History of Science and Engineering Annotation << Back CYTOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION AT G.K. SKRYABIN INSTITUTE OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (IBPM RAS) V.I. Duda The author talks about the history of how the laboratory of Cytology of microorganisms was organized at G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBPM RAS), who were staff members and about priority publications of the laboratory’s researchers. He also represents very important results obtained in the laboratory studies including: 1) Discovery of new cell structures: a) fl at lamellar intramembrane lipid structures organized on a «membrane inside membrane» principle (inverted membranes), b) adhesive net composed of polysaccharide threads – «ropes», c) particular dividing supracellular structures –camerabags with bacterial cells inside. 2) Formation of the concept of ultramicrobacteria. More than 50 pure cultures were isolated; they include representatives of different phylogenetic and systematic groups of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. 3) Description for the fi rst time of thin structures of ancient fossilized microbial cells (1,8 milliard years old) using electron microscopy of ultrathin section and cryofractography data. 4) The concept was developed that non-spore-forming bacteria are capable of forming a special type of resting forms of the cells providing survival of asporogenous bacteria under a prolonged anabiosis in extreme natural biotopes. These forms designated as cyst-like resting cells. 5) Phenomenon of cell polarity transversion from bi- to multipolarity was found and characterized. This is the basic mechanism that determines polysporogenesis in Anaerobacter polyendosporus. The results obtained are of importance for solving the problems in microbial cytology and evolution of prokaryotes. Keywords: ultrastructural organization of bacteria; nucleoid; new cell structures; cyst-like resting cells; endogenous sporogenesis; cell polarity transversion; polysporogenesis; ultramicrobacteria. Contacts: E-mail: duda@ibpm.pushchino.ru Pp. 59-74.