Abstract
Our investigations to detect naturally lysogenic strains of mycobacteria were limited to 1 strain ofMycobacterium smegmatis, 4 strains ofMycobacterium borstelense var.niacinogenes, and to 5 strains ofMycobacterium marinum (Syn:Mycobacterium balnei), all together 10 strains. They were chosen because as a sign of lysis they secrete a large quantity of cytoplasmatic components (nucleic acids proteins, amino acids etc.) into the fluid medium (for instance phosphate buffer), in which they are suspended. In a first series of experiments culture filtrates were tested on 84 strains of slowly and rapidly growingMycobacterium species as indicator strains. Using this method free phage particles were only found in the culture filtrate of 1 strain,Mycobacterium smegmatis SN 46, isolated from a patient with achalasia. Phage particles could not be found in the filtrates of the other 9 probably lysogenic strains. In a second series of experiments more closely related indicator strains were used. The 10 probably lysogenic strains were cultured in bovine serum or antiphage-antiserum containing medium and single selected colony cultures a small part of which showed sensitivity to the filtrates. The released and adapted phages, designated as B24, B30, B32, B33, B34 and B35 have a very narrow host range. The plaques are very small and turbid. On electron micrographs the temperate phages B24, B30 and B35 exhibit the typical head-tail morphology. The head of the temperateborstelense var.niacinogenes phage B30 is 45 nm in diameter, the tength of tail is about, 120nm. The average dimensions of the long head ofsmegmatis phage B24 are 40 × 80 nm, the tail is about 160 nm long. The balnei phage B35 is very similar morphologically to phage B30. The head is about 50 nm in diameter, the length of tail about 160 nm. The phage sensitive variants are not “carrier” strains. Their phage sensitivity is not a stable property. After several culture passages in serum-free medium the variants regain their phage immunity completely and release phages like the lysogenic parent strains. The sensitive variants must therefore be considered to be also lysogenic. TheMycobacterium borstelense var.niacinogenes phages are serologically very related.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bönicke, R.:Beschreibung der neuen Species Mycobacterium borsiclense n. sp. Zbl. Bakter. I. Abtlg. Orig. 196: 535, 1965.
Bönicke, R.:Die Bedeutung lysogener Mykobakterien für die Sarkoidose (Korreferat zum Referat von E. Mankiewicz). Arch. Klin. Expert. Dermat. 227: 77, 1966.
Bönicke, R.Lysogenie und lysogene Konversion bei Mycobakterien. Beitr. Klin. Tuberk. 136: 108, 1967.
Bönicke, R. Ewoldt, A.:Quantitative Untersuchungen über das Niacinbildungsvermögen von Mycobacterium borstelense var. niacinogenes Beitr. Klin. Tub. 130: 149 1965.
Bönicke, R., Stottmeier D.:Erkennung und Identifizierung von Stämmen der Species Mycobacterium borstelense. Beitr. Klin. Tub. 130: 210, 1965.
Bowman, B. U., Redmond, W. B.:The effects of glucose and of oxygen on autolysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Am. Rev. Tub. Pulm. Dis. 73: 907, 1956.
Bowman, B. U. Jr., Redmond, W. B.:A temperate bacteriophage from Mycobacterium butyricum Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. 80: 232, 1959.
Doke, N.:Lysogenic strains and bacteriophages active against atypical mycobacteria Med. Biol. (Tokyo) 53: 253, 1959. Cit Tokunaga.et al., Amer. Rev. Resp. Dis. 90:431, 1964.
Hnatko, S. I.:The isolation of bacteriophages for mycobacteria with reference to phage typing of the genus. Can. J. Med. Sci. 31: 462, 1953.
Juhasz, S. E., Bönicke, R.:Possible classification of rapidly growing mycobacteria on the basis, of their phage susceptibility Can. J. Microbiol. 11: 235, 1965.
Linell, R., Norden, A.:Mycobacterium balnei: a new acid fast bacillus occurring in swimming pools and capable of producing skin lesions in humans. Acta tubere. scand. (Suppl. 30) 1954.
Redmond, W. B.:The effect of streptomycin on autolysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J. Bacteriol. 69: 616, 1955.
Redmond, W. B.:Studies on autolysis of Mycobacteria. II. Autolysis of various pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains grown in a medium deficient in nitrogen. J. Bacteriol. 73: 279, 1957.
Redmond, W. B.:Bacteriophages of the Mycobacteria—A review. Adv. Tubere. Res. 12: 191, 1963. Karger, Basel, New York 1963.
Redmond, W. B., Bowman, B. U. Jr.Studies on autolysis of Mycobacteria. The effect of temperature change J. Bacteriol. 69: 293, 1955.
Russell, R. L., Richards, W. D., Scammon, L. A., Froman, S.:Isolation of a lysogenic Mycobacterium fortuitum from soil. Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. 89: 287, 1964.
Sasaki, M.:Studies on mycobacteriophages. Igaku Kenkyu (Acta Medica) 30: 291, 1960. Cit. Tokunagaet al., Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. 90; 431, 1964.
Schaefer, W. B., Marshak, A., Burkhart, B.:The growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a function of its nutrients. J. Bacteriol. 58: 549, 1949.
Segawa, J., Takeya, K., Sasaki, M.:Isolation of lysogenic acid-fast bacilli from the soil. Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. 81: 419, 1960.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to Academician Ivan Málek on the occasion of his 60th birthday
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bönicke, R. Lysogeny among mycobacteria. Folia Microbiol 14, 297–304 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02872695
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02872695