Browse Articles By Category: Biotechnology RSS

INFINITE ROLE OF INFINITESIMAL

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 14:28:00 +0300

by Irina IVSHINA, laboratory head, Laboratory of Alkanotrophic Microorganisms, Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms (IEGM), Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor of the Microbiology and Immunology Department, State National Research Institute, Perm, Microbes, these infinitesimal living beings, are of infinitely great role in nature. Louis Pasteur Documentary descriptions alone will never do in studying bacteria, the oldest forms of biological life, and their involvement in human activities. In the absence of investigated bacterial strains a taxonomy of these microorganisms would be like trying to map the starry sky proceeding from random observations of distant luminaries and their scintillations. If we compare a collection of living cultures with a map of an unexplored continent holding many surprises in store-say, sand dunes instead of the expected rocky mountains--such a collection will be like an explored coast, the start-out point of voyages into a terra incognita. One such collection is the subject of the present article. стр. 9 LABORATORY RESERVATIONS There is a major turnabout taking place in social mentality: man is coming to realize his critical dependence on the microbial world at large. Ignoring the diversity of this world is fraught with undesirable consequences in medicine, environment and biotechnology. Conversely, a better knowledge in this field stimulates a search for optimal ways of conserving the gene pool of the globe's microbial genetic resources, and opens up prognostication and control prospects with respect to the ecological situation. Such information is also of great help in developing up-to-date technologies with the use of live biological systems. Small wonder that research of microorganisms, above all those implicated in human activities, sparks a wide range of international initiatives. One effective way is to cultivate tiny microorganisms in laboratory reservations. ... Read more

A PIONEER IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:14:00 +0300

by Boris VANYUSHIN, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University The discovery of nucleic acids is certainly among the ground-breaking events in the 20th-century natural science. It is these compounds, not proteins (as believed earlier), that proved to be responsible for heredity. DNA sequencing has provided an insight into the workings of the genetic code and mutations. The now state-of-the-art technique of targeted cleaving (cutting) and joining (ligation) of DNA molecules has made it possible to design essentially novel genes and genomes. Following in the footsteps of molecular biology are new intriguing areas of knowledge, e.g. genomics, proteomics, bioengineering, bioinformation science, genosystematics and the like. The present-day molecular biology has seen many ups and downs along its path. And one of the men who stood at its cradle and reared it was the brilliant Russian biologist Andrey Nikolayevich Belozersky, one of the pioneers and world leaders in the study of nucleic acids. Today we are paying tribute to him on his birth centennial... Back in the early 1930s Assistant Professor Belozersky took up a new class of natural compounds, the nucleic acids, at the suggestion of his teacher, Prof. Alexander Kiesel, who had organized the Department (Chair) of Plant Biochemistry at Moscow University. Two types of nucleic acids, different in their chemical structure, had been identified by that time: RNA (ribonucleic) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic) ones. Isolated as they were from two stock materials - yeast (RNA) and calf thymus (DNA), they were at first called yeast and thymonucleic acids, respectively. The former one (RNA) was thought to be proper to plants only, while the latter (DNA) - to animals. It was Andrey Belozersky who dashed that fixed notion by detecting "animal" DNA in plants, he did it in chemically elegant and cogent experiments by isolating t ... Read more

PRIORITIES OF INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:12:00 +0300

According to expert predictions, the contribution of biotechnologies to the total output of world chemical production will increase 10f old by the year 2010. Each country, willing to retain or occupy an appropriate niche in this industry, relies on its competitive advantages. What priorities in the development of industrial biotechnologies will be Russia's choice? Alexander Yanenko, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Vice-Director of the Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, was interviewed by our correspondent Yevgeniya Sidorova. RF Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms. стр. 13 Contribution of industrial biotechnology to production of chemicals. Monomers produced in bioprocesses. - Now you took part in the conference "High Technologies-the Strategy of the 21st Century". Reports about priority projects in biotechnology were acknowledged to be most interesting and truly substantive. Your report, too. - Research carried out at our Institute has been for many years connected with the microbiological industry. Ideologically and methodologically we were ready for the emergence of the so-called "white" biotechnology- this term implies effective or ecologically safe production of chemical compounds, energy, and materials by using microorganisms and their enzymes. Twenty years ago we got down to the creation of microorganisms producing cell metabolites (amino acids, antibiotics, carotenoids, etc.); in time this work became the main trend in our research. We are developing biotechnologies for the production of these substances by fermentation of sugars obtained from renewable raw materials. Today the idea of getting various chemical compounds from renewable source materials is gaining priority significance in the world. The basic tradition of our institute ever since its foundation has been combination of basic research with practical innovations ... Read more

WHY "EXTRA" GENOMES IN THE HEART?

