Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 17, 2026

Understanding the Impact of Temperate Bacteriophages on Their Lysogens Through Transcriptomics
09:23

Understanding the Impact of Temperate Bacteriophages on Their Lysogens Through Transcriptomics

Published on: January 5, 2024

The nature of prophage in lysogenic Bacillus megatherium

E M MILLER, W F GOEBEL

    The Journal of Experimental Medicine
    |December 1, 1954
    PubMed

    Insights

    Lysogenic and sensitive B. megatherium strains share related antigens. The prophage in B. megatherium appears non-antigenic, supporting its role as a genetic structure rather than a protein.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Bacteriology
    • Virology

    Background:

    • Lysogenic bacteria harbor bacteriophages integrated into their genome (prophage).
    • The antigenic relationship between lysogenic and sensitive bacterial strains, and the nature of prophage, are not fully understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the antigenic components shared between lysogenic and sensitive strains of Bacillus megatherium.
    • To determine if prophage, the integrated phage DNA, elicits an antigenic response.

    Main Methods:

    • Complement-fixation tests were employed to assess serological relationships.
    • Antibody production in rabbits was analyzed using complement-fixation and neutralization tests against purified bacteriophage.

    Main Results:

    • Lysogenic and sensitive B. megatherium strains exhibit shared, yet distinct, antigenic components.
    • Bacilli from a lysogenic strain, with minimal extracellular phage, did not induce antibodies reactive with purified megatherium T phage.

    Conclusions:

    • Prophage is likely not antigenic, or its antigens do not cross-react with mature phage antigens.
    • The findings support the hypothesis that prophage functions as a genetic structure within the bacterial host.
    Keywords:
    BACILLUSBACTERIOPHAGE

    More Related Videos

    Phage-Mediated Genetic Manipulation of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi09:01

    Phage-Mediated Genetic Manipulation of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi

    Published on: September 28, 2022

    Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda06:10

    Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda

    Published on: October 14, 2011

    Related Concept Videos

    Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

    Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle

    The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects its...
    Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

    Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

    In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
    DNA Bacteriophages01:26

    DNA Bacteriophages

    Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
    Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

    Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

    Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the lytic replication...
    Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

    Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

    Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
    Bacteriophages of the Human Virome01:23

    Bacteriophages of the Human Virome

    Bacteriophages are found throughout the human body. They may even outnumber eukaryotic viruses, forming an important and dynamic component of the human virome. Indeed, phages represent the most abundant viral entities, with densities in the gut reaching up to 10⁹ particles per gram of fecal matter, and many belonging to orders such as Caudovirales and Microviridae, while a substantial proportion remains unclassified as viral “dark matter.”Lysogeny and Genetic ExchangeIn the gut, bacteriophages...