[Approaches to classifying bifidobacteria based on DNA structural data]. / Podkhody k klassifikatsii bifidobakterii na osnove dannykh o strukture ikh DNK.

A brief historical review of classifications of Bifidobacteria demonstrates the difficulties in this problem, for the present-day classifications are far from being satisfactory. Based on the genotypical heterogeneity of the genus Bifidobacterium, the authors validate the possibility of raising it to the status of the family Bidobacteriaceae fam. nov. The principle of forming new genera within the frames of this hypothetical family, discussed in the paper, originates from the genomic similarity of representatives of some species of this group of microorganisms.

[Improvement in the species identification of Lactobacillus by using microculture test systems and data on its genome structure]. / Sovershenstvovanie vidovoi identifikatsii laktobatsill s ispol'zovaniem mikrokul'tural'nykh test-sistem i dannykh o stroenii genoma.

18 microanalytical media, used for the construction of a biochemical plate test system permitting the specific identification of bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus, were developed on the basis of data on the metabolic activity of these bacteria and their need of growth factors. As the results of studies made on 78 Lactobacillus strains with the use of traditional microbiological and gene-systematizing methods, the proposed test system was shown to be reliable and specific.

[The traditional classification and genetic systematics of bacteria in the genus Lactobacillus]. / Traditsionnaia klassifikatsiia i genosistematika bakterii roda Lactobacillus.

The classification of bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus has virtually been constructed according to generally accepted peculiarities of the carbohydrate metabolism of the 3 selective groups. The information about the nucleotide contents of DNA (%GC) allows to divide all of 67 species included in the genus into 4 "nucleotide" group according to genosystematics principles. The first group species has %GC = first--49-53, second--42-46, third--34-41 and fourth--32-37. In this manner, it will be singled out 4 new genera in a new proposed family Lactobacillaceae comb.nov.: Thermobacterium comb.nov., Streptobacterium comb.nov., Mediumbacterium comb.nov., and Betabacterium comb.nov. correspondingly. For further revision of the systematics of the bacteria of the Lactobacillaceae family comb.nov. in the direction of approaching its to the natural one it is essential to study of the degree of genome similarities of species representatives within being outline 4 "nucleotide" group both the molecular hybridization using the specific DNA probes and the restriction analysis of the chromosomal DNA (dactyloscopy genome technique).

[The binding of lactobacilli with soluble proteins and lectins]. / Sviazyvanie laktobatsill s nekotorymi rastvorimymi belkami i lektinami.

The capacity of lactobacilli for binding with mucin (M), fibronectin (FN) and Concanavalin A (Con A) has been studied. Most of 33 strains of 8 Lactobacillus species have been found to possess a sufficiently high level of adhesion to immobilized FN and Con A and a low level of adhesion to M. The presence of inverse correlation between the binding of lactobacilli with M and FN has been established. This study has shown that the capacity of lactobacilli for adhesion to some soluble proteins and lectins is an additional marker for their characterization and can be used for the targeted correction on the intestinal microflora.

[Biological characteristics of strains of lactobacilli, promising for use as eubiotics]. / Biologicheskia kharakteristika shtammov laktobatsill, perspektivnykh v kachestve éubiotikov.

In the course of in vitro studies 3 Lactobacillus strains with pronounced antagonistic activity against some pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria (shigellae, enteropathogenic Escherichia, Proteus, staphylococci) were selected. In experiments on germ-free rats faint colonization by L. plantarum 37 was observed in the small intestine, as well as in the large intestine when low doses of these bacilli were introduced into the gastrointestinal tract of the animals. In vitro experiments demonstrated the decreased growth rate of this strain. The prophylactic administration of two eubiotic strains, L. plantarum 37 and L. fermentum 39, simultaneously with chloramphenicol to primates inhibited the growth of opportunistic bacteria, though L. fermentum 39 excessively suppressed the content of Escherichia coli in the enterobacterial population. The optimum biological effect was achieved with the therapeutic use of these three strains for the correction of dysbiotic disturbances caused by the administration of tetracycline in volunteers.

[The dynamics of the wound microflora in the victims of the earthquake in Armenia]. / Dinamika mikroflory ran postradavshikh pri zemletriasenii v Armenii.

The data on the composition of wound microflora, as well as changes in the contamination index over the course of treatment of patients with the syndrome of prolonged compression, who were brought to the institute after the earthquake in Armenia, are presented. The authors characterize the structure of the causative agents of wound infection in the patients treated at the traumatological department of the institute over several years. The epidemiological situation in the hospital in the period when the earthquake victims were treated there is analyzed.

[A comparative study of two commercial systems for the enzymatic identification of enterobacteriaceae]. / Sravnitel'noe izuchenie dvukh kommercheskikh sistem dlia énzimoidentifikatsii énterobakterii.

Two commercial test systems: Entero-Test manufactured in Czechoslovakia and made in the USSR are compared. Species identification of 33 newly isolated strains of gram-negative bacteria isolated from the wounds of subjects injured in the earthquake in Armenia was carried out. The advantages and shortcomings of the examined systems are analyzed. Species identification of Enterobacteriaceae by the two systems coincided in 97.2% of the examined cultures.