Collection, preservation and effective use of grapevine genetic resources is vital for the development of ampelography as a subdiscipline of botany, for the successful development of industrial viticulture for contemporaries and future generations. The grapevine genetic resources of the Institute “Magarach” constitute one of the world’s oldest and richest ampelographic collections containing 4120 samples, of which 763 make a special selected collection and 3357 are in the base collection. The botanical diversity of the base collection is represented by three species of the genus Ampelopsis Michaux, two species of the genus Parthenocissus Planch., 22 species of the genus Vitis Linn., 612 varieties of interspecific origin, 2162 varieties of Vitis vinifera sativa D.C. and others. The specificity of preserving the field collection of grapevines – a culture that reproduces vegetatively – depends on the following factors: graft culture, perennial nature of the plants, genetic diversity of samples, which vary as to their resistance to biotic and abiotic environmental factors, and cultivation conditions. The successful establishment and conservation of future collections require fundamentally new cultivation techniques and application of cultivation methods involving revitalized grape planting stock. To supplement the traditional method of grapevine genetic resources conservation in the field collection, we have developed a method of preserving the gene pool collection in vitro under the minimal growth conditions. At the institute “Magarach” we have formed a vegetative collection of 40 grapevine varieties, hybrids and clones in vitro, and this work is under way. An effective way to solve the problem of gene pool preservation is cryopreservation, which is the main way of preserving genetic material of some crops. At present, the method of cryopreservation of the vine, considering the difficulties of overcoming the cryogenic damages of the biological material of grapes at ultra-low temperatures, remains the most difficult and chances of losing the collection are quite high. Thus, at present field collection is the main method of grape genetic resources conservation. Formation of in vitro grapevine collections method is considered a subsidiary one. In the future, it is expedient to develop methods for storing the plant material of grapes at ultra-low temperatures as a future technology.

 

Local, ancient grape cultivars of different cultivation regions are important part of grapevine genetic resources. Dagestan is one of the oldest regions of viticulture in the Russian Federation. Some Dagestan aboriginal grape varieties are cultivated on an industrial scale, while others are found in single numbers. The study of the native gene pool is given special attention in all grapes producing countries of the world. Currently, the most informative method of plant genotypes analysis is the study at the DNA level. The main features of the leaves of grape varieties are a key ampelographical characteristic. We studied cultivars Agadai, Alyi terskyi, Bor kara, Buday shuli, Gok ala, Gok izyum, Mahbor cibil, Yai izyum beliy, Yai izyum rozovyi by using these approaches. DNA profiles of 9 local Dagestan grape cultivars were obtained on microsatellite loci VVMD5, VVMD7, VVMD27, VVS2, VrZAG62 and VrZAG79 using an automated genetic analyzer ABI Prism 3130. The SSR-markers are recommended as the main for Vitis vinifera L. genotyping. The cultivars analyzed have different sets of allele combination by the loci studied. Evaluation of the genetic similarity of cultivars according to the results of microsatellite analysis showed that the genotypes of Mahbоr cibil and Aliy terskiy are closer to the Western European gene pool of V. vinifera L. than any other native varieties in the sample studied. In addition, the grapevine cultivars studied were described for the main features of the formed leaves according to the method of the international organization of vine and wine. The similarity of cultivars Gok Ala and Agadai was shown by the results of analysis of the leaves characteristics and according to SSR-profiling.

 

