of bacteriocinogenicity in Erwinia carotovora dissociants has been suggested. It is based on the application of indicator bacterial mutants that are resistant to nalidixic acid. It has been revealed that population dissociation destabilizes a defective lysogeny of pectolytic Erwinia. In particular, a decrease of cell indicator survivability due to an increase of active bacteriocins yield has been found under lysogenic induction of defective prophages. The reverse dependence between the indicator cell survivability caused by dissociants bacteriocins induction and the reaction of hypersensitivity on leaves of the resistant plant Nicotiana tabacum, has been revealed. Similar dependence has been determined between dissociation and activity of pectate lyase. It has been hypothesized, that viable erwiniophages, being involved in the process of lysogenicity and induction, could play the role of 'switches' of bacterial phenotype raising adaptive phytopathogene reactions. The paper is presented in Russian. K e y w o r d s: Erwinia carotovora, defective lysogeny, population dissociation, reaction of hypersensitivity, activity of pectate lyase.