A wealth of genome and transcriptome data obtained using new generation sequencing (NGS) technologies for whole organisms could not answer many questions in oncology, immunology, physiology, neurobiology, zoology and other fields of science and medicine. Since the cell is the basis for the living of all unicellular and multicellular organisms, it is necessary to study the biological processes at its level. This understanding gave impetus to the development of a new direction – the creation of technologies that allow working with individual cells (single-cell technology). The rapid development of not only instruments, but also various advanced protocols for working with single cells is due to the relevance of these studies in many fields of science and medicine. Studying the features of various stages of ontogenesis, identifying patterns of cell differentiation and subsequent tissue development, conducting genomic and transcriptome analyses in various areas of medicine (especially in demand in immunology and oncology), identifying cell types and states, patterns of biochemical and physiological processes using single cell technologies, allows the comprehensive research to be conducted at a new level. The first RNA-sequencing technologies of individual cell transcriptomes (scRNA-seq) captured no more than one hundred cells at a time, which was insufficient due to the detection of high cell heterogeneity, existence of the minor cell types (which were not detected by morphology) and complex regulatory pathways. The unique techniques for isolating, capturing and sequencing transcripts of tens of thousands of cells at a time are evolving now. However, new technologies have certain differences both at the sample preparation stage and during the bioinformatics analysis. In the paper we consider the most effective methods of multiple parallel scRNA-seq using the example of 10XGenomics, as well as the specifics of such an experiment, further bioinformatics analysis of the data, future outlook and applications of new high-performance technologies.

The development of quantitative digital phenotyping methods for evaluation of wild potato (section Petota Dumort., genus Solanum L.) tuberization is required for annotation of genebank collections and selection of the suitable donor material for potato breeding. There are no available methods specifically designed for the quantitative analysis of wild potato tuber morphology. The current study is devoted to evaluation of wild potato tubers’ morphological characteristics using a digital image processing technique. For this purpose, the mobile application SeedSounter developed previously for grain analysis was specifically adapted for tuber phenotyping. The application estimates the number and shape of objects scattered on a standard sheet of white paper (i. e. A3 or A4). Twelve accessions from the VIR genebank collection belonging to nine Petota species were grown in pots protected with garden fabric during the growing season of cultivated potato (Novosibirsk region). Tubers were collected form plants of nine genotypes. Three genotypes did not produce tubers. The weight of tubers collected from each plant was measured. The tuber yield from each plant was analyzed using SeedCounter (http://wheatdb.org/seedcounter). The number of tubers per plant was counted; the following characteristics were extracted from the images of individual tubers: length, width, projected area, length to width ratio, сircularity, roundness, rugosity and solidity. One-way ANOVA showed a significant effect of genotype on all measured characteristics. A pairwise comparison of nine Petota accessions using all measured parameters revealed statistically significant differences between 86 % of pairs. The overall tuber yield volume for each plant was  calculated as a sum of volumes of individual tubers; tuber volume was calculated from its length to width ratio and projected area. A strong correlation between the evaluated tuber yield volume and yield weight was shown. We propose tuber yield volume as a characteristic for a general evaluation of tuberization for wild potato, implementing the four-step scale from 0 to 3. According to this characteristic, the twelve wild potato accessions studied could be divided into four groups with different tuberization abilities. The evaluated tuberization ability is partially in accordance with previously obtained VIR data. The results presented demonstrate the possibility to use SeedCounter for  wild potato  collections phenotyping. 

The term ‘clone’ in animal biotechnology refers to an organism derived from non-sexual reproduction, which is both a direct offspring and a genetic copy of the parent organism. To date, the pig appears to be the most interesting object in cloning research. Somatic cell nuclear transfer in pigs has a wide range of potential applications in various fields of human scientific and economic activities. However, the efficiency of producing cloned embryos in swine is still lower than that of other livestock species, in particular horses and cattle. Somatic cell nuclear transfer is a technically complex multi-stage technology, at each stage of which the pig oocytes, which are more susceptible to changes of surrounding conditions, are affected by various factors (mechanical, physical, chemical). At the stage of oocyte maturation, changes in the cell ultrastructures of the ooplasm occur, which play an important role in the subsequent nuclear reprogramming of the transferred donor cell. Before transfer to the oocyte donor somatic cells are synchronized in the G0/G1 stage of the cell cycle to ensure the normal ploidy of the cloned embryo. When removing the nucleus of pig oocytes maturated in vitro, it is necessary to pay attention to the problem of preserving the viability of cells, which were devoid of their own nuclear material. To perform the reconstruction, a somatic cell is placed, using micro-tools, in the perivitelline space, where the first polar body was previously located, or in the cytoplasm of an enucleated oocyte. The method of manual cloning involves the removal of the oocyte nucleus with subsequent fusion with the donor cell without the use of micromanipulation techniques. The increased sensitivity of oocytes to the environmental conditions causes special requirements for the choice of the system for in vitro culture of cloned pig embryos. In this work, we have reviewed the modern methods used for the production of cloned embryos and identified the technological issues that prevent improving the efficiency of somatic cloning of pigs.

