[Elaboration of the in vitro model system to study the interaction of phytopathogenic mollicutes with plant cells].

The model system based on the sugar beet calluses infected by mycoplasms (mollicutes) was elaborated, and changes in the callus cells morphology under the effect of these microorganisms were also studied. The calluses of sugar beet 3K51 cultivated on the Gamborg medium were infected by phytopathogenic mollicute Acholaplasma laidlawii var. granulum str.118. Under the effect of mollicute infection one could observe changes in the cell morphology of sugar beet calluses: the plant cells were transformed from round to lengthened, the intensity of polyploids forming was increased, their grouping and their total destruction were observed. Data of electron microscopy confirm the presence of the mollicute in the sugar beet calluses: acholeplasma cells were localized between and within undifferentiated plant cells.

[Comparative study of the monosaccharide glycocalyx composition of Bacillus--Lactobacillus--Streptococcus bacteria group by biochemical methods and electron microscopy]. / Porivnial'ne vyvchennia skladu monotsukriv hlikokaliksu bakterii hrupy Bacillus--Lactobacillus--Streptococcus biokhimichnymy ta elektronnomikroskopichnym metodamy.

Results of comparison of the data on monosaccharide composition of glycocalix in group Bacillus--Lactobacillus--Streptococcus bacteria using biochemical and electronmicroscopic methods prove that the composition and quantity of monosaccharides varied depending on the genus and peculiarities of microorganisms strains (biological activity in respect of people and warm-blooded animals). At the same time, representatives of this group of microorganisms in the glycocalix had common monosaccharides: glucosamine, sialic acids, galactosamine, galactose, glucose, mannose, fucose, that is the phenotypical display of genetic relations.

[Discovery of the relationship between carbohydrate determinants of mollicute glycocalyx and affinity of microorganisms, and conditions for their existence]. / Vyiavlennia zv'iazku mizh vuglevodnymy determinantamy glikokaliksu molikutiv i sporidnenykh z nymy mikroorganizmiv ta umovamy ïkh isnuvannia.

As a result of comparative analysis of interaction intensity of plant lectins, specific to certain monosaccharides with surface glycopolymers of philogenetically close groups of microorganisms--mollicutes and representatives of group Bacillus--Lactobacillus--Streptococcus the authors have established common features: availability of alpha- and beta-D-galactose, sialic acids, L-fucose, N-acetylglucosamine, alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and alpha-D-mannose in their glycocalyx, that is a phenotypical manifestation of genetic relations between these microorganisms. The dependence between the availability of sialic acids and L-fucose in the composition of terminal structures of microorganisms glycocalyx and their capacity to occupy certain ecological niches have been found out.

[The monosaccharide composition of the glycocalyx in Mollicutes and phylogenetically related bacteria in the genus Bacillus]. / Monosakharydnyi sklad hlikokaliksu deiakykh molikutiv i filohenetychno blyz'kykh ïm bakterii rodu Bacillus.

A number of monosaccharides composing the glycocalix carbohydrates of some Mollicutes (Mycoplasma pneumoniae FH, M. hominis PG21, M. fermentans PG18, Acholeplasma laidlawii PG8, A. laidlawii var. granulum st. 118) and phylogenetically related bacteria from the genus Bacillus (Bacillus cereus 89, B. cereus DM423, B. subtilis 1/2, B. licheniformis 31, B. licheniformis 49) were detected using plant lectins of definite carbohydrate specificity labelled by colloid gold. The structure of extracellular glycopolymers of microorganisms was discussed concerning their role in the adhesion process and their specializations in colonization of the appropriate organs and tissues of macroorganisms as well as the action of probiotics on the basis of bacteria from the genus Bacillus. It was marked, that the mollicute cells typically interacted with all vegetable lectins tested while bacilli studied bind certain lectins only. The surface carbohydrates prevailing in monosaccharides from tested one for superficial structures of Bacillus pathogenic strains were: sialic acid, beta-D-galactose and alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, while L-fucose and alpha-D-glucose were observed in insignificant quantity or were absent. The nonpathogenic Bacillus strains being a basis of biopreparations were distinguished by the insignificant amount of sialic acid and other monosaccharides in the composition of carbohydrates of their glycocalix. Thus, as a result of research it was confirmed, that the superficial glycopolymers of Mollicutes and some related bacilli were alike as to presence of some monosaccharides that depended on taxonomic position of microorganisms and their biological activity.

