Codon usage in the vertebrate hemoglobins and its implications

A study of codon usage in vertebrate hemoglobins revealed an evolutionary trend toward elevated numbers of CpG codon boundary pairs in mammalian hemoglobin alpha genes. Selection for CpG codon boundaries countering the generally observed CpG suppression is strongly suggested by these data. These observations parallel recently published experimental results that indicate that constitutive expression of the human alpha-globin gene appears to be determined by regulatory information encoded within the structural gene. The possibility is raised that, in the absence of selection, CpG decay can be used to date the evolutionary origin of a mammalian alpha pseudogene from its active alpha gene.      

Molecular identity,morphology and taxonomy of the Rhynchospio glutaea complex with a key to Rhynchospio species (Annelida,Spionidae)

Rhynchospio glutaea (Ehlers, 1897 Ehlers, E. 1897. Polychaeten. Ergebnisse der Hamburger Magalhaensischen Sammelreise 1892/93. L. Friederichsen & Co., Hamburg, Germany. [Google Scholar]), Rhynchospio arenincola Hartman, 1936 Hartman, O. 1936. New species of Spionidae (Annelida Polychaeta) from the coast of California. University of California Publications in Zoology 41, 45–52. [Google Scholar] and Rhynchospio arenincola asiatica Chlebovitsch, 1959 Chlebovitsch, V.V. 1959. Species of Polychaeta worms from the Kurile Islands, which are new or recorded for the first time in the USSR fauna. Zoologichesky Zhurnal 38, 167–181. [Google Scholar], originally described from Strait of Magellan, California, and South Kurile Islands respectively, appear similar to each other in adult morphology. These species and subspecies have been considered by some authors as subjective synonyms and are here referred to as members of the R. glutaea complex. Sequence data of four gene fragments (2465 bp in total) of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA, nuclear 18S and 28S rDNA, and Histone 3 have shown that R. glutaea complex individuals from the South West Atlantic (Argentina), North East Pacific (British Columbia and Oregon) and North West Pacific (South Korea) were genetically distant and not conspecific. These data also indicate that R. arenincola from North America and R. aff. asiatica from South Korea are more closely related to each other, and both are closer to R. glutaea from South America than to R. nhatrangi from Vietnam: nhatrangi (glutaea (arenincola-aff. asiatica)). Adults of the R. glutaea complex are hermaphrodites and the arrangement of gametes is suggested to be a crucial reproductive character for distinguishing these species. Based on this character, two species of the complex are apparent in the North West Pacific: R. asiatica Chlebovitsch, 1959 Chlebovitsch, V.V. 1959. Species of Polychaeta worms from the Kurile Islands, which are new or recorded for the first time in the USSR fauna. Zoologichesky Zhurnal 38, 167–181. [Google Scholar] stat. nov. from the Kurile Islands (not analysed here) and an unnamed species from the mainland coast of Asia (here referred to as R. aff. asiatica). Adult morphology of R. asiatica stat. nov. is briefly described and illustrated. The lectotype and the type locality of the species on Iturup Is. are established for the first time. An identification key is provided to the 10 currently recognized Rhynchospio species.     

Exon and Intron Variability in Salmonidae Growth Hormone Genes

Molecular Biology - Gene duplication is one of the main mechanisms of formation of new genetic material in evolution. The occurrence of a gene duplication is believed to relax selection pressure on...     

Alterations in diurnal sleep structure, electrical activity, and neurochemical parameters of the rat brain induced by systemic injection of complete Freund adjuvant and immunization by bovine serum albumin with complete Freund adjuvant

Investigations of the effects of animal immunization with immunogenesis stimulator Freund's adjuvant complete (alone or in combination with bovine serum albumin often used in control experiments) on brain electrical activity, sleep, and neurochemical parameters were carried out in male Wistar rats. It was shown that both injection of Freund's adjuvant complete alone (0.25 ml) and immunization with bovine serum albumin (2 mg/kg in 0.25 ml of saline) mixed with Freund's adjuvant complete (0.25 ml) led to an increase in the slow-wave and REM sleep. After injection of Freund's adjuvant alone, development of sleepiness was gradual and reached its maximum within 3-5 weeks, while after the combined treatment the alterations in the sleep structure became pronounced already 1 week after the first antigen injection and persisted at least for 5 weeks. Neurochemical analysis revealed no significant changes in the noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin content in striatum and frontal neocortex after the injection of Freund's adjuvant. After the combined treatment, the serotonin content in these structures decreased. After the Freund's adjuvant injection, the dynamics of changes in power spectra of the brain electrical activity of different brain structure in the state of quiet wakefulness was complicated. Increase in the slow-wave activity in the delta 1 range (1-2 Hz) in caudate putamen, basomedial nucleus of amygdala, and sensorimotor cortex was observed in the animals immunized with bovine serum albumin mixed with Freund's adjuvant complete 1 week after the antigen injection and later on during the whole observation period. This was probably associated with an adaptive increase in the functional activity of serotoninergic system.     

