<div><p>(A) Representative survival curves of phage particles maintained in LB at 37 °C, in the absence of host cells. Phage stocks are obtained by infecting growing
E. coli host culture followed by cell elimination. Lines show exponential regressions, with
<i>R<sup>2</sup></i> values ranging from 0.87 for P2 to 0.99 for MS2. The mortality rate is not influenced by the initial concentration of the phage populations (unpublished data). Each experiment was repeated at least three times independently.
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<p>(B) Relation between mortality rate and temperature. Symbols are the same as in (A). Lines show exponential fits between the mortality rate and 1/T.
<i>R<sup>2</sup></i> values range from 0.937 for Mu to 0.999 for P2.
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