[The role of the carbohydrate composition of the glycocalyx in some species of lactobacilli in the manifestation of their adhesive properties]. / Rol' vuhlevodnoho skladu hlikokaliksu deiakykh vydiv molochnokyslykh bakterii u proiavi ïkh adhezyvnykh vlastyvostei.

Availability of certain monosaccharides in the composition of glycocalyx of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum--strains 337D and 11/16; Streptococcus thermophilus--strains S1 (nonmucous race) and S5 (mucous race), Enterococcus faecium (K-50) has been investigated with the help of plant lectins with certain carbohydrate specificity labelled by colloid gold. All the microorganisms under investigation were characterized by the presence of N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in rather insignificant amounts. Glycocalyx of lactic acid bacteria was also characterized by availability of essential amount of L-fructose and low amount of sialic acid (except for S. thermophilus S5 (mucous race). Presence of alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, alpha-D, beta-D-galactose, alpha-D-glucose, alpha-D-mannose in the composition of the lactic acid bacteria glycocalyx composition evidences for the additional role of these monosaccharides in the process of the microorganism adhesion on the human and animal intestine mucosa. It has been confirmed that availability of certain monosaccharides in the composition of surface glycopolymers of lactic acid bacteria was connected with adhesive properties of cells and their existence conditions.

[The validation of the possible use of monosugars and 6-azacytidine for the elimination of Mollicutes associated with HIV/AIDS from the human urogenital tract]. / Obhruntuvannia mozhlyvosti zastosuvannia monotsukriv i 6-azatsytydynu dlia eliminatsiï z urohenital'noho traktu liudyny molikutiv, iaki asotsiiuiut' z VIL/SNIDom.

A search for the methods new in principle which should block and eliminate AIDS-associated mycoplasmas was carried out. This work was conducted in two ways: 1) inhibition of vital activity of Mycoplasma fermentans PG-18 and Acholeplasma laidlawii PG-8 by 6-azacytidine; 2) establishment of carbohydrate composition of receptors for these mycoplasmas aimed at the competitive elimination of these microorganisms from urogenital tract of a man using carbohydrates. It is established that a 50%-inhibiting concentration of 6-azacytidine was 23.4 micrograms/ml for M. fermentans PG-18 and 62.5 micrograms/ml for A. laidlawii PG-8. alpha-D-glucose and N-acetylneuramine acid are two terminal carbohydrates that can serve as receptors for M. fermentans on human mucous membranes while D-mannose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine for A. laidlawii PG-8. alpha-D-glucose in concentration 75 mM and N-acetylneuramine acid in concentration 150 mM competitively inhibit reception of M. fermentans on mucosae, while D-mannose in concentration 150 mM and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in concentration 75 mM are antireceptor substances for A. laidlawii.

[The phenotypic traits of Mollicutes as their possible phylogenetic markers]. / Deiaki fenotypovi oznaky molikutiv iak ïkh mozhlyvi filohenetychni markery.

Interaction of cells of mollicutes Acholeplasma laidlawii PG 8, A. laidlawii var. granulum 18, Mycoplasma hominis PG 21, M. pneumoniae FH, M. fermentans PG 118 and their extracellular products with different carbohydrates, plant lectins of different carbohydrate specificity with glycocalix carbohydrates of the same microorganisms has been studied. Basing on this study and data from literature a conclusion is made that such phenotypical characteristics as the ability to form extracellular fructose-1.6-diphosphate specific lectin and N-acetylneuraminic acid as the end sugar in the composition of carbohydrates of mollicute glycocalyx can serve a phylogenetic marker. These markers indicate the possible origin of mollicutes from bacteria of the group Bacillus-Lactobacillus-Streptococcus as a result of degenerative evolution and are their rather stable characteristics. Such marker as extracellular lectin specific to fructoso-1.6-diphosphate which is formed by phytopathogenic mollicute A. laidlawii var. granulum, 118 evidences that in spite of genetic affinity of this "yellow" agent of cereals with A. laidlawii, it does not descend from the last ancestor directly, but they probably have some general ancestor. We do not know yet this ancestor which is a link in the evolution chain of acholeplasmas in the process of their origin from the mentioned group of bacteria. It is supposed that these markers together with such known phylogenetic markers as lactate dehydrogenase which is activated by fructoso-1.6-diphosphate, and aldolases and glycolipids with specific properties can additionally evidence for the origin of mollicutes and their affinity to certain groups of microorganisms.