The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the realization of the process according to the invention with the purposeto determine during the approximate cycle- time of phage development the parameters of phage development cycle having been defined in the course of the interactions between virulent phages and carrier-bacteria (so e.g. µ, the velocity constant of adsorbtion, T the time of phage development, and standard deviation thereof , phage-yield C to be expected, multiplicity index of infection m_i), i.e. to measure bioligical changes realized in the change of parameters caused by the physical and/or chemical effects affecting the phages or bacteria or the complexes thereof.

The process and the equipment according to the invention can be advantageously applied e.g. in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, in agriculture, in the field of ecology and everywhere, where there is a demand for the quantitative evaluation of the biological (resp. molecular biological) effects of physical and/or chamical agents.

About phages, as biological objects and macromolecules a versatile knowledge stays at disposal both in respect to biological function and structure. In contrast to that, application of the phages for practical (biotechnological) purposes - as a possibility - has been slightly utilized up to now. Taking the increased demand for quantitative biological measurings and tests into consideration, it seems to be most probable that application of phage-bacteria complexes - due to their well definable and measurable, quantitatively characterizable interactions - will come into the limelight.

Quantities characterizing phage development cycle and determination thereof were defined and summarized in the classical work of Adams (Adams, J.M. Bacteriophages, Intersci. Publ.New York) . The methods described therein have been used ever since, however, with more or less modification. Grossi et al. (Grossi G.P. Cesarini, G. and Liello, F.1977. Development of phage populations in a bacterial culture: A mathematical model.Z.Naturforsch. 32 644-849) elaborated the method for the determination of the parameters characterizing the cycle of phage development, being more accurate, than the previous one. The disadvantage of this work, however, lies in that their method is based on the experimental results of other authors, so the lack of the own experimental background inhibited further development of the model as well as propagation of application. Gáspár et al. (S.Gáspár, Gy. Ronto and G. MUller 1979. Determination of the biological parameters of bacterium-phage complexes. Zeitschrift für Allg.Mikrobiol. 19 163-169) performed experiments directed to measuring the parameters characterizing the phage development cycle and mathematical models co-ordinated with experimental conditions were prepared.

In such a manner parameter-values having been defined by said process were reliable and accurate but at the same time preparatory works and performance of measurements needed were utmost complicated and evaluation of result was time consumptive.

Concentration measuring based on the interaction between bacterium and phage, the determination of the so-called plague forming activity has been frequently used for detecting certain physical reap. chemical damaging effects.

So e.g. Honto et. al. examined the damaging effect of UV radiation and radiomiaetics on phages, wherein the experimental data given in the reporting publication, i.e. measurementa,represent the result of minimally several months of research activity (Ront6, Gy., Sarkadi,K. und Tarján, I.: 1967. Zur Analyse der UV-Dosiswirkungskurven der T7-Phagen, Strahlenter. 134 151-157; Karczag, A., Rontó,Gy. and Tarján, I.: 1572. Study of the UV-effect on MS2 phages. Acta Biochem. Biophys. Hung 7 173-177; Rontó, Gy., Smotryaeva, M, Kruglya- kova, K., Emmanuel, N., and Tarján, I.: 1975. Intactivation of bacteriophages T7 and 0̸ X 174 by radiomimetics. Acta Biochem.Biophys. Hung. 10 115-122).

The Hungarian Patent Application SE-1938 relating to a measuring (qualifying)process based on the lethal mutation of the phage T7 of the mutagenic effect of chemical substances, led back the measuring process to the determination of plague forming activity in a traditional manner.

Parameters characterizing the phage development cycle can be used as reliable measuring informations for characterizing different processes, if good reproducibility of measuring, reliability and quick automatic performance can be ensured. For the sake of reproducibility with certain part-processes time constancy of the bacterium-suspension, the biological state being suitable for measuring, as well as concentration needed for measuring must be ensured. A further task lies in the elimination of the statistic errors of manual processes according to original descriptions (plague counting titration). Simultaneously, in order to be able to eliminate subjective errors resulting from plague counting it seems to be expedient to search macroscopic characteristics, which are in an unambiguous correlation with the number of bacteria and can be measured in an automatized manner. Furtheron, it seems to be expedient to measure the parameters - compared to known methods - more accurately and within the possible shortest time (if possible, during the burst time).

