The possible contribution of late pleistocene biota to biodiversity in present permafrost zone

During the last decade a wide range of biological objects, which have preserved their viability for tens and hundreds of thousands of years, was found in the samples of permafrost sediments from North-East Eurasia. Among them are bacteria, fungi, algae, moss spores, seeds of higher plants, protists. Along with physiological mechanisms of cryoconservation and constant low temperature of great importance for long-term preservation of biological objects in permafrost layers are ways of burying the organisms and conditions that prevail before the transition of sediments to the permafrost state. The analysis of viability showed by preserved biological objects gives reasons to suppose that some representatives of Pleistocene biota buried in permafrost thickness may contribute to the biodiversity of present cryolite zone.     

Determination of iron in saccharomycete yeasts by the dipyridyl method

Iron content in intact yeast cells without their incineration or disintegration can be determined using 2,2'-dipyridyl.     

Entification of the Rubella virus genotype 1H in Western Siberia

Molecular epidemiological study of novel strain of Rubella virus isolated during the outbreak in Western Siberia in 2004 was described. Detailed phylogenetic analysis performed based upon entire SP-region, which encodes all three Rubella structural proteins (C, E2, and E1), was implemented. This analysis provides characterization of this strain and classifies it as 1H genotype, thereby correcting previous classification of this strain based upon shorter nucleotide sequence, only encoding E1 protein. Therefore, this study identified the genotype of the Rubella virus not previously detected in Western Siberia (and even entire Russian Federation), which highlights the importance of more extensive characterization of genetic variability of the Rubella virus, especially with regard to potential influence of vaccination on the Rubella virus mutagenesis.     

Synthesis and immunological properties of the peptide fragment of the hepatitis B virus envelope preS-protein]

We have synthesized the 24-41 fragment of the preS region of the hepatitis B (subtype ayw) envelope. The peptide was prepared by the solid phase synthesis on perfluoropoly-ethylene polymer grafted with polystyrene. The peptide chain was elongated from C-terminus using pentafluorophenyl- and p-nitrophenyl esters of Boc-amino acids. The peptide was cleaved off the solid phase by HBr in CF3COOH, purified by gel filtration, and, after conjugation with serum albumin (BSA), inoculated into mice. The resultant antibodies were shown to react with the peptide. The blood sera from patients with acute hepatitis B reacted with the peptide-BSA conjugates in the immunoenzymic solid phase assay.     

On the similarity in the effects of different cryopreservation conditions on the growth and development of plants

The morphological characteristics of 35 wild plant species were studied after freezing of seeds under the conditions of deep, fast, and programmed freezing (-196 degrees C) and non-deep freezing (-10 degrees C). The seeds were stored frozen for a month. The seeds of all the species were characterized by a low humidity. The field and laboratory seed germination capacity, leaf growth, the quantity and length of shoots, the quantity of generative organs, and the variability of these characteristics were studied. It was shown that the direction of changes under different cooling conditions was the same except for the laboratory germination capacity of some species. The direction was determined by the species features rather than cooling conditions.