The benefit for the phage to go through the lysogenic cycle is that the phage can reproduce without killing the host cell. When conditions are no longer favorable for the phage, it can then lyse the cell. In terms of practical uses of lysogenic phage, unless you remove repressor proteins and integrases to make the phage lytic, lysogenic phage are not as useful.
Lysogenic phage can reproduce within the host bacteria without killing the cell and can remain in the bacteria until conditions are unfavorable which then triggers the phage to lyse the cell. In terms of practical uses, unless repressor proteins and integrases are removed to make the phage lytic, the lysogenic phages are not as useful.
The restriction digest helps us to get an estimate as to what cluster out phage falls into. We would probably try the restriction digest again but the only way to know which cluster the phage is in with certainty is to sequence the phage DNA.
The titer spot test revealed what range of dilutions we could potentially count the phage plaques in a range of 20-200. So we chose the 3 dilutions where we anticipated the 20-200 plaque range would fall based on the titer spot test, and plated the 3 dilutions. The dilution that had countable phage in the 20-200 range was ultimately used to calculate the titer of our phage lysate.
You stated that phages may be used in place of antibiotics in treating bacterial infections. Are bacteria able to develop resistance to these phages?
Yes bacteria can develop a resistance to phage as well in the same way bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics.
What are the benefits for the phage to go through the lysogenic cycle as opposed to the lytic cycle if there are any?
The benefit for the phage to go through the lysogenic cycle is that the phage can reproduce without killing the host cell. When conditions are no longer favorable for the phage, it can then lyse the cell. In terms of practical uses of lysogenic phage, unless you remove repressor proteins and integrases to make the phage lytic, lysogenic phage are not as useful.
Lysogenic phage can reproduce within the host bacteria without killing the cell and can remain in the bacteria until conditions are unfavorable which then triggers the phage to lyse the cell. In terms of practical uses, unless repressor proteins and integrases are removed to make the phage lytic, the lysogenic phages are not as useful.
Since the restriction digest was inconclusive how would you plan to retest in order to identify the cluster and categorize the virus?
The restriction digest helps us to get an estimate as to what cluster out phage falls into. We would probably try the restriction digest again but the only way to know which cluster the phage is in with certainty is to sequence the phage DNA.
Can you provide a brief explanation of a 3-plate plaque assay and what that number for the result means?
The titer spot test revealed what range of dilutions we could potentially count the phage plaques in a range of 20-200. So we chose the 3 dilutions where we anticipated the 20-200 plaque range would fall based on the titer spot test, and plated the 3 dilutions. The dilution that had countable phage in the 20-200 range was ultimately used to calculate the titer of our phage lysate.