SUMMARY: Three temperate phages isolated from lysogenic staphylococci of phage type 52/52 A/80 were used to lysogenize strains of phage-type 80. Two of these phages belonged to serological group A and one to serological group F. Lysogeniza- tion of a strain of phage-type 80 with one of the phages (287′) resulted in a change in the typing pattern from 80/81 to 52/52 A/80. There was, therefore, a gain in sensitivity to phage 52 and 52 A and a loss in sensitivity to phage 81. Lysogenization of type 80 strains with the second phage (581′) caused a loss in sensitivity to phage 81, while lysogenization with phage 7287′ caused a gain in sensitivity to phage 52 and 52 A.
Loss in sensitivity to phage 81 after lysogenization with phage 287′ seems most probably due to specific prophage immunity since phages 287′ and 81 belong to the same serological group (A) and may be closely related. Loss in sensitivity to phage 81 after lysogenization with phage 581′ does not appear to be a case of specific prophage immunity since the two phages are serologically distinct and the phenomenon resembles examples of prophage interference observed in other organisms.
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