[Regulation of eukaryotic gene transcription: description in the TRRD database]. / Reguliatsiia transkriptsii genov éukariot: opisanie v baze dannykh TRDD.

The structure of the Transcription Regulatory Regions Database (TRRD) and the principles of considering transcription regulation of eukaryotic genes in TRRD are concerned. Formal description of the structural and functional organization of the regulatory gene regions is illustrated with examples. By now, TRRD is based on 3500 original works and contains data on transcription regulation of more than 1100 genes known to possess more than 5000 transcription factor-binding sites and about 1600 regulatory elements (promoters, enhancers, silencers). TRRD is available at http://www.bionet.nsc.ru/trrd/.

[Molecular genetic aspects of interferon induction and antiviral action]. / Molekuliarno-geneticheskie aspekty induktsii i protivovirusnogo deistviia interferona.

Interferons (IFN) are cytokines with a wide range of biological activities. The most important function of IFN is associated with the induction of host resistance to viral infections. This paper discusses the well-known experimental data and the results of the authors' theoretical studies of the regularities of type 1 interferon induction and its antiviral action. The mechanisms both of interferon gene expression and transcription regulation of IFN-stimulated genes by IFNs and viruses are analyzed. The molecular mechanisms of IFN-induced resistance and the well-known strategies acquired by viruses to overcome IFN action are discussed. The authors' analyze possible regulation by IFN of its own expression and the role of IFN- and virus-induced expression of genes of antiviral response in the development of resistance to infection.

Interferon-induced antiviral resistance. A mathematical model of regulation of Mx1 protein induction and action.

Influenza A virus and various single-stranded RNA viruses have been reported to be blocked by IFN-stimulated Mx protein. Here we present a mathematical model of regulation of mouse Mx1 protein induction and action under influenza infection. Parameter estimates are derived from published experimental data. Numerical solutions of the model equations completely correspond to experimental data. The model is used to analyse the role of virus- and interferon-mediated expression of Mx1 in maintenance of antiviral state. The study suggests that virus- and IFN-induced Mx1 proteins act on different stages of intracellular ontogenesis of influenza virus and these actions result in different efficacy of cell protection. The model demonstrates that the synergistic action of inteferon and virus in regulation of Mx1 gene expression is the important factor of antiviral resistance. The results of simulation permit to assume that the active form of Mx1 protein is trimer.

Theoretical analysis of the regulation of interferon expression during priming and blocking.

Interferon superinduction, in the case of cell pretreatment with low doses of interferon (priming), may be explained by activation of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase and endonuclease L, since the latter, as expected, leads to a more rapid amplification of the standard scheme of interferon induction based on the antirepression mechanism. In the given case, endonuclease L will further increase the degradation rates for messages, which encode repressor proteins controlling interferon gene expression. Under ordinary induction, these messages are destroyed only by short-lived nuclease activated by double-stranded RNA. Cell pretreatment with high doses of interferon (blocking) considerably increases the concentrations of protein kinase and 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase in the cell. However, it seems that during blocking protein kinase plays the main role in inhibition of interferon synthesis, and this leads to almost complete depression of translation in the cell. When protein kinase is not sufficiently activated, blocking does not occur since treatment of cells with high concentrations of interferon does not hinder priming induced by 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase and endonuclease L. The proposed model is consistent with the findings that both interferon-treated primed and blocked cells are able to produce interferon more rapidly than normal cells. The analysis, based on a computer simulation model, suggests that priming and blocking of interferon may be based on processes controlling its induction and antiviral activity.

A computer system for analysis and integrated description of regulation of the molecular-genetic system of interferon induction and action.

A new theoretical approach to elaboration of an information-analytical integrated knowledge base containing data on regulation and function of biological systems is presented. The knowledge base incorporates: (i) a reference database containing experimental data on the structural-functional organization of a biological system; (ii) a dynamic mathematical model for analysis of the evolution of the system over time; and (iii) an interpretation module of simulation results. Application of this approach to theoretical investigation of the interferon system in the case of viral infection is discussed. The approach is specific in that it uses mathematical modeling technology, which allows one to generate mathematical models of different degrees of complexity in the analysis of the diverse aspects of biological system behavior. This approach allows one not only to store and to treat available experimental data, but also to acquire new knowledge about the behavior of a biological system. The proposed approach is implemented as a computer system for the IBM PC and compatibles.