Oxygen-Dependent Recovery of Yersinia pestis Viability

Abstract

The following technique is offered for restoration of viability of Yersinia pestis cultures lyophilized at -(20±2) °C and stored for a long time (7-16 months): 10 cm3 melted culture in a 120 cm3 glass bottle under cotton stoppers is aerated by rocking in a shaker at (27±1) °C. The process of reparation of the injured bacteria was shown to depend on the presence of the oxygen and energetic sources. Viability reparation was prevented in the atmosphere of argon, when cells' breath was inhibited by cyanide (KCN), and in the case of uncoupling of the oxidative phosphorylation process by 2,4-dinitriphenol (2,4-DNF). Reparation capability was manifested by the bacterial cultures that had retained energy-dependent autoregulation of the breathing activity, estimated according to the respiration parameters, and especially by the magnitude of the metabolic breathing control (MBC).

Keywords

• <i>yersinia pestis</i>
• bacterial cells reparation
• metabolic respiratory control (mrc)