Sea buckthorn, despite of high popularity at the moment, is not a common object of genetic researches. Some efforts of foreign scientists in this field are concerned with only big systematic groups like species and subspecies. At the same time genetic researches inside of subspecies mongolica growing in Siberia till recently have not been started. There are too many so called ecotypes of sea buckthorn belonging to Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. mongolica growing in different environmentally-geographical areas. That is why the task of deep genetic research of that subspecies is very important. The absence of an approved procedure of genome definition for Siberian sea buckthorn makes the above task quite complicated. That is why the main aim of the current investigation was developing a procedure of ISSR-analysis for sea buckthorn growing in Siberia, as well as preliminary estimation of genetic polymorphism of sea buckthorn varieties belonging to different environmentally-geographical areas by methods of molecular markers. As a result, the procedure of ISSR-analysis for sea buckthorn growing in Siberia has been developed. From 32 estimated ISSR-markers only 6 have been educed as effective for ISSR-locus polymorphism evaluation of sea buckthorn. The annealing temperature for each primer has been found. Analyses of ISSR-markers polymorphism as well as genetic diversity of 17 sea buckthorn varieties have been done. ISSR-spectrum analyses of sea buckthorn plants have educed 56 amplified DNA fragments, 36 of them were polymorphic. According to obtained data a dendrogram of genetic affinity of evaluated varieties has been built, where one variety generates one cluster. In general, it conforms to the idea that one species is divided into subspecies and one subspecies is divided into different ecotypes. As a result of cluster analyses all investigated varieties were divided into two big groups. The first includes varieties belonging to H. rhamnoides ssp. mongolica, H. rhamnoides ssp. rhamnoides, H. rhamnoides ssp. caucasica; the second includes Danube and Yutlandian ecotypes belonging to H. rhamnoides ssp. carpatica. The occurrence of H. rhamnoides ssp. rhamnoides and H. rhamnoides ssp. caucasica inside the first group allows us to make an assumption about their closer genetic relationship with H. rhamnoides ssp. mongolica, which is consistent with their similar morphological features. Revealed ISSR-locus polymorphism as well as the results of clusters analyses allows ISSR-analyses to be recommended for sea buckthorn variability evaluation as well as for genotyping varieties.

Genetic knowledge of microorganisms plays a critical role in the creation of new biotechnologies, since the effectiveness of any biotechnology is determined by the particular qualities of the structurally functional organization of molecular-genetic systems and their components used for the production of targeted products. Collections of microbial cultures play a decisive role in mobilizing biological resources and make it possible to form a solid base for genetic, molecular biological and biotechnological research. The aim of this work was to assess the key molecular-genetic and phenotypic characteristics of strains of the collection of microorganisms created in the “FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences” as a genetic resource for biotechnology. Thirty strains of microorganisms of the collection were isolated by employees of the FRC ICG SB RAS from extreme natural ecosystems, the key molecular-genetic and phenotypic characteristics were described using modern methods of molecular biology and mass-spectrometry. DNA isolation and the sequencing of 16S rRNA gene sequences were performed. The strains of the collection were characterized by morphological, physiological, moleculargenetic and mass-spectrometric characteristics. The particular qualities of growing of strains on different substrates have been established, the study of cell morphology has been carried out. The physiological characteristics of the strains of the collection have been established: the attitude to oxygen, the type of nutrition, the range of temperature and pH, the attitude to NaCl and others. Different resistance of strains to antibiotics has been established. The creation of personal mass spectra of protein profiles of the studied strains of the collection was carried out. The resulting DNA sequences of the strains are deposited in the GenBank. The chemotaxonomic characteristics of strains have been determined. The biotechnological properties of the strains were assessed, the amount of metabolites (ethanol, lactic and acetic acids) in the culture liquid was determined. The value of the collection of microorganisms of the FRC ICG SB RAS as a genetic resource for biotechnology and bioengineering is determined not only by the species diversity of its strains, but also by a wide range of their area isolation and by the depth of their characterization using the widest arsenal of both classical and modern methods (including methods of genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics).

This article continues a previous study colors in minipigs at ICG. It also has a phenomenological character, but it consideres juvenile colour, which is an integral element of the ontogenetic formation of the suit, wild type agouti pigs of the species Sus scrofa L. However, in ICG mini pigs, in addition to individuals with the suit of the wild type, juvenile colour is a feature of pigs with the black spotted suit. It should be noted that data about a similar phenomenon in pigs with black spotted colour were not found in the literature. We proposed that a unique juvenile colour of black spotted mini-pigs ICG is a consequence of increased synthesis of pigments of hair, the intensity of which obviously exceeds the performance by the wild boar and domestic pigs. Newborn piglets of mini pigs ICG of the colour of the wild type typically have too little or too much yellow (orange, brown) pigment, which makes the figure of juvenile livery blurry – low contrast, or the lack of it, with the result that they are gray or gray-blue color with dark gray longitudinal stripes. The pattern of juvenile livery piglets of mini pigs ICG is disrupted. As a rule, instead of a longitudinal stripe, a mesh pattern livery is observed. Therefore, the agouti like colour observed in mini-pigs ICG should rather be called more properly pseudowild type. It was suggested that the specially planned crosses were able to “reveal” the genetic load of mutations in the complex of alleles involved in the formation of the suit of the wild type and accumulated in the population, not exposed to stabilizing selection on this archaic for domestic pigs’ colour. The accumulation of this genetic cargo at the mini-pigs was made possible by gipostatic suit wild type relative to epistatic colour standard for modern commercial plant breeds.

Domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is used as a model species for developing effective methods of wild felids’ semen cryopreservation. The present study represents a comparison of domestic cat semen cryopreservation with two commercially available cryoprotectant agents (CPAs): CaniPlus Freeze (CPF) and SpermFreeze (SF). Semen was collected from the caudal epididymises of adult males and frozen with CPF and SF, correspondingly. The viability of frozen-thawed spermatozoa was evaluated by VitalScreen kit, staining with hematoxylin and eosin was performed for analysis of the spermatozoa morphology; both analyses were combined with the light microscopy. The viability rate of the frozenthawed semen cryopreserved with CPF and SF did not differ: 32.3±4.4 % for CPF and 43.3±4.0 % for SF. Total percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa after freezing and thawing domestic cat semen was 26.0±2.3 % for CPF and 23.9±1.9 % for SF. In both cases, there were no differences from non-frozen semen, in the latter group the total percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology was 29.0±4.1 %. The most frequent anomalies were the anomalies of tail, and the rarest anomalies were head defects. The percentages of spermatozoa with anomalies of the head, mid piece, tail and combined did not differ in these three groups. Taken together these results suggest that both CPAs are suitable for the purpose of domestic cat semen freezing and cryopreservation, although CPF was designed for Canidae semen cryopreservation and SF was developed for human semen freezing and so far was used exclusively in reproductive medicine. It might be concluded that these two commercially available cryoprotectant media are applicable for the purposes of domestic cat breeds’ semen cryopreservation.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is widely used in heterosis breeding of crops, including sorghum. In breeding work, “Rossorgo” uses early maturing source material adapted to the conditions of cultivation in the Lower Volga region, a collection CMS-lines with different types of sterile cytoplasm (A1, A2, A3, A4, 9E, M-35-1A) and varieties of grain sorghum. To create heterosis hybrids, it is required to identify the parental form with a high combining ability. Hybrids were derived from CMS-lines: A1 O-Yang 1, A2 KVV 114, A2 Vostorg, A2 Tamara, A3 Feterita 14, A4 KP 70, M-35-1A and 9E Pischevoe 614. The pollinators (testers) to crossing included varieties of grain sorghum: Mercury, Ogonek, Avans, Topaz, Volzhskoe 615, Pischevoe 35, Volzhskoe 4. The tests were conducted on the experimental field of “Rossorgo” in 2015–2016. Meteorological conditions during the studies differed in the amount of precipitation and the sum of active temperatures. Combining ability (CA) of the starting material was determined by the method of topcross. It was found that the manifestation of traits (plant height, parameters of the panicle, the weight of grains in one panicle and 1000 grains, yield) in sorghum is controlled by genes with additive effect. For further breeding for heterosis, CMS-lines (A1 O-Yang 1, A3 Feterita 14 and A4 KP 70) were selected with strong high effects of GCA on the main breeding grounds stable for years. High CA also characterized varieties Volzhskoe 4 (height of plant, weight of grains in one panicle and yield), Avans and Topaz (mass of 1000 grains and yield). For competitive variety trials, promising F1 hybrids of sorghum with high SCA effects for yield and weight of 1000 grains were identified. Hybrids to create synthetic varieties-populations were proposed.

