Changes within the genus Bordetella influenced by phages

Bordetella phages give rise to changes in the important phenotypic properties of all three Bordetella species. The changes depend on the phage system used. The treatment of Bordetella parapertussis with phages from B. pertussis led to toxic clones with manifold combinations of agglutinogens specific for all three Bordetella species. Under the influence of B. pertussis phages clones are formed which differ phenotypically from the recipient strain. Some of these clones are sensitive to some phages. In addition, the converted strains were able to propagate in the brain tissues of mice and gave rise to paralytic symptoms or death. Adhesive and hemagglutinating activities were detected in the converted strains and biochemical properties of the converted strains changed in comparison to the recipient strain. The sensitivity of converted strains to antibiotics was investigated and the tolerance of converted strains to erythromycin was used as a marker of conversion. As to their most striking features the converted strains resembled wild strains of B. bronchiseptica isolated from rabbits. While it was not possible to show the ability of pertussis phages to propagate in strains of homologous species by the agar layer method, pertussis phages did adsorb maximally on strains of B. pertussis.