Phytorarity of Chernihiv region in M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine

Increasing anthropogenic pressure, global climate change, and the lack of large introduction centers in the Chernihiv region makes it important to preserve rare species of flora ex situ outside this administrative region. The article presents the results of the study of taxonomic composition and evaluation of the success of the introduction of rare plant species of Chernihiv region in the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The study of rare plant species and the development of methods for their effective reproduction was initiated in the NBG in 1970 in a separate section “Rare plants of the flora of Ukraine.” It is established that the collection grows and protects 57 phythorarites of Chernihiv region, of which 29 species are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (III edition), and 28 species – in the “List of regionally rare plant species of Chernihiv region”. Most plants successfully recover ex situ with moderate care or without additional human intervention. The biomorphological spectrum of introduced plants is dominated by cryptophytes (50.88 %) and hemicryptophytes (42.11 %), the shares of phanerophytes, hamephytes and therophytes are insignificant. 17 species of phythorarites formed stable homeostatic populations. Of these: 5 species are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (Allium ursinum, Crocus reticulatus, Epipactis helleborine, Galanthus nivalis, Pulsatilla pratensis) and 12 species – in the “List of regionally rare plant species of Chernihiv region” (Aster amellus, Corydalis intermedia, C. marschal, Daphne mesereum, Equisetum hyemale, Iris hungarica, Phlomis tuberosa, Primula veris, Pteridium aquilinum, Scilla bifolia, S. sibirica, Vinca minor). Thus, the cultivation of almost a third of the phythorarites of Chernihiv region in the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden testifies to the effectiveness of their preservation ex situ.

Sporogenesis in F1 hybrids from the crosses between common wheat and lines with introgressions from Amblyopyrum muticum

Hybridization of wheat lines comprising fragments of alien genetic material (introgression) with common wheat cultivars is effective and widespread means of transferring alien genes into genomes of modern wheat cultivars, and remains the main method of expending genetic pool of common wheat using genes of wild relatives. Success of such transfer depends on the processes of sporo- and gametogenesis in F1 hybrids, therefore cytological assessment of this processes is obligatory. Stages of meiosis and microgametogenesis were studied on cytological preparations of spikes of F1 hybrids from reciprocal crosses of common wheat cultivars and wheat lines of introgression origin with alien genetic material from wheat wild relative Amblyopyrum muticum. Sporogenesis in F1 hybrids occurs with disorders in both male and female sexual areas. Instead of 21 closed bivalents chromosome configurations in maximal association of chromosomes in M1 PMC could contain up to 8 open bivalents, up to 12 univalents, including three- and quadrivalents. In A1 lagging chromatids were observed, and up to 5 micronuclei per cell were registered in tetrads. Quantitative characteristics of chromosome associations in M1 PMC did not differ for hybrids obtained using introgression lines as female (direct crossing) and male (reverse crossing) cross components. The difference between reciprocal crosses was detected only for the quantity of cells in tetrads with different quantity of micronuclei. F1 hybrids from direct crosses had smaller portion of cells without micronuclei, and more cells with 1-3 micronuclei compared to hybrids of reverse crosses.

Formation of awns in wheat lines with introgressions from Aegilops spp. caused by novel regulatory genes

Awns play a significant role in the plant physiology and are a well-known morphological marker in wheat. Awnedness in wheat is regulated by three inhibitors – Hd, B1, and B2, but awn promoters are still largely unknown. The present study is aimed at analysis of the expression level of awn development regulatory genes orthologs, TaDL, TaTOB1, TaETT2, and TaKNOX3, in Triticum aestivum, genome substitution amphidiploids AABBSshSsh and AABBUU, and derived lines with introgressions from Aegilops sharonensis and Ae. umbellulata.Expression of four mentioned genes was detected in the lemma of all strains studied, and the role of these genes in awn development was assumed. In awned introgression lines, expression of all studied genes differed from mid-parent value: it was present in parent genotypes and absent in derived lines. Non-additive expression of four studied genes in introgression lines is considered to be the possible reason that caused development of nonparental awned phenotype. The presence of two products resulting from TaTOB1 cDNA amplification, one of which contained fourth intron and another lacking it, is considered to be the result of two mRNA presence due to different TaTOB1 homoeoalleles expression.

Biotopes mapping in the aspect of local econetworks formation on the example of the “Kreidova Flora” Nature Reserve

The article presents the results of mapping the biotopes of the “Kreidova Flora” Nature Reserve, which is one of the key areas of the eco-network of the local level of the newly created Kramatorsk district. This district includes almost entirely “Sviati Hory” National Nature Park, an object of the Nature Reserve Fund of Ukraine (NRF) with the highest amount of estimated points for a comprehensive assessment of sozological value, which belongs to a group of the first class. Two NRF objects (including the “Kreidova Flora” Nature Reserve) were from the group of the second class: one from the group of the third: nine from the group of the fifth class: and one from a group of the sixth class. The total number of points of the studied NRF objects of the newly created district is 465, which is a significant indicator. The key areas of the local level eco-network are the NRF with adjacent natural areas, which together form clusters. The ecological corridors of the local level are the river network of the district and the network of forest belts. As buffer zones for river-type eco-corridors, it is proposed to consider a minimum 200-meter water protection zone in accordance with Art. 87 of the Water Code of Ukraine. Restoration areas of the local econetwork of Kramatorsk district should be all areas with disturbed natural landscape (abandoned quarries, heaps), as well as abandoned agricultural lands, where it is proposed to introduce revalidation measures. The obtained maps and databases of distribution of different types of biotopes on the territory of the reserve will be the basis for its management plan, and this technique can be used within other structural elements of ecological networks. According to the same principle, it is considered necessary to conduct research in the entire study area, as well as other areas of Donetsk region.

