title: [The characteristics of the biological properties of capsule-free variants of Francisella tularensis].
abstract: Comparative study of the properties of initial capsular (cap+) and non-capsular (cap-) F. tularensis strains has revealed that the non-capsular variants have their specific biological features. The characteristic features of these variants are avirulence and inability to produce an immunogenic effect in sensitive laboratory animals. Cap- mutants, depending on the method of their obtaining, may exhibit different sensitivity to some antibacterial preparations. In contrast to the initial virulent strains, cap- variants are intensively phagocytosed by peritoneal macrophages of white mice and capable of multiplication and survival in these macrophages. F. tularensis non-capsular forms are characterized by higher superoxide-dismutase and neuraminidase activity than the initial strains, which may be the explanation of the phenomenon of their intracellular survival. At the same time the main biochemical signs of cap- strains (citrullinureidase, phosphatase and penicillinidase) remain unchanged, which determines the possibility of their classification with this subspecies.
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Pavlovich
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Mishan'kin
authors.forename: N Ia
authors.initials: NIa
authors.lastname: Shimaniuk
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Ryzhkova
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Danilevskaia
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Mikhalevich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016667:Bacterial Capsules; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009154:Mutation; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
vernacular_title: Kharakteristika biologicheskikh svoĭstv beskapsul'nykh variantov Francisella tularensis.