[Electrokinetic potential of Yersinia pestis and Escherichia coli cells with an intact or defective ycaA gene (caf1M) of the fra-operon of plague pathogen]. / Elektrokineticheskii potentsial kletok Yersinia pestis i Escherichia coli s intaktnym ili defektnym genom ucaA (caf1M) fra-operona vozbuditelia chumy.

The dependence of the amount of electrokinetic potential in cells of Escherichia coli and Yersinia pestis, which differ in the rate of reduction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), on the presence or absence of typical and atypical capsules of Y. pestis, encoded by intact and mutant fra operons, respectively, was studied. The ycaA+ycaF+(caf1 M+caf1+) genotype was shown to be expressed in serological stability of a classical capsular antigen, irrespective of the producer strain, and a decrease in the negative charge of microbial cells compared to their noncapsular variants. Blocking of the synthesis of the product of the ycaA gene of the fra operon resulted in formation of encapsulated bacteria, whose surface electricity and serological characters varied in dependence on the LPS structure. Data obtained support the assumption that a product of the ycA gene stabilizes the conformation of the typical capsule of the plague-causing agent, which was formed from YcaF (Caf1) monomers.

[Effect of dispersion of electric parameters of bacterial cells on their orientation in alternating electric fields]. / Vliianie dispersii élektricheskikh parametrov bakterial'nykh kletok na ikh orientatsiiu v peremennom élektricheskom pole.

On the basis of electrophysical model of bacterial cell frequency relationship of orienting force moment acting on it in the alternating electric field has been calculated. Dependence of relative value of the moment on electric and geometrical parameters of the model was calculated. It has been shown that the account of frequency dispersion of the electric parameters brings about a change in the course of frequency relationship of the orienting moment in the range of low and mean frequencies. The data obtained agree with electrooptic measurements performed on E. coli cells.

[Examining interaction of phages with microorganisms by fluorometry and electro-orientation spectroscopy]. / Izuchenie vzaimodeistvii fagov i mikroorganizmov s ispol'zovaniem metodov fliuorimetrii i élektroorientatsionni spektroskopii.

Bacterial sensitivity to different various phages was examined by electro-orientation spectroscopy, fluorometry, and electron microscopy. The strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia pestis, Mycobacterium smegmatis, and Xanthomonas campestris were used. The fluorescence intensity of a membranotropic agent in the ANS-cell-phage system was shown to depend on the interaction of a bacterial virus and a microorganism. Fluorometric data correlated with electro-orientation spectroscopic findings. An analysis of the low-frequency site makes it possible to determine phage adsorption on the bacterial surface. The changes in electro-orientation effects at high frequencies suggest that there are barrier dysfunctions in the external membranes and that there is cellular phage reproductions. Whether fluorometry and electro-orientation spectroscopy can be further used for rapid identification of microorganisms by using phages is discussed.

[Rapid assay for the assessment of a potential of chemical biocides to microbial destructors of industrial materials]. / Ekspress-metod opredeleniia aktivnosti khimicheskikh biotsidov po otnosheniiu k mikroorganizmam-destruktoram promyshlennykh materialov.

A colorimetric rapid assay for estimating the biocide potential of various chemicals towards metal biocorrosive and petroleum product degrading microbes was developed based on the reducing potential of live microbial cell. A water-soluble organic redox indicator, blue in the oxidized form and pink in the reduced form, was used as an indicator of the reducing potential of microbial cells. Once added to a suspension of vital microbial cells, it was reduced and changed in color. A good correlation between the results of this assay and viability control was obtained by employing surfactants and heavy metal ions.

[Microbiological degradation of asymmetrical dimethylhydrazine--a toxic component of rocket fuel]. / Mikdrobiologicheskaia degradatsiia nesimmetrichnogo dimetilgidrazina--toksichnogo komponenta raketnogo topliva.

A possibility of microbiological cleaning of water and soil polluted with asymmetric dimethylhydrazine (ADMH), a highly toxic rocket fuel ingredient (RFI), was studied. Several isolates (bacteria, yeast, and micromycetes) capable of utilizing ADMH as the only source of nitrogen, carbon, and energy were isolated from RFI-polluted tundra soil. Acceleration of RFI biodegradation was achieved using a biosorbent that involved cells of the degrader strain immobilized on granulated activated carbon. Biological testing in Escherichia coli and cereals (wheat and barley) demonstrated that biodegradation significantly decreased the integral toxicity of solutions containing ADMH, suggesting its utility for microbiological cleaning of polluted territories.

[Plant biotests of soil and water, polluted with petroleum and petroleum products]. / Biotestirovanie pochvy i vody, zagriaznennykh neft'iu i nefteproduktami, s pomoshch'iu rastenii.

