[The concentration dynamics of inorganic polyphosphates during the cephalosporin C synthesis by Acremonium chrysogenum].

The contents of five fractions of energy-rich inorganic polyphosphates (polyPs), ATP, and H(+)-ATPase activity in the plasma membrane were determined in a low-activity cephalosporin C (cephC) producer Acremonium chrysogenum ATCC 11550 and selected highly efficient producer strain 26/8 grown on glucose or a synthetic medium providing for active synthesis of this antibiotic. It was shown that strain 26/8 on the synthetic medium produced 26-fold higher amount of cephC as compared with strain ATCC 11550. This was accompanied by a drastic decrease in the cell contents of ATP and the high-molecular-weight fractions polyP2, polyP3, and polyPS with a concurrent increase in the low-molecular-weight fraction polyP1. These data suggest that polyPs are involved in the cephC synthesis as a source of energy. H(+)-ATPase activity insignificantly changed at both low and high levels of cephC production. This confirms the assumption that A. chrysogenum has other alternative antibiotic transporters in addition to cefT. The obtained results can be used for optimizing commercial-scale cephC biosynthesis.

[Generation of sugar beet transgenic plants expressing bar gene].

The parameters of transformation using Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA 105 for 5 domestic sorts and lines of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. var. saccharifera (Alef) Krass) were optimized. The system of transgenic tissue selection based on resistance to phosphinothricin, allowing to avoid the appearing of chimeric shoots among initial transformants was developed. The transgenic plants of sugar beet sorts Ramonskaya single seed 47, L'govskaya single seed 52 and RMS 73, and LBO 17 and LBO 19 lines expressing the gene of phosphinothricin acetyl transferase bar have been obtained. The resistance of these sorts and lines to the effect of phosphinothricin in vitro has been shown.

[Cowpea mosaic virus chimeric particles bearing ectodomain of matrix protein 2 (M2E) of influenza A virus: production and characteristics].

The epitope presentation system for ectodomain of M2-protein of influenza A virus (M2e) based on Cowpea Mosaic Virus (CPMV) was constructed for expression in plants Vigna unguiculata. CPMV is widely used as a vector for production of immunogenic chimeric virus particles (CVPs) bearing epitopes of different infectious human and animal pathogens. To produce chimeric CPMV virus particles in plants, two binary vectors were constructed bearing modified gene coding for S-coat protein of CPMV with insertions of M2e epitopes of human influenza and bird influenza viruses. Antigenic and immunogenic properties of CVPs obtained were investigated in mice immunization experiments and it was shown that they can induce anti-M2e IgG production and partial protection mice against challenge with low doses of flu virus. However, low infectivity and immunogenicity of CPMV chimeric particles indicate the need for further optimization of plant virus-based systems for M2e-epitopes presentation to use plants as a possible source of flu vaccines.

[Analysis of chloroplast rpS16 intron sequences in Lemnaceae].

Chloroplast rpS16 gene intron sequences were determined and characterized for twenty-five Lemnaceae accessions representing nine duckweed species. For each Lemnaceae species nucleotide substitutions and for Lemna minor, Lemna aequinoctialis, Wolffia arrhiza different indels were detected. Most of indels were found for Wolffia arrhiza and Lemna aequinoctialis. The analyses of intraspecific polymorphism resulted in identification of several gaplotypes in L. gibba and L. trisulca. Lemnaceae phylogenetic relationship based on rpS16 intron variability data has revealed significant differences between L. aequinoctialis and other Lemna species. Genetic distance values corroborated competence of Landoltia punctata separations from Spirodela into an independent generic taxon. The acceptability of rpS16 intron sequences for phylogenetic studies in Lemnaceae was shown.

[Evaluation of the effect of late blight-resistant potato plants on the structure of bacterial associations in soil].

We studied the compositions of microbial associations isolated from soils where nontransgenic and transgenic late blight-resistant lines of potato varieties Lugovskoi, Charodei, and Golubizna had been grown. The analysis was based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of total amplificates of 16S rRNA gene fragments and analysis of libraries of nifH gene fragments. Neither method revealed significant differences in the structure of the microbial associations isolated from soils with control or transgenic plants. The minor differences detected in the microflora ranges were no greater than those in the rhizospheres of different nontransgenic potato varieties.

