INCIDENCE OF INDUCIBLE BACTERIOPHAGE IN BACILLUS SP. AND PSEUDOMONAS SP. STRAINS ISOLATED FROM CONTAMINATED SOIL IN MERSIN

In the current study, the effects of environmental agents on induction of soil lysogenic bacteria were studied. To estimate the prevalence of lysogeny within bacterial communities from contaminated soil, induction assays were carried out by extracting bacteria from soil. A series of experiments were conducted with samples collected in Mersin to assess the impact of some physical and chemical agents on propage induction in natural populations. A total of 90 bacteria were isolated from these sites. UV radiation, temperature, some mutagens and hydrocarbons were used to induce prophage in lysogenic bacteria. Two-thirds of the lysogenic bacteria showed prophage induction by one of the agents. The effects of these agents on the efficiency of plating (EOP) and on the adsorption of lytic bacteriophages were also investigated.