A recently proposed polythetic definition of virus species appears easily applicable to bacteriophages. Criteria for classification of tailed phages are evaluated. Morphology, DNA homology, and serology are the most important criteria for delineation of species, but no single criterion is satisfactory. Dot-blot hybridization and seroneutralization may suggest false relationships by detecting common sequences in the DNA of otherwise unrelated phages. Species of tailed phages can be defined by a combination of morphology and DNA homology or serology. A procedure for identification of novel phages is outlined. Phage names should include elements of host names.
Changes in hydrocarbon content in soils resulted in characteristic shifts of the substrate utilization patterns as tested with the Biolog system. The altered patterns of substrate utilization corresponded to similar changes in abundance of hydrocarbon‐utilizing bacteria and the occurrence of specific bacterial groups in the soils. Substrate utilization patterns as recorded with the Biolog system are suitable for rapidly assessing dynamics of autochthonous soil communities and evaluating their biodegradative potential.
Autochthonous bacteriocenoses in semiarid soils in Patagonia were found to be capable of rapidly adapting to high contamination with crude oil. This adaptation at community level is due to the selective enrichment of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria always present in these soils. Immediately after a heavy contamination with crude oil, the autochthonous bacteriocenosis contained about 28% hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria which could be classified into eight ecotypes with characteristic metabolic profiles. Mainly n-alkanes were used as growth substrates of representative strains. After seven months' exposure to crude oil, the bacteriocenosis consisted almost entirely of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria. At least fourteen ecotypes were distinguishable, and the majority of representative strains were able to metabolize a broad spectrum of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Corresponding to the significant alteration of the physiological diversity, drastic changes to the taxonomic diversity were also found. Whereas at the beginning of the study the autochthonous bacteriocenoses were dominated by GRm-positive genera of the Actinomycetales (Dietzia, Gordona, Nocardia, Rhoabcoccus, Streptomyces) with high ecological potency, after just two months' exposure to crude oil, GRAMnegative bacteria (especially Pseudomonas srurzeri) became predominant within the hydrocarbonutilizing bacteriocenoses accompanied by some GRAM-positive genera of the Actinomycetales with a significantly lower abundance. These findings underline the importance of Pseudomonas and some genera of Actinomycetales for processes of natural attenuation and the technically supported in situ bioremediation of soil polluted by crude oil in Patagonia.
Any bacterial strain can be infected by virulent phages or harbour one or more prophages. Therefore, bacteria-phage interactions are to be regarded as fundamental properties of bacteria. In current industrial fermentation processes phages can be advantageously employed for the identification of bacterial production strains (phage typing). In some cases phages are involved in the production of enzymes and special substances. The fundamental importance of phages in any technical fermentation process, however, is based on the peculiarities of their obligately parasitic life cycle. The propagation of phages in fermentation processes can cause complete (or a t least partial) lysis of the production strains and, consequently, serious disturbances in the production process and considerable economic losses. The phage problem in the fermentation industry has not yet been completely solved. For the protection of technical processes against virulent phages five measures are discussed: phage-protected sterile fermentation, employment. of alternative cultures, employment of phage-resistant mutants. employment of phage inhibitors, and employment of immobilized bacterial cells. The problem of the protection of bacterial production strains from prophage induction is more difficult and practically unsolved. Two possibilities to minimize the process risk due to temperate phages, the elimination of inducing factors during the fermentation process, and the selection of production strains which are difficult to induce, are discussed.
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