A Comparison of the Effects of Microwave Irradiation and Heat Treatment of T4 and T7 Bacteriophage

Abstract

In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of sterilization via microwave irradiation, a comparison of irradiated and heated T4 and T7 coliphages was executed. Samples of T4 and T7 were subjected to 20 seconds of microwave irradiation using a 2,450 MHz microwave oven. Additionally, samples of T4 and T7 were heated to 83° C for 25 minutes. The effects of the different treatments were evaluated via survival assays and agarose gel electrophoresis. The heat-treated phage clearly exhibited decreased survival, but the irradiated phage did not. Digestion of the irradiated and heated phage with endonuclease KpnI followed by agarose gel electrophoresis was not successful for determination of the mechanism of phage inactivation.