[Structural features of proteins by intermittent-contact atomic force microscopy]. / Issledovanie strukturnykh osobennostei belkov preryvisto-kontaktnym metodom atomno-silovoi mikroskopii.

Optimal conditions of protein scanning by atomic force microscopy were developed. Proteins of different molecular masses (950-11.5 kDa) and different three-dimensional organization were used to investigate the structural features of proteins. The most distinct images of proteins were obtained using a tip with the free amplitude in the range of 5-15 nm and with the set-point amplitude in the regime of repulsion from the sample. The method allowed one to clearly recognize the structural details of large molecules such as immunoglobulins IgM and IgG1 and Ricinus agglutinin. The revealing of the structural properties of proteins with molecular masses of 60 kDa and less was limited by the sharpness of probe tips used in the present study. It was shown that, by a quantitative analysis of the geometric parameters of molecules, it is possible to distinguish IgG1, Ricinus agglutinin, and ricin.

[Isolation and identification of Mycobacterium cultures antagonistic to phytopathogenic microflora]. / Vydelenie i identifikatsiia kul'tur roda Mycobacterium-antagonistov fitopatogennoi mikroflory.

A number of saprophytic bacteria were isolated from natural substrates. Their identification showed that the majority of the isolates belonged to the genus Mycobacterium. The previously developed test-system including treatment of soil substrates by alkali and the use of optimal nutrient media provided preferencial isolation of saprophytic mycobacteria. The primary studies demonstrated that the cultures belonging to the genus Mycobacterium had antifungal properties and might be promising for screening antagonists of phytopathogens.