Factors Affecting In vitro DNA Ejection of the Lactobacillus lactis Bacteriophage LL-H

Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris) inactivates Lactobacillus lactis bacteriophage LL-H in vitro. The inactivation is caused by DNA ejection. This effect occurs in tris-HCl buffer only. Both pH and temperature affect the sensitivity of the phage to the tris treatment. The divalent cation Mg²⁺ prevented the inactivating effect of tris at concentrations about 10³-fold lower than for the monovalent cation K⁺.