Study on interaction between T4 phage and Escherichia coli B by microcalorimetric method

The process that T4 phages multiply in host cells of Escherichia coli B was determined using LKB-2277 Bioactivity Monitor by means of stopped-flow method, and the growth was measured turbidometrically at the same time at 37 degreesC. By analyzing thermocurves, quantitative parameters could be obtained to characterize the interactions of host cells and phages. The parameters such as k(a), P-max, G etc. change regularly with the decrease of multiplicity of infection (MOI) value. Infection-lysis equations were fitted and the lytic rate constant k(L) was obtained. The results show that the metabolic activity of infected cells is more intensive than that of normal cells. The phenomenon of lysis inhibition (LIN) was first detected with the microcalorimetric method, and the mechanism is discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.