A temperate bacteriophage, designated r1t, was inducible from the group N lactic streptococcus, Streptococcus cremoris R1, by ultraviolet irradiation or mitomycin C treatment. Induced lysates produced plaques on lawns of three closely related S. cremoris strains, AM1, SK11, and US3. Strain SK11 was readily lysogenized. S. cremoris AM1 was the most reliable indicator strain, although the age of the culture used for seeding plates was critical. Zones of lysis but no plaque formation were observed on lawns of nine additional S. cremoris strains. Phage r1t could not be detected in filtrates of stationary-phase R1 cultures and was near the limits of detection in logarithmically growing cultures. Phage levels were still very low (1 plaque-forming unit on AM1 per 10 induced cells) in induced lysates of R1 cultures. These low levels of detectable phage may be attributable to an inadequate indicator, lysogenization of the indicator, adsorption of induced phage to cellular debris, concurrent induction of other undetectable phages, or the production of high proportions of defective phages. Electron micrographs of induced R1 lysates revealed a high incidence of incomplete phage particles, fragments, and ghosts.
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