It is believed that the heterochromatic locus flamenco, controlling transposition of retrotransposon/retrovirus gypsy in Drosophila melanogaster, is a source of Piwi-interacting RNA. Piwi is the primary component of the RNA interference machinery. Mutations in piwi and flamenco have the same phenotype – an enhanced transcription and frequency of transposition of the retrotransposon/retrovirus gypsy. This paper discusses the results of the complementation test, which involves crossing strains MS and SS, mutant for the flamenco locus, with the piwi strain 3, heterozygous for a mutation in the piwi gene, followed by study of the transcription level of gypsy in the ovaries and testes of hybrids derived from these crosses. Genetic (hybridological) and molecular analysis of the interaction of the flamenco and piwi loci has been conducted. It has been revealed that transcription of gypsy is differently regulated in testis and ovaries of strains SS and MS, apparently owing to the different activity of piRNA clusters in these tissues. It has been also shown that the piwi and flamenco genes interact complementarily in testis tissue.

Role of tumor-suppressor genes in the life longevity has not been studied in detail. The purpose of the current work is to study the influence of heterozygous tumor suppressors on the life span of drosophila. We show that heterozygotes for l(3)hem, hyd, gd, ex or ft, both females and males, have a shorter life. The analysis of Gompertz curve parameters indicates that the l(3)hem, hyd or gd mutations increase age-related parameter (α) in males, while gd mutation increases the death background parameter (R) and the ex agerelated parameter in females. The effects of the mutations on the life span are probably associated with hedgehog (hyd), Notch (gd) и Hippo (ex и ft) signal transduction pathways.

Overexpression of the Gadd45 gene in the nervous system of Drosophila melanogaster increases the life span. We have performed the Gompertz approximation of the survival curve and revealed a life span increase as a result of decrease of the R parameter, reflecting the death level at the beginning of adult life, whereas the other Gompertz parameter, α, responsible for final stage of the life, does not change essentially. In addition, we have analyzed the case of radiation hormesis (low doses of radiation increase life span) and found a similar effect. We conclude that it is promising to perform geroprotector screen by testing substances for the ability to decrease R. Its measurement is less labor-consuming than the construction of the complete survival curve.

Wolbachia is a genus of maternally inherited bacteria that is widespread in field populations of Drosophila melanogaster. However, there are no sufficient data on Wolbachia infection among laboratory mutant stocks. We show the wide prevalence of Wolbachia among 353 mutant stocks from the collection of the Genetics of Populations Laboratory, Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Novosibirsk, Russia. The endosymbiont has been stably inherited in laboratory stocks for a long period of time. Two uninfected stocks from the collection are considered as a result of bacteria loss during maintaining them in the laboratory. There are three Wolbachia genotypes: wMel, wMelCS, and wMelCS2 in the collection. As endosymbiont is coinherited with mytochondria the definite cytotypes are formed from Wolbachia genotypes and mytotypes. We have revealed four cytotypes: M-MEL, M-w-, S-CS, and S-w– in the collection that had been described earlier for field populations of D. melanogaster. The cytotype and genotype frequency patterns differ significantly from those encountered in the wild, that is accounted for genealogy of each stock.

Symbiotic traits – nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and performance – have been studied in seven introduced cultivars and three candidate lines of pea (Pisum sativum L.) The cultivars grown at two nitrogen nutrition levels differ in traits associated with nodulation and nitrogen fixation. The results can be utilized in pea breeding for nitrogen fixation.

New mutants, not described previously, resistant to L-cycloserine and β-chloro-L-alanine were derived from the parental strain Brevibacterium flavum AA5. Their alanine-producing ability was studied. It was found that the resistance to L-cycloserine did not affect the yield of L-alanine significantly, whereas the resistance to β-chloro-L-alanine of B. flavum GL1 and B. flavum GL18 strain-producers exceeds the initial level of L-alanine synthesis by 23 and 38 %, respectively.

The purpose of the work was to determine the genetic structure of coastal populations of the species Myodes (=Clethrionomys) rutilus in the Northern Priokhotye on the base of the variability of a partial mt DNA cytb sequence. For the first time, the nucleotide and haplotypic variability of cytb gene, as well as the genetic structure of the red vole populations in Matykil, Nedorazumeniya, Spafar’eva and Talan islands (Northern Priokhotye ); Koni peninsula; the outskirts of Magadan; and the Yama river region were determined. The insular red vole populations have unique gene pools comprising two to three haplotypes. A high level of cytb gene polymorphism was found in M. rutilus from the continental coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. The existence of a contiguous coastal red vole population in the Northern Priokhotye is suggested. Genetic data evidence that М. rutilus from the islands of Tauysk Bay and the continental coast of the Sea of Okhotsk belong to the same maternal lineage, whereas the red vole from Matykil island pertains to another genetic branch.

