Repair of ultraviolet light-induced DNA damage in cholera bacteriophages.

DNA repair-proficient and -deficient strains of Vibrio cholerae were used to examine host cell reactivation, Weigle reactivation and photoreactivation of u.v.-irradiated cholera bacteriophages. U.v. light-induced DNA damage in phages of different morphological and serological groups could be efficiently photoreactivated. Host cell reactivation of irradiated phages of different groups was different on the same indicator host. Phage phi 149 was the most sensitive, and phi 138 the most resistant to u.v. irradiation. While phi 138 showed appreciable host cell reactivation, this was minimal for phi 149. Attempts to demonstrate Weigle reactivation of u.v.-irradiated cholera phages were not successful, although u.v.-induced filamentation of host cells was observed.