Inactivation and Repair of PolyvalentStaphylococcusPhages after U.V.- or Gamma-irradiation or Acridine Orange Treatment

SummaryThe influence was studied of changes of the bacterial host strain on the course of inactivation of Staphylococcus phages A/5 and ϕ131 after u.v.-irradiation, gamma-irradiation and photodynamic inactivation by AO. Effectiveness of phage plating was alike on all the host strains used. An influence of the various bacterial host strains on the survival of inactivated phages was found for u.v.-irradiated phages only. The bacterial host strains could be divided into strain groups having a favourable effect on the inactivation course of u.v.-irradiated phages, i.e. increasing the number of surviving phage particles, and into bacterial strains which may further reduce the survival of inactivated phage particles. The possible presence of repair mechanism in Staphylococcus bacterial cells is discussed.