[Isolation and study of Acinetobacter sp. mutant strains defective in production of exopolysaccharides]

Nitrosoguanidine-induced mutants of Acinetobacter sp. defective in exopolysaccharide biosynthesis did not differ from the parent strain in distinguishing physiological and biochemical properties, such as requirements for growth factors, utilization of mono- and disaccharides, and resistance to antibiotics. The genetic relation of parent and mutant strains was shown by 16S rRNA PCR analysis. The comparative study of parent and mutant strains with respect to resistance to unfavorable environmental factors confirmed our hypothesis that Acinetobacter sp. exopolysaccharides perform protective functions. Hybridization experiments revealed the conjugal transfer of plasmid R68.45 from Pseudomonas putida BS228 (R68.45) to mutant but not to the parent Acinetobacter sp. strains. The role of the Acinetobacter sp. exopolysaccharides in providing the genetic stability of this bacterium is discussed.