Congruence analysis and combining of molecular genetic and morphological data in zoological systematics

A new algorithmic approach is proposed for congruence analysis of different types of data in zoological systematics. The algorithm is tested on actual data. A high degree of congruence is shown for morphometric and genetic distances in the tested set of species. Two directions of variation in both trait spaces have clearly appeared. The first direction discriminates families; the second discriminates orders. The traits responsible for these differences have been revealed. After uniting both distance matrixes, the morphological one and the molecular genetic one, into a single matrix, and displaying the summarized distances between species on a plane, the configuration of species remained principally unchanged. The principal directions of variations were preserved and marked the differences between orders, families, and genera.     

Investigation of mechanisms of interaction between inulinase from Kluyveromyces marxianus and the matrices of ion-exchange resins and fiber

It is established that ion exchange resins AV-17-2P, KU-2, AV-16-GS, AM 21A, IMAC-HP, PUROLITE and fiber VION KN-1 can be applied as carriers for inulinase immobilization. The analysis of IR spectra for an enzyme, carriers and heterogeneous enzyme preparations showed that inulinase binding to matrices of various carriers occurs in general through electrostatic interactions. It is assumed that the mechanisms of interaction between inulinase from Kluyveromyces marxianus and the matrices of cation and anion exchange polymers differ essentially from each other: different sites of protein molecule take part in adsorption that causes various conformational reorganizations in an enzyme molecule.     

Hydrolytic activity of bovine tryptophanyl-tRNA-synthetase cause by removal of Zn2+

Bovine tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (E.C.6.1.1.2) lacking Zn2+ ions removed by chelation with phosphonate analog of P1,P4-bis-(5'-adenosyl)tetraphosphate (Ap4A) was obtained (E-Zn). E-Zn lost the ability to form tryptophanyl adenylate, however it hydrolyses ATP to ADP and further on to AMP and Pi. GTP serves as a substrate with Km approximately 0.6 mM. It is proposed that the hydrolysable nucleotides bind to a nucleotide binding site(s) distinguishable from the substrate (catalytic) ones. After incubation of E-Zn with Zn2+ and Mg2+ the initial catalytic activity (ATP-PPi exchange and amino-acylation reactions) is restored whereas the hydrolytic activity becomes fully suppressed.     

Age and chromosome nondisjunction]

The parental age in 77 families of Down syndrome (DS) children with the known origin of extra chromosome 21 and in 12 families of DS children resulting from de novo translocation (more probable than not in 2 meiotic division) was studied. It was shown that when nondisjunction occurred in the 1st meiotic division, both in oogenesis (n = 30) and spermatogenesis (n = 12), mean parental ages and age distributions were different from that of control (400 couples with normal children). The mean age and age distribution were found to differ from control when nondisjunction occurred in the 2nd meiotic division of oogenesis (n = 19). On the basis of our information and the previously published data, lack of the effect of parental age on chromosome segregation in the Ist meiosis may be inferred. It is chromatid disjunction in the 2nd meiosis which is more probably age-dependent. The reasons preventing elucidation of real associations are under debate.     

Distributive pairing of chromosomes and aneuploidy in man]

The up-to-date state of human cytogenetics allows to turn back to hypothesis of distributive pairing as a strongly fruitful for resolving a number of problems concerning etiology of chromosome aneuploidy. Distributive pairing could account for such phenomena as: 1. Prevalence of nondisjunction (ND) in the first meiosis, compared with the second; 2. Excess of males among children with the Down syndrome; 3. Recurrent cases of aneuploidy, including aneusomies for different chromosomes; 4. Appearance of individuals with double aneusomies; 5. High recurrent risk for young parents; 6. Increased chance of ND for chromosomes not involved in rearrangement in carriers of balanced translocations; 7. Increased frequency of ND of autosomes in individuals with quantitative and structural sex chromosome anomalies; 8. The role of heterochromatic regions in ND; 9. Increased frequency of spontaneous abortions in couples having children with chromosome anomalies and in persons with unusual heterochromatic variants. The hypothesis could predict: 1. Essential contribution of errors in gonial cells to the origin of aneuploidy; 2. Important role of the factors influencing the prophase; 3. The possibility of offering forecast for sex chromosome anomalies rate on the basis of trisomy 21 rate, due to the fact that both autosomal and gonosomal aneuploidies have to be induced by the same factors.     

Changes in the form and ultrastructure of the smooth-muscle cells in the human aorta in prenatal ontogeny]

The shape of smooth muscle cells (SMC) was analysed using the phase contrast microscopy of cell suspensions obtained by alcohol-alkali dissociation, as well as the semithin sections prepared in perpendicular planes. The phenotype of SMC was analysed using transmission electron microscopy. The shape of SMC changes from preferentially round to preferentially spindle-like and stellate one during development. The differentiation of SMC is accompanied with the increase in the contractile apparatus content and in the decrease in the content of synthetic organelles.     

Application of Chitosan in Veterinary Vaccine Production

Probability-based surveys of the application of chitosan succinate as an adjuvant added to the vaccine against animal necrobacteriosis have been performed. The addition of 3.7% chitosan succinate (MM 330 kDa) to the standard-dose vaccine formulation could contribute to improvement of the vaccine immunogenicity, as measured by the hemagglutination test (HA): 1 : 512 as compared to 1 : 128 in the control range. The use of 0.5-% chitosan succinate solution as a protective medium for drying in the production of a dried inactivated vaccine against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis could ensure the preservation of the biopreparation’s high immunogenic activity. Chitosan succinate was shown to have quite good solubility in water, allowing the possible use of saline solution to reconstitute the vaccine into the suspension for injection and to abandon expensive solvents.     

Synthesis and secretion of bacterial alpha-amylase by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Alpha-amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, synthesized in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae without substitution of the signal sequence, is efficiently secreted from yeast cells: 60-70% of the overall amount of the enzyme is found in the culture fluid. In contrast to many yeast secretory proteins, which accumulate in the periplasmic space and in the cell wall, intracellular alpha-amylase is localized mainly in the cytoplasm. Obviously, transfer across the cell wall is not a rate-limiting step in alpha-amylase export from the cell. The glycosylated forms of proteins are predominantly found both inside the cell and in the culture medium.