Yield stability depends on the resistance of varieties and hybrids to stressful environmental factors. Assessment of genotype-environment interaction helps breeders select the best genotypes for submission to the state variety trials. The article presents results of AMMI (Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction) and GGE (Genotype plus Genotype-Environment interaction) biplot analyses of the grain yield data in eight promising spring barley lines bred at the Plant Production Institute nd. a V.Ya. Yuryev of NAAS and two standard varieties in 2012–2015. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of genotype, environment and their interaction for grain yield and identify stable and performance genotypes. The experimental layout was randomized complete block design with four replications. The analysis of variance on grain yield data showed that the mean squares of environments, genotypes and genotype-environment interaction (GEI) accounted for 85.8, 8.1 and 6.1 % of treatment combination sum of squares, respectively. To find out the effects of GEI on grain yield, the data were subjected to AMMI and GGE biplot analysis. The AMMI model presented greater efficiency by retaining most of the variation in the first two main components, 95.7 %, followed by the GGE biplot model, 82.9 %. Lines 09-837 (G8) and 08-1385 (G9) presented an elevated grain yield and stability as determined by the AMMI and GGE biplot methodologies. These lines named as “Avgur” and “Veles” were submitted to the state variety trial. The results finally indicated that AMMI and GGE biplot are informative methods to explore stability and adaptation pattern of genotypes in practical plant breeding and in subsequent variety recommendations.

 

Diploid wild relative of wheat – Aegilops speltoides – is a valuable source of genes for resistance to diseases. The synthetic form Avrodes (BBAASS) was used as a bridge to transfer leaf rust resistance genes from Ae. speltoides to common wheat. Introgression lines obtained from crosses of Avrodes and susceptible common wheat cultivars were evaluated in a field leaf rust nursery. Resistance levels varied from high to moderate. Testing of lines with the use of molecular markers has shown that some lines have the Lr28 and Lr35 genes inherited from synthetic form Avrodes. The majority of resistance lines have not been found to carry these genes. The Lr47 and Lr51 genes were not identified in the Avrodes and introgression lines. The analysis of chromosome pairing in F1 hybrids showed that the transfer of a genetic material from Avrodes to common wheat basically occurs through translocations. Lines with translocations on chromosomes 2D and 5D were identified by C-banding and FISH. The translocations differed in chromosomal location from known leaf resistance genes transferred to common wheat from Ae. speltoides. Hence it was assumed that new genes were introduced into the common wheat genome from Ae. speltoides. Introgression lines have been studied for productivity and technological qualities of grain. Lines AA60n9 and D37n10 combine high resistance to leaf rust with good characteristics of productivity and technological qualities of grain. The received results demonstrate a genetic diversity and a value of the investigated introgression lines for breeding of common wheat.

 

The analysis of pathogen intraspecific differentiation is a necessary stage for the development of a strategy of wheat leaf rust resistance breeding. To characterize the structure of the populations, virulence to Thatcher lines with leaf rust resistance genes (TcLr) and microsatellite markers may be used. The purpose of the present research is to study the intraspecific variability of the fungus Puccinia triticina Erikss. on Triticum L. hexaploid species and Aegilops trivialis (Zhuk.) Migusch. et Chak. using SSR-markers. Leaves of Triticum aestivum L., T. compactum Host., T. macha Dekapr. et Menabde, T. petropavlovskyi Udacz. et Migusch., T. spelta L., T. sphaerococcum Perc., T. vavilovii Jakubz. and Ae. trivialis with uredinia were collected on the experimental field of the Dagestan experiment station of VIR (Derbent) in 2014. For SSR-analysis 109, monopustule isolates previously characterized for virulence to 20 TcLr-lines were used. As a result of 18 microsatellite loci polymorphism analysis, 16 genotypes were identified. Genetic similarity between collections of isolates from the hexaploid types of wheat was significantly higher based on microsatellite markers than based on virulence. Microsatellite analysis confirmed a high similarity between Derbent isolates of P. triticina coming from the hexaploid Triticum species (including isolates from common wheat) and Aegilops trivialis.

