Ivanytsya T. Peculiarity of defective lysogeny Erwinia carotovora

It has been shown for the first time that virus-like particles (VLP) of E. carotovora are able to pack discrete fragments of bacterial chromosome 45 kb in size. Multiplicity of endogenic defective prophages of this bacterium has been established. Defective polylysogenity of E. сarotovora subsp. carotovora ZМ1 expresses through the synthesis of four tail types, five capsid structures' types and macromolecular complex with specific killer activity by prophages. For the first time capsid-like VLP that are responsible for pseudotemperate phages or temperate phage ZF40 analogs have been identified. It has been shown that virulent phage mutant's population is heterogenic; two parts of it are characterized by different virions, capsids and procapsids content. It has been determined for the first time that abortive phage infection or lysogenic induction of E. carotovora defective prophages is responsible for formation not of the complete virion but of its individual components - tails and aberrant capsids.The results of PhD thesis create the background for establishing defective polylysogeny involvement in the formation of E. carotovora pathogenic potential.