Abstract— Gossypol is a highly active compound with antiviral, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antimalarial, and antitumor properties. It is known that the antitumor effect of gossypol is associated with genotoxicity; however, gossypol interaction with chromatin was not studied. In this work, using the method of single particle microscopy based on the Förster resonant energy transfer, it was found that

Abstract The effects of the photoperiodic conditions in northwestn Russia (Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk) and exogenous melatonin on the body weight and the physiological and biochemical parameters of blood serum in males and females of the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) were studied. The animals were divided into two groups: control (LD: 12 h light/12 h darkness) and experimental (NL: decrease

Abstract Abundance and biomass of small photosynthetic flagellates (SPF; 3–10 µm), chlorophyll a concentration, and the contribution of SPF to total phytoplankton biomass at different stages of seasonal succession in ice and in surface water were studied in Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea in September 2016 and February and July 2017. In summer, SPF biomass in the photic layer averaged 38.36 ± 9.77

Abstract Gibberellin signaling pathway genes encoding the DELLA protein and gibberellin receptor GID1 were sequenced in several varieties (Alpha, Valdai, Orlovskaya 9, Pracha) and one line of rye (EM-1) using next generation methods. The revealed multiple alleles of these genes differ mainly in single-nucleotide polymorphisms and less frequently in insertions and deletions. Most of the detected mutations

Abstract— Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a severe hereditary immunodeficiency associated with recurrent bacterial and fungal infections as well as aberrant inflammatory processes. The CGD phenotype depends on the deficiency of phagocytic NADPH oxidase causing the inability of phagocytes to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Such phagocytes have a limited ability to execute phagocytosis

Abstract— A complex of proteolytic enzymes with a specific plasmin-like activity of at least 890 EpNA/mg and a specific protein C activator activity of at least 130 EpNA/mg was isolated from the culture fluid of micromycete Aspergillus ochraceus L-1 by salting out with ammonium sulfate followed by dialysis and depigmentation to phenol-aniline formaldehyde resin at a pH of 8.2. Comparison of the obtained

Abstract Fifty samples of bottom sediments were taken in 2016–2017 in the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea from the depth of 1.5–15.0 m, and 1419 colonies of mycelial fungi were obtained. Based on morphological and cultural features, a total of 136 morphotypes were classified, and 81 of these were identified down to the species level. Thirteen species were new to the White Sea. The most common species

Abstract The paper revises data on the identification of peptidases groups involved in the growth of fungi and inhibitors of these peptidases. The available data on the diversity, significance, representation, and characteristics of proteolytic enzymes in representatives of the Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma, and Alternaria genera are considered. It was concluded that serine, metal, and glutamine

Abstract Interspecific variations of legs’ morphometric signs have been investigated on 2885 individuals from 65 species of 22 genera of the family Dolichopodidae. Nine morphometric signs of legs, including lengths of femora, tibia, and first segment of tarsi have been measured, and the data on 12 relative signs have been obtained. The results of analysis of variance showed significant differences

Abstract Early detection and repair of damaged DNA is important for cell functioning and survival. The recently proposed mechanism of intranucleosomal loop formation suggests the relaxation of DNA supercoiling accumulated during transcription through damaged chromatin. The degree of DNA relaxation is affected by the mechanical properties and structure of the double helix. In this work, the consequences

AbstractThe feasibility of applying higher plant biotechnology methods and approaches to conservation and propagation of Lilium pensylvanicum is demonstrated. Using seeds as the primary explants enables one to introduce this species into an in vitro culture while not causing harm to mother plants. Subculturing aseptic bulbs on a Humburg medium with halved composition of salts of macro- and microelements

AbstractGastrointestinal diseases and eating disorders are among the most common pathologies in the world. One of the most widespread and dangerous consequence of many eating disorders is an uncontrolled weight gain that often leads to obesity. This review focuses on the 15-year-long studies of obestatin, one of the potential regulators of eating behavior. This peptide contains 23 amino-acids and appears