 

Cucumber downy mildew (causative agent – Pseudoperonospora cubensis Rostowz) is one of the most harmful diseases of cucumbers in Kazakhstan. High variability of the fungus leading to the emergence of new aggressive pathotypes and consequently to loss of resistance by some crop cultivars causes ever-growing harmfulness of P. cubensis. The goal of the research is to carry out immunological evaluation of cucumber varieties and hybrids from 18 countries to Kazakhstanean population of the fungus and to assess their resistance against the background of artificial inoculation as well as to find stable sources of crop resistance to the disease. Eighty cucumber cultivars from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, India, Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, USA, Moldova, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, France, Israel, China, Taiwan and South Korea were tested for their resistance to the downy mildew in the field. Synthetic population of the cucumber downy mildew agent was used for inoculation. The studies in 2015–2016 resulted in the detection of 29 (36.2 %) cucumber varieties and hybrids that demonstrated a high rate of field resistance to the pathogen. Nine (11.2 %) varieties and hybrids appeared to be resistant, three (3.8 %) were moderately resistant, three (3.8 %) were susceptible, and 36 (45.0 %) cultivars of different origin appeared to be highly susceptible. Resistant cultivars were rather frequent among materials from Kazakhstan and Netherlands. Adoption and cultivation of resistant cucumber varieties will allow reducing application of chemical protection means, producing ecologically safe farm produce and avoiding pollution of ecosystems.

 

Aromatic substances in plant tissues can have protective effect against fungal diseases. One of the key enzymes in aromatic metabolism of plants, CAD (cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase, dehydrogenase of cinnamyl alcohol; EC 1.1.1.195), at a number of species of plants exerts impact on the content of aromatic substances and on protective properties of tissues from fungal infections. When studying a collection of cultivars of bread wheat Triticum aestivum L., polymorphic on CAD, distinctions on extent of defeat are found by brown rust (with Puccinia recondita f. sp. Tritici as a causative agent). The purpose of the work was studying of features of structure and chemical composition of the tissues of a leaf promoting increased resistance. On a phytopathologic plot, against artificial infection with spores of a brown rust, two samples of spring bread wheat 3-13-15-4 and 3-4-14-3 were affected 1–5 % and 30 %, respectively. An analysis of various substances content in the leaf tissue at the contrast samples was conducted. Large plaques and spot consisting of mineral compounds were observed on the leaf surface of the more resistant plant. In ashes of leaves and ashes of a lignin differences in the maintenance of a number of mineral elements were also found. Lignin content on the dry mass of a leaf differed slightly (14.2 % vs 12.3 %), however there are differences in chemical composition. It is possible that the observed differences lead to afflict the plants with leaf rust to such different degrees. In that case these characteristics can be used for diagnostics of potential resistance of cultivars to fungal infection.

 

The common pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important crop characterised by high diversity, taxonomic fixation of which may be important for selection as it attracts attention to the taxa recognised, although this recognition can be poorly justified. Two subspecies of the common pea, traditionally recognised in Russian botanical and genetical literature, Pisum sativum L. subsp. transcaucasicum Makasheva from Transcaucasia and Pisum sativum L. subsp. asiaticum Govorov from Anterior and Central Asia and North Africa, are considered, as well as their diagnostic characters and arguments in favour of their subspecific status. P. sativum subsp. transcaucasicum is characterised by small seeds, three pairs of small diamond-shaped leaflets, vigorous branching and full reproductive compatibility with Pisum sativum L. subsp. sativum and has a very limited range in Georgia. As a very local landrace it hardly deserves a subspecific status, however it is reasonable to consider it as a variety, Pisum sativum L. subsp. sativum var. transcaucasicum (Makasheva) Kosterin comb. nov. The subspecies P. sativum subsp. asiaticum practically misses diagnostic characters which are limited to small flowers with presence of some flavonoid pigmentation in the corolla. In fact, this subspecies has accumulated very diverse landraces from most of the Old World. Absence of reliable diagnostic characters makes it impossible to recognise this subspecies. Thus, P. sativum subsp. asiaticum is a later synonym of P. sativum subsp. sativum, to which all cultivated representatives of P. sativum L. should be attributed. A peculiar form traditionally cultivated in Egypt was described as the species Pisum jomardii Schrank and subsequently considered also in the ranks of subspecies and variety; it would better be considered as Pisum sativum L. subsp. sativum var. jomardii (Schrank) Govorov.