Influence of climatic factors on the energy potential of broadleaf phytocoenosis forest bedding

The study of the energy potential of forest bedding in the deciduous forest areas of the “Lisnyky” Nature Reserve of the Holosiivsky National Nature Park revealed the nonlinear nature of its annual dynamics. The main sources of replenishment of the organic stock of this component of broadleaf forest phytocoenosis were the active development of herbaceous vegetation in spring and significant leaf rainfall in autumn. At the same time, significant changes in the processes of accumulation and decomposition of organic matter of forest bedding occurred under the influence of climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation. The experimental site was located in moderately moist oak forest ass. Convallario majali-Quercetum roboris Shevchyk & V. Sl. in Shevchyk & al. 96. The age of the old Quercus robur oak trees, which occupy the first tier of the forest, exceeds 100 years. The second tier is formed by other broadleaf species, Acer platanoides, A. campestre, A. tataricum, Carpinus betulus, Fraxinus excelsior and Tilia cordata, up to 30 years old. The energy reserve was calculated from the dry organic matter content. The obtained data were compared with meteorological data of the corresponding month of the year and correlation coefficients were calculated. Correlation analysis confirmed the relationship between climatic factors and the energy potential of forest bedding. The inverse of the mean force (R = -0.515) shows the relationship between the energy potential of the forest bedding and the average monthly temperature and the high direct correlation between the energy potential and the amount of average monthly precipitation (R = 0.755). In general, forest bedding can be considered an important component of the ecosystem, which responds quickly to external factors and characterizes the state of the forest ecosystem, and its energy potential can be an effective indicator of forest ecosystem stability in climate change monitoring.

The ability of bone marrow progenitor cells to form colonies in ex vivo culture of MDS patients

The results of in vitro hematopoiesis studies have provided most of the knowledge about the organization, regulation, and development of the human hematopoietic system over the past three to four decades. However, due to the impossibility of an appropriate assessment of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in humans and because of the shortcomings of methodological approaches to determining the role of hematopoietic progenitor cells in the pathogenesis of MDS and to predicting the course of the pathological process, semiliquid agar cultures of bone marrow from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome were used. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) refers to a clinically, morphologically, and genetically heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by clonalism and arising from mutations at the level of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Proliferation of such a mutated stem cell progenitors leads to ineffective maturation of myeloid lineage cells and dysplastic changes in the bone marrow (BM). The aim of the study was to establish the relationship between the functional activity of hematopoietic progenitor cells in the ex vivo culture and the activity of the pathological process in the myelodysplastic syndrome. We studied bone marrow samples from patients with the myelodysplastic syndrome, namely refractory anemia with excess blasts I (MDS RAEB I) and refractory anemia with excess blasts II (MDS RAEB II) and AML under conditions in vitro, as well as their clinical laboratory data. It was found that the percentage of blasts and myeloblasts in the samples of patients with AML and MDS RAEB II increased, compared to the samples of patients with MDS RAEB I (63.5±3.9 %, 18.05±1.01 % and 9.49±1.53 % respectively). An increase in the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin content was noted in the group of patients with MDS RAEB I compared with MDS RAEB II (2.9±1.4×1012 / l and 105.04±3.6 g / l versus 9±0.8×1012 / l and 84.5±4.8 g / l, respectively). The analysis of the results of BM studies of patients with MDS in in vitro culture indicated a significant lag in the formation of cell aggregates during cultivation and a pronounced inhibition of the colony-forming ability of progenitor cells, compared to the control. A noticeable decrease in the colony-forming ability was observed in patients with MDS RAEB I, MDS RAEB II and AML in this sequence – 4.1±1.2 per 1×105 explanted cells, 3.2±0.9 per 1×105 explanted cells and 2.0±0.6 per 1×105 explanted cells, respectively. The analysis of hematological parameters and the results of BM cells cultivation at different stages of MDS indicates that the colony-forming ability of progenitor cells correlates with the depth of the pathological process.

Cytological research of exophytic tumors of the bronchi and the growth pattern of lung cancer

Background. The study of the growth of lung cancer (LC) has an important clinical significance for morphological verification, the choice of the treatment method, and the determining of prognosis. Investigation of this question allows to clarify the histogenesis of LC. The aim of our study was to compare the results of cytological studies of the material obtained during flexible bronchoscopy (FBS) and scrapings from the operated tumors of the bronchi to clarify the nature of LC growth. Design. To study the growth of tumors in the bronchi in relation to the bronchial mucosa, the cytological examination of the material obtained by FBS and scrapings from the surface of the operated bronchial tumors of 31 patients has been performed. Results. In the preoperative period, in the material of FBS, tumor cells were found only in 1/3 of patients. To obtain the optimal material from exophytic tumors of the bronchus, scrapings were carried out from the entire surface surgical material of the same patients. Cytological preparations of the obtained scrapings confirmed the presence of cancer cells in more than 1/3 of patients. In the rest of the observations, scrapings from the tumor surface contained only cells of the cylindrical epithelium. Conclusions. The cytological investigations made it possible to state that in 2/3 scrapings from surfaces of exophytic tumors of the bronchus contained only cells of the cylindrical epithelium; therefore, the tumors grow under it.