[Comparative analysis of ISSR markers polymorphism in populations of yak (Bos mutus) and in F1 hybrids between yak and cattle in the Sayan-Altai region].

The genetic variability in seven yak populations from the Sayan-Altai region and in F1 hybrids between yak and cattle (khainags) was investigated with the help of a technique that involves the use of inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers generated with PCR primers (AG)9C and (GA)9C. Samples for the analysis were collected in Mongolia, Tuva, and Altai from 2008 through 2012. The examined yak populations differed in in the presence/absence of ISSR fragments, as well as in their frequency. In total, 46 ISSR fragments were identified using two marker systems; the proportion of polymorphic loci constituted 76% and 90% for the AG-ISSR and GA-ISSR markers, respectively. For the total sample of yaks, total genetic diversity (Ht), within-population diversity (Hs), and interpopulation diversity (Gst) constituted 0.081, 0.044, and 0.459 for the AG-ISSR and 0.137, 0.057, and 0.582 for the GA-ISSR markers, respectively. Based on ISSR finger printing, species- and breed-specific DNA patterns were described for the three groups of animals (yaks, cattle, khainags). For the domestic yak, the species-specific profile was represented by eight ISSR fragments. Genetic relationships between the yak populations, cattle breeds, and khainags were examined with the help of four different approaches used in the analysis of population structure: estimation of phylogenetic similarity, multidimensional scaling, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis. Clear evidence on the differentiation of the populations examined at the interspecific, as well as at intraspecific, level were obtained. Similar (relative); as well as remote (isolated), yak populations were identified. Khainags occupy an intermediate position between yak and cattle. However, the data on the ISSR-PCR marker polymorphism (genome polymorphism, population structure).indicate that part of the analyzed khainag genome was more similar to the yak genome than to the cattle genome.

[Distribution of cytoplasmically inherited bacteria Spiroplasma causing female bias in the Eurasian populations of Adalia bipunctata]. / Rasprostranenie v populiatsiiakh Adalia bipunctata L Evrazii tsitoplazmaticheski nasleduemoi bakterii roda Spiroplasma, vliiaiushchei na sootnoshenie polov.

Two-spot ladybirds Adalia bipunctata were collected from the populations of Western and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The agent killing males at the early embryonic stage in these populations was identified as bacteria of the genus Spiroplasma. Bacteria found in A. bipunctata proved to be phylogenetically related to Spiroplasma ixodetis (typical line Y-32) found in tick Ixodes pacificus but not to Spiroplasma causing the death of male embryos in Drosophila.

[Structure and diversity of the mitochondrial gene pool of the aboriginal population of Tuva and Buriatia from restriction polymorphism data]. / Struktura i raznoobrazie mitokhondrial'nogo genofonda korennogo naseleniia Tuvy i Buriatii po dannym o restriktsionnom polimorfizme.

The populations of Tuvinians (N = 36) and Buryats (N = 105) were characterized by using the data on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism. The gene pools of both ethnic groups possessed the mtDNA types belonging to the four main haplogroups, A, B, C, and D, found only in the indigenous populations of Asia and America. The total frequencies of the A, B, C, and D haplogroups in Tuvinians and Buryats were 72.3% and 52.4%, respectively. These values, along with the frequency for Altai populations (57.2%), were highest in the Asian populations studied, indicating that the populations Southern and Eastern Siberia can be considered as ancestral relatives to the ethnic groups of the New World. Analysis of the mtDNA region V polymorphism showed the presence of 9-bp deletion and 4-bp insertion in both populations with frequencies respectively of 13.9 and 5.56% in Tuvinians and 4.8 and 1.9% in Buryats. The frequency of the +AvaII/8249 variant was 11.1% in Tuvinians and 3.81% in Buryats. Analysis of the association between the region V deletion-insertion polymorphism and certain restriction haplogroups pointed to repeated and independent emergence of the 4-bp insertion in Siberia.

[Sex ratio and male killing in Siberian populations of Harmonia axyridis (Pass.)]. / Sootnoshenie polov i iavlenie bessamtsovosti v sibirskikh populiatsiiakh Harmonia axyridis (Pall.).

