Laccase-mediator systems and their applications: a review

The mechanism of operation of laccase-mediator systems (LMSs) in xenobiotic degradation mediated by "true" redox mediators and laccase enhancing agents is considered. Structural formulae of most common laccase mediators and compounds that can be used as agents enhancing the enzyme operation are presented. Examples of LMS application in biotechnology are described.     

Transthyretin gene V30M,H90N,and (del9) mutations in cardiomyopathy patients from St. Petersburg

A search of transthyretin (TTR) gene mutations was performed in patients with cardiomyopathies from St. Petersburg. Mutations H90N, V30M and deletion (del9) of nucleotides GACTTCTCC in position 6776 from the start codon of the TTR gene (in position 98782 according to reference sequence AC079096 (NCBI) was found. The H90N mutation in the third exon of TTR gene was detected in a son of a cardiomyopathy patient and in his mother, which lacked any clinical manifestations. Mutation V30M in exon 2 of TTR gene was found in heterozygous in one of the probands. Deletion (del9) was revealed in a patient with cardiomyopathy and in his two daughters from different marriages, who had no clinical manifestations of the disease. All the mutations revealed in this study were previously identified in other populations.     

The influence of ionizing radiation of high intensity on the viability of Escherichia coli bacteria, cultivated in the salt buffer without nutrient additions

The influence of 60Co gamma-ray radiation of high intensity (85 Gy/min) on the viability of E. coli B/r and E. coli BS-1 bacteria, cultivated in salt buffer with the concentration about 10(8) cells/ml, was studied. It was determined that under the doses, which induce about 80% of death of the cells, the irradiated bacteria, just like the intact cells, die during the incubation processes, while under the doses induced the death of cells above 95%, the cells viability of the both strains increases and reaches the constant value by the byhend 2nd-5th days of incubation in these conditions. In the result of the differences of the reactions of the intact and irradiated with different doses of radiation microorganisms on the incubation during their postradiational period in the phosphate buffer we have the fact of the absence of the dependence of the effect from the dose, or the decreasing of the consequences of the radiation under the increasing of the dose of the radiation. The nature of this phenomenology while stays not understood.     

The effect of the coded amino acids on meso- and ectodermal tissue development in organotypic culture

The effect of L-amino acids was investigated in organotypic tissue culture ofmesodermal tissue (spleen, myocardium) and ectodermal tissue (brain cortex) in mature rats. The low hydrophobic amino acids: asparagine, hystidine, serine, lysine, arginine and glutamine acid, induced the proliferation stimulation. The high hydrophobic amino acids had both the apoptose effect (spleen) and no effect at all (myocardium). The proliferation stimulation occurred in the ectodermal tissue under the effect of the high hydrophobic amino acids (asparagines acid, valine, threonine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine), whereas the low hydrophobic amino acids had no effect on the nervous tissue development. The combination of two amino acids one of which stimulated and another one inhibited the explant growth zone (or was not active in myocardium) lead to an increase of the stimulatory effect in meso- and ectodermal tissue. The amino acid modulated properties can be taken in consideration in synthesis of new regulatory peptides.