Timely constancy of the bacterium suspension and concentration needed for measuring can be ensured by a continuously operated fermentor. A further task of the fermentor is to maintain the proper biological state of the bacteria to be able to separate phage development cycles following each other in interest of simple evaluation. In order to be able to eliminate statistical errors infection with a high multiplicity was used which led within a shorter time (during one burst) to changes which could be detected also by physical /chemical characteristic. In this state namely the phages dissolve the bacteria (lysis). The process can be measured by detecting the number of bacteria, or any light-scattering, light absorption, ion- environent etc. being in an unambigous connection with the number of bacteria. In case of an infection of high multiplicity (about 1),the ratio signal/noise will be optimal which enables accurate determination of multiplicity and by the derivation of the measured signals measuring of the parameters T and G. for the quick determination of the expectable phage-yield bacteria used to be infected with a multiplicity of m_i>3, in this case at the end of the phage development cycle a complete lysis takes place. On the lysate thus obtained - containing also the newly developed phages - measuring of the multiplicity m_i can be repeated by the known dilution. The product of the multiplicity having been determined in such a manner and of the dilution applied give the expectable phage-yield C. Accordingly, independently of the bacterium concentration the measurement determines the expectable numbers of phages arising from one bacterium during the period of two bursts.

The advantage of the specified process lies in that for its realization the equipment can be organized unit per unit in a separated form, principal layout thereof can be seen in the drawing. The equipment for performing the process according to the invention consists of the independent fermentor 1, wherefrom bacteria in the needed quantity arrive through the charger 2 into the biological reactor 5; from the recipient 3 storing the phases the suitable phage quantity was already led into said reactor via the diluting unit 4. Gas-charger 6 ensures mixing, eventual oxygen supply or closing from oxygen. At the beginning of the measuring cycle a part of the sample arrives by the aid of the liquid forwarding unit 8 into the measuring unit 7; if it is possible, in order to ensure continuous measuring, unit 7 should be designed with a flow-type character or so, that it could be used as a reaction space (introduction of gas, thermostating ). At the end of the completed phage development cycle the sample returns to the measuring unit 7, and after the measurement it arrives to the collector 9.

The process and the equipment according to the invention - as specified above - is measuring the characterizing parameters of the phage-bacterium complex, i.e. the measuring process can be repeated, if the critical part of the system - the biological reaction space - is flushed between two measuring cycles. Distilled water is well suitable for this purpose, as the majority of the active phages disturbing the following measuring cycle is irreversibly inactivated in the ion-free water.

Both the process and the equipment are well suitable for measuring biological consequences of certain (physical and/or chemical ) effects in the following manner:

I. Inactivation test

By dialysis the purified phages can be dissolved to have an optional solution and can be stored therein practically for an unlimited time. In the solution the phages behave as unliving objects as long as they do not contact with their host cells (bacteria). The phages having the properties of living matter but not showing symptoms of life in the solution, can be subjected to well defined physical and/or chemical effects and in accordance with the process according to the invention we can test all the biological consequences of the structural change occurring under the influence of treatment.

The recipient 3 storing the phages is well suitable for treating the phages (e.g. at a given temperature, incubation with chemicals of given concentration and for a given period), while the effect (resulting frequently in a reduced activity,i.e. in the change of multiplicity) can be measured by the apparatus.

2. Cell-virus test

In case that anactive phage arrives at a bacterium cell instead of the normal informations relating to the function of bacteria informations needed for producing phages will be obtained. As already mentioned, parameters cf the phage development cycle depend considerably on the biological state of the bacteria. So e.g. bacteria having been subjected to different treatments in the fermentor can be tested on the basis of the parameters of phage-production. In case of the proper selection of the bacterium-phage system, the part- process of other cell..virus interactions can be also modelled.

Intervention into the system is taking place through the fermentor 1 of the apparatus, in the measurement where the phages are untreated.

3. Phage-programma test

In case that in the course of the phage-bacterium interaction the µ adsorption rate constant is high, phage development process in the bacteria contained in the sample-space is taking place approximately synchronized. The influences affecting the system are contacting the given phases of the phage-producing programme in the phage development cycle in the optional moment, accordingly, change in parameters is giving an information,which is characterizing for the influence effecting the complex. In such a manner photosensitizers, chemical and/or physical effects inhibiting resp. promoting metabolism - which can be activated in the optional moment of the phage development cycle and can be maintained in the activated state for the optional period - can be tested in a quite new manner.

with the apparatus according to the invention the effect of the photo-sensitizer can be advantageously measured, if the measuring system works based on an optical principle and the activating light is perpendicular to the measuring light path.

In the course of a composite measuring process - i.e. the system contains at least two of fermentors 1 and/or recipients 3 storing the phages, between the fermentors 1 in itselves there is an OP- connection: from any of the fermentors 1 ur the recipients 3 storing the phages the materials can get through an AND-connection into one of the biological reaction spaces 5, which are then placed necessarily in the automatic sample changes 1C. It goes without saying that the number of the chargers 2 and diluting units 4 must be in compliance with the number of the fermentors 1 and recipients 3. In the proper moment the sample arrives serially from the sample charger 10 into the measuring unit 7 and therefrom into the collector 9. As it becomes obvious, the composite system can be advantageously automatized and applied, while automatics may perform evaluation and recording of the measurement.