Reactiona of higher plants (mustard, oat, rye, salad, dill and barley) and microalgae (Euglena gracilis) on the contamination of soil and water with petroleum and oil products was studied. The germination of seeds was analyzed. The length of sprouts, dry biomass and length of plant roots, as well as the optical density of micro-algal broth culture were determined. Negative effects of soil and water contamination with petroleum and oil products on plant and microalgal parameters examined was shown. After biological destruction of contaminants by an association of destructor strains (Acinetobacter sp., Mycobacterium flavescens and Rhodoccocus sp.), the toxicity of contaminated mediums decreased. The data suggest that the integral toxicity of soil and water contaminated with petroleum and oil products and toxicity change during biodestruction of these pollutants can be analyzed by using plant test organisms.

[Study of the integral toxicity of aqueous media, polluted by petroleum and petroleum products using bacterial tests]. / Issledovanie integral'noi toksichnosti vodnoi sredy, zagriaznennoi neft'iu i nefteproduktami, s ispol'zovaniem bakterial'nykh testov.

A biotest kit was used to assess the integral toxicity level of aquatic medium contamination with petroleum and petroleum-based products. The integral toxicity dynamics was also monitored during biodegradation of petroleum and petroleum-based products by an association of petroleum-degrading strains including Acinetobacter sp., Mycobacterium flavescens, and Rhodococcus sp. The following bacterial tests were used: the bioluminescence (BL) test based on Photobacterium leiognathi; electro-orientation (EO), optoosmotic (OO), and growth test; as well as the reducing activity (RA) test based on the Agrobacterium radiobacter culture. No significant increase in the integral toxicity level of aquatic medium was observed when diesel fuel and kerosene contamination had been subjected to biodegradation. Although express biotests (EO, OO, RA, and BL) detected a pronounced increase in the integral toxicity of aquatic medium, long-term growth biotest revealed no statistically significant increase in the toxicity level.

[Electrophysical analysis of Escherichia coli cell damage caused by silver ions]. / Elektrofizicheskii analiz povrezhdeniia bakterial'nykh kletok Escherichia coli ionami serebra.

The influence of Ag+ (0.5-10 microM) on Escherichia coli K-12 cells was studied by electrophoresis and electro-orientation spectroscopy methods. It was shown that the pH-dependency of the cell electrokinetic potential (phosphate-citrate buffer with ion strength 0.02) practically didn't changed after Ag+ treatment, but in low-conductive media electrophoretical mobility of intact and inactivated by heat (70 degrees, 15 min) cells gradually decreased as the Ag+ concentration increased. It was due to the Ag+ adsorption on the cell surface and could not be used for the definite characterization of the cell damage. The high-frequency decrease in the cell electro-orientation spectrum shifted to the region of lower frequencies, K+ was excreted by cells, slight raise of the medium pH occurred and significant changes of cell osmotic properties were observed as a result of Ag+ action. All these changes showed the disturbance of barrier properties of the cytoplasmic membrane. Besides the damaging action of Ag+ on cell membranes increased with the decrease of pH and decreased after the addition of Mg2+, Ca2+ and Sr2+ in low concentrations.

[Relation between the damaging effect of surface-active compounds on Escherichia coli cells and the phase of culture growth]. / Zavisimost' povrezhdaiushchego deistviia poverkhnostno-aktivnykh veshchestv na kletki Escherichia coli ot fazy rosta kul'tury.

The techniques of cell electrophoresis and electro-orientation spectroscopy were used to study the effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) on Escherichia coli K-12 cells from the culture at the exponential and stationary growth phases. SDS (2 x 10(-4) M) considerably damaged cells at the exponential phase, particularly at pH less than 6.0, whereas cells at the stationary phase were damaged to a less degree and only at pH less than 5.3 or after their treatment with Trilon B. The damaging effect of SDS decreased in an isotonic medium (0.25 M sucrose) as compared to a hypotonic medium (distilled water). CTAB also damaged cells at the exponential phase more than those at the stationary phase, and its damaging action decreased with pH. Mg2+, Ca2+, and Sr2+ cations diminished the degree of cell damage with CTAB, but did not exert any noticeable protection in the case of SDS. The different sensitivity of cells at the exponential and stationary growth phases may be associated with changes in their surface electric charge and with the existence of hydrophobic regions on the cell surface. The higher electric charge of cells at the stationary growth phase is presumed to stem from a rise in the amount of surface lipopolysaccharides which bear a negative electric charge.

