Epidemiological situation on tularemia in the regions of Stavropol Territory affected by flood

The data obtained in the analysis of the epidemiological situation in tularemia in the zone of inundation in the Stavropol Territory in 2002 are presented. The current systematic epidemiological surveillance, as well as the data of urgent epizootological and epidemiological survey in the zone of inundation permitted the objective prognostication of the situation in tularemia and formed the basis for the rational planning and realization of prophylactic measures.     

Genetic control of embryo lethality in crosses between common wheat and rye

The phenotypic manifestation and genetic control of embryo lethality observed in crosses between common wheat and rye were studied. It was found that crosses between common wheat and inbred self-fertile rye lines L2 and 535 gave rise to ungerminating grains, in which the development and differentiation of the hybrid embryo are arrested. Study of the degree of embryo development in the hybrid grains obtained by crossing common wheat varieties with inbred rye lines L2 and 535 showed that genotypes of the parents affected the ratio between undifferentiated embryos of various sizes. Analysis of this trait was performed by test crosses according to a novel pedigree program with the use of interlinear hybrids and a set of fourth-generation hybrid recombinant inbred lines. Rye line L2 was shown to bear the Eml (Embryo lethality) gene, which terminates the development of the hybrid embryo in amphihaploids. The suggestion of complementary interaction between wheat and rye genes during formation of a "n ew" character in wheat-rye F1 hybrids is discussed. A method of detecting an allele not complementary to the rye Eml allele in wheat is proposed. The proposed test program allows appropriate study of the system of wheat and rye genes involved in complementary interaction in the genotype of a distant hybrid.     

Provision of nestboxes raises the breeding density of Great Tits Parus major equally in coniferous and deciduous woodland

Nestbox provision is a technique used to increase nest-site availability for secondary cavity-nesting birds. However, little is known about the demographic consequences of nestbox provision in different habitat types. To assess how nestbox provision affects the density of hole-nesting birds simultaneously in two contrasting habitats, we compared the breeding density of Great Tits along transects without nestboxes with that in transects where nestboxes were provided. Although the initial density of breeders was considerably higher in the deciduous habitat than in the coniferous habitat, provision of nestboxes increased density by a similar number of additional pairs in each habitat type. Thus, the provision of nestboxes in managed coniferous forests may be as effective in increasing the breeding opportunities of cavity nesters as in deciduous stands. Moreover, previous research showed that pairs in deciduous habitat with nestboxes have consistently lower breeding success than those in coniferous habitat with nestboxes. It is possible that the addition of nestboxes in the preferred habitat increased density to such an extent that density-dependent effects became apparent.     

The Effect of Parental Genotypes of Rye Lines on the Development of Quantitative Traits in Primary Octoploid Triticale: Spike Fertility

The number of seeds and seed setting in the main spike were studied in primary octoploid triticale obtained from crosses between the common wheat cultivar Chinese Spring and 66 inbred rye lines. In some rye lines, the mutations of self-fertility were identified in the S, Z, or T incompatibility loci. The number of seeds was determined under controlled self-pollination of the main spike. In the set of triticale examined, each trait exhibited high variation. Hence, the rye lines were suggested to carry gene alleles both increasing and decreasing these traits in triticale. All the traits studied were significantly influenced by environmental conditions. Ten triticale lines were identified, which had the largest seed setting under self-pollination. Seven out of ten samples with the high number of seeds carried mutations in the Tlocus and in the three samples, the unidentified self-fertility mutations were present. The triticale lines with mutations in theS and Z loci displayed much lower self-fertility on average. The ways and means of identifying and mapping the rye gene responsible for distinctions between the triticale quantitative traits are discussed.     

Gene typing of infectious tularemia strains isolated from the Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories

The typing of F. tularensis strains by four variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) loci has been carried out. Among the strains isolated in the Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories seven genotypes have been detected and their spread in different natural foci has been analyzed. The data thus obtained suggest that the VNTR analysis may become an important instrument for studying the structure of the natural foci of tularemia and evolutionary relationships between individual areas of these foci.     

The European Renal Genome Project: An Integrated Approach Towards Understanding the Genetics of Kidney Development and Disease

Rapid progress in genome research creates a wealth of information on the functional annotation of mammalian genome sequences. However, as we accumulate large amounts of scientific information we are facing problems of how to integrate and relate the data produced by various genomic approaches. Here, we propose the novel concept of an organ atlas where diverse data from expression maps to histological findings to mutant phenotypes can be queried, compared and visualized in the context of a three-dimensional reconstruction of the organ. We will seek proof of concept for the organ atlas by elucidating genetic pathways involved in development and pathophysiology of the kidney. Such a kidney atlas may provide a paradigm for a new systems-biology approach in functional genome research aimed at understanding the genetic bases of organ development, physiology and disease.Key Words: EuReGene, kidney, genome, development, pathophysiology, genetics