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 02:21:00 +0300

by Olga ANATSKAYA, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), Alexander VINOGRADOV, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), RAS Institute of Cytology (St. Petersburg) A chicken will never outstrip an eagle and a pig will never run faster than a deer-their hearts will not tolerate the stress. On a more serious note-what determines the endurance (the "capacity") of that most vitally important organ? Why this capacity is reduced in animals and humans after certain ailments? Answers to these questions are provided by genetic research conducted at the Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. WHAT IS SOMATIC POLYPLOIDY? To begin with, let us remember that body tissues of animals and plants consist of cells. Each cell usually has one nucleus with two genomes with recordings of hereditary information (obtained one from each parent). These are diploid cells that multiply by division, which is preceded by duplication of the parental genomes and division of the nucleus. But if this standard process is stopped due to some reasons at the latter stage, then instead of two cells only one is produced, with two nuclei. Also, a cell can be formed with a large undivided nucleus containing four genomes (tetraploid one). If the rounds of incomplete divisions repeat many times over, there appear cells with many diploid nuclei or a large polyploid one (containing dozens of genomes). The increase of genome number in cells of some tissues is called "somatic polyploidy". This process was described back in the middle of the 19th century by the German biologist Theodor Swann. He examined the epithelium of a frog under the microscope and noted that almost every second cell contained two nuclei. A little later, in 1865 his compatriot, the Foreign Member of St. Petersburg Academy, Rudolph Virkhoff demonstrated in his book "Cellular Pathology" the pictures of multi - and binuclear cells from normal and pathologically modified human tissues. Later on, many researchers noted prevalence of this phenomenon in animals and pl ... Read more

MOLECULAR SELECTION OF STRAWBERRY

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 02:14:00 +0300

Scientists are using genetic engineering, method for creating new forms of plants faster than by traditional selection, techniques without modifying the main agronomic characteristics of basic strains. In molecular selection the desired characters are obtained by insertion of individual sense genes into the plant genome. For example, plants resistant to diseases caused by phytopathogens (bacteria and fungi) are thus evolved. Another trend is in improving the taste qualities. These two problems can be solved simultaneously now and then. стр. 34 Tertiary structure of the thaumatin protein molecule in two projections: A) frontal; B) lateral. Numerous proteins protect plants from diseases caused by phytopathogens (bacteria and fungi). Biologists have classified these proteins: by now about 10 groups are known, for example, the family of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR-5). It unites substances initially isolated from the West African thaumatococcus (Thaumatococcus danielli) and the common maize (Zea mays) and called by the Latin names of these plants: thaumatin-zeamatin-like substances. These substances were found to be widespread and in this or that form, present in virtually all plants, accounting for their resistance to phytopathogenic fungi, together with chitinase (chitin-destroying enzyme; chitin is present in the fungal mycelium). Thaumatin is formed in the thaumatococcus by the time of fruit maturation. Spontaneous mutation of the gene coding for this protein must have developed in the course of evolution. As a result of this mutation the peripheral part of the protein molecule was modified, primarily with respect to the spatial location of lysine residues. Thaumatococcus fruit became very sweet and tasty for chimpanzees and gorillas. These primates started consuming this fruit and spreading its seeds, thus contributing to the evolutionary fixation of its character. It is noteworthy that only higher primates can perceive the sweet taste of thaumatin, due ... Read more