[Effect of cell wall polyphosphates on the sensitivity of the yeast Saccharomyces carlsbergensis to the damaging action of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide]. / Issledovanie vliianiia polifosfatov kletochnoi obolochki na chuvstvitel'nost' drozhzhei Saccharomyces carlsbergensis k povrezhdaiushchemu deistviiu tsetiltrimetilammonii bromida.

The effect of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on Saccharomyces carlsbergensis cells grown in orthophosphate-containing medium and on cells starved of phosphorus was studied by electroorientation spectroscopy. CTAB (20 microM) was found to substantially damage the plasma membrane (PM)) of cells grown in the presence of orthophosphate, while cells starved of phosphorus were damaged to a lesser extent. Biochemical analysis of the content of inorganic polyphosphate (poly(P(i))) in the cells, as study of their capacity to adsorb 9-aminoacridine, a fluorescent cationic dye, suggested that the different sensitivity of the plasma membrane to CTAB was due to differences in the content of polyanionic molecules of poly(P(i)) in the cell wall and consequent differences in its net negative charge. Magnesium cations increased the time of CTAB penetration through the cell wall and reduced the damage inflicted on the PM.

[Comparative characterization of the physico-chemical properties of lipopolysaccharides of Yersinia pestis and R-mutants of enterobacteria]. / Sravnitel'naia kharakteristika fiziko-khimicheskikh svoistv lipopolisakharidov Yersinia pestis i R-mutantov énterobakterii.

Electrokinetic potentials (EKP) of the cells of R mutants of Escherichia coli and Salmonella minnesota and cells of Yersinia pestis strains EV (line NIIEG), 358/12 P-, TWJ, Java, and 231 (708) were determined, as well as EKP of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) preparations isolated from these bacteria. The electric characteristics of the cell surfaces of the strains under investigation were demonstrated to correlate with the LPS charge and the reduction extent of their molecules. Acidic hydrolysis of LPS on the cell surface resulted in the leveling of the distinctions in EKP values (their reduction to the same level). EKP values and the size of LPS micelles of the studied Y. pestis strains corresponded to those of the deep R mutants of enterobacteria, while the aggregation extent of the molecules was higher for Y. pestis.

[Toxic effect of hydroxylated ions of heavy metals on the cytoplasmic membrane of bacterial cells]. / Toksicheskoe deistvie gidroksilirovannykh ionov tiazhelykh metallov natsitoplazmaticheskuiu membranu bakterial'nykh kletok.

The influence of nickel, copper, cadmium, and lead ions at concentrations of 50 to 100 microM on the barrier properties of the plasma membrane (PM) and the electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of Pseudomonas fluorescens 71, Escherichia coli K-12, and Mycobacterium phlei B-1291 VKM cells was studied at pH values from 5 to 9 by electro-orientational (EO) spectroscopy and microelectrophoresis of cells. According to the data of EO spectroscopy, the increase in the toxicity of heavy metal cations to cells corresponded to transition of cations to monovalent hydroxylated forms. Hydroxylated ions were found to more easily adsorb on, or penetrate across, the PM and to bind to competent proteins. During the treatment of all three investigated microorganisms with Cu and Pb ions, and gram-negative bacteria also with Ni ions, the EPM of cells changed in a pH range corresponding to the transition of bivalent metal ions to their monovalent hydroxylated forms. Changes in the EPM induced by increasing pH correlated well with the enhanced toxicity of these metals to the PM, as evidenced by the EO spectroscopy data. At the same time, this correlation was less pronounced for cadmium sulfate toxicity to all of the microorganisms studied and for nickel chloride toxicity to M. phlei cells.

[Electrophysical analysis of the damage of Escherichia coli outer membrane]. / Elektrofizicheskii analiz povrezhdeniia vneshnei membrany kletok Escherichia coli.

The method of electro-orientational spectroscopy was used to study the damaging action of SDS and Triton X-100 on Escherichia coli cells in which the barrier properties of the outer membrane were impaired by treatment with Triton B (10(-2) M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0) and a heat shock (47 degrees C, 15 min). When either SDS (10(-4)-2.10(-4) M) or Triton X-100 (10(-4)-10(-3) M) was added to such cells, the high-frequency region of their electroorientational spectrum was found to undergo considerable changes. The mode of these changes indicated that the barrier properties of cell cytoplasmic membranes were damaged. These changes were not detected in the case of intact cells. Changes in the low-frequency region of the spectra for intact and damaged cells stemmed from the adsorption of these surfactant molecules on the cell surface.

[Effect of water pollution by oil and oil products on barrier functions of bacterial cell cytoplasmic membranes]. / Vliianie zagriazneniia vodnoi sredy neft'iu i nefteproduktami na bar'ernye svoistva tsitoplazmaticheskikh membran bakterial'nykh kletok.

