The Mitochondrial Genome of the Moss Brachythecium rivulare (Hypnales, Brachytheciaceae).

The mitochondrial genome of the pleurocarpous moss Brachythecium rivulare has been sequenced and annotated. The genome consists of 104,460 base pairs and has approximately the same gene set and organization as other bryophyte mitogenomes. Whole mitochondrial genome comparison between B. rivulare and Physcomitrella patens, Tetraphis pellucida, Anomodon rugelii, and Anomodon attenuatus was performed. The primary cause of bryophyte mitochondrial gene length variation was found to be numerous indels in the introns. Bryophyte mitochondrial gene conservation level was estimated, and it was in a good congruence with the overall phylogeny of bryophytes with the percentage of mitogenome similarity being proportional to the age estimated by phylochronologic analysis. Annotation discrepancies in the analyzed mitogenome sequences were identified. The simple sequence repeat (SSR) content was evaluated, and candidate sites of RNA editing were predicted in the B. rivulare mitochondrial genome.

Structure of Intergenic Spacer IGS1 of Ribosomal Operon from Schistidium Mosses.

The structure of the intergenic spacer 1 (IGS1) of the ribosomal operon from 12 species of Schistidium mosses was studied. In the IGS1 sequences of these species, three conserved regions and two areas of GC- and A-enriched repeats were identified. All of the studied mosses have a conserved pyrimidine-enriched motif at the 5'-end of IGS1. Species-specific nucleotide substitutions and insertions were found in the conserved areas. The repeated units contain single nucleotide substitutions that make unique the majority of repeated units. The positions of such repeats in IGS1 are species-specific, but their number can vary within the species and among operons of the same specimen. The comparison of IGS1 sequences from the Schistidium species and from representatives of ten other moss genera revealed the presence of common conserved motifs with similar localization. Presumably, these motifs are elements of termination of the pre-rRNA transcription and processing of rRNA.

[Conserved motifs in the primary and secondary ITS1 structures in bryophytes].

A study of the ITS1 nucleotide sequences of 1000 moss species of 62 families, 11 liverwort species from five orders, and one hornwort Anthoceros agrestis identified five highly conserved motifs (CM1-CM5), which are presumably involved in pre-rRNA processing. Although the ITS1 sequences substantially differ in length and the extent of divergence, the conserved motifs are found in all of them. ITS1 secondary structures were constructed for 76 mosses, and main regularities at conserved motif positioning were observed. The positions of processing sites in the ITS1 secondary structure of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were found to be similar to the positions of the conserved motifs in the ITS1 secondary structures of mosses and liverworts. In addition, a potential hairpin formation in the putative secondary structure of a pre-rRNA fragment was considered for the region between ITS1 CM4-CM5 and a highly conserved region between hairpins 49 and 50 (H49 and H50) of the 18S rRNA.

[Morphogenesis of proximal branch leaves in mosses].

The formation of deeply dissected and compound leaves at the bases of branches, their homology between different groups of mosses, and probable factors responsible for their development are considered. Previous authors differ in the interpretation of such leaves and in most cases describe them as special morphological structures named pseudoparaphyllia. It is shown, however, that this term has been applied both to whole leaves and to separate leaf parts. Among the patterns of leaf formation deviating from the basic type, a special place belongs to the Hampeella variant, where deeply dissected and compound leaves are formed due to the delayed development of branch primordia. The families representing this variant occupy a basal position in the phylogenetic tree of pleurocarpous mosses. The Leucodon variant, where splitting of leaves into lobes is apparently explained by strong stem extension, is not specific for any definite phylogenetic group and manifests itself in different families. The Hypnum variant is also not associated with certain phylogenetic lineages, but it provides an example of more profound specialization.

[2D digitizing of plant cell areolation by polarized light microscopy].

An algoriphm for plant parenchimal cell delineation is developed. It works with digital photos made by polarized light microscope and allows digitize many parameter of each cell thus providing a lot of data characterizing plant tissue. Examples are given for unisratose lamina of leaves of two closely related moss species. Plagiomnium elatum and P. medium. We demonstrate a comparison of dimensional patterns in leaves and ability of formalization of such a structural character as arrangement of cells in oblique rows.

