Species-specific features of the protein patterns of diploid cotton seeds with A and D genomes and of some amphidiploids

Differences between species were revealed in electrophoretic patterns of seed proteins of various diploid cotton species with A and D genomes and some amphidiploids. Reference spectra and electrophoretic formulas were compiled for representatives of diploid and amphidiploid species, and the electrophoretic spectra were visually evaluated. They would allow identification of various cotton species, varieties, and lines. Homology between cotton species was estimated from the results of electrophoretic protein studies. The homology between species of a single genome group was shown to be closer than between species belonging to different genome groups.     

Regulation of phenol oxidase activity with sulfur dioxide as the base for production of high-quality instant green tea

The possibility to regulate phenoloxidase activity with sulfur dioxide was studied. It was found that this compound is a potent inhibitor of phenoloxidase of the reversible and mixed type. The inhibitory effect of sulfur dioxide on phenoloxidase provided grounds for a new biotechnological approach to the production of instant green tea. This approach allows increasing the yield of the extractive and the proportion of phenolics in the extractive, thereby improving the organoleptic quality of the product.     

The use of RAPD and ITE molecular markers to study genetical structure of the Crimean population of Triticum boeoticum Boiss

Wild wheat Triticum boeoticum Boiss. is the rare species are included in the Red Book of Ukraine. This species are reducing the magnitude of population and the area of distribution under anthropogenic activity. We studied genetic structure of two populations of T. boeoticum, located on Sapun Mountain and in Baidar Valley in Crimea. According RAPD and ITE molecular analysis we have estimated that the population of T. boeoticum on Sapun Mountain is genetically more impoverished than a population from the Baidar Valley. For preservation of maximal natural genetic polymorphism of the rare species it is recommended to direct efforts to preservations of a population of T. boeoticum from the Baidar Valley.     

Effects of optokinetic stimulation on motor asymmetry in the goldfish

In goldfish fries, we examined the effect of the optomotor reaction (drive to swim toward moving images of vertical dark bars) on the behavioral motor asymmetry. Contralateral optokinetic stimulation of fishes (rotation of the bars against the direction preferred by fishes in their turnings) gradually smoothed and, later on, inverted the motor asymmetry, while the asymmetry underwent no modifications in the case of ipsilateral optokinetic stimulation (rotation of the bars in the direction similar to that preferred for turnings). Contralateral optokinetic stimulation also induced long-lasting inversion of the motor asymmetry of immobilized fishes deprived of the possibility to follow the movement of bar images. Ipsilateral optokinetic stimulation of fishes with the enucleation of the ipsilateral eye enhanced their motor asymmetry, while contralateral stimulation either did not modify the motor asymmetry of such individuals or inverted this feature. These data agree with the concept that, in fishes, one eye dominates and more actively provides tracking of the movement of bars, while another eye is a subdominant one. In general, we first found that the use of specific visual stimulation allows one to modify for a long time the behavioral motor asymmetry of the fishes, which, as is known, correlates with the morphofunctional asymmetry of Mauthner neurons (MNs). Visual information that activates MNs influences mostly the ventral dendrites of these neurons; thus, our findings allow us to believe that stimulations, which initiate the optomotor reaction, can serve as an adequate physiological model of natural visual stimulation of MNs (with projection of the respective influences on the ventral dendrites of the above cells). The use of such an experimental paradigm opens up new possibilities for studies of the role of these dendrites in the functions of MNs and of the plasticity of morphofunctional organization of these cells. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 133–145, March–April, 2007.     

Acidobacteria in Fens: Phylogenetic Diversity and Genome Analysis of the Key Representatives

Microbiology - Acidobacteriota are one of the major prokaryotic groups in soils and peatlands. They are especially abundant in acidic peat bogs, where representatives of the well-characterized...     

Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle-Based Interdigitated Electrodes: A Novel Current to Voltage DNA Biosensor Recognizes E. coli O157:H7

Nanoparticle-mediated bio-sensing promoted the development of novel sensors in the front of medical diagnosis. In the present study, we have generated and examined the potential of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) crystalline nanoparticles with aluminium interdigitated electrode biosensor to specifically detect single-stranded E.coli O157:H7 DNA. The performance of this novel DNA biosensor was measured the electrical current response using a picoammeter. The sensor surface was chemically functionalized with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) to provide contact between the organic and inorganic surfaces of a single-stranded DNA probe and TiO₂ nanoparticles while maintaining the sensing system’s physical characteristics. The complement of the target DNA of E. coli O157:H7 to the carboxylate-probe DNA could be translated into electrical signals and confirmed by the increased conductivity in the current-to-voltage curves. The specificity experiments indicate that the biosensor can discriminate between the complementary sequences from the base-mismatched and the non-complementary sequences. After duplex formation, the complementary target sequence can be quantified over a wide range with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10^-13M. With target DNA from the lysed E. coli O157:H7, we could attain similar sensitivity. Stability of DNA immobilized surface was calculated with the relative standard deviation (4.6%), displayed the retaining with 99% of its original response current until 6 months. This high-performance interdigitated DNA biosensor with high sensitivity, stability and non-fouling on a novel sensing platform is suitable for a wide range of biomolecular interactive analyses.     

茧蜂病毒调控寄主细胞的NF-κB信号通路

多分DNA病毒(Polydnaviruses,PDVs)是寄生蜂的共生病毒。已有研究报道PDVs能感染寄主血细胞并有特异性表达,但是,哪些病毒的DNA片段能进入寄主细胞,并参与调控NF-κB信号通路仍然还不清楚。本研究结果初步表明,在双斑侧沟茧蜂病毒(Microplitis bicoloratus bracovirus,MbBV)感染细胞后24 h能导致细胞凋亡,vank86、vank92、ptp109病毒基因片段均能在被感染后的Spli221(斜纹夜蛾)、Sf9(草地贪夜蛾)、High Five(粉纹夜蛾)细胞的DNA中检测到,但转录水平有差异。进一步对这3个基因与NF-κB调控的下游抗菌肽基因(attacin、defensin)和免疫基因酚氧化酶原激活酶(ppA3)的相互关系研究发现:在病毒感染Spli221、Sf9、High Five细胞24 h后,检测到Spli221细胞中attacin、defensin、ppA3的转录本,attacin基因显著下调;过表达Vank86、Vank92、PTP109的Spli221细胞,由LPS刺激后检测到只表达单个病毒蛋白的Spli221细胞中的attacin、defensin、ppA3的m RNA表达水平无显著变化。研究初步揭示了MbBV病毒感染Spli221细胞后抑制NF-κB信号通路,但单个病毒蛋白不能抑制NF-κB信号通路,实验结果为进一步深入研究多个病毒基因的共同作用及其在害虫生物防治中的应用打下了基础。