Disruptions in the blood system upon exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation depending on duration of emotional stress

In experiments on rats, disturbances in the development of blood system adaptive reactions on emotional stress were found. Under the combined effect of preliminary (before stress) exposure to 0.8 Gy of gamma-radiation and the emotional stress of various duration (2, 4 and 8 days), a compensatory capability of the blood system decreased. The degree of the disturbances directly depended on the duration of the emotional stress.     

Population biobanks: Organizational models and prospects of application in gene geography and personalized medicine

Population biobanks are collections of thoroughly annotated biological material stored for many years. Population biobanks are a valuable resource for both basic science and applied research and are essential for extensive analysis of gene pools. Population biobanks make it possible to carry out fundamental studies of the genetic structure of populations, explore their genetic processes, and reconstruct their genetic history. The importance of biobanks for applied research is no less significant: they are essential for development of personalized medicine and genetic ecological monitoring of populations and are in high demand in forensic science. Establishment of an efficient and representative biobank requires strict observance of the principles of sample selection in populations, protocols of DNA extraction, quality control, and storage and documentation of biological materials. We reviewed regional biobanks and presented the organizational model of population biobank establishment based on the Biobank of Indigenous Population of Northern Eurasia created under supervision of E.V. Balanovska and O.P. Balanovsky. The results obtained using the biobanks in transdisciplinary research and prospective applications for the purposes of genogeography, genomic medicine, and forensic science are presented.     

Analysis of genetic diversity of Russian regional populations based on STR markers used in DNA identification

We conducted the first genetic analysis of a wide a range of rural Russian populations in European Russia with a panel of DNA markers commonly used in Human DNA identification. We examined a total of 647 samples from indigenous ethnic Russian populations in Arkhangelsk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov, Ryazan, and Orel regions. We employed a multiplex genotyping kit, COrDIS Plus, to genotype Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci, which included markers officially recommended for DNA identification in the Russian Federation, the United States, and the European Union. In the course of our study, we created a database of allele frequencies, examined the distribution of alleles and genotypes in seven rural Russian populations, and analyzed the genetic relationships between these populations. We found that, although multidimensional analysis indicated a difference between the Northern Russian gene pool and the rest of the Russian European populations, a pairwise comparison using 19 STR markers among all populations did not reveal significant differences. This is in concordance with previous studies, which examined up to 12 STR markers in urban Russian populations. Therefore, the database of allele frequencies created in this study can be applied for forensic examinations and DNA identification among the ethnic Russian population over European Russia. We also noted a decrease in the levels of heterozygosity in the northern Russian population compared to southern and central Russian populations, which is consistent with trends identified previously using classical gene markers and analysis of mitochondrial DNA.     

The haplomatch program for comparing Y-chromosome STR-haplotypes and its application to the analysis of the origin of Don Cossacks

STR haplotypes of the Y chromosome are widely used as effective genetic markers in studies of human populations and in forensic DNA analysis. The task often arises to compare the spectrum of haplotypes in individuals or entire populations. Performing this task manually is too laborious and thus unrealistic. We propose an algorithm for counting similarity between STR haplotypes. This algorithm is suitable for massive analyses of samples. It is implemented in the computer program Haplomatch, which makes it possible to find haplotypes that differ from the target haplotype by 0, 1, 2, 3, or more mutational steps. The program may operate in two modes: comparison of individuals and comparison of populations. Flexibility of the program (the possibility of using any external database), its usability (MS Excel spreadsheets are used), and the capability of being applied to other chromosomes and other species could make this software a new useful tool in population genetics and forensic and genealogical studies. The Haplomatch software is freely available on our website www.genofond.ru. The program is applied to studying the gene pool of Cossacks. Experimental analysis of Y-chromosomal diversity in a representative set (N = 131) of Upper Don Cossacks is performed. Analysis of the STR haplotypes detects genetic proximity of Cossacks to East Slavic populations (in particular, to Southern and Central Russians, as well as to Ukrainians), which confirms the hypothesis of the origin of the Cossacks mainly due to immigration from Russia and Ukraine. Also, a small genetic influence of Turkicspeaking Nogais is found, probably caused by their occurrence in the Don Voisko as part of the Tatar layer. No similarities between haplotype spectra of Cossacks and Caucasus populations are found. This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of the Haplomatch software in analyzing large sets of STR haplotypes.