AbstractBoth male and female Wistar rats with an experimental model of autism spectrum disorders induced by prenatal administration of valproate sodium at a dose of 500 mg/kg have behavioral abnormalities similar to people with these disorders, including the abnormalities of social interaction; locomotor, orientation, and exploratory behavior; coordination of movement; spatial exploration behavior;

AbstractThe collection fund of the Laboratory of Ornamental Plants of the Main Botanical Garden, Russian Academy of Sciences, was established in 1947. Today it includes 1055 plant species and varieties as well as 4995 cultivars and garden forms of cultivated plants. The current policy of a collection formation is aimed at the creation of unique collections. Such generic complexes as Paeonia, Rosa,

AbstractGround elder (Aegopodium podagraria L.) has a number of economically important properties (as food, an excellent honey plant, and a valuable fodder) and also exhibits antirheumatic, diuretic, nervine, and wound-healing effects. A. podagraria plants are used for cytogenetic studies. To gather a collection of A. podagraria plants, an expedition into different regions of Russia was carried out

AbstractThe diaphragm is a unique skeletal muscle; it is active throughout the lifetime and, therefore, differs from locomotor muscles in the properties of muscle fibers and the mechanisms of blood supply control. The aim of this review was to survey the structural characteristics of diaphragm muscle tissue, which provide its integral contractile properties; to compare the activity of vascular tone

AbstractMolecular analysis of new isolates of the plum pox virus (PPV) found in the gene pool collections of peach, apricot, and plum from the Nikitsky Botanical Garden (National Science Center, Russian Academy of Sciences), as well as on wild cherry plum trees in the surrounding area, has been carried out. Using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

AbstractTrends in body size in young men and women in the early 21st century were analyzed based on the results of anthropometric examination of more than 6300 undergraduate students of various departments of Moscow State University that were obtained in 2000–2018. The retrospective analysis was conducted by comparing data of total body dimensions collected based on a sample of Moscow youth examined

AbstractThis is a brief review of the latest changes in the editorial policy and content of the Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 16: Biologiya journal with special emphasis on the situation with its English-language version Moscow University Biological Sciences Bulletin. The current strategy of the editorial board for evaluation of submitted manuscripts, their rejection, peer reviewing and

AbstractOne of the current problems in regenerative medicine is the search for new approaches for skin restoration. A promising area is the use of biocompatible materials. Such constructs can serve as the basis for biomedical products designed to replace damaged tissue or function as wound dressings. In this work, photopolymerized films based on silk fibroin and methacrylated gelatin (F-MG) were created

AbstractProteolytic activity of 8 strains of micromycetes (belonging to different ecological and trophic groups: phyto-, nemato-, myco-, and entomopathogens as well as human pathogens) toward the hemostatic system proteins has been assayed by using the chromogenic peptide substrates. The investigated micromycetes are shown to secrete proteases with a broad substrate specificity. However, there are

AbstractMicroRNA is a small, single-stranded nucleotide sequence, which can regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. To date, it is known that some microRNAs play an important role in physiology and pathophysiology of the cardio-vascular system. The effects of lipotransfection with microRNAs, such as miR-1-3p, miR-153-3p, or miR-133-3p, on the electrophysiological indices of the myocardium

AbstractSea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a perennial dioecious shrub or tree whose juvenile period lasts from 3 to 5 years. Sea buckthorn grows in many European and Asian countries and is widely used in cosmetology, biotechnology, pharmacology, and agriculture. This crop is a source of valuable vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Its phenotypic description does not provide accurate

AbstractFluorescent nanoparticles are currently considered as promising enhancers of photodynamic activity of traditional photosensitizers in procedures for photodynamic therapy of cancer and inactivation of pathogens. On the one hand, such nanoparticles act as a nanoplatform for target delivery of dye molecules to cells; on the other hand, they act as light-harvesting antennas that increase the effective

AbstractLong-distance interaction plays an important role in the regulation of eukaryotic genes. Chromatin structure is involved in the process, but the role of histone modifications has not been studied. In the present work, the role of acetylation Н4K16 (Н4K16-Ac) to enhancer-promoter communication (EPC) was analyzed. This modification is associated with euchromatin and is involved in the decompaction

