A simple method is described for the inactivation of contaminating bacteriophage in concentrated pyocin preparations prepared from induced lysates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is possible to destroy the plaque-forming ability of the bacteriophage by treatment with ultraviolet light and at the same time to preserve approximately 65 per cent. of the pyocin activity.
The effect of ultraviolet light on a concentrated bacteriophage preparation was studied, and it was shown that some residual inhibition activity remained. However, it is not likely that the lysogenic phage in concentrated pyocin preparations will be of a high enough titre to produce inhibition reactions.
It is now proposed to use pyocin extracts prepared in this way as typing reagents in a pyocin typing scheme based on the inhibition patterns produced when a number of different pyocins are spotted on to lawns of unknown test strains.
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