Phage yield during W-reactivation of bacteriophage.

Phage production in liquid medium during W-reactivation parallels the extent of W-reactivation of infective centres on plates. The mean burst size is independent of W-reactivation; thus the reactivated phage yields a normal burst. As 8 plates, the lex- mutant shows no W-reactivation in liquid medium. It is concluded that W-reactivation is a consequence of an induced DNA repair which reactivates the damaged parental phage DNA to its full biological activity.