The goal of the work was the determination of phylogenetic relationships in red vole associations of the Northern Priokhotye and Kolyma regions on the base of analysis of partial mtDNA cytb gene sequence polymorphism in some Myodes (Сlethrionomys) rutilus populations of Northeastern Asia and Alaska. Genetic analysis allowed the different levels of differentiation among red vole populations from the basins of Kolyma and Yama rivers and the suburbs of Magadan city to be determined. The haplotypes of red vole in the populations from islands of Tauysk Bay, the continental part of the Northern Priokhotye region, and the Kolyma region belong to the eastern lineage with the basal B1 gene variant. The haplotypes of representatives of populations from Kamchatka, Alaska, and Matykil and Sakhalin islands belong to the Beringean lineage. The Siberian samples differ significantly from the above lineages, being an interlink between them. The differentiation of red vole populations in the region and phylogenetic relationships among groups appear to be a consequence of certain features of the species expansion to the northeast in the Late Pleistocene. The first wave of red vole migrated to North America across the Bering land bridge. Presently the descendants of this wave inhabit Alaska, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, and Matykil island. For the second time, the red vole entered the region at the end of the Late Pleistocene. During the second wave of dispersal, red voles from the eastern branch occupied the drainage area of the Kolyma river and the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk together with some neighboring islands.

A comparative study of the role of feeding motivation in the phenotypic expression and variation of the passive response to humans in specialized crossbred pigs: Laconi, paternal line, and unique sino-european Tiameslan, maternal one, was carried out. It was found that the genotype-feeding motivation interaction represented a factor of environmental variation of this behavior inseparable from ethological tests. The contribution of the interaction averages 60 % of total phenotypic variation of defensive behavior in pigs of both lines. An integrated approach is proposed to minimize modification variability in such adaptive behavior. It adequately describes its genotypic diversity in farm animals.

Morphological parameters of hair and microstructure of the leather tissue in polecats of gold, pearl, and pastel colors are considered. The results were used in writing a manual on the assessment of breeding achievements in farm-bred polecats and in the testing of a new breeding achievement, the Tsvetkov breed.

Molecular study of the nucleotide sequence of the rpl32-trnL spacer and the ITS1-ITS2 fragment of rRNA genes in eight species of the genus Aquilegia sampled in Northern Asia has shown that populations of A. borodinii and A. jucunda from various localities are genetically diverse. The results confi rm that A. viridifl ora and A. atropurpurea are genetically distant from other species studied. The relationship degrees among A. aradanica, A. sibirica, and A. synakensis have been determined. The hybrid origin of A. jucunda is proven.

Long-term studies of apple development features allowed breeding intensification and shortening of the time of cultivar development from 36–48 years to 23–27 or even 13–17 years. It is noted that requirements for cultivar are constantly toughened. They include high fitness, early maturation, performance, large size of fruits (140–160 g), thin and firm skin without rust signs or waxing; absence of abscission, sugar content no less than 12 %, ascorbic acid content about 30 mg/100 g. The preservation capacity of winter varieties must be no less than 7–8 months (Kichina, 2011). A perfect cultivar is impossible, because cultivar requirements change faster than the time required for breeding, but we should aspire to it.

As a result of long-term breeding for the improvement of fruit biochemical composition, we managed to raise cultivars with high contents of P-active substances (up to 400–600 mg/100 g), but cultivars with the desirable content of ascorbic acid 25–30 mg/100 g have not been developed so far.

A number of apple cultivars resistant to scab (bearing the Vf gene) have been developed in Russia. However, it is in prospect to develop cultivars with longer resistance on a digenic base combining genes Vf and Vr , Vf  and Vm , etc. It is necessary to create cultivars immune and highly resistant to powdery mildew, European red mite, apple moth, and other pests. We need apple cultivars with multiple resistance to pests and diseases.

Apple breeding on a polyploidy level at the Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding proved to be quite promising. For the first time in Russia, triploid apple cultivars were obtained from different chromosome crossings 2x × 4x and 4x × 2x. They are notable for more regular fruit-bearing, high marketability of fruit and higher autogamy. This direction in breeding must be developed in the future.

Columnar apples developed at Russian research institutes are of interest for fruit-growing intensification. They are valuable in amateur gardens, first of all. Breeders have to develop columnar, scab-resistant and triploid apple cultivars with high quality fruit.

