European checkerspots (Melitaeini: Lepidoptera,Nymphalidae) are not aposematic – the point of view of great tits (Parus major)

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Oxygenation of Native or UV-Modified Human Hemoglobin in the Presence of Nitric Oxide

The effect of 0.1–10% nitrosohemoglobin (HbNO) on the functional properties of human oxyhemoglobin (HbO₂) was studied before and after UV irradiation at 151–453 J/m². Oxygen binding analysis showed that HbNO intensified the first stage of oxygenation and weakened the cooperative interactions in the tetramer, decreasing the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen at physiologically important oxygen partial pressures (40–100 mm Hg). Mixtures of HbO₂ and HbNO were highly resistant to therapeutic doses of UV irradiation. Since the functional activity of hemoglobin depended nonlinearly on the concentration of HbNO in the mixture, it was assumed that sophisticated interactions of HbO₂ and HbNO yielded a new product differing in properties from the initial components.     

ONTOGENETIC NICHE SHIFT IN THE BRACHIOPOD TEREBRATALIA TRANSVERSA: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LOSS OF ROTATION ABILITY AND ALLOMETRIC GROWTH

Abstract: Many articulated brachiopods experience marked life habit variations during ontogeny because they experience their fluid environment at successively higher Reynolds numbers, and they can change the configuration of their inhalant and exhalant flows as body size increases. We show that the extant brachiopod Terebratalia transversa undergoes a substantial ontogenetic change in reorientation governed by rotation around the pedicle. T. transversa′s reorientation angle (maximum ability to rotate on the pedicle) decreases during ontogeny, from 180 degrees in juveniles to 10–20 degrees in individuals exceeding 5 mm, to complete cessation of rotation in individuals larger than 10 mm. Rotation ability is substantially reduced after T. transversa achieves the adult lophophore configuration and preferred orientation with respect to ambient water currents at a length of 2.5–5 mm. We hypothesize that the rotation angle of T. transversa is determined mainly by the position of ventral and dorsal points of attachment of dorsal pedicle muscles relative to the pedicle. T. transversa shows a close correlation between the ontogenetic change in reorientation angle and ontogeny of morphological traits that are related to points of attachment of dorsal pedicle muscles, although other morphological features can also limit rotation in the adult stage. The major morphological change in cardinalia shape and the observed reduction of rotation affect individuals 2.5–10 mm in length. The position of ventral insertions of dorsal pedicle muscles remains constant, but contraction of dorsal pedicle muscles is functionally handicapped because dorsal insertions shift away from the valve midline, rise above the dorsal valve floor, and become limited by a wide cardinal process early in ontogeny (<5 mm). The rate of increase of cardinal process width and of distance between dorsal pedicle muscle scars substantially decreases in the subadult stage (5–10 mm), and most of the cardinalia shell traits grow nearly isometrically in the adult stage (>10 mm). T. transversa attains smaller shell length in crevices than on exposed substrates. The proportion of small‐sized individuals and population density is lower on exposed substrates than in crevices, indicating higher juvenile mortality on substrates prone to grazing and physical disturbance. The loss of reorientation ability can be a consequence of morphological changes that strengthen substrate attachment and maximize protection against biotic or physical disturbance (1) by minimizing torques around the pedicle axis and/or (2) by shifting energy investments into attachment strength at the expense of the cost involved in reorientation.     

Development of microsatellite genetic markers in Siberian stone pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sibirica</Emphasis> Du Tour) based on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">de novo</Emphasis> whole genome sequencing

Siberian stone pine, Pinus sibirica Du Tour is one of the most economically and environmentally important forest-forming species of conifers in Russia. To study these forests a large number of highly polymorphic molecular genetic markers, such as microsatellite loci, are required. Prior to the new high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) methods, discovery of microsatellite loci and development of micro-satellite markers were very time consuming and laborious. The recently developed draft assembly of the Siberian stone pine genome, sequenced using the NGS methods, allowed us to identify a large number of microsatellite loci in the Siberian stone pine genome and to develop species-specific PCR primers for amplification and genotyping of 70 microsatellite loci. The primers were designed using contigs containing short simple sequence tandem repeats from the Siberian stone pine whole genome draft assembly. Based on the testing of primers for 70 microsatellite loci with tri-, tetra- or pentanucleotide repeats, 18 most promising, reliable and polymorphic loci were selected that can be used further as molecular genetic markers in population genetic studies of Siberian stone pine.     

Bimolecular fluorescence complementation based on the red fluorescent protein FusionRed

The aim of this work is to construct split variants of the red fluorescent protein FusionRed, each of which consists of two separate polypeptides, nonfluorescent parts of FusionRed, that can form functional fluorescent proteins upon reassociation. At the first stage, various circularly permuted FusionRed variants have been created (in circular permutants the protein polypeptide chain is divided into two parts, which change places so that the C-terminal part is followed by the N-terminal part). Two variants with the highest rate of chromophore maturation (fluorescence development) have been selected out of 23 tested permutation points. These proteins called cpFR76-73 and cpFR189-188 (the first number indicates the last amino acid residue of the N-terminal part; the second number, the first residue of the C-terminal part) are spectrally similar to parental FusionRed but possess lower fluorescence quantum yields. Split variants corresponding to these two circular permutants have been tested in mammalian cells. For reassembly of the fluorescent protein fragments, heterodimerizing leucine zippers have been used. It has been shown that split variant FR189-188 matures at 37°C and possesses fluorescence brightness similar to that of FusionRed. Consequently, FR189-188 is potentially suitable for a wide range of applications, for example, the study of protein–protein interactions or visualization of cell populations, in which two target gene promoters are simultaneously active.     

