Skip to main content
  • Published:

Preliminary observations on the concentration of marine bacteriophages in the water around Helgoland

Abstract

In a preliminary survey, conducted between August 28 and October 9, 1990, the concentration of bacteriophages in seawater sampled at intervals of 1 to 4 days near Helgoland (station Kabeltonne) was determined by using indicator bacteria which had been isolated from seawater sampled only some weeks before. With a number of bacterial strains, phage concentrations ranging between 2 and 7×102ml−1 were found. However, during the course of this investigation maximal concentrations lasted for a few days only. With most indicator bacteria employed, the concentration of plaque-forming units (PFU) varied in the range of <1 and 20–30 PFU ml−1.

Literature Cited

  • Adams, M. H., 1959. Bacteriophages. Interscience Publ., New York, 592 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahrens, R., 1971. Untersuchungen zur Verbreitung von Phagen der Gattung Agrobacterium in der Ostsee. — Kieler Meeresforsch.27, 102–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergh, O., Borsheim, K. Y., Bratbak, G. & Heldal, M., 1989. High abundance of viruses found in aquatic environments. — Nature, Lond.340, 467–468.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herelle, F. de, 1917. Sur un microbe invisible antagoniste des bacilles dysentériques. — C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci.165, 373–375.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moebus, K., 1983. Lytic and inhibition responses to bacteriophages among marine bacteria, with special reference to the origin of phage-host systems. — helgoländer Meeresunters.36, 375–391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moebus, K., 1987. Ecology of marine bacteriophages. In: Phage ecology. Ed. by S. M. Goyal, C. P. Gerba & G. Bitton. Wiley, New York, 137–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oppenheimer, C. H. & ZoBell, C. E., 1952. The growth and viability of sixty-three species of marine bacteria as influenced by hydrostatic pressure. — J. mar. Res.11, 10–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Proctor, L. M. & Fuhrman, J. A., 1990. Viral mortality of marine bacteria and cyanobacteria. — Nature, Lond.343, 60–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raettig, H., 1958. Bakteriophagie 1917–1956. Fischer, Stuttgart,2, 1–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherr, E. B., 1989. And now, small is plentiful. — Nature, Lond.340, 429.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, R., 1955. A marine bacteriophage. — Nature Lond.175, 690.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, R., 1957. A possible example of geographical variation in bacteriophage sensitivity. — J. gen. Microbiol.17, XI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, R., 1960. Indigenous marine bacteriophages. — J. Bact.79, 614.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, R., 1963. Bacterial viruses in the sea. In: Symposium on marine microbiology Ed. by C. H. Oppenheimer Thomas, Springfield, Ill., 350–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrella, F. & Morita, R. Y., 1979. Evidence by electron micrographs for a high incidence of bacteriophage particles in the waters of Yaquina Bay, Oregon: ecological and taxonomical implications. — Appl. environ. Microbiol.37, 774–778.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Twort, F. W., 1915. An investigation of the nature of ultra-microscopic viruses. — Lancet2, 1241–1243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, B. A. & Alexander, M., 1985. Minimum bacterial density for bacteriophage replication: Implications for significance of bacteriophages in natural ecosystems. — Appl. environ. Microbiol.49, 19–23.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • ZoBell, C. E., 1946. Marine microbiology. Chronica Botanica Co., Waltham, Mass., 240 pp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moebus, K. Preliminary observations on the concentration of marine bacteriophages in the water around Helgoland. Helgolander Meeresunters 45, 411–422 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02367176

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02367176

Keywords