The review gives a brief description of tomato, one of the main objects of olericulture for Siberia. The data on the main directions in the breeding of this culture, such as resistance to various pathogens, the nutritional properties of fruits, the timing of their maturation and storage are generalized. A separate chapter is devoted to the use of various types of DNA markers for constructing detailed genetic maps of the specified object, which, along with full-genome sequencing data, can be used to screen for genes responsible for breeding traits. Most of these traits, especially specific resistance to one or another pathogen, were transferred to the cultivated tomato by crossing with wild species, therefore, special attention was paid in the article to identifying and marking resistance genes to a variety of viral, fungal and bacterial pathogens occurring in Western Siberia and adjacent areas. Another important aspect for breeding is the nutrient content of tomato fruits, including carotenoids, vitamins, sugars, organic acids, etc. Recently, due to modern technologies of sequencing, SNP-genotyping, the development of new bioinformatic approaches, it has become possible to establish genetic cascades determining the biochemical composition of tomato fruits, to identify key genes that can be used in the future for marker-associated selection of nutritional value. And, finally, genetic works devoted to the problem of the optimal dates of fruit ripening in certain climatic conditions and their prolonged storage without loss of quality are discussed.

The review is devoted to the disclosure of the modern concept of plant immunity as a hierarchical system of plant host protection, controlled by combinations of major and minor resistance genes (loci). The “zigzag” model is described in detail for discussing the molecular bases of plant immunity with key concepts: pathogen-associated molecular patterns triggering innate immunity, ambivalent effectors causing susceptibility, but when interacting with resistance genes, a hypersensitive reaction or alternative defense mechanisms. There are three types of resistance in cereals: (1) basal resistance provided by plasma membrane-localized receptors proteins; (2) racespecific resistance provided by intracellular immune R-receptors; (3) partial resistance conferred by quantitative gene loci. The system ‘wheat (Triticum aestivum) – the fungus causing leaf rust (Puccinia triticina)’ is an interesting model for observing all the resistance mechanisms listed above, since the strategy of this pathogen is aimed at the constitutive use of host resources. The review focuses on known wheat genes responsible for various types of resistance to leaf rust: race-specific genes Lr1, Lr10, Lr19, and Lr21; adult resistance genes which are hypersensitive Lr12, Lr13, Lr22a, Lr22b, Lr35, Lr48, and Lr49; nonhypersensitive genes conferring partial resistance Lr34, Lr46, Lr67, and Lr77. The involvement of some wheat R-genes in pre-haustorial resistance to leaf rust has been discovered recently: Lr1, Lr3a, Lr9, LrB, Lr19, Lr21, Lr38. The presence of these genes in the genotype ensures the interruption of early pathogenesis through the following mechanisms: disorientation and branching of the germ tube; formation of aberrant fungal penetration structures (appressorium, substomatal vesicle); accumulation of callose in mesophyll cell walls. Breeding for immunity is accelerated by implementation of data on various mechanisms of wheat resistance to rust diseases, which are summarized in this review.

