Characterization of øGA1, An Inducible Phage Particle from Brevibacterium Flavum

SUMMARY: Eighteen related strains of Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium and Corynebacterium were used as indicator strains in an attempt to isolate corynephages from a large number of soils and from waste-water samples. Although no phages capable of producing plaques were isolated, one of the indicator strains used, Brevibacterium flavum ATCC 14067, was lysogenic for the inducible phage øGA1. This phage was not observed to form plaques on any of the strains tested. øGA1 is of B1-morphotype with a linear double-stranded DNA genome of 48.1 kb with cohesive ends; a restriction map is presented.