In populations of Harmonia axyridis Pall. from Novosibirsk and Kyzyl, females (three out of 34 studied) that produce exclusively female progeny were found. In one of the families studied, the inheritance of the male-killing trait was monitored over five generations. The male-killing trait was maternally inherited. The beetles of this family were infected with the bacteria that, according to the sequence analysis of the gene fragment for 16S rRNA, belong to the genus Spiroplasma (VI group).

[Structure of the gene pool of ethnic groups from the Altai-Sayan region from data on mitochondrial polymorphism]. / Struktura genofondov étnicheskikh grupp Altae-Saianskogo nagor'ia po dannym o polimorfizme mitokhondrial'noi DNK.

Using the data on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism, genetic structures of the four Turkic-speaking ethnic groups of Altai-Sayan highlands, Southern Altaians (Altai-Kizhi), Khakassians, Shorians, and Sojots, were described. Mitochondrial gene pools of the populations examined were characterized by different ratios between Mongoloid (M*, C, D, E, G, A, B, and F) and Caucasoid (H, U, T, J, and K) mtDNA lineages. All the populations studied had a strongly pronounced Mongoloid component, the frequency of which was 88.2% in Sojots, 75.9% in Khakassians, 67.4% in Altaians, and 64.3% in Shorians. Maximum frequency of the Caucasoid component (35.7%) was observed in Shorians. Phylogenetic and statistical analyses of the mtDNA group frequency distribution patterns in the gene pools of the ethnic populations of Altai-Sayan highlands and the adjacent territories showed that the populations of the region fell into three groups. The first group included Khakassians, Tuvinians and Altaians, the second group consisted of Sojots, Buryats, and Mongols, while the third group was composed of Uigurs, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyzes. The isolated position of Shorians among the populations examined can be explained by their different anthropological composition and their presumptive relatedness to Finno-Ugric populations of Siberia.

[Polymorphism of the Y-chromosome diallelic loci in the ethnic populations of the Altai-Sayan region]. / Polimorfizm diallel'nykh lokusov Y-khromosomy y korennogo naseleniia Altae-Saianskogo nagor'ia.

Using the data on five biallellic Y-chromosome loci (DYS199, 92R7, SRY1532, RBF5 and DYS287) polymorphism, genetic structures of the five Turkic-speaking ethnic groups of the Altai-Sayan highland (Tuvinians, Sojots, Shorians, Khakassians, and Southern Altaians (Altai-Kizhi), were described. The gene pools of the populations examined were characterized by the presence of pronounced paleo-Caucasoid component (92R7-T-lineages). The frequency of this component increased westward, reaching more than 70% in Shorians and Southern Altaians. Haplotype TAT-C (RBF5 locus) was observed in all populations, except Shorians, with the frequencies varying from 5.4% in Altai-Kizhi to 18.8% in Khakassians. The Alu-insertion in the DYS287 locus was revealed only in the Altaian sample with the frequency of 3.3%. It was established that the Altai-Sayan populations studied split into two statistically significantly different groups. One of the groups was represented by Tuvinians, Sojots, and Khakassians, while another one was comprised of Shorians and Altaians.

[Molecular genetic differentiation of ethnic populations in Southern and Eastern Siberia based on mitochondrial DNA polymorphism]. / Molekuliarno-geneticheskaia differentsiatsiia étnicheskikh grupp Iuzhnoi i Vostochnoi Sibiri po dannym o polimorfizme mitokhondrial'noi DNK.

Using the data on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism, genetic structures of the ethnic groups inhabiting South and East Siberia, including Altaians, Buryats, Tuvinians, Todjins, Tofalars, Yakuts, and Evenks were described. Mitochondrial gene pools of the populations examined were characterized by different ratios between Mongoloid (M*, C, D, E/G, G, A, B, and F) and Caucasoid (H, HV, I, J, K, T, U, and X) mtDNA lineages. All the populations studied carried a marked Mongoloid component, maximum frequency of which was observed in Evenks (92.4%) and Buryats (90.1%). Maximum frequencies of Caucasoid mtDNA lineages were detected in Tofalars (20.7%) and Yakuts (14.5%). Statistically significant interpopulation differences regarding the frequencies of mtDNA haplogroups were observed between all populations examined, excluding the pairs of Evenks-Yakuts, Evenks-Tuvinians, and Tuvinians-Todjins. Differentiation of the ethnic groups inhabiting South and East Siberia, as well as Central and Middle Asia, is discussed based on genetic, linguistic, and anthropological data.