The effect of infection with bacteriophage on the electrokinetic potential of Rhizobium leguminosarum.

As the electrophoretic mobility of a bacterium in a constant environment depends on properties of the surface of the organism, alterations in mobility have been used as a means of detecting changes in the structure of the surface. Changes have been detected in this way during the germination of spores and during the initial stages of growth of the vegetative form (Douglas & Parker, 1958 b), at the beginning of growth in a new medium, during transitions between ‘ smooth’ and ‘rough’ forms (Moyer, 1986), and during treatment with enzymes (Dyar, 1948; Harris, 1958; Douglas & Parker, 1958a, b) or with bactericidal and related substances (Bradbury & Jordan, 1942; Cohen 1945). The purpose of this work was to find whether, and if so at what stage, infection with bacteriophage alters the bacterial surface in a way reflected in a change of electrophoretic mobility.