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An electron microscopic study of bacteriophages from marine waters

Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 41, pages 385–414 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

The morphology of 75 bacteriophage strains isolated from water samples collected in the North Sea or in the northern Atlantic was studied by electron microscopy. Only tailed phages were observed (bradley groups A, B, and C). According to structural similarities, the strains are ascribed to 12 groups, 5 of which comprise types of marine phages not reported before. Four of these 5 groups include phage types that have not been detected from any other source. Among the phages isolated from northern Atlantic water a high incidence was observed of strains the particles of which have long appendages. Certain types of the northern Atlantic phages investigated were derived only from samples collected either east or west of the Azores. This finding agrees with former observations pointing to the existence of different populations of closely related bacteria east and west, respectively, of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie, Spemannstr. 35/EM, D-7400, Tübingen, FRG

    Hermann Frank & Karlheinz Moebus

  2. Biologische Anstalt Helgoland (Meeresstation), D-2192, Helgoland, FRG

    Hermann Frank & Karlheinz Moebus

Authors
  1. Hermann Frank
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  2. Karlheinz Moebus
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Frank, H., Moebus, K. An electron microscopic study of bacteriophages from marine waters. Helgolander Meeresunters 41, 385–414 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02365400

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Keywords

Helgoland Marine Research

ISSN: 1438-3888

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