Cross-linking of Escherichia coli formamidopyrymidine-DNA glycosylase to DNA duplexes containing photoactivatable phenyl(trifluoromethyl)diazirine groups

New reactive analogs of substrates for DNA repair enzyme E. coli Fpg protein containing the residues of 8-oxoguanine and photoactivatable phenyl(trifluoromethyl)diazirine groups were synthesized. Their substrate properties were investigated. Using photocross-linking technique, we established the presence of contacts of two nucleosides located near the oxoG with amino acids from the Fpg protein. The cross-linking efficiency achieved 10%.     

Isolation and identification of the smallpox virus which caused iatrogenic vaccinia in children in the city of Vladivostok

The comparative study of the specimens of the morphological elements of exanthema obtained from 8 children with the clinical diagnosis of secondary exogenic vaccinia, dried smallpox vaccine and the cultures of other orthopoxviruses (rabbit pox, monkey pox and buffalo pox viruses) was made. The isolation and identification of the causative agents from the specimens was carried out with the use of modern virological, electron microscopic and molecular methods. The study proved the fact that 8 children had orthopoxvirus infection with its causative agent identified as vaccinia virus.     

Methorchiasis in the residents of Novosibirsk area, Russia

Infection with Methorchis bilis was recognized for the first time in the residents of Novosibirsk area (Russia). During a serological survey (37 patients in toto), it was possible to demonstrate that 48.5% of the serum samples tested possessed antibodies to Opisthorchis felineus antigens, 37.8% to both Opisthorchis felineus and Methorchis bilis antigens, and 13.5% to Methorchis bilis antigens only.     

Marine fungi in sediments of the Sea of Japan (Russian territory) and their biologically active metabolites

The most abundant marine fungi encountered in various regions of the Sea of Japan belong to the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, Wardomyces, Trichoderma, Chrysosporium, and Chaetomium. Facultative marine fungi of the genera Scytalidium, Verticillium, and Oidiodendron and obligate marine fungi of the genus Dendryphiella are much less abundant. The composition of marine sediments and the anthropogenic load on them were found to influence the abundance and species diversity of fungi, as well as the occurrence of fungal strains producing hemolytically active substances. The biodiversity of mycobiota and the abundance of hemotoxin-producing fungi in marine sediments may be used to evaluate the anthropogenic load on marine biocenoses. Hemolytic compounds were produced by 57% of the fungi isolated from marine sediments. The hemolytic activity of Chaetomium spiculipilium was revealed in the fraction of the culture liquid containing extracellular fatty acids and pigments. The fatty acid composition of this marine fungus was determined.     

Immunoenzyme method for detecting microbial producers of palytoxin

A competitive ELISA using the intact toxin as a coating antigen for detecting palytoxin was developed. This immunoassay allows palytoxin (PTX) to be determined in the range of 6-250 ng/ml. In sensitivity, this determination is comparable with RIA but is three times inferior to ELISA using monoclonal antibodies. Inhibition experiments using some toxins of marine invertebrates proved the serological specificity of the palytoxin binding to antibodies. Both the indirect and competitive ELISA were used to find PTX-producing bacteria among 420 isolates of sea bacteria. It was found that gram-negative bacteria Aeromonas sp. and Vibrio sp. associated with toxic samples of the soft coral Palythoa sp. produced compounds antigenically related to PTX.     

Mouse centromeric tandem repeats in silico and in situ

The search for all sequences containing centromeric (CEN) minor satellite (MiSat) or pericen-tromeric (periCEN) mouse major satellite (MaSat) was conducted in the whole genome shotgun (WGS) database. The sequences were checked for the presence of the known dispersed repeats using the Censor software. The presence of tandem repeats was tested using Tandem Repeat Finder (TRF). Monotonous MiSat and MaSat arrays and MaSat to MiSat array transitions were detected. Moreover, two other types of contacts were revealed: (1) MiSat transition to fragments of retroelements LINE and IAP (ERV family, intracisternal A-type particles), mainly to ORF2 and 5′-LTR containing elements; (2) MaSat transition to two tandem repeats with monomers 21 bp and 31 bp in size. The presence of the MiSat/IAP transition could be checked experimentally. The common DNA motif among the IAP fragments close to MiSat was isolated. IAP-specific primers were constructed and the fragments obtained in PCR with IAP and MiSat primers compiled the plasmid vector library. Clone n51 with the maximum length of the possible insertion (∼no. 800 bp) was selected from the library. FISH on extended chromatin fibers (fiberFISH) carried out on the n51 clone demonstrated that the main signal definitely belonged to CEN. However, the signals on the chromosome arms were also detected that could be due to the partial homology of n51 to the dispersed repeats. The duplicated fiberFISH with MiSat and n51 allowed to measure the distances between the fragments. The previously obtained MS3 sequence has some homology to IAP and CEN localization. Accordingly, the regular associations of MiSat with IAP retroelements were shown in silico and in situ. Together with the published data, the present findings suggest that retroelements or their fragments may be essential components of the normal centromere of higher eukaryotes.     

Thermal stability of lactate dehydrogenase in the complex with the anion polyelectrolyte poly(styrene sulfonate)

The temperature stability of the cytoplasmic enzyme of the glycolysis of lactate dehydrogenase from a pig muscle (isoenzyme M4) in a complex with the anion polyelectrolyte poly(styrenesulfonate) has been investigated by the methods of adiabatic differential scanning microcalorimetry, the own protein fluorescence, and circular dichroism. Calorimetric investigations of complex of lactate dehydrogenase with poly(styrenesulphonate) in 50 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 have shown that the temperature of the transition and enthalpy of lactate dehydrogenase thermal denaturation sharply decreases with growing weight ratio poly(styrenesulphonate)/lactate dehydrogenase, though at 20 degrees C the enzyme activity of lactate dehydrogenase remains unchanged for several hours irrespective of the addition of poly(styrenesulphonate). The addition of phosphate ions to the solution enhances the resistance of lactate dehydrogenase to both thermal denaturation and inactivation by polyelectrolyte. The data obtained are interpreted from the viewpoint of a special role of two anion-binding centers in intersubunits contacts of lactate dehydrogenase, which enhance its resistance to both thermal denaturation and destruction by polyelectrolyte.     

化学结构与生物活性:N-取代氨基甲酸乙酯的合成与驱蚊活性

用氯甲酸乙醇与不同的胺类反应,合成了一系列取代氨基甲酸乙酯类化合物。用埃及伊蚊(`Aedes aegypti`` L.)进行驱避活性测定,所得结果表明,N-一元取代化合物的效果,以K-1023较明显。在N,N-二元取代化合物中,以K-1065的效果最好。一些化合物的分配系数与驱避比值的对数值之间,大致有一条直线关系,分配系数低时,驱避比值大致要高一些。在所测化合物的红外强吸收峰波数与驱避比值,看不出有相关性。     

Adult human retinal pigment epithelial cells - a potential source of cells for regeneration retina

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) arises from neuroectoderm and plays a key role in support of photoreceptor functions. Several degenerative eye diseases, such as macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa, are associated with impaired RPE function that may lead to photoreceptor loss and blindness. RPE cell culture derived from adult human eyes autopsy could be an important source for transplantation to cure such retinal degenerative diseases. RPE cells subsequent isolation and maintenance in culture are described. Besides the results of immunocytochemical analysis that characterizes dedifferentiated state of cultured adult human RPE cells are given. Our findings demonstrate that mature human RPE cells have the capacity to express neural markers in response to conditions that promote dedifferentiation.