Change in spectral properties of nitrosohemoglobin induced by UV light

The effect of UV radiation on the spectral characteristics of human nitrosohemoglobin in a wide dose range (151-4530 J/m2) was studied. It was shown that the irradiation of hemoprotein solutions with low doses of UV light (151-453 J/m2) led to local conformational rearrangements of the iron porphyrin moiety of the molecule. The apoprotein exhibited a high photostability under the conditions of the experiment. High doses of UV radiation (1359-4530 J/m2) induced the accumulation of methemoglobin in the protein sample. A scheme of the photoinduced formation of methemoglobin was elaborated.     

Changes in fatty acids contents and growth characteristics in transformed oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

Spring oilseed rapeBrassica napus L. ssp.oleifera cv. HM-81 was transformed with T_L-DNA of the Ri plasmid of the agropine strainAgrobacterium rhizogenes 15834. Selfed progenies (R₂ and R₃ generations) were studied for changes in values of growth characteristics and fatty acids contents. Transformants are ‘homozygous’ for T_L-DNA. Both generations of transformants differed significantly from the nontransformed control plants in reduced length, lower number of pods per plant, lower total mass of seeds and the higher number of branches. The contents of palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids were significantly higher in transformants when compared with the control. On the contrary, the contents of both stearic and oleic acids were in most of transformants significantly lower. Only traces of erucic acid (less than 0.05 % ) were found, both in transformed and nontransformed plants.     

An assessment of the degree of chromophore photo damage to the heme and globin components in UV-irradiated molecules and electrophoretic fractions of human carboxyhemoglobin

The contribution of hem and globin components of electrophoretic fractions of UV-irradiated human carboxyhemoglobin to photodestruction of the protein was studied. The changes observed are the result of summation of some processes unequal in intensity and direction that take place in microheterogeneous media of photomodified protein. Photosensitivity of hemoproteid in electrophoretic fraction depends on apoprotein condition, whereas the hem photoresistance cannot be the evidence of the photostability of the whole molecule.     

Diversity and ecology of algae from the Nahal Qishon river,northern Israel

In 59 samples of periphyton and phytoplankton collected in 2002 - 2003 from the Nahal Qishon (Qishon River), northern Israel, we found 178 species from seven divisions of algae and cyanoprocaryotes. Diatoms, clorophytes, and cyanoprocaryotes prevail. Nitzschia and Navicula (Bacillariophyta) are the most abundant. Most of the species are cosmopolitan or widespread, except Lagynion janei (Chrysophyta), which is endemic for the Mediterranean Realm. About 17% of species (26) are new for Israel and five of them represent the first recorded genera: Crinalium endophyticum Crow, Actinocyclus normanii (Gregory) Hustedt, Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum (Agardh) Kütz (Chlorophyta), Lagynion janei Bourelly, and Stylococcus aureus Chodat. Most of them come from a rare riverine assemblage with red alga Audouinella pygmea, as well as from the estuarine assemblage. Alkaliphiles predominate among the indicators of acidity, with few acidophiles confined to the communities under the impact of industrial wastes. Among the indicators of salinity, most numerous are the oligohalobien-indifferents and species adapted to a moderate salinity level. The relative species richness of ecological groups and the indices of saprobity are correlated with changes in conductivity, pH, and N-nitrate concentration. Indicators of organic pollution fall in the range of betameso- to alfamesosaprobic self-purification grades. Our studies show ecological significance of the Nahal Qishon as a model for a strongly disturbed aquatic ecosystem in the coastal zone of eastern Mediterranean.     

Mathematical models of the oxygen-binding function of intact human hemoglobin and hemoglobin modified by UV-radiation in the presence of carbon oxide

The influence of carbon oxide and UV-radiation in doses of 151-453 J/m2 on the physiological properties of human oxyhemoglobin has been studied. Mathematical models of the oxygen-binding function of intact and modified hemoprotein have been developed. It has been found that saturation of human hemoglobin with oxygen obeys the logistic dependence. In the presence of carboxyhemoglobin, the oxygenation parameters change and saturation curves are described by the equations of degree dependence. It has been shown that UV light had the stimulating influence on the functional properties of human hemoglobin modified by carbon oxide if the concentration of carboxyform of the hemoprotein in solution was no higher than 10 per cent. The disturbance of the oxygen-binding ability of hemoglobin by the action of higher concentrations of carboxyhemoglobin was irreversible and was not corrected by UV-radiation.