Formation of links between microorganisms of certain groups in haplic luvisol under the influence of mineral fertilization and liming

The aim of the research was to form connections between separate groups of microorganisms as a part of groups of gray forest soil (Haplic Luvisol) during the cultivation of spring wheat with the use of various fertilizers and liming systems. Research methods: microbiological, laboratory-analytical, statistical. The research was carried out in the landfill monitoring system on the basis of a stationary experiment of the Department of Agrosoil Science and Soil Microbiology at the NSC “Institute of Agriculture of NAAS” - Development and improvement of intensive cultivation technologies of agricultural crops on the basis of the expanded soil fertility reproduction. The main results of the study: The number of ammonifiers is positively correlated with the total number of microorganisms (0,955), the number of mineral nitrogen immobilizers, denitrifiers, nitrifiers, cellulose-destroying bacteria, actin- and micromycetes, the coefficient of nitrogen mineralization compounds, the total biological activity (0,911). The conclusions of previous research are confirmed: Azotobacter is not a diagnostic microorganism for effective soil fertility, as evidenced by the insignificance of the correlation coefficients between the number of Azotobacter and the yield of spring wheat (0,265), winter wheat (0,131), soybeans (0,303). The number of Azotobacter correlates inversely with most of the studied indicators, especially significant - with the number of polysaccharide-synthesizing microorganisms, actinomycetes, melanin-synthesizing micromycetes (-0,719), acid-forming microorganisms (- 0,611), physiological and biochemical activity of own cells, pedotrophic index. The direct nature of the relationship is established between the number of polysaccharide-synthesizing microorganisms as a diagnostic group for the optimal mineral nutrition of plants and the number of mineral nitrogen immobilizers (0,854), pedotrophs (0,970), cellulose-destructive (0,724) and autochthonous (0,878) microorganisms, actinomycetes, micromycetes, the total number of microorganisms (0,588), probability of colony formation of denitrifiers, autochthonous microorganisms and micromycetes, nitrogen mineralization coefficient, total biological activity (0,646). Indigenous microorganisms show a high level of direct dependence on the number of mineral nitrogen immobilizers, pedotrophs, cellulose-destroying and polysaccharide-synthesizing microorganisms, the total number of microorganisms, physiological and biochemical activity of denitrifiers and own cells (0,935).

Co-option of the same ancestral gene family gave rise to mammalian and reptilian toxins

Background Evolution can occur with surprising predictability when organisms face similar ecological challenges. For most traits, it is difficult to ascertain whether this occurs due to constraints imposed by the number of possible phenotypic solutions or because of parallel responses by shared genetic and regulatory architecture. Exceptionally, oral venoms are a tractable model of trait evolution, being largely composed of proteinaceous toxins that have evolved in many tetrapods, ranging from reptiles to mammals. Given the diversity of venomous lineages, they are believed to have evolved convergently, even though biochemically similar toxins occur in all taxa. Results Here, we investigate whether ancestral genes harbouring similar biochemical activity may have primed venom evolution, focusing on the origins of kallikrein-like serine proteases that form the core of most vertebrate oral venoms. Using syntenic relationships between genes flanking known toxins, we traced the origin of kallikreins to a single locus containing one or more nearby paralogous kallikrein-like clusters. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate serine proteases revealed that kallikrein-like toxins in mammals and reptiles are genetically distinct from non-toxin ones. Conclusions Given the shared regulatory and genetic machinery, these findings suggest that tetrapod venoms evolved by co-option of proteins that were likely already present in saliva. We term such genes ‘toxipotent’—in the case of salivary kallikreins they already had potent vasodilatory activity that was weaponized by venomous lineages. Furthermore, the ubiquitous distribution of kallikreins across vertebrates suggests that the evolution of envenomation may be more common than previously recognized, blurring the line between venomous and non-venomous animals.

The Role of POPDC Proteins in Cardiac Pacemaking and Conduction

The Popeye domain-containing (POPDC) gene family, consisting of Popdc1 (also known as Bves), Popdc2, and Popdc3, encodes transmembrane proteins abundantly expressed in striated muscle. POPDC proteins have recently been identified as cAMP effector proteins and have been proposed to be part of the protein network involved in cAMP signaling. However, their exact biochemical activity is presently poorly understood. Loss-of-function mutations in animal models causes abnormalities in skeletal muscle regeneration, conduction, and heart rate adaptation after stress. Likewise, patients carrying missense or nonsense mutations in POPDC genes have been associated with cardiac arrhythmias and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. In this review, we introduce the POPDC protein family, and describe their structure function, and role in cAMP signaling. Furthermore, the pathological phenotypes observed in zebrafish and mouse models and the clinical and molecular pathologies in patients carrying POPDC mutations are described.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLACK SEA HYDROBIONT RESOURCE STUDY METHOD AS A NEW ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE DIRECTION OF PHARMACOLOGY AIMING TOWARD SAVE HUMAN HEALTH AND ECOLOGY

The selection of the Black Sea aquatic area as a hydrobiont biologically active compound source allows resolving several environmental problems including development of an integrated hydrobiological resource management system for the Black Sea as a new sector of modern pharmacology. Aquatic organisms produce unique secondary metabolites. This paper presents the results of studies on the development of the biologically active substance extraction technology from non-commercial aquatic organisms as well as a preliminary assessment of the biochemical activity of the substrates obtained. Biologically active substances were extracted using the of two-phase extraction method in conjunction with ultrasound. For the substrates, the antioxidant activity was determined utilising the method that allow conducting screening of pharmaceutical raw materials and biologically active substances with high antioxidant activity. The protective activity evaluation was carried out during the study of the enzymatic alcoholic fermentation kinetics within a self-contained system. The evaluation of lymphocytes proliferative activities influenced by the obtained substrates was carried out using the cultivation method. The acquired data allows recommending the two-phase extraction method combined with ultrasonic voiceover as the effective one when processing analogical marine raw materials. The isolated substrates are characterised by a pronounced biochemical activity in relation to the living systems cells, which suggests a significant synergistic effect with derivatives of the microalgae Chlorella Vulgaris.

ER Morphology in the Pathogenesis of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the most abundant and widespread organelle in cells. Its peculiar membrane architecture, formed by an intricate network of tubules and cisternae, is critical to its multifaceted function. Regulation of ER morphology is coordinated by a few ER-specific membrane proteins and is thought to be particularly important in neurons, where organized ER membranes are found even in the most distant neurite terminals. Mutation of ER-shaping proteins has been implicated in the neurodegenerative disease hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). In this review we discuss the involvement of these proteins in the pathogenesis of HSP, focusing on the experimental evidence linking their molecular function to disease onset. Although the precise biochemical activity of some ER-related HSP proteins has been elucidated, the pathological mechanism underlying ER-linked HSP is still undetermined and needs to be further investigated.