Interaction of bacteriophage N1 with cell walls of Micrococcus lysodeikticus

Bacteriophage N1 does not irreversibly adsorb to cell walls isolated from its host Micrococcus lysodeikticus strain 1 (ML-1). ML-1 walls do bind the virus in a specific but completely reversibly union. Electron microscopic examination of OsO(4)-treated mixtures of phage and walls revealed phage bound to wall fragments by their tail tips, suggesting that reversible phage attachment to walls involves a "tail-first" adsorption of the virus. Treatment of ML-1 walls with fluorodinitrobenzene confers upon the walls the ability to inactivate N1 phage. The relationship between reversible phage attachment to walls and the mechanism of infection by N1 phage is discussed.