[Biological characteristics of bacteria during the Cytos-2 Soviet-French space experiment].

The experiment "Cytos-2" made it possible to reveal a certain increase in the antibiotic resistance of bacteria constituting the opportunistic pathogenic microflora of man (Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) to oxacillin, erythromycin, colistin and kanamycin under the conditions of space flight. The electron-microscopic study of the postflight staphylococcal cultures revealed the thickening of the cell membrane in staphylococci. The conditions of the experiment did not affect the stability of the biochemical characteristics of P. aeruginosa cultures, as well as their virulence, immunogenic properties and type specificity.