Final answer:
If the dilution factor of the phage-infected culture were too low, the result would be an overestimation of bacteriophage density due to a confluent lysis of overlapping plaques.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the dilution factor of the phage-infected culture in a plaque assay were too low, the expected result would be: Overestimation of bacteriophage density.
Explanation: A plaque assay is used to determine the density of bacteriophages, or viruses that infect bacteria, in a sample. When bacteriophage-infected bacteria are spread onto an agar plate in proper dilution, each virus can infect a cell and create a clear zone, or plaque, where bacteria have been lysed. Ideally, these plaques are well separated, allowing for easy counting of the virus particles. If, however, the initial phage lysate is not diluted sufficiently, the resulting bacterial lawn will have too many plaques that overlap, creating a confluent lysis where individual plaques are indistinguishable. This confluent lysis leads to an inability to count individual plaques, causing an overestimation of the actual virus density because it appears as though there are more viruses than there actually are.