Characteristics of Yersinia enterocolitica bacteriophages.

The characteristics of Yersinia enterocolitica bacteriophages were revealed. Phages I, IV, and VIII belonged to Bradley's morphological group A. The bacteriophages adsorbed to the cells grown at 25 degrees C but not to those grown at 37 degrees C. Phages I, IV, and VIII required 50, 80, and 100 times as much amount of the cell wall prepared from the cells grown at 37 degrees C as that from the cells grown at 25 degrees C for the same inactivation. Phage VIII was stable over the range of pH 6 to 11 and below 45 degrees C, whereas phages I and IV were extremely labile at higher temperatures (above 37 degrees C) and in basic medium.