Specific features of the HIV infection epidemic in Moscow

Retrospective analysis of the epidemic of HIV infection in Moscow allowed to mark out two periods: the first--from 1987 to 1993 and the second one--from 1994 to 2000. The characteristic feature of the first period of the epidemic was the sexual transmission of the agent mainly among homosexuals; the most affected group were persons aged 20-39 years and the number of AIDS patient decreased with a simultaneous growth in lethality. During the second stage of the HIV infection epidemic changes in the prevailing transmission routes of the agent occurred: injection drug addicts took the leading role. Changes in the ratio of HIV-infected men and women took place along with active involvement of persons aged 13-18 years into the epidemic process. The established changes in the epidemiological situation require corrections in the strategy and tactics of epidemic control and prophylactic measures.     

On the "receptor" mechanism of the effect of biologically active substances in ultra low concentrations

On the basis of antioxidant (alpha-tocopherol and phenosan potassium salt) and peptide (thyroliberin) effects on the lipid peroxide oxidation (LPO) and lipid structural parameters of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes in wide concentration range (10(-20)-10(-4) mol/l) in vitro the possibility concerning a proposed role of "super-affine" receptors in the mechanism of biologically active substances (BAS) action in ultra low doses (ULD) is discussed. Because these substances modulate investigated processes in the membranes which have not ordinarily receptors the conclusion about availability of non-receptor component in the mechanism of BAS effect in ULD and a low probability of "super-affine" receptor existence has been done.     

Immunization of rats with bovine serum albumin conjugate with dopamine or 5-hydroxytryptamine prevents the development of experimental MPTP-induced depressive syndrome. An electrophysiological study

In electrophysiological experiments in Wistar rats it was shown that preventive immunization of animals with bovine serum albumin conjugated with dopamine or 5-hydroxytryptamine or with bovine serum albumin alone partly protects against the development of experimental MPTP-induced depressive syndrome. Signs of depressive-like state such as decrease in REM-sleep latency and the development of epileptiform activity in caudate putamen were not observed in immunized animals, whereas REM-sleep proportion in the total sleep structure was increased. Changes in the spectral characteristics of brain electric activity and sleep structure during development of experimental MPTP-induced syndrome in immunized rats are antigen-specific and reflect the functional shifts in neurotransmitter systems, both in those which are the target of the immune action and those sensitive to alterations in the immune state of a body.     

The effect of active immunization with a conjugate of dopamine and bovine serum albumin on the development of an experimental MPTP-induced depressive syndrome and on the monoamine metabolism in the brain of rats

Active immunization with dopamine conjugated with bovine serum albumin (DA-BSA) or BSA with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) partly suppressed the development of the MPTP-induced depressive syndrome in rats preventing the appearance of "behavioral despair" symptoms: increase in immobility time and higher index of depression in forced-swim test. In DA-BSA-immunized rats the content of DOPA, DA, HVA, NA, and 5-HN in caudate putamen and that of NA in the frontal cortex was increased, while in BSA-immunized rats the content of 5-HT in both brain areas and that of DOPAC in the frontal cortex was decreased both in rats with reduced depressive syndrome and in saline control as compared with intact animals a day after the last drug injection. In DA-BSA-immunized rats with reduced depressive syndrome the increase in DA and 5-HT content in caudate putamen was less expressed and DOPAC content was lower than in saline control. In BSA-immunized depressive rats DA content in the frontal cortex was also reduced as compared to control.     

Characteristics of the functioning of the cardio-respiratory system and autonomic regulation in para-athletes with spinal injury

The functional state in wheelchair basketball players with damage to the vertebral column in the area of T ₆-T ₁₀ and paraplegia was studied. The subjects were 26.6 ± 1.7 years old on average (n = 9). Control subjects were disabled persons who led an active life, with a mean age of 44.5 ± 2.6 years (n = 13), athletes with a mean age of 24.6 ± 1.3 years (n = 14), and healthy physically active men with a mean age of 24.9 ± 0.6 years (n = 15). In wheelchair athletes, the body length in the sitting posture, the respiratory volume, and the performance of respiratory tests were increased. These changes in the musculoskeletal apparatus and the systems providing autonomic regulation of motor activity may be regarded as adaptive modifications due to physical training. In the cardiovascular system of para-athletes and its autonomic regulation, attenuation of an increase in the diastolic arterial pressure value induced by injury and an elevation of sensitivity of arterial baroreflex, which had been decreased due to damage to the vertebral column, were observed. These data indicate compensatory processes adjusting the functioning of the cardiovascular system via the mechanisms of baroreflex regulation.