Among the many diseases of spring wheat caused by pathogenic fungi, loose smut Ustilago tritici (Pers.) Jens. remains to be a dangerous disease with a wide range of distribution. In fields where there is no control over the emergence and spread of the disease, the yield reduction can be up to 10 %, and in the case of highly susceptible varieties, up to 40–50 %. Taking into account the increasing cost of seed protectants and their environmental damage, the cultivation of varieties resistant to loose smut is still the most affordable way to protect plants, reducing the pesticide load on agrocenoses. The crucial point in breeding for resistance is the use of resistant varieties as parental forms. The aim of our research was to isolate samples of spring wheat that are immune to loose smut against the background of artificial infection of plants with a population specific to the West Siberian region. The article presents the results of long-lasting studies of 350 genotypes of spring wheat of different ecological and geographical origin for resistance to disease. Physiological specialization of races was carried out on the basis of a differentiating set consisting of six varieties of soft wheat and three varieties of durum spring wheat. The obtained results in combination with literature data reveal changes in the racial composition of the pathogen population over the past 30–35 years. Varieties of foreign and domestic selection resistant to the West Siberian population of loose smut have been identified. Based on the analysis of pedigree samples, highly and practically resistant to loose smut, we concluded that in breeding for immunity to U. tritici, the same sources of resistance genes are most often used. Among the gene pool of spring wheat of foreign selection, the largest number of genotypes resistant to loose smut is assigned to the countries of the North American geographical zone (USA, Canada, Mexico). These are largely samples containing Ut1 genes, genes from spring wheat ‘Thatcher’ and its sister line ‘DC II-21-44’. Resistance genes in Russian wheat varieties can be traced from cultivars Beloturka, Poltavka, Selivanovsky Hare (using Saratovskaya 29 and its derivatives), and genes from wheatgrass lines AGIS 1 and Grecum 114.

Our review presents several recent studies on the genetic history and signatures of selection in genomes of the native Russian cattle breeds. Most of these works are not easily accessible for the Russian-speaking audience. We describe the origins of appearance of the Russian cattle breeds from the genetics perspective. We point to the links between most of the Russian breeds with the taurine breeds of the European origin and for some Russian breeds with the breeds of the Asian origin. We describe major phylogenetic clusters of the Russian breeds and point to those that still maintain their unique genetics, meaning that their preservation is a priority. In addition, we review the results of the search for signatures of selection in genomes of the Russian cattle breeds. Some unique signatures of selection present in the genomes of so-called “turano-mongolian” cattle (i. e. the Yakut cattle) are described which allowed the Yakut cattle to adapt to harsh environments found above the Polar Circle. Signatures of selection which could help other cattle breeds of the Russian origin to adapt to various climatic condition of the Russian Federation are reviewed. The Russian cattle genomes also contain known signatures of selection related to cattle domestication about 8–10 thousand years ago. The most profound ones include genes related to changes of the coat colour. This phenotype in many cases could be related to the distinction of the first domesticated populations and lead to the formation of so-called land races (primitive breeds). Whole-genome association studies of Russian cattle breeds pointed to a novel gene which could be related to the “white-faced” phenotype and to a gene which is related to body temperature support under the acute cold stress. The data presented in our review could be used for identification of genetic markers to focus on in future efforts on designing new highly productive cattle breeds adapted to climates of the Russian Federation and other countries with similar climates.

The Thoroughbred (TB) horse is the best racehorse breed used in the racing industry. This breed has had a closed studbook for about 300 years. In Russia TB horses have been bred since the second half of the XVIII century. The modern Russian Stud Book register of TB horses is partially presented by stallions and broodmares imported from different countries. The genealogical structure of the breed is represented by 17 lines, among which the Northern Dancer line dominates (30.9 %). The study of features of different lines of TB was carried out on 17 loci of DNA microsatellites (VHL20, HTG4, AHT4, HMS7, HTG6, AHT5, HMS6, ASB23, ASB2, HTG10, HTG7, HMS3, HMS2, ASB17, LEX3, HMS1 and CA425) to assess genetic differentiation of the genealogical structure. The results of the DNA typing of 8091 Thoroughbred horses across microsatellite loci show that the gene pool of the domestic population is represented by 100 alleles typical of the breed. A comparative analysis of the genotypes of horses representing different lines indicates that they differ in the number of alleles (85–99), allele frequencies, the level of polymorphism Ae (2.93–3.48) and the degree of the observed heterozygosity Ho (0.653–0.739). The genetic distances between the lines varied in a wide range from 0.014 (Nasrullah – Northern Dancer) to 0.125 (Massine – Teddy). The correspondence to HWE was maintained in most lines, which is confirmed by the negative values of Fis. Cluster analysis demonstrated the correspondence of the obtained dendrogram of Nei’s genetic distances to its genealogical scheme of lines. Genetic differentiation of lines by index Fst varied in a range 0.005–0.073 at the mean value Fst = 0.024. The data indicate genetic differentiation of lines of TB at the STR markers and confirm the effectiveness of the system of linear breeding for the maintenance of interbreed biodiversity.

