ALL-UNION CONFERENCE ON THE DIRECTED MODIFICATION AND SELECTION OF MICROORAGNISMS, MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 1951
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June 4, 1952
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COUNTRY
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HOW
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WHERE
PUBLISHED
DATE
PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
CLASSIFICATION S-E.C-R-E-T
CENTRAL WOMT REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
DATE OF
INFORMATION Tnco
of bacteria, BW
Monthly periodical
Moscow
Feb 1952
Tsla WVS-1T CONTYU urm-ano- urirnlla Tal UTWUAL Cams/
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Or 1T/ II LAW. 1s MT tl0-a TO TI Ys1tlTNOalaas ratloa Ia rso-
ou"so n w. unonrnoa or rns rou a IaOMIS1Tas.
SUPPLEMFN
REPORTI
ALL-UNION CONFERENCE ON THE DIRECTED MODIFICATION
AND S ION MICROORG-MM-E. MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 1951
A. S. Kriviskiy
Inst Experimental Med
Aced Med Sci USSR, Leningrad
Modification of the nature of bacteria is a very promising and entirely
feasible tank. Solution of problems with which microbiologists are confronted
in connection with this task must lead to developments that will be of great
advantage from the economic viewpoint, Thus, creation of new varieties of
soil bacteria may be expected to raise the yields of grain crops and technical
crops.
Extensive application of Michurin,s principles in microbiology proved to
be fruitful. Microbioloiats have learned how to change the nature of a micro-
organism in a predetermined direction by changing the conditions under which
it lives. The principles of vegetative hybridization were found to be appli-
cable to bacteria. By investigating the nature of bacteria and selecting con-
ditions of existence corresponding to the bacteria's requirements, micro-
biologists now succeed in preserving newly acquired characteristics and,
furthermore, are able to prevent the degeneration of new and useful varieties.
Problems in connection with this and related developments were discussed
at an all-union conference held in Moscow in November 1951. This conference
was organized by the Department of Biological Sciences, Academy of Sciences
USSR, and the Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences USSR. In the
keynote address, entitled "Modifiability and Selection of Microorganisms,"
Professor A. A. Imahenetskiy, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences
USSR, criticized foreign metapxysical theories of dissociation and cyclogeny,
which explain modifications occurrir- In bacteria by cyclic changes proceeding
along a closed circle. He also criticized the harmful US theory of mutationism.
He further pointed out that bacteria can be modified with particular facility
due to the high rate of their propagation and the close contact with their
environment; in some cases, only a few reseedings are necessary to fix a new
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characteristic which is transmitted by heredity. As far as vegetative hybrid-
ization of microorganisms is concerned, Imshenetekiy noted that a number of
new and valuable investigations have been carried out on this subject in the
USSR in recent years. These investigations, in his opinion, prove the possi-
bility of transformation of one species of bacteria into another. Imahenetskiy
further said that to establish the fact that vegetative hybridization took
place, one must make sure that specific assimilation by the modified species
of plastid substances from the "mentor" species had actually occurred..
An interesting example of the directed modification of biochemical prop-
erties of bacteria was mentioned in a paper presented by G. M. Frenkel', Institute
of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences Ukrainian SSR, She succeeded in modifying
Clostridium Welchii (the causative factor of gas gangrene) in such a manner that
the resulting strains lost all pathogenic properties, These bacilli normally
produce a complex toxin consisting of several enzymes. The greatest toxicity
among the substances produced by Clostridium Welchii mast be ascribed to alpha-
toxin, which contains lecithinaee., The harmless strains developed by Frenkel'
have an immunlzi:.g action and can be used for preventing anaerobic wound in-
fections (gas gangrene',
Considerable attention was paid at the conference to the method of vege-
tative hybridization. As mentioned above, this method, which is of universal
significance in biology, proved to be applicable to microorganisms as well.
It Is true that we ate as yet :Cable to join two bacteriel cells into a
single organism. However, it view of the fact that bacteria obtain nourish-
ment by absorbing food through the whole surface of their bodies, it is easy
to bring abort aasimilation by one species of plastid substances, metabolism
products, and products of ce l disintegration, derived from another species.
Earlier work by W. A. Krasil'nikov, P. P. Gracheva, et el. demonstrated that,
after plastid subetancea of a different species have been assimilated, the
species which assimilated these substances change their characteristics in
such a manner that a resemblance to the so-called "mentor" species supplying
the plastid substances s acquired by them. Thus; vegetative hybridization
in microbiology may serve as an effe:tive method of modifying inheritable
characteristics of microorganisms in a controlled mantel..
In a paper presented by Trn4?ssor V D.. Tlmalo'7, institute of Epidemiology
and Microbiology imeri N F. Gamaleya, the modification of B. cola under the
"directing" influesx of paratyphoid ant typhoid be-Ill1 was discussed. When
white mice had been infected with a strain of paratyphoid bacilli obtained
from B. coll. the same pathological changes as those brought about by the
original paratyphoid culture were obtained, according to the author. After
typhoid or paratyphoid bacilli had been cultivated on the dead bodies or pro-
ducts of deterioration of B. coil, the bacteria in question acquired the prop-
erties of B. coll. In the author's opinion. complete transformation of one
species of bacteria into another occurs under the conditions described by him.