In the future, breeding should be aimed at developing cultivars for true-rooted apple and autogamous cultivars with the use of apetalous plants.

With regard to the global climate warming, it may become necessary to revise the range of apple varieties and directions in breeding.

A 40-year work on apple breeding on a polyploidy level has shown that the most promising crosses for reliable regular development of triploid varieties are 2x × 4x and 4x × 2x.

Cytological control shows that reciprocal combinations are unequal in the output of seedlings with different ploidy. In crosses 2x × 4x the output of triploid seedlings is higher than in crosses 4x × 2x. The cause is the different degrees of autogamy in parental tetraploid forms: when nonemasculated flowers are pollinated, highly autogamous forms are preferably pollinated with their own pollen. When larger number of triploid plants is required in crosses 4x × 2x flowers of these forms should be emasculated.

The production and biological characteristics of eight apple varieties with stable fruit-bearing and highly marketable fruit, are given in this paper.

Two new spontaneous mutations of the vegetable pepper C. annuum var. annuum have been identified in the 5-th insolation zone in a greenhouse. Tentative cytologic and genetic characterization shows that both were dominant and were controlled by two separately inherited single factors. The mutation manifested at the cotyledon stage is lethal, and the other belongs to basic chromosome mutations, causing a reduced viability of the homozygote. It is characterized by a specific spectrum and frequency of chiasmata and chromosomal aberrations. It depends on the gene dose. Application of the new mutation in pure breeding and genetic research of vegetable pepper is discussed.

The article presents information on the distribution of bread wheat in South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. The subspecies and varietal composition and history of traditional and newly bred varieties of bread wheat are considered. It is shown that ecotype-contrasting groups of varieties should be used to obtain reliable scientific results on the comparative study of physiological and biochemical characteristics.

Under drought conditions, water shortage of varying duration and intensity is often combined with heat and other stresses, and years with favorable moisture are occasional. In these contrasting conditions, the key role in grain yield is played by growth habit, growing period, and technology. For example, in the late twentieth century temperate winters in the Volga region of Russia and improved technology allowed winter wheat to supplant spring wheat almost everywhere in the region. Identification and labeling of QTL has opened up new opportunities for identifying genetic differences between genotypes for each trait underlying traditional breeding, obtaining more information on parents to choose a pair of crosses, and performing selection. However, the effect of QTL, typically depends mainly on the genetic background (pleiotropy, epistasis, and use of alien genes), environment (time and intensity of drought, growth technology) and interaction between alleles and the environment. These factors demand that in each breeding cycle each new recombinant genotype be subjected to genetic identification together with accurate phenotyping. With resource-limited funding of breeding, the greatest benefit from the use of DNA technology can only be expected when working on populations, derived from crosses between of elite varieties and promising lines, and when traits cannot be improved solely by traditional phenotyping, not supplemented by genotyping.

Molecular marker-based identification of allelic variants of Waxy genes has been performed in a collection of 30 common wheat varieties grown in the Perm region and Bashkiria. Genotyping with two molecular marker sets shows that all these cultivars bear the wild-type allele of the Wx-A1 gene; cvs. Bashkirskaya 4, Bashkirskaya 26, and ‘Bashkirskaya 28 possess the functional allele of the Wx-B1 gene, Wx-B1e; and Ul’yanovskaya 100 is heterozygous, possessing Wx-B1а and Wx-B1e. No varieties with null-alleles of Wx-B1 have been found. Only wild-type alleles are present in the Wx-D1 locus.

A broad gene pool has been obtained at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics on the base of the comprehensive  study of frost resistance in wheat supervised by Dr. V.M. Chekurov. The wheat accessions demonstrate both great manifestation of winter resistance and other commercial traits characteristic of cultivars. Therefore, many accessions have been certified as cultivars. They are grown in Siberia. As shown by the experience of the Mironovka Institute of wheat selection and seed production in the USSR, the large scale of the use of varieties raised at the Institute was determined by their winter resistance and the development of varietyoriented technologies, depending on the climatic belt, soil, rotation of crops, watering mode, etc. In our opinion, extensive growing of the new varieties is greatly hampered by the absence of such technologies for Siberia. Recommendations developed by scientists of the Mironovka Institute and the need for their adaptation to Siberian regions are discussed.

The current view on the biological role of ribonuclease III family plant enzymes (Dicer-like dsRNAses) is considered. Emphasis is placed on their role in molecular mechanisms conferring resistance to pathogens.