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The cellulolytic and endoglucanase activity of Fusarium oxysporum strains isolated from soil and plants in the media with plant waste as carbon source has been studied. It was established that the majority of studied strains were able to hydrolyze the filter paper, husk of sunflower seeds, wheat straw and corn stalks. Cellulolytic activity depended on the strain of microscopic fungi, type of substrate and duration of cultivation. The maximum cellulase activity 1 U/ml and the concentration of reducing sugars -0.875 mg/ml were found in soil strain F. oxysporum 420 in the medium with corn stalks. Endoglucanase activity of plant pathogenic strains was higher than that of soil ones.

A group of phytopathogenic bacteria was isolated from patterns of drying horse-chestnuts (Aesculus L.), which grow in Kyiv. The properties of slowly growing, highly aggressive microorganisms have been described in the paper. They grow up on the 8-10th day after sowing. The investigated microorganisms form very small (0.5-1 mm in diameter) colonies on the potato agar. Bacteria are protuberant, shining, smooth with flat edges, they are pale yellow, yellow, or pink. The bacteria are Gram-positive, spherical, are disposed in smears singly, in pairs, as accumulations, or netting. They are aerobes, do not form spores, are not mobile. They are inert in respect of different sources of carbon. They reduce nitrates, do not dilute gelatin, do not hydrolyze starch, do not release hydrogen sulphide and indole. The bacteria are catalase-positive, oxidase-negative. They do not cause potato and carrot rot. They lose quickly their viability under the laboratory conditions. The saturated acids C 14:0; C 15:0; C16:0; C18:0 have been revealed in the composition of cellular fatty acids. Microorganisms are identified as Micrococcus sp. Under artificial inoculation this highly aggressive pathogen causes drying of the horse-chestnut buds and necrosis, which occupies 1/3-1/2 of the leaf plate. A wide zone of chlorosis, surrounding necrosis, may occupy the whole leaf surface. The infected leaves use to twist up from the top (apex) or along a midrib and to dry.

Bacterialdiseases of weeds in the crops of wheat on the fields of Kyiv and Vinnytsya regions of Ukraine Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski Agropyrum repens L. were revealed. The following symptoms of bacterial affections: the leaves wither, oval or hatched necrotic spots on green leaves, necroses on the stalks, empty-ears, partial blackening of the ear axes, awns, caryopsises, scales, water-soaked or dark brown with violet shade spots on the rhizomes were found. During the vegetation period bacteria were isolated from the affected plants which caused pathological process in the couch-grass and wheat. The pathogenic bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas syringae, P. viridiflava, Pseudomonas sp., Erwinia carotovora pv. carotovora, Pantoea agglomerans, the part of yellow-pigmentary isolates were not identified. Some Psyringae were isolated from the rhizomes during winterthawing. The paper is presented in Ukrainian.

The paper deals with historical information concerning the investigation of mycotoxins and mycotoxicoses at the Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the NAS of Ukraine, main results of the works fulfilled for the last 25 years and possible trends of further investigations.

The paper deals with the basic trends of fundamental investigations of the Department of Algae Viruses in the field of cyanophagia-ecology, biological and physico-chemical properties of cyanophages as well as interrelation with the host cells. Such problems as a possibility to use the system cyanophage-cyanobacteria as the experimental model for development of the unified functional model of productive infection, efficient methods of prophylaxis and therapy of virus infections as well as the solution of various biotechnological problems are discussed.

The thesis about importance of specific immunoglobulin preparations in treatment of infectious diseases of viral and microbial etiology, uncontrollable infections, caused by representatives of herpes viruses family in particular, is developed in the paper. The types of immunoglobulin preparations, their advantages, technology peculiarities has been considered; the experience of application, including that of the authors have been analyzed. The necessity and expedience of intensive development of this branch of immunobiotechnology in Ukraine is proved, especially in connection with a high level of infectious morbidity in this country, concrete recommendations are given.

Results on determination of radial (linear) growth rate of melanin-containing fungi Cladosporium sphaerospermum Penz. and Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler concerning place of their isolation and ecologic peculiarities are presented in the paper. Essential differences, as to all studied indices of the strains of C. sphaerospermum strains, isolated from premices of the ChNPP 4th unit from the control strains of this species have been established. Only strain 34 of C. sphaerospermum, isolated from the cable driving region of the "Shelter" object, which did not differ from the control strains as to all the studied indices, made the exception. The radial growth rate was 2-4 times as low and variability amplitude 10-30 times as high in strains 60 and 5-1 of C. sphaerospermum, (which suffered high radiation load), as in the control strains of this species. The radial growth rate of C. sphaerospermum studied strains was an order lower as a whole than that of A. alternata strains. All the above said evidence for implementation of K-type vital strategy by C. sphaerospermum species and in this connection one can suppose its active growth on the surface of walls and ferroconcrete structures of the ChNPP 4th unit. Absence of differences, as to the studied radial growth indices, between A. alternata strains isolated from the ChNPP 4th unit premices and control strains of the species can evidence for the existence of A. alternata species under the conditions of high radioactivity in the surviving state.

The paper is a review of scientific data obtained in 1990-1998 and concerning the up-to-date diagnostical approaches used in the laboratory practice. The main widely used methods of HIV-specific antigens and antibodies detection in biological fluids are discussed. The paper deals with the basic methods of HIV-infection diagnosis, an analysis of their specificity, sensitivity, their advantages and possible pitfalls. The principal approach permitting one to improve the current test-systems is the elaboration of automated and express tests side by side with the increasing of their sensitivity and specificity.

Main directions of the research work of the Department of Biology of Gas-Oxidizing Microorganisms are described in the paper. Fundamental studies concern ecology, selection, taxonomy, physiology, biochemistry, genetics of bacteria utilizing C1--C2 compounds, mathematical simulation of microbiological processes. Applied studies are devoted to development of scientific basis of biotechnologies for synthesis of important products (single cell protein, exopolysaccharides, food ingredients, biogas) from non-food substrates, search for the hydrocarbon deposits and protection of the environment.

The paper deals with the basic results of scientific activity of the Department of Antibiotics at the Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for the last two decades. Results of fundamental ecological and taxonomical investigations of bacteria of the Pseudomonas and Bacillus genera, study of regularities in formation of antibiotics and other biologically active substances by microorganism of these taxa and by higher plants have been presented; new antibiotics, probiotics and other biopreparations developed at the Department during this period have been characterized.

The paper deals with mycobiota of radionuclide-polluted soils of seven stationary posts in the 30-kilometer zone of the Chernobyl NPP and one in the vicinities of Kiev (Feofaniia). The lengths of light-and dark-coloured fungal mycelium were determined in the soil under study by the method of membrane filters for 1987-1989. Data obtained have been analyzed with the account of the radioactivity level of the soil samples, season and depth of the sampling horizon. The dynamics of mycelium content in soils has been traced which evidences for its seasonal changes and prevalence of dark-pigmented mycelium at the beginning which then was changed by predominance of light-coloured mycelium. It is supposed that radioactive contamination of soil is one of considerable components of the whole complex of ecological factors which determine the dynamics of fungal mycelium content in soil.

"The paper analyzes demographic aspects of famine in the Ukraine in [1932-1933] and the population losses caused by it. The study is..based on...published and new archival...information...." (SUMMARY IN ENG), (excerpt)