Electron Microscopy of the Intracellular Development of Bacteriophage MS2 in Escherichia coli

Abstract

The developmental cycle of bacteriophage MS2 in Escherichia coli was studied by means of ultramicrotomy and transmission electron microscopy. Application of a special fixation method made it possible to discern the individual phage particles from cellular ribosomes in the early infection stages and to follow the further development of the phage in the host bacterium. By means of the same techniques we have tried to obtain a better insight in the process of lysis of the infected cells.