The molecular action of vasopressin depends on the localization of hormonal receptors. The basic physiological effects of vasopressin are manifested in the blood vasculature, renal inner medulla and brain. To date, new information concerning the tissue-specific spreading of vasopressin receptors has been accumulated, and it needs to be summarized. Platelets and endotheliocytes expressing V1a and V2 receptor types, respectively, are related to less investigated targets of the hormone. Vasopressin induces the initial reversible stage of platelet activation, required for interaction with intercellular matrix proteins. Platelet adhesion on endothelium activates cellular secretion of growth factors and enzymes for intercellular matrix glucosamine metabolism. Platelet hyaluronidase HYAL2 hydrolyses high-molecular hyaluronic acid to shorter fragments. Unlike intact hyaluronic acid with a molecular weight of several megadaltons, generally showing distinctive antiangiogenic properties, intermediate fractions of hyaluronan hydrolysis in a range from 2.5 to 200 kilodaltons have a stimulating effect on angiogenesis. Intercellular contacts between platelets and endotheliocytes are stabilized due to adhesive transmembrane glycoprotein PECAM-1 interaction. Resulting PECAM-1 heterodimers acquire conformation with high affinity to integrins αvβ3. Integrin activation forms contact links between endothelium and fibrillar proteins. Activated endotheliocytes secrete von Willebrand factor and P-selectin. These proteins are accumulated in Weibel–Palade bodies. Vasopressin stimulates cAMP-dependent ACAP-regulated exocytosis of Weibel–Palade bodies. von Willebrand factor possesses adhesive properties and additionally accelerates interaction of cells with the intercellular matrix. Adhesion on fibrillar collagen and membrane glycoproteins in cooperation with effects of PECAM-1–αvβ3 integrin complexes fixes cell aggregates in the surrounding interstitium and promotes proliferating endotheliocyte migration in according to the direction of local growth factor gradients during angiogenesis. Neurohormonal regulation of platelet and endotheliocyte secretory activity functionally link proliferation and migration of endotheliocytes during angiogenesis and integrate it according to the adaptive capacity of the entire organism.

Here, to study the relationship between anxiety levels with changes in the neurometabolic profile in the hippocampus and amygdala, an experimental predator stress model was reproduced in which Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to cat urine for 10 minutes on a daily basis for 10 days. At the time of presentation of the stimulus, an online survey of behavioral reactions was conducted. Fear, aggressiveness, avoidance of stimulus and grooming were recorded. Fourteen days after the completion of the last stress exposure, the total level of anxiety was determined in the test of the“cross maze”. Using the method of in vivo NMR spectroscopy, the content of neurometabolites was determined in the hippocampus and in the amygdala. According to the peculiarities of behavioral reactions to a stressor, animals were retrospectively divided into two phenotypes. The first phenotype used a passive behavioral strategy, and the second phenotype was active. In animals of the first phenotype, the indicators of anxiety behavior remained at the control level. In animals of the second phenotype, a decrease in anxiety was observed. Animals of the second phenotype showed elevated levels of lactate in the hippocampus compared to animals of the first phenotype, and the lowest N-acetylaspartate levels significantly differed from those in the control and the first phenotype animals. In the amygdala, in animals of the second phenotype, the content of taurine is sharply reduced in comparison with those in the control and the animals of the first phenotype. Thus, the results obtained indicate a relationship of post-stress changes in anxiety, with the peculiarities of the behavioral reactions presented at the moment of the immediate action of the stressor. Among the hippocampal and amygdala neurometabolites, the most informative for the characterization of the anxiolytic action of the predator stress are identified.

