Analysis of gene complexes predisposing to coronary atherosclerosis

The following seven polymorphic marker loci of genes responsible for predisposition to coronary atherosclerosis (CAS) were studied: the ACE locus responsible for angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism for the presence or absence of the Alu insertion in the gene; the F13, PLAT, and APOA1 loci, controlling the clotting factor 13, plasminogen-activating tissue factor, and apolipoprotein A, respectively; the MTHFR and AGT polymorphic loci responsible for point mutations in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and those in angiotensinogen, respectively, and the NOS3 locus controlling the number of tandem repeats in the nitric oxide synthase gene. These loci are located on different chromosomes and encode products involved into various metabolic pathways leading to CAS. In the populations studied, significant differences between healthy subjects and patients predisposed to cardiovascular diseases were revealed with regard to the above seven markers. The 174M allele (T174M polymorphism in the ACE gene) was significantly associated with coronary atherosclerosis. It was found that specific gene combinations are involved in the CAS development and determine variation in the pathogenetically important quantitative traits.     

Molecular characteristics of diverse populations are consistent with the hypothesis of a recent invasion of Drosophila melanogaster by mobile P elements

Approximately 100 strains derived from natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster were tested for the presence or absence of P- element sequences by using two molecular probes derived from internal regions of a full-sized P element. Strains that had been collected from several continents at varying times during the past 60 years were examined. The oldest available strains, representing most major geographical regions of the world, exhibited no detectable hybridization to the P-element probes. In contrast, all recently collected natural populations that were tested carried P-element sequences. The earliest appearance of P elements occurred in collections made during the 1950s and early 1960s in the Americas and during the late 1960s on other continents. The youngest strains that were completely devoid of P elements originated in populations sampled during the mid-1960s in America, but as late as 1974 in populations from the USSR. There are differences in the patterns of hybridization to the two P-element probes between populations from different geographical regions. These differences are consistent with the varying P-M phenotypic properties of these populations. Taken together with the results of phenotypic tests reported in earlier studies, the available evidence is consistent with the hypothesis of a worldwide P-element invasion of D. melanogaster during the past 30 years and suggests that the putative invasion of the Americas possibly preceded by approximately a decade that in Europe, Africa, and the rest of the world.      

Mitochondrial control-region sequences in two shorebird species, the turnstone and the dunlin, and their utility in population genetic studies

We determined the mitochondrial control-region sequences of five turnstones (Arenaria interpres) and three dunlins (Calidris alpina). Comparisons revealed that the central part (part II) is conserved relative to much more variable parts at the beginning (part I) and the end (part III). This pattern of sequence conservation is also found in the control regions of other vertebrates. The average sequence divergence between turnstone and dunlin was 21.8% for part I, 7.5% for part II, and 29.5% for part III. Within-species sequence divergence over the entire control region was much lower, at 0.9% for turnstones and 2.0% for dunlins. In both shorebird species, part III contains a repetitive sequence composed only of A and C nucleotides, which has not been found in the control regions of other birds. A survey of the part I sequences of 25 turnstones and 25 dunlins sampled around the world revealed that these species have very different population genetic structures. Dunlins are not only much more differentiated in their sequences but also have a strongly subdivided population genetic structure. Pleistocene vicariant events combined with strong natal philopatry and high mutation rates of the sequences are likely responsible for this population genetic subdivision. Conversely, part I sequences of turnstones are weakly differentiated and are geographically unstructured. We argue that this is not the result of global gene flow but that, instead turnstones have recently expanded from a refugial population that was bottlenecked.      

Nuclear mtDNA pseudogenes as a source of new variants of mitochondrial genes: A case study of Siberian rubythroat <Emphasis Type="Italic">Luscinia calliope</Emphasis> (muscicapidae,aves)

First evidence for the presence of copies of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of the subspecies group Luscinia calliope anadyrensis–L. c. camtschatkensis in the nuclear genome of nominative L. c. calliope was obtained, which indirectly indicates the nuclear origin of the subspecies-specific mitochondrial haplotypes in Siberian rubythroat. This fact clarifies the appearance of mitochondrial haplotypes of eastern subspecies by exchange between the homologous regions of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes followed by fixation by the founder effect. This is the first study to propose a mechanism of DNA fragment exchange between the nucleus and mitochondria (intergenomic recombination) and to show the role of nuclear copies of mtDNA as a source of new taxon-specific mitochondrial haplotypes, which implies their involvement in the microevolutionary processes and morphogenesis.     