[The phylogeny of Schistidium (Bryophyta, Grimmiaceae) based on primary and secondary structure study of nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacers].

The phylogeny of Schistidium (Bryophyta, Grimmiaceae) was studied on the basis of nucleotide sequences of internal transcribed spacers ITS1-2 of nuclear DNA and trnT-trnD region of chloroplast DNA. The consistency of phylogenetic trees constructed from nuclear and chloroplast sequences was shown. A basal grade and two large clades were resolved on the phylogenetic trees. Morphological characteristics specific for these clades were described. ITS1 and ITS2 secondary structures of Schistidium species were modeled using thermodynamic criteria. Four different structures of the longest ITS1 hairpin were identified. Possible paths of Schistidium evolution were considered based on the four types of ITS1 secondary structure and phylogenetic trees.

Contribution of genosystematics to current concepts of phylogeny and classification of bryophytes.

This paper is a survey of the current state of molecular studies on bryophyte phylogeny. Molecular data have greatly contributed to developing a phylogeny and classification of bryophytes. The previous traditional systems of classification based on morphological data are being significantly revised. New data of the authors are presented on phylogeny of Hypnales pleurocarpous mosses inferred from nucleotide sequence data of the nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacers ITS1-2 and the trnL-F region of the chloroplast genome.

[Phylogeny of the genus Lophozia (Dumort.) Dumort. s. str. inferred from nuclear and chloroplast sequences ITS1-2 and TRNL-F].

Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees were constructed for 21 taxa of Lophozia s. str. and the related genera, Schistochilopsis (5 species), Protolophozia elongate, and Obtusifolium obtusum based on pooled nuclear ITS 1-2 and chloroplast trnL-F DNA sequences. The trees were characterized by similar topology. It was demonstrated that the genus Lophozia s. str. was monophyletic, excluding L. sudetica, which deserved isolation into a distinct cryptic genus. The species distribution among the clades disagreed with the sections distinguished based on anatomical and morphological data. The relationships within the genus Schistochilopsis were consistent with the sectioning of the genus, based on morphological characters. Analysis of molecular data provided more precise definition of the systematic position of a number of taxa. Small genetic divergence of geographically distant forms was demonstrated.

[The dynamic production of interferons, interleukins and arachidonic acid metabolites by the blood cells of children with glomerulonephritis associated with HB virus infection while treated with reaferon]. / Dinamika produktsii interferonov, interleikinov i metabolitov arakhidonovoi kisloty kletkami krovi u detei s glomerulonefritom, assotsiirovannym s HB-virusnoi infektsiei, na fone lecheniia reaferonom.

The efficacy of therapy with reaferon (recombinant alpha 2-interferon) was studied in children with glomerulonephritis (GN) associated with hepatitis B virus infection as well as its effect on the interferon status (IFN), production of interleukins (IL) 1 and 2 and synthesis of active arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites by the blood cells in the course of treatment. The IFN status, IL-1, IL-2 production, and synthesis of AA active metabolites (LTB 4- and 5-HETE) by the blood cells, as well as markers of HBV-infection (HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc total and anti-HBc of the IgM class) were examined over time in 60 GN patients treated with reaferon alone and administered immunosuppression therapy (IST), with antioxidants, or IST alone. The employment of reaferon for treatment of GN patients was shown to increase the efficacy of GN treatment, especially in combination with immunosuppressive drugs, to prevent reactivation of hepatitis B virus when prednisolone and/or cytostatic drugs were used, and to reduce hepatitis activity. It way be assumed that the above effects were mainly due to the action of reaferon and antioxidants on the improvement of the condition of immunocompetent cells, primarily monocyte-macrophage system and leukocytes. During reaferon therapy, normalization of alpha-IFN and IL-1 production by the blood cells and inhibition of production of AA active metabolites were observed.