Paleogenomic studies of recent years have shown that the Bronze Age migrations of populations of the PontoCaspian steppes from the east to the west of Europe had a great influence on the formation of the genetic makeup of modern Europeans. The results of studies of the variability of mitochondrial genomes in the modern Russian populations of Eastern Europe also made it possible to identify an increase in the effective population size during the Bronze Age, which, apparently, could be related to the migration processes of this time. This paper presents the results of analysis of data on the variability of entire mitochondrial genomes in the modern Russian populations in comparison with the distribution of mtDNA haplogroups in the ancient populations of Europe and the Caucasus of the Neolithic and Bronze Age. It was shown that the formation of the modern appearance of the Russian mitochondrial gene pool began approximately 4 thousand years B.C. due to the influx of mtDNA haplotypes characteristic of the population of Central and Western Europe to the east of Europe. It is assumed that the migrations of the ancient populations of the Ponto-Caspian steppes in the western direction led to the formation of mixed populations in Central Europe, bearing mitochondrial haplogroups H, J, T, K, W characteristic of Western and Central Europeans. Further expansion of these populations to the east of Europe and further to Asia explains the emergence of new features of the mitochondrial gene pool in Eastern Europeans. The results of a phylogeographic analysis are also presented, showing that the features of the geographical distribution of the subgroups of the mitochondrial haplogroup R1a in Europe are a reflection of the “Caucasian” component that appeared in the gene pools of various groups of Europeans during the migration of the Bronze Age. The results of phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial haplogroups U2e2a1d, U4d2, N1a1a1a1, H2b, and H8b1 testify to the migrations of ancient Eastern Europeans to Asia – the south of Siberia and the Indian subcontinent.

Lung cancer is a problem of great concern and one of the commonest cancer diseases worldwide and in the Republic of Kazakhstan in particular. Radon exposure is classified as the second most important cause of lung cancer. According to the experts, the contribution of natural sources to the average annual radiation dose of the Kazakh population currently stands at 80 %, including 50 % from radon. However, the effect of radon on human health in the Republic of Kazakhstan is almost unknown. The tumor suppressor gene TP53 is a key mediator of the DNA damage response cascade following cell exposure to ionizing radiation. The common polymorphism TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522) is a risk factor for lung cancer in the Asian population, but until now no genetic association studies have been done in the Kazakh population. No information on the synergistic carcinogenic effect of radon exposure and polymorphism TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522) is available either. This paper presents the results of the study of association between alteration in the TP53 gene and radon-induced lung cancer risk in the Kazakh population. Genetic association was assessed in a case-control study including 44 radon-exposed patients with lung cancer, 41 patients with lung cancer without radon exposure and 42 age/sex-matched healthy controls. We found that polymorphism TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522) was associated with lung cancer risk in the Kazakh population (OR = 6.95, 95 % CI = 2.41–20.05). Individuals with the Arg72Pro genotype also showed a significantly higher risk of radon-induced lung cancer (OR = 8.6, 95 % CI = 2.6–28.59).

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people and therefore being a serious global problem worldwide. The study of genetic and epigenetic factors in the development of suicidal behavior plays an important role in the development of advanced methods of diagnosis and treatment of this pathology. The role of hereditary factors in the development of suicidal behavior is estimated at 30–55 %, with a pronounced comorbidity with other psychopathologies. The study of genetic liability to suicidal behavior is based on molecular-genetic methods including association and linkage analyses, chip gene expression arrays, and genome-wide association studies. Published data identified multiple genes including those involved in the functioning of serotonergic (SLC6A4, TPH, 5-HT1A), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal systems (FKBP5) and polyamines (SAT and OATL1) associated with suicidal behavior. However, the diversity of interacting genetic loci complicates the interpretation of the development of a complex phenotype of pathology and prevents the association from being detected. To solve this problem and interpret the missing relationship between the environment and the genome, promising results were obtained from a study of epigenetic factors, which affected the expression of a number of candidate genes involved in brain functioning in suicidal behavior. The analysis of a brain obtained from suicide victims, representing a unique tool for the analysis of modified genomic processes, revealed a wide range of reprogramming patterns of DNA methylation in promoters of the genes of polyamine (OAZ1, OAZ2, AMD1, ARG2, SKA2), serotonergic (SLC6A4) and GABAergic (GABRA1) systems, HPA-axis (GR, NR3C1), tyrosine kinase (TrkB) receptors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The role of histone modifications in distinct genes (Cx30, Cx43, TrkB.T1) and the expression of specific long noncoding RNAs and microRNAs in the development of suicidal behavior, which is promising for the development of diagnostic algorithms and target therapy, is discussed.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a combination of at least three primary metabolic abnormalities from among obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure, once combined, they increase significantly the cardiovascular risk. The APOE gene is considered as a genetic risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, it has been linked to MetS or its traits in several populations. Our study aimed to analyze the association of three APOE gene polymorphisms with MetS risk and its components in a general population sample, and to highlight the potential influence of these polymorphisms on individual susceptibility to MetS. We performed this work using a population-based, cross-sectional study of a representative sample of 787 individuals (378 men and 409 women, aged between 30 and 64 years) recruited in the city of Oran, Algeria (the ISOR Study); the subjects were genotyped for four polymorphisms, rs7412, rs429358, rs4420638 and rs439401, located in the APOE gene, using the KASPar technology. rs439401 showed a significant association with hypertension (HBP). The T allele confers a high risk of hypertension with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.46 (95 % CI [1.12–1.9], p = 0.006). rs4420638 was significantly associated with obesity in the general population. The G allele provides protection against obesity, the resulting OR is 0.48 (95 % CI [0.29–0.81], p = 0.004). Although APOE variants were not associated with the risk of MetS, the APOE polymorphism alleles were associated with some of the metabolic parameters in Algerian subjects. The relation of APOE rs439401 alleles with a HBP is likely to be indicative of a state of stress of the population.