Relationship between polymorphism C677T of the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase gene with clinical symptoms of coronary atherosclerosis

Association of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) C677T missense mutation (substitution of cytosine by thymine at position 677) with coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as with blood levels of various lipoprotein fractions, systolic pressure (SP), diastolic arterial blood pressures (DP), and body mass index (BMI) in patients with angiographically verified CAD and in a control group. The affected and control subjects did not differ substantially with respect to genotypic and allelic frequencies. The MTHFR gene polymorphism was not associated with variation in either total cholesterol (TC), very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDLC), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), or triglyceride (TG) levels. SP and DP in subjects with different MTHFR genotypes did not differ significantly. BMI tended to correlate with the C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene (0.05 < P < 0.1). C677T mutation frequencies in western Siberia were determined for the first time; they are about the same as in most European populations.     

Streptomyces griseolus # 182--a novel organism producing oligomycin antibiotics. Taxonomy, fermentation, and isolation]

Target screening of natural immunosuppressors resulted in isolation of a strain of Streptomyces griseolus (No. 182) producing a complex of antifungal antibiotics. The strain proved to be an aerobe with the growth temperature of 26 to 28 degrees C. Morphological features and physiological properties of the strain were studied. Scanning electron microscopy revealed smooth, oval spores 1.10-1.25 mu in size. The findings showed that the strain belonged to Streptomyces griseolus. Unlike the previously described organisms producing the oligomycin complex the new strain formed straight or twisted sporophores and did not produce melanoid pigment or soluble pigment when grown on the Gauze mineral agar medium No. 1. The procedures for biosynthesis and chemical recovery of the antibiotic complex from the mycelium are described. The complex was shown to include 3 components at a ratio of 80:15:5 identified as oligomycins A, B and C respectively. The oligomycin complex was highly active against Aspergillus niger 137, Tolypocladium inflatum, Fusarium ocsisporum, Curvularia lunata 645 and Trichoderma alba F-32 (MIC 0.1-1.0 mcg/ml). The activity against yeast and bacterial cultures was observed only when the doses were higher than 100 mcg/ml.     

Novel facultative anaerobic acidotolerant Telmatospirillum siberiense gen. nov. sp. nov. isolated from mesotrophic fen

Three facultative anaerobic acidotolerant Gram-negative motile spirilla strains designated 26-4b1, 26-2 and K-1 were isolated from mesotrophic Siberian fen as a component of methanogenic consortia. The isolates were found to grow chemoorganotrophically on several organic acids and glucose under anoxic and low oxygen pressure in the dark, tolerant up to 5kPa of oxygen. At low oxygen supply, faint autotrophic growth on the H(2):CO(2) mixture was also observed. All three isolates were able to fix N(2). Major cellular fatty acids were 18:1 omega7c, 17:0 cyclopropane and 16:0. Phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that they formed a deep branch within the family Rhodospirillaceae of the Alphaproteobacteria with the highest similarity of 90.9-92.5% with members of genera Phaeospirillum and Magnetospirillum. Phylogenetic study of nifH (nitrogenase) and cbbL (RuBisCO) amino acid sequence identities confirmed that the new isolates represent a novel group. Based on the phylogenetic analyses and distinct phenotypic characteristics, we are of the opinion that strains 26-4b1, 26-2 and K-1 represent a new species of a novel genus for which the name Telmatospirillum siberiense gen. nov. sp. nov. is proposed.     

Analysis of Gene Complexes Predisposing to Coronary Atherosclerosis

The following seven polymorphic marker loci of genes responsible for predisposition to coronary atherosclerosis (CAS) were studied: the ACE locus responsible for angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism for the presence or absence of the Alu insertion in the gene; the F13,PLAT, and APOA1 loci, controlling the clotting factor 13, plasminogen-activating tissue factor, and apolipoprotein A, respectively; the MTHFR and AGT polymorphic loci responsible for point mutations in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and those in angiotensinogen, respectively, and the NOS3 locus controlling the number of tandem repeats in the nitric oxide synthase gene. These loci are located on different chromosomes and encode products involved into various metabolic pathways leading to CAS. In the populations studied, significant differences between healthy subjects and patients predisposed to cardiovascular diseases were revealed with regard to the above seven markers. The 174M allele (T174M polymorphism in the AGT gene) was significantly associated with coronary atherosclerosis. It was found that specific gene combinations are involved in the CAS development and determine variation in the pathogenetically important quantitative traits.