Repair of ultraviolet light-induced DNA damage in cholera bacteriophages

Abstract

DNA repair-proficient and -deficient strains of Vibrio cholerae were used to examine host cell reactivation, Weigle reactivation and photoreactivation of u.v.-irradiated cholera bacteriophages. u.v. light-induced DNA damage in phages of different morphological and serological groups could be efficiently photoreactivated. Host cell reactivation of irradiated phages of different groups was different on the same indicator host. Phage Φ149 was the most sensitive, and Φ138 the most resistant to u.v. irradiation. While Φ138 showed appreciable host cell reactivation, this was minimal for Φ149. Attempts to demonstrate Weigle reactivation of u.v.-irradiated cholera phages were not successful, although u.v.-induced filamentation of host cells was observed.