AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Transduction of streptomycin resistance at a frequency of 4.0 x l0-7 to 6.9 x l0-7 per cell was observed for the blue-green alga Synechococcus elongatus. This report provides the first direct evidence of gene transfer among the blue-green algae. Evidence is presented for the lysogenization of the unicellular blue-green alga, S.elongatus. The temperate phage has been designated S-lT and found to have a head capsid tip-to-tip distance of 840 angstroms. Induction experiments of lysogenic Synechococcus with the antibiotic, Mitomycin-C, resulted in the production of virus as confirmed by electron microscopy and plaque assay. The isolation of a new blue-green algal virus S-1, which infects S. elongatus is described. The new virus appears to be a hexagon with no obvious tail and having a head capsid tip-to-tip distance of 710 angstroms based upon comparisons with latex balls. Several characteristics indicate that the virus is distinct from SM-1 isolated by Safferman. S-1, unlike SM-1, is sensitive to chloroform and to filtration and is not neutralized by SM-1 antiserum.