The 3D organization of an eukaryotic genome plays an important role in nuclear gene expression. Until recently, studies of this organization were limited by light microscopy and electron microscopy methods. The development of chromosome conformation capture (3С) methods allowed studying genome-wide chromosomal contacts by using only molecular methods. Nowadays, numerous 3C-based methods have been developed to reconstruct the 3D organization of eukaryotic genomes.

Eight symbiotic mutants of pea (Pisum sativum L.) induced by chemical mutagenesis have been studied by the vegetative graft method in a «stem/root» manner. It has been found that symbiotic traits are controlled by the root in nonnodulating mutants K20a and K1005m, mutants with ineffective nodules K287 and K1a and supernodulating mutants K10a and K12a. In contrast, in supernodulating mutants K301 and K22a these traits are controlled by the stem. It is concluded that different mechanisms control supernodulation in supernodulating mutants K10a and K12a, on the one hand, and K301 and K22a, on the other hand.

The number of root nodules and nitrogen fixation rate (judged from nitrogenase activity) have been studied in nine varieties of five annual vetchling species: Lathyrus sativus, L. tingitanus, L. chlorantus, L. ochrus, and L. odoratus. All vetchling varieties are inferior to pea Pisum sativum in nitrogen fixation rate. A variation in nodulation pattern (nodule number, size, and location on roots) and nitrogen fixation rate among species and varieties has been detected. With regard to nitrogen fixation, Alisa and Nokturn varieties of sweet pea (L. odoratus) and Anna and Pink Flamingo of Tangier pea (L. tingitanus) deserve special attention.

A mapping population of 95 doubled haploid lines of wheat Triticum aestivum L., raised by crosses between cultivar Chinese Spring (CS) and line SQ1, was grown in irrigated and rainfed conditions of South-East Kazakhstan (1998–2008 years), studied for grain quality traits, and characterized for Fe, Zn, and S content in grains. In addition to previous studies associated with grain productivity and drought stress torelance (Quarrie et al., 2005) and grain quality traits (Abugalieva et al., 2008), the range of variation in micronutrient contents in wheat grains of the CS × SQ1 doubled haploid population provides an excellent opportunity for identification of quantitative trait loci that control the amounts of Fe, Zn, and S in grains. Doubled haploid lines with stable high content of Fe and Zn grown in irrigated and rainfed conditions were obtained on the base of the referred work. The lines can be used in biofortification of spring wheat in Kazakhstan. The results reveal significant correlation indices between Zn and protein contents in grains. They may be important in local breeding programs for the improvement of productivity and grain quality.

Dosage compensation is observed in various taxa of organisms with heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Dosage compensation mechanisms are thought to have arisen to eliminate differences in gene dosage between sexes that appeared in the course of sex chromosome evolution. Study of this process in the sex chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, and mammals has shown that, despite the common reason of dosage compensation origin, entirely different ways were elaborated to regulate X-linked gene expression level. It has also been found that not only equal levels of X-linked gene expression between sexes but also the transcription balance between the X chromosome and autosomes is important. Detailed examination of dosage compensation mechanisms demonstrates that X-linked genes are differently involved in the dosage compensation system. A similar trend is observed in studies of dosage compensation of Z-linked genes in birds and butterflies. Current data on the dosage compensation process and mechanisms governing it are summarized.

Analysis of the molecular variability of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences has shown no differentiation between samples of spawning herring from various parts of the Okhotsk Sea (p > 0,05). The lack of differentiation may be attributed to a constant gene flow between schools, while the proportion of migrants (Nm) can be calculated only indirectly. Global AMOVA for sample pairs or bulked samples shows that the intersample component comprises about 0,1–0,2 % of the total polymorphism (p > 0,1). This fact is considered to be a consequence of intense migration. The minimum portion of migrants for a locality per year varies within 3,6–9,5 %.

Reproductive effort was estimated in 200 broad bean accessions. The number of pods varied from 2,3 to 13,8 %, and the number of seeds, from 6.4 to 32,6 %. Division of the whole collection into 5 clusters according to several indices of reproductive effort and seed efficiency revealed a group of accessions with maximum values of these indices, which may be of interest for breeding for seed production. Accessions in which the maximum reproductive effort was mediated by the greatest seed production were found.

