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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

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

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

Published on: October 14, 2011

THE ELECTRICAL CHARGE OF BACTERIOPHAGE.

A P Krueger¹, R C Ritter, S P Smith

¹Department of Bacteriology and Experimental Pathology, Stanford University, California.

The Journal of Experimental Medicine

|October 30, 2009

Summary

Bacteriophage particles carry a negative charge at most pH levels, but switch to a positive charge at pH 3.35 and below. This charge behavior is crucial for understanding bacteriophage interactions and applications.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biophysics

Background:

Determining the charge of biologically active substances like bacteriophage is essential for understanding their behavior.
Aseptic conditions are critical for accurate analysis of microbial agents.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe novel cataphoresis apparatus for aseptic charge determination of bacteriophage.
To investigate the charge characteristics of anti-coli bacteriophage across a range of pH values.

Main Methods:

Development and description of two types of cataphoresis apparatus.
Electrophoresis of bacteriophage particles into agar and subsequent re-suspension.
Testing bacteriophage charge across a pH gradient from 9.0 to 3.35 and below.

Main Results:

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Bacteriophage particles exhibit a negative charge between pH 9.0 and 3.4.
At pH 3.35 and lower, a charge reversal occurs, with particles migrating to the cathode.
This migration reversal suggests the bacteriophage corpuscle assumes a positive charge at low pH.

Conclusions:

The described cataphoresis apparatus allows for aseptic determination of bacteriophage charge.
Bacteriophage charge is pH-dependent, reversing from negative to positive at acidic conditions.
Understanding bacteriophage charge is vital for applications involving these lytic agents.