[The vital activities of enterobacteria in an aqueous medium in the absence of sources of organic nutrition].

Heterotrophic bacteria were found to be capable of proliferation in physiological saline and distilled water. In 1988-1989 experimental studies were made with a view to establish the role of the gaseous phase of atmospheric air and the products of the autolysis of dead bacteria as the sources of organic nutrition. The studies revealed that the complete removal of atmospheric air from vials with bacterial suspension completely stopped the stimulation of reproduction. In vials with a higher concentration of dead bacterial bodies the proliferation rate was 2- to 400-fold (on the average, 118-fold) higher. The products of the autolysis of bacterial bodies proved to be of no importance as an independent source of organic nutrition for heterotrophic bacteria. The mechanism of the assimilation of autolysis products is "switched on" by biologically active geomagnetic disturbances. The mechanisms of the increase of bacterial biomass remain unclear.