Effect of glucose on the capacity of Escherichia coli to be infected by a virulent lamba bacteriophage.

Howes, William V. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge). Effect of glucose on the capacity of Escherichia coli to be infected by a virulent lambda bacteriophage. J. Bacteriol. 90:1183-1193. 1965.-A substrate-dependent phenotypic resistance to phage lambda(vir) was observed among cells of Escherichia coli W3350 and C600 grown aerobically on glucose. Similar cells grown on glycerol were sensitive. When cells of W3350 grown on glycerol were transferred to glucose, the rate of appearance of the resistant fraction was proportional to the growth rate and became zero after 5.5 to 6.0 generations. Cells grown on glucose, upon transfer to glycerol, became sensitive within one generation. P(32) studies with W3350 indicated that the resistant cells did not adsorb phage. Furthermore, among the sensitive cells approximately the same number of particles adsorbed to each cell. Among five strains of E. coli K-12 investigated, three did not exhibit this aerobic phenotypic resistance. W3350 grown anaerobically on glucose was 100% resistant. Anaerobic growth had no further effect on C600. These inconsistent effects of anaerobiosis probably involved a mechanism different from that of aerobic growth.