It is known that heterotic hybrids surpass traditionally bred varieties in productivity by 30–40 %; moreover, they are often more adaptive, resistant to diseases, and able to produce a stable yield. The possibility of raising intersubspecific rice hybrids is discussed. Particular attention is given to localization of wide compatibility (WC) genes in the rice genome and prospects of using molecular markers for introgression of WC genes into Russian varieties. Analysis of hybrid sterility in several Russia-bred varieties has revealed no WC genes, defining large seed sets of hybrids.

The inheritance of 14 genes has been studied by Mendelian genetic analysis. Five genes of six influencing hypocotyl color exert pleiotropic effects on other morphological characters: s1, yellow or green (s1-2) seeds, star-shaped white flower, and yellow anthers; sfbs1, white corolla of poorly pronounced star shape and yellow anthers; pbc3, star-shaped blue-tinged white flower and orange anthers; pbc1, blue-tinged white corrugated corolla and yellow anthers; f e, spotted seeds, pale blue corolla, and gray anthers. The sgh1 gene acts only in the hypocotyl. The pf1 gene (alleles pf1 and pf1-ad) changes seed color from red-brown to various shades of yellow brown, also determining pink petals and orange anthers; yspf1 acts only in the homozygote for allele pf1-ad, changing seed color to yellow; ora1 determines speckled seeds and has a pleiotropic effect on the orange color of anthers; SPS1 inhibits seed speckles in the ora1/ora1 genotype. Nonallelic genes YSED1 and ysed2 determine yellow seeds, and rs1, light yellow-brown. CSB1 controls the formation of cilia on boll septa. The interaction between most of these genes has been investigated. The pf1 and CSB1 genes demonstrate a 35-cM linkage.

Summarized data are presented to identify coordinated chains of commercially valuable characters (CVCs) and the corresponding alleles. A conceptual diagram of their relationships based on ecological and genetic identification of 16 CVCs in C. annuum var. annuum is shown. The structure of the complex of informative allele effects associated with heterosis for the marketable yield character has been refined by multivariate statistics.

It is demonstrated that modified micromethods of grain quality assessment can be applied to bread wheat against the background of sunn pest damage. It has been found that, that use of dilute solutions of organic acids in gluten quality assay with an IDK device and farinographic measurement of dough rheological properties reduces the paratypic noise caused by sunn pest.

For the first time a set of 110 recombinant inbred lines of a spring wheat mapping population was evaluated in different ecogeographical regions of Russia. Thirty-nine economically important traits that manifest themselves at different stages of growth have been examined in each ecogeographical locality under study for five years. A total of 186 quantitative trait loci (QTL) with LOD scores above 2,5 were identified. We have determined 97 QTLs with LOD scores exceeding 3,0. QTLs for traits studied, mapped on 21 chromosomes, manifested themselves under contrasting environmental conditions with varying degrees of reliability. It has been shown that manifestation of identified QTLs can depend or not depend on the environment, but the evaluated quantitative traits interact and correlate with each other. Relationships of identified homologous and homoeologous QTLs with known major genes or QTLs responsible for the manifestation of the studied traits in wheat or other Triticeae genera are discussed. The identified QTLs may be of interest for further experiments on the genetic control of the corresponding agriculturally valuable traits and for marker assisted selection in wheat breeding.

We present data illustrating the improvement of durum wheat yield depending on the stage of breeding within 100 years. The relative importance of characteristic features of the production process, ear productivity, coenotical properties, and morphophysiological traits in the process of the genetic improvement of adaptability and yield of durum wheat are considered. Significant roles of spike productivity, culm length, grain proportion in the above-ground biomass, and harvest index at final breeding steps are demonstrated.

In Ukrainian forest-steppe environments, breeding for winter hardiness is one of the main directions in the development of winter wheat varieties. Crosses, selection of winter forms from spring wheat varieties sown in autumn, and intravarietal selection are the basic methods of development of winter-hardy forms. Availability of stress factors may help selection of transgressive winter-hardy morphotypes among F2 populations and variety genotypes. Further examination of selected forms allows choice of candidates according to the complex of adaptive traits. In different years, a number of lines were committed for state trial in Ukraine as varieties Oberih myronivs’kyi, Svitanok myronivs’kyi, and Myronivs’ka zolotoverkha and in Russia: Mironovskaya 100, Demiro 100, Mironovskaya kolosistaya, and Mironovskaya vasil’kovaya. Variety Mironovskaya 100 was included into the State register of breeding achievements of Russia in 2011.

