Shiga-like toxin-converting phages from

Escherichia coli strains that cause

hemorrhagic colitis or infantile diarrhea
1. AD O'Brien,
2. JW Newland,
3. SF Miller,
4. RK Holmes,
5. HW Smith,
6. SB Formal
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Science 09 Nov 1984:
Vol. 226, Issue 4675, pp. 694-696
DOI: 10.1126/science.6387911

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Abstract
Escherichia coli K-12 acquired the ability to produce a high titer of Shiga-like toxin
after lysogenization by either of two different bacteriophages isolated from a highly
toxinogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain that causes hemorrhagic colitis. One of
these phages and another Shiga-like toxin-converting phage from an Escherichia coli
O26 isolate associated with infantile diarrhea were closely related in terms of
morphology, virion polypeptides, DNA restriction fragments, lysogenic immunity, and
heat stability, although a difference in host range was noted. These phages are
currently the best-characterized representatives from a broader family of Shiga-like
toxin-converting phages.