[Microbial community of freshwater sponges in Lake Baĭkal].

The microbial community of Baikal sponges has been studied in five species belonging to the genera Swartschewskia, Baicalospongia, and Lubomirskia of the endemic family Lubomirskiidae. The results show that the total numbers of bacteria and bacterioplankton production have an effect on the growth of L. baicalensis body.

[Antagonistic activity of actinomycetes of Lake Baikal].

It was demonstrated that actinomycetes of Lake Baikal are strong antagonists of other microorganisms. Representatives of the genera Streptomyces and Micromonospora inhibit the growth of bacteria isolated from the lake, as well as of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms causing various human diseases. Baikal actinomycetes display a wide range of antagonistic activity and are potential producers of new biologically active substances.

[Degradation of bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate by microorganisms of water and sediments of the Selenga river and Baikal Lake under experimental conditions].

Degradation of bis-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (BEHP) by microbial associations of water and bottom sediments of the Selenga River and Lake Baikal and by pure cultures of microbial species belonging to various taxa isolated from the sediments under discussion has been studied. It has been shown that intense biological degradation occurs in both water and sediments. The degrees of conversion in experimental closed systems on minimal media are 46 and 24%, respectively.

[The biodiversity of actinomycetes in Lake Baikal].

The taxonomic analysis of 107 actinomycete strains isolated from the bottom sediments and water of Lake Baikal showed that most of the water isolates belong to the genus Streptomyces and most of the sediment isolates belong to the genus Micromonospora. In the sediments, the number of actinomycetes increased with depth (down to 200 m). Eight Streptomyces isolates were identified to a species level.