[Strains of Vibrio cholerae serogroups O1 and O139 that produce the basic protective antigens].

To find out stable and effective producers of major protective antigens intended for use as components of cholera chemical vaccine against V. cholerae strains of serogroups O and O139, the comparative analysis of the production of cholera toxin, toxin-coregulated pili (TCP), antigens O1 and O139, polysaccharide capsule and outer membrane protein OmpU in different V. cholerae strains groups O1 and O139 has been made.

[Noncapsular mutants of Vibrio cholerae serogroup O139: their isolation, identification and use for the preparation of an O139 diagnostic antiserum].

On the basis of V. cholerae strain P16064, serogroup O139, spontaneous and transposon mutants with the stable lose of the capacity for producing the polysaccharide capsule, but retaining antigen O139, have been obtained. As revealed in this study, capsular and noncapsular strains differ in their sensitivity to cholera phages 20 and Inaba, as well as in agglutination with O139-antiserum.

[Creating a system of conjugated chromosome transfer and genetic mapping of Vibrio cholerae serogroup O139 chromosomes].

A conjugational gene transfer system consisting of donor and recipient strains has been developed for genetic analysis of Vibrio cholerae 0139 serogroup, a new cholera agent. Donor strains constructed using the Tn5-Mob carrying the origin of transfer (ori T) of plasmid RP4 and helper plasmid pRP4-4 were able to perform a directed transfer of chromosomal markers. Recipient strains carried mutations in auxotrophic genes as well as in virulence genes.

[The use of a new strain of Vibrio cholerae O139 as a producer of an enteric chemical vaccine].

Conditions for the submerged cultivation of a strain of V. cholerae O139, were worked out. These conditions ensured a high yield of biomass, soluble O-antigen and exoenzymes (proteinase, phospholipase A) into the culture medium, which exceeded their production by strains of serovar O1, respectively, 2, 3, 4 and 8 times.

[Phenotypic analysis of two morphologically different types of Vibrio cholerae 0139 colonies].

A clinical isolate Vibrio cholerae P16064 serogroup 0139 was shown to produce two different kinds of colonies: opaque encapsulated and translucent devoid of capsule. Low virulence of translucent colonies seems to be due to not only loss of capsule which determines serum resistance, but also to decreased expression of genes controlling the motility, and production of protease and mannose-sensitive adhesion pili. Analysis of the lysogenic properties of the two types of colonies permitted us to propose that simultaneous spontaneous alteration of capsule production and the above-mentioned virulence factors in translucent colonies may be caused by a temperate phage in turbid clones of strain P16064.