 

Mammalian genome reprogramming has been studied for more than half a century. First, Sir John Gurdon showed the possibility of differentiated cell genome reprogramming by enucleated oocyte factors in 1962. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka produced induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from mouse fibroblasts by the use of just four transcription factors in 2006: Oct4, Klf4, Sox2, and c-Myc. Generation of iPS cells put a question about the reprogramming completeness: do genes derived from fibroblasts retain their expression? And are the features of iPS cells in compliance with those of embryonic stem (ES) cells that serve as a standard? To date, iPS cells have been produced for tens of species, while ES cells, for less than twenty. In 1993 American mink (Neovison vison) ES cells were produced in the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS. That created a unique opportunity for comparison of induced and embryo-derived pluripotent cells. In 2015 we produced American mink iPS cells and showed fibro-blast genome reprogramming at the level of gene expression and divided genes into four groups: reprogrammed, with intermediate expression, non-reprogrammed, and the ones with a “novel” expression pattern. Thus, an opportunity to study pluripotency and differentiation on two pluripotent cell types, ES and iPS cells, was added for one more species. In this article we present a detailed protocol for generation of American mink iPS cells with human OCT4, KLF4, SOX2, and c­MYC genes. In addition, we briefly describe necessary methods for their analysis: morphology, cytogenetic analysis, PCR with reverse transcription for the presence of pluripotency “marker” genes, and teratoma formation test in immunodeficient mice. This protocol allows reliable and efficient generation of American mink iPS cells from embryonic fibroblasts.

 

The Drosophila melanogaster pAbp gene encodes the cytoplasmic poly(A)-binding protein (PABP). Cytoplasmic PABPs participate in the metabolic pathways of the mRNA: translation initiation and termination, cytoplasmic polyadenylation/deadenylation, mRNA stability, mRNA degradation. Despite the extensive biochemical and structural characterization, relatively little is known about the biological roles of PABPs in the processes of cellular development and differentiation. In Drosophila spermatogenesis, posttranscriptional mechanisms of gene regulation play an important role, so cytoplasmic PABP can have significant function in this process. Deletion of PABP leads to embryonic lethality. However, some flies carrying combinations of mutant pAbp alleles survive but display male sterility and show defects in spermatogenesis. It has previously been shown that hypomorphic pAbp mutations cause a number of meiotic defects, abnormalities of Nebenkern formation. These data provide an insight into the effect of pAbp mutation on the individual events of spermatogenesis, but they do not cover the entire process. We studied spermatogenesis in pAbpallele heterozygotes by transmission electron and fluorescent light microscopy. We showed that cellular mitochondria were the primary structural target of the mutation. Abnormal mitochondria were less structured, swollen, had transparent matrix and depleted cristae. Further mutation had a polymorphous effect and induced anomalies in the ultrastructure of mature spermatocytes, defects in Nebenkern formation and division, axial complex formation, shutdown of spermatogenesis during spermatid elongation. Thus our data show a significant role of PABP in structural transformations of male germ cells during entire spermato-genesis.

 

One of the most important properties of extracellular double-stranded DNA related to the treatment of various diseases is its ability to activate effector cells of the immune system (anti-tumor and vaccinal immunity) through dendritic cells (DCs). The stimulatory effect of DNA on DCs is mediated by the TLR9 signaling pathway and/or through a system of cytosolic sensors and is manifested by increased expression of MHC class II antigens and costimulatory molecules and by increased synthesis of immunoregulatory cytokines. In this work, the expression of cytokines, differentiation antigens and transcription factor genes has been investigated in DCs activated by double-stranded human DNA (i) without any additional factors, (ii) using a lipophilic agent, and (iii) by blocking TLR9 with chloroquine. Evaluation of the DNA effect was carried out after the 6- and 24-hour exposure. It was found that the preparation of double-stranded DNA transfected by Lipofectamine 2000 boosts DCs at the same level as Poly(dA : dT), a synthetic equivalent of double-stranded DNA. It was discovered that combined application of DNA and chloroquine enhances expression of the IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-γ, IL­8, МСР1, VEGF, CD25, and CD83 genes by hour 24 of incubation. It was for the first time shown that genomic “self” double-stranded DNA as a mono agent activates mRNA synthesis of cytokines IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-γ, IL­8, IL­10, and VEGF in DCs at 6 hours of induction.