Example

The process and the apparatus according to the invention - which serve for measuring the interaction between phages and bacteria (parameters characterizing biological interaction) - will be detailed by illustrating the measuring of the mutagenic effect, as described in the Hungarian Patent Application SE-1938, from which all the advantages of our method and apparatus, respectively, so speedness, simplicity, reproducibility and possibility of automatization become obvious.

The task to be solved: following the remnant activity of T7 phages incubated with a chemical in dependence of time. Expediently, the apparatus can be realized in the following composition:

• A fermentor, functioning as a chemostat, that means, that the ratio of the volume of a culture vessel provided with an overflow and the velocity of the fed culture medium defines the growth rate of the bacteria, which is constant in time.

A bacterium charger, which is delivering the bacterium suspension of a given volume into the biological reaction spaces.

Two recipients for storing the phages, into which the phages having been treated with a reagent re3p. those serving for control are arranged.

Two parallel functioning diluting units, which are forwarding the diluted treated phages and control-phages, respectively into the biological reaction spaces.

Obviously, the reaction spaces are arranged in an automatic sample charger and are thermostated to a temperature optimal for the host bacteria.

Optionally, the gas feeder can lead 0₂ gas into any reaction space. The measuring unit is operating, on optical basis, it is giving an optical signal proportional to the number of not-lyzed bacteria. For the performance of measuring process the apparatus is provided with a cuvette with the flow character and thermostated to the proper temperature. A peristaltic pump delivers the samples from the reaator via a cuvette into the collector.

From the magnitude of the optical signals measured immediately after infecting the bacteria and at the end of the cycle multiplicity of phages ready to infect can be easily deducted. In the course of the determination it should be considered that partly the phages are adsorbed on the bacteria according to the Poisson distribution, partly two distortioning factors are to be considered, in so far as, the bacteria fall apart to not-completely transparent parts in course of lysis, furtheron during the lysis-period uninfected bacteria are further growing.

In the fermantor the B.coli B/r host bacteria are continuously incubated, e.g. division time amounts to 1,6 h with an M9 minial nutrient enriched with 1,5 g/l glucose and 1,5 g/l casaminoacid.

The proper solution of the chemical to be measured and the control solution (containing merely a solvent) are mixed with the needed quantity of purified bacteriophage (e.g.in a concentration of 10¹¹/ml) . Thereafter the solutions are led into the suitable recipients storing the phages. In proper moments of measuring the diluting units allow to flow identically diluted samples from both of the treated and control samples, respectively, into the reaction spaces (e.g. 1 ml each per sample space in a tenfold dilution). As a diluting solution the nutrient is used.

Thereafter the bacterium charger is feeding in equal intervals (e.g. in every minute) host-bacteria into the reaction spaces (so e.g. 3 m1 each into the reaction spaces of a six-member sample changer), meanwhile oxygen is bubbled through the substance to obtain proper mixing.

The samples in the reaction spaces are freshened by a throughflow of C₂ from time to time (e.g. at least once in every minute for a period of minimum 5 secocds), quite up to the beginning of the lysis (e.g. into each single sample space from feeding the bacteria up to the 14th minute).

From the reaction space containing a selected dilution of the treated phages, a part of the sample is transferred into the optical measuring device by the aid of a peristaltic pump. 3y the continuous measurement and derivation of the optical signal we are controlling, whether latency time and its standard deviation (e.g. 18 minutes and 3 minutes, resp.) comply with prescriptions (biological control). In case if the biological control does not meet the requirements, the diluted chemical may influence metabolism of the host bacteria, which excludes evaluation of measuring.

In case of suitable values of biological coptrol, after having finished lysis (e.g. in the 26th minute after bacteria feeding) the samples are suctioned one after the other - in the rhythm of bacteria feeding - through the measuring cuvette, and the magnitude of the optical signals is registered.

After finishing the measurement and rinsing the reaction spaces with distilled water the process can be repeated from the next moment of measuring (e.g. in every forty minutes).

At the end of ε measurement series on basis of the magnitude of the optical signals having been defined in points of time belonging to the single samplings the change in the concentration of the treated sample related to the control sample can be calculated, i.e. we may obtain the iaactivation kinetics of the chemical used.

Considering the necessity of continuous control and strict time correlation of the aforementioned processes, it seems to be expedient to carry out measuring with an automatic control and data processing (microprocessored system).

The process according to the invention helps to solve actual biological problems, as e.g. quick recognition of the mutagenic effect of chemicals i.e. quantitative evaluation thereof, as well as promotion of research of substances affecting viri and bacteria i.e. physical effects exerted thereon.

Quickly obtainable and reliable data of the (automatized ) apparatus having been assembled according to the given task, enables application for biotechnological purposes and useful application of dynamically developing biological science.