Long-term studies carried out in the south-east of Saratov Oblast prove that the introductive crossing of the Stavropol wool breed to rams of the wool–meat double purpose increases the offspring live weight, wool yield, and meat productivity, as well as their adaptive capacity and preservation. The experimental data have been obtained in research farms of Saratov Oblast on the base of breeding farms “Krasnyi Partizan” and “Novouzensk”. The breeding involves wool–meat breeds: Caucasian and Transbaikalian. The results show that the mating of rock wool Stavropol sheep to Caucasian and Transbaikalian rams increases body weight and wool clip. It also strengthens the physique and the viability of the young. Along with these indications for selection, the level of natural resistance and adaptive potential of animals are of great importance. Assays of biochemical and hematological indices, humoral factors have shown that the hybrids, as compared to purebred peers, are more productive and have a higher adaptive capacity, which is a significant economic indicator in the modern sheep industry.

We have studied the polymorphism of genes for somatotropin (GH), prolactin (PRL), leptin (LEP), and thyroglobulin (TG) in thoroughbred and hybrid Holstein stud bulls. Our results are in agreement with data from the literature. The frequencies of alleles in the bulls examined are: L = 0.86 and V = 0.14 in GH, A = 0.87 and B = 0.13 in PRL, C = 0.59 and Т = 0.41 in LEP, C = 0.81 and Т = 0.19 in TG.

This work concerns sable domestication at Russian fur farms. There are two ecotypes of sables: (1) dark with small body size and poorly fertile and (2) diluted with large body size and more fertile. The former lives in Siberian pine forests with a stable food potential, and the latter prefers larch forests and margins of the range.

Body, ovary, and uterus weights; estrous cycle; dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the hypothalamus; and testosterone levels in blood plasma have been recorded in 2–3-month old GC female rats selected for elevated catatonia response and compared with the outbred Wistar stock. The body weights of GC rats are lower, and the cyclic linkage between the ovaries and the uterus is disrupted, as apparent from a reduced diestrus ovary weight and a lower estrogen-dependent uterus weight increase in comparison to Wistar. A statistically significant synchronization of estrous cycles is observed in GC rats kept in standard cages, five to seven animals per cage. It includes a larger number of matches of individual estrus phases to form a group estrus phase of their 4–5-day long estrous cycle. Synchronized estrus phases include 50–60 % of GC rats, which is significantly more than in Wistar rats (30–40 %). With reduced dopamine and norepinephrine levels in hypothalami of GC rats, the levels of these monoamines are higher in the estrus and low in the diestrus. Testosterone levels in diestrus GC females are higher than in estrous or Wistar ones.

Interbreed and intrabreed variability in basic measurements and body indices was studied in rabbits of the eight most widespread breeds. Three blockiness types were recognized: narrow-bodied, intermediate, and wide-bodied. The White Giant, Black Brown, and Gray Giant breeds belonged to the narrow-bodied type; Viennese Blue, Silvery, and Soviet Chinchilla, to intermediate; and Californian and New Zealand White, to wide. Breeding is conducted mainly with no regard to body type. Only in few breeds body type is among major selection criteria. Among the narrow-bodied breeds, the greatest number of animals of the desired type was found in White Giants (78,0 % in total, 82,8 in the young, and 76,7 % in adults) and among the intermediate-type breeds, in Silvery rabbits (58,9, 61,5, and 55,9 %, respectively). No significant differences were found in wide-bodied breeds. The proportions of the desired type in the Californian breed were 40,0 in total, 33,4 in the young, and 55,9 % in adults and in the New Zealand White, 41,4, 40,8, and 42,0 %.

Biological and breeding parameters of populations of black-and-white cattle have been studied by using a genetic-mathematical model to identify the optimal ratio of variable and fixed factors in the optimization of breeding programs. The influence of the variables (the number of replacement bull fathers, the proportion of cows of the active part of the population fertilized with sperm of checked bulls, the number of effective daughters, and a bank for long-term storage of sperm for each checked bull) on the genetic progress has been investigated.

Key stages of the formation and research of the world cabbage collection kept at the Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) are outlined. The conceptual development of ecogeographical, biochemical, immunological, and molecular investigation of cabbage accessions is shown by the example of Brassica rapa L. Major results of the organization and research of core collections of Brassica species, addition of new accessions to the collection, raise and characterization of initial breeding material and systemic organization of cabbage accessions inside the world collection by means of both conventional and new methods of investigation and evaluation including QTL analysis and association mapping are presented.