[Production of hepatitis B virus core particles protein in plants, by using cowpea mosaic virus-based vector].

The core antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBcAg) has attracted considerable attention as a carrier for antigenic sequences for various diagnostic and vaccine applications. The hepatitis B core protein has been expressed in different expression systems. At present, for reasons of cost, scale, and safety, the plant-based expression systems are attracting increasing interest. The expression and assembly for the hepatitis B core protein were investigating in N. benthamiana plants using the new expression system based on deleted version of cowpea mosaic virus RNA-2. Analysis of HBcAg expression revealed that the core protein expressed in plants and could self-assemble into virus-like particles. Virus-like particles could be purified by differential and sucrose gradient centrifugation. This expression system has the advantage of biocontainment and can be used for the rapid production of HBcAg virus-like particles for immunological and vaccine applications.

[RAPD analysis of genome polymorphism in the family Lemnaceae].

The multilocus RAPD analysis of intergeneric, inter- and intraspecific nuclear genome polymorphism was used for the first time to assess intergeneric, interspecific, and intraspecific polymorphism in Lemnaceae growing on the territory of Russia. The origin of the chosen accessions overlapped with the natural range of duckweeds in Russia. Seventy-five Lemnaceae accessions representing eight species (L. minor, L. gibba, L. turionifera, L. japonica. L. trisulca, L. aequinoctialis, S. polyrhiza, and L. punctata) from three genera (Lemna, Spirodela, and Landoltia), were analyzed. The highest variability levels were revealed in L. minor accessions (0.03-0.20). Species L. trisulca and S. polyrhiza were characterized by values of genetic distance 0.01-0.18 and 0.03-0.16, respectively. The lowest polymorphism levels were detected for L. turionifera (0.01-0.11). The dendrogram based on RAPD data showed that L. aequinoctialis was the most genetically distant species of the genus Lemna. Accessions of species L. turionifera and L. japonica, as well as L. minor and L. gibba, did not form separate species-specific subclusters; rather, they fell into clusters with L. japonica/L. turionifera and L. minor/L. gibba. Accessions of the genera Spirodela and Landoltia formed two separate clusters combined into one group.

[MADS-box genes controlling inflorescence morphogenesis in sunflower].

MADS-box genes play an important role in plant ontogeny, particularly, in the regulation of floral organ induction and development. Eight full-length cDNAs of HAM (Helianthus annuus MADS) genes have been isolated from sunflower. They encode MADS-box transcription factors expressed in inflorescence tissues. In the frames of the ABCDE model, the HAM proteins were classified according to their structural homology to known MADS-box transcription factors. The HAM45 and HAM59 genes encode the homeotic C function and are involved in the control of the identity of pistil and stamens, while the HAM75 and HAM92 genes determine the A identity of floral and inflorescence meristems and petal identity. The HAM31. HAM2, HAM63, and HAM91 genes encode the B function and are involved in the formation of petals and stamens; and the HAM137 gene encodes the E function. Analysis of the expression of MADS-box genes in sunflower has demonstrated that the structural and functional differences between the ray and tubular flowers in the inflorescence could be a consequence of the lack of HAM59 expression during ray flower initiation.

[Classification analysis of a latent dinucleotide periodicity of plant genomes].

The information decomposition (ID) method has been used for searching dinucleotide periodicities, including latent ones, in plant genomes. In nucleotide sequences of genomes of various plants from the GenBank database, 14766 sequences with a periodicity of two nucleotides have been found. Classification of the periodicity matrices of the detected DNA sequences has yielded 141 classes of dinucleotide periodicity. Since ID does not detect periodicities with nucleotide deletions or insertions, modified profile analysis (MPA) has been applied to the obtained classes to reveal DNA sequences with dinucleotide periodicities containing nucleotide deletions and insertions. Combined use of ID and MPA has permitted the detection of 80 396 DNA sequences with dinucleotide periodicities in the genomes of various plants. The biological role of dinucleotide periodicity in the detected sequences is discussed.

[Genetic transformation of the mycelium fungi Acremonium chrysogenum].