AbstractThe effect of the surface of Ti-Zr-Nb (TZN) shape memory alloys (SMA) on adhesion, proliferation, viability, and organization of the actin cytoskeleton of osteoblast-like MG-63 cells has been studied. The studied SMA have a unique combination of mechanical properties, making them promising in fabrication of bone implants with high biomechanical compatibility (due to low Young’s modulus and

Abstract—Currently, biological scaffolds composed of extracellular matrix (ECM) are being actively examined for the needs of regenerative medicine. ECM substrates are prepared by decellularization and used to deliver cells to damaged tissue. Native scaffolds of ECM have an advantage over bioengineered ones because ECM retains natural biologic cues that provide efficient reparative cell functions. Mesenchymal

AbstractThis is a short review concerning the problem of germ line “immortality,” which was already formulated by A. Weismann at the end of the 19th century. Over the following years, it attracted the attention of many gerontologists, who tried to understand the mechanisms of infinite transfer of genetic information from generation to generation with the help of germ cells, which, in contrast to somatic

AbstractThe study of all factors that contribute to the carbon balance in the biosphere is of paramount importance due to the current increase in carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. This article presents data on the carbon dioxide exchange for the needles of common spruce (Picea abies L.) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii L.) in an urban environment (based on the example of Moscow). It is

Abstract―The spatial distribution of picocyanobacteria at the arctic longitude section passing through the shelf of the Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian seas from 58° to 168° E was studied. The average abundance of picocyanobacteria was 0.48 ± 1.2 × 109 cells/m3 in the Kara Sea, 0.16 ± 0.24 × 109 cells/m3 in the Laptev Sea, and 0.25 ± 0.43 × 109 cells/m3 in the East Siberian Sea. The fluctuations of

AbstractAging organisms die out in accordance with the “Gompertz law,” i.e., the probability of their death increases with age. Survival curve construction is the main tool for gerontologists to study aging and test antiaging drugs. The analysis of survival curves includes obtaining some indices characterizing aging of the population, for example, the average and maximum lifespan, the mortality rate

Abstract—The first data on the species diversity of testate amoebae of the Coco River in the provinces of Quang Nam and Da Nang (Vietnam) are presented. A total of 55 species and subspecies of testate amoebae belonging to nine genera and six families have been identified in 28 samples. Species diversity of testate amoebae in plankton is higher than in benthic samples. Centropyxis aculeata (64.3%),

AbstractThe universal response of Escherichia coli to stress is enhancing the synthesis of specific histone-like Dps proteins that bind bacterial DNA. As a result, two-dimensional and three-dimensional crystalline arrays can be observed in the cytoplasm of starving bacteria. Conditions for obtaining in vitro co-crystals of DNA-Dps were selected, and their elemental composition was studied using analytical

AbstractNRT1.1 nitrate transporter acts as a nitrate sensor in some plant responses. We tried to check if it may be involved in the control of cytokinin level in the plants known to be involved in the growth responses to nitrate level. The experimental objects were Arabidopsis thaliana plants of the original ecotype Columbia (Col-0) and chl1-5 mutants. The effects of the NRT1.1 gene mutation in chl1-5

Abstract—The paper reports a process of sexual reproduction in the Black Sea diatom Climaconeis scalaris (Brébisson) E.J. Cox, 1982, initiated in laboratory conditions. A crossing system of this species allows both homo- and heterothallic reproduction. The fertilization is allogamous. Diploid mother gametangial cells secreted mucilage, forming a mucilage track, while actively gliding relative to each

AbstractThe current problem with phosphorus fertilizers are shortage of rock phosphate from which it is produced and adverse impact of their production and use on the environment. A promising solution is use of phosphorus-rich biomass of microalgae as biofertilizer, but possible impact of such fertilizers on the biological activity and microbiome of soils remain unknown in many aspects. We investigated

