Products of defective lysogeny in Serratia marcescens SMG 38 and their activity against Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteria.
From a series of Serratia marcescens clinical isolates analysed with respect to bacteriocin production, one strain (SMG 38) was exceptional in that it produced two distinct phage-tail-like bacteriocins differing in morphology, sedimentation, heat sensitivity, and host range. The more active component (bc25) was effective against Serratia, while the other component (McG) inhibited growth of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella sonnei, but not Serratia. Plaque formation on tested strains was negative except in the single case of the lysate of a subclone of SMG 38 which caused the production of a virulent phage, phi epsilon, in E. coli K12 RH 5108. This seems to be a rare event. Like the bacteriocin McG, phage phi epsilon used the same receptor protein, coded at about 30 min (locus fig) on the E. coli chromosome, as does the temperate and serologically unrelated phage phi gamma. Both McG and UV-irradiated phi epsilon killed sensitive bacteria. The survival rate depended on the input multiplicity and also on the indicator strain, and was increased by the presence of prophage phi 80 in the cell. When survivors were allowed to resume their growth under normal conditions, they showed cell elongation whatever their RecA phenotype. No difference was observed between the two agents with respect to these observations, except that McG, unlike irradiated phi epsilon, was inactive against Klebsiella pneumoniae UNF 5023, which possessed the Fig receptor.
Gratia
J P
JP
Microbial Genetics and Ecology Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Brussels University School of Medicine, Belgium.
D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001435:Bacteriophages; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D008242:Lysogeny; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
D001430:Bacteriocins