The system of transformation of heterologous genes under the method of agrobacterial transfer into Acremonium chrysogenum ATCC 11550 wild-type strains, natural producents of beta-lactam antibiotic cephalosporin C, and strains highly producing cephalosporin C 26/8 revealed by the multistage selection on its basis were developed. Vectors for agrobacterial transformation of A. chrysogenum containing expression cassettes of genes encoding resistance to geneticin (G418) and bleomicin (Zeocin) antibiotics under control of Ashbya gossypii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae TEF1 promoters were constructed. A comparable assessment of agrotransformation methods while co-cultivating fungi and agrobacterial cells on filters and in deep culture was conducted. Transformants, selected by resistance to geneticin and bleomicin, were characterized by PCR and Southern blot analyses.

[Cloning and expression of variants of the glutaryl-7-aminocephalosporic acid acylase of the bacterium Brevundimonas diminuta in Escherichia coli cells].

The gene coding for glutaryl-7-aminocephalosporic acid acylase (Gl7ACA acylase) of the bacterium Brevundimonas diminuta (BrdGl7ACA), a commercial enzyme widely used in modem biocatalytic technologies for manufacture of b-lactam antibiotics, was cloned. Efficient expression systems for producing a "native" recombinant BrdGl7ACA and its analogs modified by attaching affinity groups--the chitin-binding domain of chitinases A1 and hexahistidine sequence--were designed. It was demonstrated that both the recombinant hybrid proteins and the native Gl7ACA acylase produced in E. coli cells underwent a correct autoproteolytic processing with generation of functionally active enzymes and could be isolated with a high yield using one-step affinity chromatography.

[Determination of type and spatial pattern formation of flower organs: dynamic model of development].

The mathematical model imitating floral organ spatial pattern formation (positioning) was developed. Computer experiments performed on its basis demonstrated that organ spatial pattern formation in typical crucifer flower occurred in successive order: medial sepals, carpels, lateral sepals, long stamens, petals and short stamens. The positioning was advanced in two directions, acropetally in the perianth and basipetally in the stamens and carpels. The organ type specifying and positioning take place non-simultaneously in different floral areas. The organ type specifying passed ahead of organ primordial spatial pattern formation. The modeling of flower development of several mutants demonstrated that arabidopsis genes AP2 and AG in addition to specifying floral organ types also determine the particular zones in the floral meristem for futur organ development. The AG gene controls the formation of basipetal patterning zones where the reproductive organs develop, AP2 maintains the proliferative activity in the floral meristem that form acropetal patterning zones where perianth organ develop.

[Optimization of the protocol for constructing transgenic plants of the white cabbage brassica oleracea var. capitata].

The strain Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101, which contains the pBar vector carrying the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase gene (bar) under the control of the 35SCMoV promoter and NOS 3' terminator, was used for genetic transformation of four white cabbage lines, Ges-3, Drv-2, Zmu 7, and Meg 2. The effect of different concentrations and combinations of phytohormones was studied, which allowed for choosing the cultivation conditions that provided a 63-78% regeneration efficiency. It was demonstrated that concerted action by natural and synthetic cytokinins is necessary for the lines studied. Overall, 26 transgenic plants were obtained using the optimized protocol for agrobacterial transformation. The transgenic nature of these plants was confirmed by PCR and dot-blot hybridization.

[Latent periodicity of serine-threonine and tyrosine protein kinases and another protein families].

We identified latent periodicity in catalytic domains of approximately 85% of serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinases. Similar results were obtained for other 22 protein domains. We also designed the method of noise decomposition, which is aimed to distinguish between different periodicity types of the same period length. The method is to be used in conjunction with the cyclic profile alignment, and this combination is able to reveal structure-related or function-related patterns of latent periodicity. Possible origins of the periodic structure of protein kinase active sites are discussed. Summarizing, we presume that latent periodicity is the common property of many catalytic protein domains.

[Assessment of genetic diversity of wild soybean (Glycine soja Siebold et Zucc.) in the far eastern region of Russia]. / Otsenka geneticheskogo raznoobraziia dikorastushchei soi (Glycine soja Siebold et Zucc.) v dal'nevostochnom regione Rossii.