AbstractEffects of the anxiolytic diazepam and nootropics piracetam and mexidol on passive avoidance conditioning (PAC) in rats were compared in experiments using a three-compartment apparatus. The latter consisted of a central, brightly lit compartment, a noxious dark compartment in which footshock was delivered to a rat, and a safe dark compartment, where the rat was not exposed to electric shock

AbstractPartial uncoupling of the processes of oxidative phosphorylation and energy storage in the form of ATP (“mild” uncoupling) helps reduce the production of reactive oxygen species and can also mimic the effect of calorie restriction. A number of studies have shown that uncouplers, such as 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), affect the lifespan of Drosophila, yeast, mice, and rats as well as the manifestation

AbstractThe features of the species, spatial, and trophic structure of macrobenthic sublittoral communities were studied in two coastal lagoon ecosystems of the White Sea. The Ermolinskaya and Nikol’skaya inlets are highly silted lagoon ecosystems with a simplified trophic structure of the macrobenthos community and a predominance of the trophic group of collecting detritophages. In the sublittoral

AbstractPoly(ADP-ribose)polymerase 1 (PARP1) is involved in the processes of DNA repair, replication, transcription, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. Participation of PARP1 in DNA repair is determined by the ability of the enzyme to interact with various damages and noncanonical structures of DNA with consequent polyADP-ribosylation of neighboring proteins. Earlier, for mononucleosomes containing

Abstract—The embryonic and larval stages of amphibian development are promising model objects for developmental biology, experimental biology, and medicine. However, the existing methods of laboratory research do not take into account the biological features of model amphibian species. In addition, not enough attention is paid to standardizing the experimental conditions and minimizing the experimenter’s

Abstract18 Healthy volunteers were involved and the effect of functional neuromuscular electrical stimulation, which causes flexion of the hand on the corticospinal excitability during motor imaging and resting state, was investigated in this study. It was shown that the combined action of functional electrical stimulation and the kinesthetic motor imagery leads to an increase of the amplitude of motor

AbstractThe range of ecological CSR strategies for subalpine tall-herb communities of the northwestern Caucasus (Teberda state natural biosphere reserve) has been studied by the measurement of leaves’ functional traits. These communities are developed in swales, river valleys, and runoff depressions of the subalpine belt and represent a typical element of the Caucasian flora. The dominating species

AbstractA 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T)-degrading strain isolated from a soil sample of the largest producer of herbicides in Russia was described. The strain was identified as Bacillus mobilis 34Т according to the cultural, morphological, morphometric, physiological, and biochemical features as well as the results from comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence. The growth of

AbstractLeaves’ anatomical characteristics are considered to be important diagnostic features for identifying grasses. Cross sections from the middle part of leaf blades have traditionally been used for such purposes. Leaf anatomy has been of key interest for identifying the representatives of the Festuca L. genus because of great morphological similarity between the species. Particular attention is

AbstractDamage to the plasma membrane (PM) of cells in pea leaf epidermis determined by its permeability to propidium iodide (PI), which binds to DNA of cell nuclei, and programmed cell death (PCD) detected by the destruction of cell nuclei were investigated. PM of the epidermal cells in the isolated epidermis was permeable to PI (it stained their nuclei). PM of the guard cells did not allow PI to

Abstract—The stability of chromatosome when introducing posttranslational modifications and mutations observed in the case of oncological diseases into the structure of the linker histone was studied using bioinformatics analysis. The chromatosome is formed under the interaction of the nucleosome with the linker histone. This interaction can be characterized by the binding free energy. We hypothesized

Abstract—Bioelectrical properties of various developing fragments of the heart undergo significant changes during pre- and postnatal ontogeny. However, the general pattern of the heart’s structure and the bioelectrical features of various parts of the “mature” heart are specifically determined in the early stages of embryogenesis. Specifically, the presence of myocardium with a phenotype, which is