 

Potato starch is a valuable and affordable technical raw material for a number of industries. For selection of plants producing starch with optimal processing properties effective methods for physicochemical parameters evaluation of a large number of starch samples are needed. Thus, variability of phenotypic traits data are important both for fundamental works on identification of genomic loci responsible for a wide range of potato starch characteristics as well as for applied accelerated selection of new varieties for technical use. Estimating the morphology of starch granules by microscopy is one of the most accessible and therefore widespread methods of phenotyping. We developed a four-step approach to the estimation of the geometric parameters of starch granules. It includes an isolation of starch from the tuber (stage 1), the preparation of mi-crographs of starch samples (stage 2), processing and analysis of the images obtained in the freely distributed ImageJ program (stage 3), and the construction of distribution curve for starch granules by geometric parameters (stage 4). It was shown that the starch granules of different varieties and hybrids of potato differ in morphology and can be differentiated by microscopy with obtaining data on the Feret’s diameter and the circularity of the particles. Thus, typical values of the Feret’s diameter of starch granules of “Alena” and “Nevsky” varieties and 785/8-5 hybrid are 5, 22 and 67 microns, respectively. The distributions on circularity of starch granules of these varieties and the hybrid have only minor differences. Light optical microscopy of starch granules followed by digital image analysis is an affordable, economical, simple and effective approach to phenotyping the varieties and hybrids of potato Solanum tuberosum L. on the physicochemical parameters of starch. The approach may be applied for accelerated analysis of a large number of samples on a limited amount of natural material in the field and countryside economic laboratories.

 

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is one of the main systems regulating arterial pressure and water-salt homeostasis of the body and is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Angiotensin peptides – products of enzymatic hydrolysis of angiotensinogen – can be synthesized not only in the blood stream, but also in tissues, including various regions  of the brain. Studies of local tissue RAS in the context of arterial hypertension have been conducted for a long time. It has been shown that a steady arterial pressure increase is often associated with changes in the functioning of the central (brain) RAS in various animal models of hypertensive disease and in humans. Nevertheless, it is still not completely clear whether these changes alone are sufficient for the formation of hypertensive status, and whether the components of the central RAS can be used as targets for the treatment of hypertensive disease. Effects of prolonged inhibition of the brain RAS on blood pressure and expression of RAS genes in brain and kidney tissues in ISIAH (inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension) rats were studied. Inhibition was performed using widely used pharmacological agents, losartan and benazepril. Osmotic minipumps were used to deliver drugs to the lateral ventricle of the brain. It was shown that prolonged inhibition of the central RAS, AT1 receptors in particular, can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and significant changes in the level of expression of brain RAS genes in ISIAH rats. The mRNA level of RAS genes in the kidney does not significantly change due to this inhibition. Thus, the participation of the central RAS in the pathogenesis and maintenance of hypertensive status during stress induced form of hypertensive disease in ISIAH rats was confirmed.

 

We hypothesized that the basis of epigenetic regulation of genomes in ontogenesis is the specificity of the distribution, number and composition of transposons. Transposons constitute the major part of the genomes of multicellular eukaryotes. The evolutionary preservation of transposons is associated with universal mechanisms for controlling cell differentiation: processing of non-coding RNAs and splicing regulation. These universal mechanisms were originally aimed at protecting against viruses and transposons. The cooperation of these protective systems with mechanisms for controlling the interrelation of cells and their differentiation became the basis for the emergence and evolution of multicellular eukaryotes. The evolutionary conservation of a complex enzymes Drosha, Dicer, Argonaut, RdRP and their homologues in all multicellular eukaryotes, and their absence in unicellular organisms supports this assumption. Introns originated from mobile genetic elements. Transposons played an important role in the propagation of introns in evolution and their regulation in ontogenesis. Transposons regulate the expression of genes in cis and in trans, and also indirectly by the production of small RNAs that affect their own activity, both by altering the DNA methylation and modifying histones, and at the posttranscriptional level. Tissue-specific and stage-specific changes in the activity of transposons in ontogenesis are associated with the expression of transposon-derived noncoding RNAs and altering the activity of genes, which leads to cell differentiation. We proposed that the species-specific features of activation of transposons for each subsequent cell division undergo evolutionary selection and are key regulators of the growth and development of the organism. We proposed that transposons in the genome affect their inherited activation in each subsequent cell division, which causes a change in cell differentiation.