Regulation of Biosynthesis of Individual Cellulases in Thermomonospora fusca

Regulation of the biosynthesis of the six cellulases comprising the cellulolytic system of the thermophilic soil bacterium Thermomonospora fusca ER1 was studied. The levels of the individual enzymes produced on different noninducing and inducing carbon sources were determined. The lowest level of cellulase synthesis (3 nM) was observed with xylose as a carbon source, and the highest level (247 to 1,670 nM for different enzymes) was found in cultures grown on microcrystalline cellulose. Endocellulases and exocellulases showed distinctly different regulation patterns. Differences in the regulation of individual enzymes appear to be determined by the specific structural organization of the upstream regulatory sequences of their genes.     

Computational models with thermodynamic and composition features improve siRNA design

Background  

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have become an important tool in cell and molecular biology. Reliable design of siRNA molecules is essential for the needs of large functional genomics projects.     

Embryonic development of Trichocephalus trichiurus and Eucoleus oesophagicola (Nematoda, Trichocephalida)

The embryonal development of Trichocephalus trichiurus and Eucoleus oesophagicola is described. Clevage of both species is full, bilaterally-symmetrical, determined. At the two blastomere stage the epidermis material is localized in the anterior one. The development of both species lacks the rhomb figure characteristic of nematodes. The mouth opening breaks independent of blastopore. The stylet anlage formation was noted for T. trichiurus.     

From network models to network responses: integration of thermodynamic and kinetic properties of yeast genome-scale metabolic networks

Many important problems in cell biology arise from the dense nonlinear interactions between functional modules. The importance of mathematical modelling and computer simulation in understanding cellular processes is now indisputable and widely appreciated. Genome-scale metabolic models have gained much popularity and utility in helping us to understand and test hypotheses about these complex networks. However, there are some caveats that come with the use and interpretation of different types of metabolic models, which we aim to highlight here. We discuss and illustrate how the integration of thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the yeast metabolic networks in network analyses can help in understanding and utilizing this organism more successfully in the areas of metabolic engineering, synthetic biology and disease treatment.     

The dose estimation of woody plants in the long-term after the Chernobyl NPP accident

Dosimetric models have been developed to estimate the exposure doses of woody plants growing in the area contaminated by long-lived radionuclides. The models are parameterized based on the data obtained from the experimental plots in the south-west districts of the Bryansk region affected by radioactive fallout of the Chernobyl NPP accident. Doses are estimated to generative organs of pine trees from these plots. The contribution from various sources and types of ionizing radiation to the absorbed dose formation for these objects is determined.     

Industrial wetlands as refuges for bird biodiversity conservation in the forest-steppe zone

The rare bird fauna of industrial wetlands has been studied in the forest-steppe zone of European Russia during the nesting period. A total of 146 species have been recorded, including 40 rare species listed in the regional Red Data Books. Facts of their nesting (in many cases, exceptional in the region) have been revealed. Evidence is presented for the significance of industrial wetlands for the conservation and propagation of rare bird species.     

The response of the blood proteins to ablation of the capsaicin-sensitive nerves

Effects of neurotoxic doses of capsaicin (150 mg/kg) on the protein content in electrophoretic fractions (PAAG) in the Wistar rat plasma were studied. In early period (7 days) after administration of capsaicin, an increase of the alpha1-, alpha2-globulins and a decrease of the albumin, gamma-globulins, were observed. After 14-30 days, increase of the albumin and decrease of the alpha1-, gammay-globulins were detected. The ablation of the capsaicin-sensitive nerves abrogated the changes of positive and negative acute phase reactants induced by zymosan and diminished the content of gamma-globulins.