Polymorphism of RAPD markers was analyzed in the wild soybean populations from the Far East region of Russia. The level of RAPD marker polymorphism was significantly higher in the wild than in the cultivated soybean. The results obtained suggest active development of genetically different groups of wild soybean. Geographically isolated subpopulations showed maximum distance from the main population of wild soybean.

[Identification of a new steroid transforming strain of mycobacteria as Mycobacterium neoaurum]. / Identifikatsiia novogo shtamma transformiruiushchikh steroidy mikobakterii kak Mycobacterium neoaurum.

The ability to utilize sterols as a sole source of carbon was studied in 80 strains and consortia of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria. One of the strains, which efficiently transformed both individual sterols and their mixtures, was identified as Mycobacterium neoaurum, based on the analysis of the sequence of the 16S rRNA gene.

[Induced phytophthora resistance in transgenic potato tubers]. / Indutsirovanie fitoftoroustoichivosti u klubnei transgennogo kartofelia.

Resistance of transgenic cultivars based on the expression of one or more resistance genes is sooner or later broken by pathogens whose race-producing rates are high. Thus, combining transgenesis with elicitor-induced resistance is a promising approach. The elicitor-induced resistance is based on the expression of multiple resistance genes, which can prevent the adaptation of pathogens to transgenic races, maintain the stability of cultivars, and increase their lifespan. In this work, we used transgenic potato cultivars Temp and Superior transformed with Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin gene and Lukyanovskii transformed with leukocyte alpha-interferon gene. Arachidonic acid (10(-8) M) and soluble chitosan (5 kDa, 100 micrograms/ml) were used as elicitors for tuber treatment. Our data showed that pretreatment with elicitors causes a 15-25% increase in both the systemic prolonged resistance of potato tubers to Phytophthora infestans and their ability to repair mechanical damage.

[Heterologous expression of eukaryotic CYP450. 1. Heterologous expression of cytochrome P450 2B4 using groups with various affinity in E. coli]. / Geterologichnaia ékspressiia éukarioticheskikh CYP450. 1. Geterologichnaia ékspressiia tsitokhroma P450 2B4 c razlichnymi kontsevymi affinnymi gruppami v shtammakh E. coli.

The expression levels of cytochrome P450 2B4 variants with N- and C-terminal modifications were compared and some of the enzymatic characteristics of recombinant proteins studied. Following C-terminal hybrids for CYP2B4 gene were constructed: 1) with intein-chitin binding domain cassette 2) with hexahistidine tag. These modifications were combined with P450 2B4 glutathione-S-transferase N-terminal fusions [Pernecky S.J., et. al., (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 318, 446-456]. The obtained constructs provided for the synthesis of full-length protein products in E. coli cells with holoenzyme yield at the levels of 200-1000 nmoles/l of the bacterial culture. Partial in vivo proteolysis was observed for C-terminal fusions with intein moiety despite the presence of glycine aminoacid residue at the junction of two proteins. The principle inapplicability of standard purification scheme for isolation of P450 2B4-intein fusions is demonstrated, since the P450 domain is inactivated at 40 mM DTT concentrations. The recombinant full-length CYP 2B4 with C-terminal oligohistidine tail was expressed under the control of T7 promoter and purified using immobilized metal-ion chelating chromatography. The C-terminal hexahistidine tag does not affect the catalytic properties of recombinant enzyme in 7-pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation reaction.

[The study of the metal-binding region in human growth hormone using immobilized metal ion affinity gel-electrophoresis]. / Izuchenie metallosviazyvaiushchego uchastka v gormone rosta cheloveka metodom metall-khelatnogo affinnogo gel'-élektroforeza.

The zinc(II)-binding affinities of recombinant human growth hormone and two its mutants, 14-33 and 14-95, were studied using Immobilized Metal Ion Affinity Gel-electrophoresis (IMAG). The mutant hormones, composed of polypeptide chain segments of the human and porcine growth hormones, lacked His18, which may be crucial for binding of the intact hormone to the transition metal ions. The mutations did not affect the affinity of human growth hormone to immobilized zinc ions; the structural analysis implied that the human growth hormone contains two IDA-Zn(II) potential sorption sites formed by amino acid residues His21, Asp171, and Glu174 and/or His18 and Glu174.