[The effect of drying on the content of nucleic acids and mutational changes in microorganisms]

The literary and own experimental data on the genetic apparatus changes in microorganisms after drying are reviewed. In the survived drying cells the total content of nucleic acids decreases, some amount of mainly high-molecule ribonucleic acid decomposes. The RNA isolation into the suspended medium is also observed in connection with the destructive processes in the cytoplasmic membrane and the decomposition of some intracellular structures. The dehydration of microbial cells violates the normal processes of DNA replication, and sometimes it leads to the conformational changes in molecule structure. In some cases the damage in the genetic apparatus causes the mutation changes of microorganisms. This should be taken into account in experiments where lyophilized cultures are used.