Alexander RAPOPORT

Rapoports.JPG (3351 bytes) Professor Alexander RAPOPORT
Head of Laboratory
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia
Kronvalda bulv. 4
Riga, LV 1586
Latvia

Phone: +371 7034891
Fax: +371 722 7925
E-mail: rapoport@latnet.lv

Born: October 13, 1946, Riga, Latvia

Interests:

Main investigations are linked with the studies of extreme treatment upon microorganisms and especially with the state of anhydrobiosis in yeasts. Summarising the results received it could be said that these investigations gave a possibility just not only to study this extremely interesting natural phenomenon of reversible delay of metabolism but to reveal the main mechanisms of intracellular reactions under unfavourable conditions of environment too. We proved that extreme dehydration influences all intracellular structures. We revealed the main structural and functional changes of yeast cell wall, plasma membrane, mitochondria, vacuoles, lysosomal apparatus and nuclei. Experiments have shown that the main factors determining the cell resistance to dehydration are the following: the level of intracellular nucleic acid stability, the cell cycle stage, the possibility of maintenance by cells the molecular organisation of intracellular membranes and ability of "switching on" by cells of the whole complex of protective reactions at early stages of dehydration process. A whole number has been demonstrated of earlier unknown self-protective reactions observed in eucaryotic organisms under extreme environmental conditions (ability of the cells to limit irreversibly damaged cytoplasm sites, to separate with the help of nucleolemma chromatine-containing nucleus parts, chromatine condensing, etc.). We showed the possibility of directed increase of cell resistance to dehydration by the way of special osmotic treatment on yeast. It was established that the stabilisation of intracellular membrane state was achieved in these conditions.

Languages: English, Latvian, Russian

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International Evaluation:

In the International Evaluation of Latvian Science these investigations received the highest appraisal in Latvian microbiology and biotechnology (published in: Latvian Research. An International Evaluation. Forkskningsradene. The Danish Research Councils. Copenhagen, December 1992, pp. 379, 380, 381).



Last update 24.08.2005