Abstract—This is the first study of alkali-resistant fungi under the conditions of neutral salinization at Lake Baskunchak (Astrakhan region, Russia). Fungi were isolated from the lake coast chloride soils on alkaline agar medium (pH 10.0–10.5); isolates were characterized by morphological, cultural and molecular genetic features; phylogenetic analysis and analysis of adaptation to pH and salinity

AbstractStudy into the effect of vitamins A and E on total and differential leukocyte count, as well as morphometric parameters of lymphocytes in three carnivorous species—dark brown American mink (Neovison vison, Mustelidae), blue fox (Vulpes lagopus, Canidae), and silver fox (V. vulpes, Canidae)—was conducted. The highest white blood cells count (WBC count) and the largest surface area of lymphocytes

AbstractMale hybrid mice (F1 CBA × C57BL/6J) were kept for 1.5 h at 39.5°С. In cognitive tests (extrapolation and puzzle-box elementary logic task solution), mice of the experimental groups (after exposure to an elevated temperature) solved the tasks more quickly and more successfully, while their activity in the “small open field” (in which no stress-inducing stimuli were present) and in the Porsolt

AbstractA significant amount of studies are aimed at investigating the mechanisms of occurrence and ways to prevent supraventricular arrhythmias, in particular, atrial fibrillation. Its occurrence in most cases is associated with the electrophysiology’s features of the myocardial tissue of pulmonary veins (PVs), the most important of which is the tendency of this tissue to form ectopic automaticity

Abstract—Seasonal and age-related variability of the hippocampus in the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) was monitored in a natural population from Moscow oblast. Autumn-born animals were compared at three stages of their life cycle: in autumn (1–3 months old), during the winter decrease of brain weight (5–7 months old), and after the spring “growth spurt” (9–11 months old). The winter sample exhibited

Abstract—Coupling of EEG rhythms is an important indicator of the functional state of the human brain. There currently exist three theories explaining this coupling: (1) communication of neuronal populations, (2) neuronal coupling, and (3) coupling between generators of the frequencies being studied. It is known that the theta rhythm is associated with the functioning of cortico-hippocampal and al

AbstractIt has been shown that factor X activity determined in normal plasma using Aspergillus ochraceus protease is comparable with the activity determined with a commercial analogue, a protease from Russell’s viper venom (RVV-X®). It was revealed that the protease of A. ochraceus, along with the RVV-X® preparation, can be used to determine the content of factor X in the plasma with its reduced content

AbstractPhotosystem II (PSII) of higher plants provides photoinduced water oxidation and produces molecular oxygen as a by-product of this reaction followed by its release into the atmosphere. The oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) is located on the donor side of PSII and contains an Mn4CaO5 cluster catalyzing water oxidation. A cofactor of this reaction is a Ca2+ cation. Lanthanide ions are similar to

AbstractProlyl endopeptidase is involved in neurodegeneration, proliferation, neuroinflammation, and neuron differentiation. It has been observed that severity of the neurodegenerative process correlates with an increasing level of prolyl endopeptidase in the brain. According to recent research, prolyl endopeptidase might interact with prion-like proteins, which are believed to play the key role in

AbstractNon-denaturing fluorescent in situ hybridization (ND FISH) is a convenient method of cytogenetic research. Compared to the standard method, ND FISH is fast and easy to perform and requires less time, reagents, and tools. Thus, it is gaining increasing popularity among different groups of scientists and is used to accomplish various scientific tasks. However, when using this method to visualize

Abstract—Cultivation of diatom algae is associated with many problems, one of which concerns the contamination of cultures with various microorganisms. A representative of kinetoplastids, the free-living bacteriotroph Bodo saltans Ehrenberg, 1832, can often be found among contaminants. In the case when B. saltans reaches a high abundance, diatom cells cease to divide, some of them die, becoming a substrate

Abstract—The paper is a systematic review of using the pharmaceutical substance, Carnoy’s solution, to reduce the number of recurrences of such tumors as keratocystic odontogenic tumor and ameloblastoma. These are benign yet aggressive jaw tumors with a high percentage of recurrences (up to 60–80%). Surgical treatment of the above-described lesions can be performed using: (1) marsupialization (recurrence