The change takes place gradually, In the beginning, only a few B. coil change
their properties, but after 20?-25 reseedings, the culture acquires all the
serological and biochemical properties whi^.h are characteristic of the "directing"
or "mentor" caltt:re, Furthermore, after a few more reseedings, the newly ac-
quired characteristics become firmly established and are transmitted from
generation to generation.
According to Timakov's data,, in all experiments of this type and under all
conditions pertaining to them, a second species of bacteria is formed which
does not resemble either the "mentor" culture or the original culture that has
been modified. This species resembles In almost all its properties Bact.
faecalis alcaligenes, however. According to data obtained by Timakov'a group,
a similar type of bacteria appears when the culture is subjected to the action
of sulfonamides, antibiotics, or other strongly active substances,
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In discussing directed modification of microorganisms by growing them on
a medium containing dead bodies of bacteria of a "mentor" species and substances
produced by this species, Timakov raised the question as to whether filter. .
forms of the "mentor" or "directing" species were not also present. He answered
this question in the negative, stating that directed modification took place
notwithstanding the fact that heating to a sufficiently high temperature to
kill all filterable forms was applied.
Professor G. F_ Kalina? chair of microbiology, Chernovitsy Medical In-
stitute, discussed the possibility that B. ?:oli may be modified into patho-
genic forms by vegetative hybridization under natural condi:ions(e,g,, in the
intestine of a subject suffering from dysentery.) Kalina further stated that
from the biochemical -, ewpcint, two cellular :omponents may be considered as
being of possible importer:e in conferring new properties to bacteria: (1)
the carrier of the specific sat:genic properties of the :ell, the so-called
glueidolipidopr?.a sin complex, and !2? the cell nuclecproteid. Kalina's ex-
periments shoved that only introduction of nucleoprotelde- extracted from
paratyphoi't bacilli into the :utrit:""e medium brought about transformation of
B. coli into a strain which was rapidly agglutinated at a high dilution (1:
1,630) under the as ioz of specific antiparatyphold serum. On the other hand,
the complete a.,tigen had no effect whatever, a._ordiag to farina's data this
is contrary to res?;ltz obtained by Timakov actcrding to whom the carrier of
specific antigenic properties did :cn*ribute to the transformation of B. coli
in his experiments' Fal:_: aEraaep that the ?o:1e ,_:rn*.eit are identical with
filterable fo_'-ma of the "mentor" species
Professor M. V. Meysel institute of Af -rebtolo~, Academy of Sciences
USSR, discussed the effect of strongly acting factors on microorganisms. Al-
though he stated that, generall'c ,peaking, useful e_3 viable mod.ifitations
cannot be eA voted to arise as a res?,.a of the a-tion of strong poisons, anti-
biotics, latena_Ye irradiet:an, ec .. the method to question Is staff appli-
cable for certato tracttca'_ p:rposee. Thos the action of potassium cyanide
may damage the :y s. r;me respl:at^ry -ye--em :f a m:t.oorgani.sm, forting it to
overdevelop its fia+:-. av;tem to .ompe?.sate th? damage. Coder the circum-
stances, the synthesis of ritamin viol the atim.lated L; the same manner,
the synthesis of at. a:;t::L1a,i can b : st?mulatei _,r forms with a modified type
of protein synthesis tan be `red for use as protein fodder,
Professor N. r 'ier_al m=_aty, t_te of M:trobiologv? Academy of
Sciences TSSF.. p:es:nted a paper to=ote, to the preservarton of useful prop-
erties of micro-organism:, note the properties ha?"?e been developed Professor F. T. Gri_?bas, :J_?.'tate of Fridemto',:Ry and Mi,rorology,
Gor'kiy, made a eperlai report dealing v::h -hangea vhi:h pathogenic bacteria
undergo as a result of exposure to -he natu al :.orbit.;,pus titer which they
exist. in disc ;r,itx 'rap:o s aspe-its of this sutject? whi.h is important from
the epidemiologiaal ,levpc:mot, C?ri_`a',m meotinnei that in :see of lafection
ith
w
typhoid, the typ?boll .sail: are first fi.a,d :_, the bioc3, but later enter
the intestine. The beaillt a :m :.etei from the ::atestioe d+::'_--g the period of
convalescence are moc:fied i^ ~ch an extent that -hey can hardy be regarded
as typhoid bacilli a y loossr .. ~?esr,:gstiens tarried nut. t?y Grinbaum's
collaborators, Z. :. Ga_.sc,`~;n and Ye, A. Ito Ice pr-1 that the bacilli in
question have been aoaually matlfted, The results obtained on. bacilli isolated
from patients caai? h" oortf,.rmed in erperlments carried out on white mice.
When both normal mice and mice imun:.zed ag