[Nucleotide variation in the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase 1 gene in the Siberian sucker (Catostomus catostomus rostratus) from Kolyma River].

This study presents the data of the first molecular genetic analysis of the Siberian sucker from Kolyma River. Polymorphism of the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase 1 gene was established. Comparative sequence analysis of the gene examined and the GenBank variants characterizing suckers from the rivers of Canada enabled the suggestion that the sucker penetrated to Asia from North America approximately at the end of Early and the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene. It was demonstrated that intrapopulation genetic variation in the Siberian sucker accounted for 11.63% of total variation, while the proportion of the intergroup, component (Fst) constituted 88.37%. It seems likely that a considerable proportion of intergroup variation was caused by the long period of isolation of the Siberian sucker in Kolyma River. The prevalence of one common haplotype, CH-COI 1, in the sample examined indicates that the founder effect played an importaht role in the history of the formation of the Kolyma population.

[Genetic structure of the Siberian Sucker (Catostomus catostomus rostratus) according to data on sequence variation of the mtDNA cytochrome B gene].

Data regarding the structure and variation of the nucleotide sequence of the cytochrome b gene of mitochondrial DNA of the Siberian Sucker from the Kolyma River were obtained. Analysis of the median network revealed that evolutionary lines diverged from a common ancestor. Penetration of the sucker into Asia from Northern America took place between the Early and Middle Pleistocene. Prolonged reproductive isolation of the Siberian and Northern American suckers led to interspecies divergence with the appearance of amino acid substitutions, which, apparently, fixed due to positive selection. The Siberian Sucker appeared to have three modifications of the Cytb protein.

Cell-penetrating-peptide-based delivery of oligonucleotides: an overview.

Cationic CPPs (cell-penetrating peptides) have been used largely for intracellular delivery of low-molecular-mass drugs, biomolecules and particles. Most cationic CPPs bind to cell-associated glycosaminoglycans and are internalized by endocytosis, although the detailed mechanisms involved remain controversial. Sequestration and degradation in endocytic vesicles severely limits the efficiency of cytoplasmic and/or nuclear delivery of CPP-conjugated material. Re-routing the splicing machinery by using steric-block ON (oligonucleotide) analogues, such as PNAs (peptide nucleic acids) or PMOs (phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers), has consequently been inefficient when ONs are conjugated with standard CPPs such as Tat (transactivator of transcription), R(9) (nona-arginine), K(8) (octalysine) or penetratin in the absence of endosomolytic agents. New arginine-rich CPPs such as (R-Ahx-R)(4) (6-aminohexanoic acid-spaced oligo-arginine) or R(6) (hexa-arginine)-penetratin conjugated to PMO or PNA resulted in efficient splicing correction at non-cytotoxic doses in the absence of chloroquine. SAR (structure-activity relationship) analyses are underway to optimize these peptide delivery vectors and to understand their mechanisms of cellular internalization.