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Updated: Sep 28, 2025

Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda
Published on: October 14, 2011
Protection of bacteriophage-sensitive Escherichia coli by lysogens
Stanley Brown1, Namiko Mitarai1, Kim Sneppen1
1Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract:
SignificanceSome viruses that infect bacteria, temperate bacteriophages, can confer immunity to infection by the same virus. Here we report λ-immune bacteria could protect λ-sensitive bacteria from killing by phage λ in mixed culture. The protection depended on the extent to which the immune bacteria were able to adsorb the phage. Reconciling modeling with experiment led to identifying a decline in protection as bacteria stopped growing. Adsorption of λ was compromised by inhibition of bacterial energy metabolism, explaining the loss of protection as bacterial growth ceased.
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