<Emphasis Type="Italic">CYP2E1</Emphasis> gene polymorphism and ovarian cancer risk in the Yakut population

The CYP2E1 gene polymorphism has been studied in Yakut women with ovarian cancer and without cancer. The two groups have been found to substantially differ in the frequency of the CYP2E1*1D allele (with a 96-bp insertion in the promoter region of the gene): it is more frequent in healthy women (16.3 versus 7.4%, P = 0.007).     

Application of chemiluminescent methods in biochemical investigations

The review of modern luminescent methods of research, their prospects and potentialities of practical application in biological researches is presented. Special attention is given to the study of dynamics of the processes of peroxide oxidation and to activity of the enzymes of antioxidant protection in biological systems using the chemiluminescent methods, and also to their use in experimental oncology and radiobiology.     

Multielectron Oxidation of Water in a Chemical Model of the Active Center of Photosystem II of Natural Photosynthesis

Doklady Biochemistry and Biophysics -     

Preparation and Properties of Nanoparticles,tRNA–Bivalent Metal Cation (Me<Superscript>2+</Superscript>) Complexes,and Prospects of Their Practical Use

The patterns of formation of RNA nanoparticles (NPs) during thermal cycling of bacterial total tRNA in the presence of cations Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, and Cu²⁺ were studied. The optimal conditions for the production of NPs were found, and it was revealed that their size depends on the ratio of the concentrations of Me²⁺ and tRNA. The concentration of reagents for obtaining NPs of small size (from 5 to 100 nm) was selected. It was shown that tRNA-based nanoparticles can comprise short (20–50 nt) ribooligonucleotides, including aptamers and siRNAs. The stability of NPs during storage in buffer solutions of various composition was studied. It was found that the initial suspensions of NPs are quite stable, but they are rapidly destroyed in PBS buffer (pH 7.4). A simple and effective stabilizer (polyarginine) was found, the additives of which ensure the preservation of nanoparticles in PBS buffer for more than 5 h. Nanoparticles modified with the stabilizer are resistant to blood serum nucleases and can be used for transfection.     

Polymorphism of angiotensinogen T174M gene and cardiovascular diseases in the Moscow population]

The groups of patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and hypertrophy of the left ventricle (HLV) (n = 45 and n = 53, respectively) and a sample of healthy individuals from the Moscow population (n = 60) were examined for T174M polymorphism of AGT gene (replacement of methionine for threonine at position 174 of the correspondent amino acid sequence). In MI patients the content of TT genotypes and T allele was significantly lower than in the control group (57.8% against 80% and 67.9 against 89.2%, respectively), whereas the proportion of M allele and TM heterozygotes was increased (32.1 against 10.8% and 37.8 against 18.3%, respectively). In patients with HLV, the proportion of TT genotype (64.2%) and T allele (77.4%) was also lower than in the control group, whereas the frequency of M allele was increased (22.6%). Our results suggest that the T174M polymorphism of AGT gene is associated with MI and HLV in the Moscow population.     

Changes of the dehydrogenase activity in the hippocampus in the korazol-induced kindling phenomenon

The activity of glutamate, succinate, malate and lactate dehydrogenases in neuronal and glial hippocampal cells during corazol kindling has been cytophotometrically assessed in the experiments on (CBA X C57BL/6)F1 mice. The kindling was induced by regular intraperitoneal corazol injections in subliminal dose of 30 mg/kg. Histochemical investigations were performed 30 min, 24 hours and 30 days after the corazol injections were discontinued. The changes in the enzymatic activity revealed suggest the biphasic nature of the disturbances in energy metabolism. During the first phase (24 hours after the last injection) the enzymatic changes do not have a noticeable influence on the predominant aerobic type of oxidation. In the second phase (30 days after the last injection) lactate dehydrogenase activity significantly increases, while the activity of other enzymes under study reduces.     

Extracellular ribonuclease from Bacillus pumilus]

The extracellular ribonuclease (RNAse Bp) was isolated from the cultural medium filtrate of Bacillus pumilus by ammonium sulfate precipitation and two stages of ion-exchange chromatography on carboxymethyl- and phospho-cellulose columns. The amino acid composition and N-terminal amino acid residue have been determined. The kinetic parameters of cleavage reaction of synthetic polynucleotides have been measured. According to their structural homology RNAse Bp has been shown to be similar to RNAses Ba and Bi. Catalytic properties of the enzyme are very close to RNAse Bi.     

Extracellular alkaline ribonuclease of Bacillus thuringiensis var. subtoxicus]

Intraspecific selection of Bacillus thuringiensis strains producing extracellular alkaline ribonucleases was carried out. Subtoxicus subspecies with increased expression of the enzyme was detected. A method was developed to isolate preparative amounts of homogeneous extracellular RNase of B. thuringiensis var. subtoxicus. The physico-chemical and catalytic properties of the enzyme was studied and compared with extracellular RNases of others Bacillus species. The conclusion about the structural and evolutional conservation of Bacillus extracellular RNases was drawn.