Peroxidases of class III are common in various organisms. They are involved in lignin biosynthesis and plant protection against stressors. Peroxidases are presented in many isoforms, whose role is not always clear. The aim of this study is to analyze the amino acid sequences of reference peroxidases with known functions and peroxidases from Arabidopsis thaliana L. whose functions are unknown and to consider their putative roles in lignin biosynthesis. The structural and functional organization of peroxidases was analyzed by bioinformatical methods applied to open Internet sources. Seven reference peroxidases were chosen from four plant species: Zinnia sp., Armoracia rusticana P.G. Gaertn., Lycopersicon esculentum L. и Populus alba L. Twenty-four amino acid sequences of homologous peroxidases from A. thaliana were selected for the analyses with the BLAST service. Their molecular weights and isoelectric points were calculated. Multiple alignments of amino acid sequences and phylogenetic analysis were done. Sites of binding to monolignol substrates were identified in seven peroxidases from A. thaliana, and the enzymes were assigned to the groups of Sor G-peroxidases. Amino acid replacements in the primary structures of peroxidases were analyzed. Peroxidases from A. thaliana were clustered with reference peroxidases. They formed six clusters on the phylogenetic tree, three of which contained only A. thaliana peroxidases. Peroxidases within each cluster had similar molecular weights and isoelectric points, common localization of expression, and similar functions. Thus, the use of bioinformatics, databases, and published data bring us to assumptions as to the functions of several A. thaliana class III peroxidases. AtPrx39 peroxidase was shown to be affine to sinapyl alcohol; AtPrx54, to p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohols. They are likely to participate in lignin biosynthesis.

Vitamin D3 Binding Protein (DBP) is a multifunctional glycoprotein whose main role is to transport vitamin D3 and its metabolites, but it also is the precursor of the macrophage activating factor (GcMAF). DBP is converted to GcMAF as a result of site-specific selective deglycosylation under the action of β-galactosidase and sialidase, localized on activated B and T cells, respectively. GcMAF exerts its biological activity primarily as the capability of activating macrophages by enhancing their phagocytic function and producing ROS. Activation results in elevated expression of the specific macrophageal surface receptors involved in the recognition of tumor-associated antigens, as well as in the implementation of direct anticancer activity by inducing the apoptosis or necrosis of tumor cells. Increased interest in GcMAF is associated with its potential to be used in the clinic as a new antitumor drug. Besides its anti-tumor activity, GcMAF exerts a potential against a number of viral and neurodegenerative diseases associated with increased activity of N-acetylgalactosaminidase (nagalase) in the blood serum of patients. Nagalase is an enzyme that completely (rather than selectively) deglycosylates DBP so it cannot be converted to GcMAF, leading to immunodeficiency. Circulating DBP is composed of unmodified and O-glycosylated molecules with the glycosylation degree being dependent on the allelic variants of the gene encoding DBP. The role of DBP in the resistance of organism against a number of diseases is supported by the increased risk of a variety of severe illnesses (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, colorectal cancer etc.) in patients deficient for GcMAF due to homozygosity for defective DBP alleles. In this review, we also will examine in detail the current data i) on the structure and functions of DBP, as the main precursor of GcMAF, ii) on the main mechanisms of GcMAF anticancer effect, iii) on the tumor strategy for neutralizing GcMAF activity, iv) on the results of GcMAF clinical trials in various cancers; and will discuss the available controversies regarding the positioning of GcMAF as an effective antitumor drug.