The effects of oil, diesel fuel, and kerosene on the electroorientational spectra and osmo-optical characteristics of bacterial cells were studied. Electroorientational spectra were found to be affected over the entire frequency range studied; changes in low-frequency (< 100 kHz) electroorientation were related to alterations in the cell surface, and those in high-frequency electroorientation, to the impairment of the barrier function of the plasma membrane. The membranotropic activity of petroleum products was also demonstrated by the osmo-optical method. Of nine bacterial species studied, Pseudomonas fluorescens VKM B-894, P. oleovorans VKM B-1522, and P. stutzeri VKM B-903 were most susceptible to the membranotropic action of kerosene; P. putida VKM B-1292 was the most resistant. Other bacterial strains studied were moderately sensitive.

[Effect of surface-active agents on the electrical properties of bacterial cells]. / Vliianie poverkhnostno-aktivnykh veshchestv na élektricheskie svoistva bakterial'nykh kletok.

The work was aimed at studying the effect of cationic, anionic and non-ionogenic surfactants on the frequency dependence of the electroorientation effect (EOE) and on the electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of rod-like bacteria. The character of concentration dependences was found to differ for EOE and EPM at a low frequency of the electric field (20 to 10(4) Hz). Analysis of EOE changes at a high frequency (4 X 10(5) to 3 X 10(7) Hz) showed that anionic and non-ionogenic surfactants at a concentration up to 10(-3) M did not damage Escherichia coli, a Gram-negative bacterium, in contrast to Bacillus cereus, a Gram-positive bacterium. Cationic surfactants affected the cells of the both species. The optical properties of bacterial cells were found to change under the action of cationic surfactants.

[Influence of heavy metal ions on the electrophysical properties of Anacystis nidulans and Escherichia coli cells]. / Vliianie ionov tiazhelykh metallov na élektrofizicheskie svoistva bakterial'nykh kletok Anacystis nidulans i Escherichia coli.

The influence of heavy metal ions (Ag+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Gd3+, 1 microM-1 mM) on Anacystis nidulans and Escherichia coli cells has been studied by means of electrophoresis and electro-orientation spectroscopy methods. It has been shown that changes of cell electrophoretic mobility (EM) and low-frequency (20 Hz) electro-orientation effect (EOE) observed with the increase of metal cation concentration characterize the adsorption of these ions on surface layers of cell envelopes. The degree and the character of these changes depend on cation valency and the initial value of cell EM. At the same time different changes of EM and EOE as a result of the multivalent cation adsorption allows to conclude that in that case the anisotropy of the cell surface increases. Cell damages were determined by changes in high-frequency EOE of cells which indicated the disturbance of barrier properties of their cytoplasmic membrane. Toxic effects of Ag+, Cu2+, Cd2+ ions on cells of both species and of Pb2+ on E.coli cells were observed. By toxic effects on the cytoplasmic membrane these ions could be placed in the order: for A.nidulans cells--Ag+ greater than Cu2+ greater than Cd2+; for E.coli cells Ag+ greater than Cu2+ greater than Cd2+ greater than Pb2+. Higher toxicity of heavy metals on E.coli cells seems to be connected with the more negative charge of deep layers of the cell surface.

[Initial stages of interaction of temperate phage 04 with Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells]. / Izuchenie nachal'nykh stadii vzaimodeistviia umerennogo faga 04 s kletkoi Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The first steps of the interaction of the temperate pilus-dependent phage 04 with susceptible and 04-lysogenic cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated. The 04-lysogenic cells retained their ability to adsorb viral particles on the pili. However, after the translocation to the cell surface, the bacteriophage failed to infect the immune microorganism. It is assumed that was modified the surface of 04-immune cells due to lysogenic conversion, and this modification presented the terminal tail fibers of viral particles interacting from with the outer membrane of P. aeruginosa cells.

[Study of the interaction of MTPN11 mycobacteriophage with host cells based on electron microscopy, fluorimetry, and electro-oriented spectroscopy]. / Izuchenie vzaimodeistviia mikobakteriofaga MTPN11 s kletkoi-khoziainom na osnove élektronnoi mikroskopii, fluorimetrii i élektro-orientatsionnoi spektroskopii.

According to electron-microscopic data, various cells in the M. smegmatis ATCC607 population interact differently with phage MTPH11. Fluorometric studies of phage-host interactions were performed using a membranotropic fluorescent probe, 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS). Changes in the electric characteristics of mycobacterial cells infected with the phage were studied by electro-orientational (EO) spectroscopy. The problem of the employment of fluorometry and EO spectroscopy for rapid phage typing of mycobacteria is discussed.