SEROLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL STUDIES ON ESCHERICHIA COLI RNA PHAGES

Four RNA phages, β, Bl, and I isolated at our laboratory, and MS2 isolated in the United States were studied.1) At 37°, plaque types of Bl and I were larger than those of β and MS2. At 45°, Bl and I gave pinhole-type plaques and β and MS2 medium size plaques which were as large as those at 37°2) MS2 infected cells began to lyse in 45min after infection and β infected cells in 55-60min. The cells infected with Bl or I lysed to a negligible extent.3) The four phages were serologically related and arranged in an order of β, MS2, Bl, I by the neutralization experiment.4) Base composition of phage RNAs were studied. In MS2 RNA and β RNA, molar per cent of guanylic acid was larger than that of uridylic acid, and in Bl RNA and I RNA, molar per cent of uridylic acid was larger than that of guanylic acid.5) Hybridization experiments were conducted between a double stranded RNA of β and a single stranded RNA of other phages. The result suggested that the β RNA was highly homologous with MS2 RNA, and to lesser extents with Bl RNA and I RNA.6) Correlation between the serological character and the RNA structure is discussed.