Article Abstract:
Antigens of lactococcal phage phi197 were identified and characterized using DNA recombination, cloning and hybridization. Three antigens were identified, two of them being conformational epitopes. Plasmid pOA17 coded for a hybrid protein which was used to induce antibody formation. The antibodies against this protein were used to identify a 46-kDa minor phage protein which provided the third epitope. This epitope was resistant to denaturation and was very immunogenic. Antibody cross-reactivity with other related phages proved that this epitope is highly conserved.
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Article Abstract:
To assess whether Stx2-encoding bacteriophages stay in the environment more successfully than host bacteria, and to compare survival, experiments were carried out. Ratios of numbers of E. coli and those of the various phages were lower in river water than in sewage of the same area. Ratios of numbers of the different phages were similar. It can be seen that Stx2-encoding phages last longer than the host bacteria in the water environment and are more resistant than host bacteria to chlorination and heat treatment.
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Article Abstract:
The role of small mammals as reservoir hosts for Borrelia burgdorferi is investigated in several areas of northern Spain where Lyme disease is endemic. The results show that although small mammals do not seem to play any major role as reservoirs for B. burgdorferi sensu lato in the northern Spain, they seem to be implicated in the maintenance of spirochetes similar to R57.
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