GENES AND RACES: WE ARE OF THE SAME KITH-AND-KIN

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 02:07:00 +0300

by Lev ZHIVOTOVSKY, Dr. Sc. (Biol.), N. I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences In December 2003 a venerable medical journal, The Lancet of Great Britain, named the world's best publication in the field of medical and biological sciences. It was an article co-authored by an international team of scientists (comprising N. A. Rosenberg, J. K. Pritchard, J. L. Weber, H. M. Cann, K. K. Kidd, L. A. Zhivotovsky, and M. W. Feldman) and published in the US journal Science. This article dealt with the genetic structure of human populations. GENETIC DIFFERENCES One of the outcomes of this study boiled down to this: is it possible to identify an individual's ethnicity from DNA characters? We studied DNA variation among 1,056 individuals representing 52 ethnic groups throughout the world-in North, Equatorial and South Africa; in West, Central and East Asia; in Europe and Oceania; and in Central and South America. Russia was likewise represented-by the Russians, Yakuts and Adygei. In the study we used a total of 377 DNA characters (loci) not associated with adaptive properties or any visual traits. We just "marked" genomic loci in every test subject (and that is why the corresponding loci are often called "DNA-markers"). We assigned a definite number К (mainly from 2 to 5) and then subdivided the entire sample into particular "DNA-groups" in keeping with genetic relatedness; however, we did not use data on the ethnicity of this or that person. And then we analyzed Pages. 33 A sample of 1056 individuals from 52 populations subdivided into related groups according to 377 DNA characters. The number of different groups of individuals (K) is color-coded in each diagram. All 52 populations are separated from one another by a vertical strip. Each individual is represented by one or several hues depending on the proportion of DNA loci (characters) for a corresponding group. For instance, at K=5 both populations from Oceania (green), albeit quite dis ... Read more

THESE TOTIPOTENT OMNIPOTENT CELLS

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 02:00:00 +0300

by Academician Vladimir YARYGIN (Russian Academy of Medical Sciences), Corresponding Member Gennady SUKHIKH (Russian Academy of Medical Sciences), Konstantin YARYGIN, Dr. Sc. (Med.), Russian State Medical University; Igor GRIVENNIKOV, Dr. Sc. (Biol.), Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences The human body is composed of a huge number (-10 13 ) of cells of different structural and functional types (about 250 in all) - myoblasts, epithelial, nerve (ganglion), immune cells, among others. All of them come from one single fertilized ovum, or egg cell. Dividing, it gives rise to a blastocyst (embryo vesicle) made up of spherical trophoblast and somatic (body) cells, the building bricks of a growing organism. All these body mass cells are identical, and they are also known as totipotent, or omnipotent, embryonic stem cells. Now the stem cell is a progenitor of a tree of descendants - it is from this cell, which is at the foot of the stem, that the tree grows. Some daughter cells may be identical to the stem cell and go to build up the stem, while others may be specialized (myoblasts, epithelial, nerve cells and others) which go to form branches. Dividing, the stem cell produces at least one copy. This one, while dividing, may beget another stem cell (in what we call symmetric cell division). But it may also be a specialized cell (asymmetric division). This is how all specialized cells that form body tissues and organs come into being. However, stem cells, too, keep up in any body organ - as long as the organism is alive - to replace the spent, dead cells or else regenerate the tissue if it is impaired. Such physiological regeneration, whereby dead cells are substituted, proceeds at different rates. At one pole we have nerve cells which persist all through man's life. And at the other pole are intestinal epithelium cells, all of them replaced within hours. The transformation of a stem cell into a specialized one occurs in a process known as different ... Read more

ULTRAMICROBACTERIA

Tue, 25 Sep 2018 21:54:00 +0300

By Alexander BORONIN, RAS Corresponding Member, Vitaly DUDA, Dr. Sc. (Biol.), Natalya SUZINA, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), G. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, RAS The ideas of the biological diversity and molecular genetic bases on the biological cell structure, functioning, and evolution have changed appreciably due to the progress in studies of the world of microorganisms, attained during the recent decade.An important result of studies of many new and rare microbiotic species is an ample information on the range of bacterial cell sizes; ultrasmall forms attract special attention of specialists. NOT RANDOM INTEREST Today the largest bacteria discovered are Thiomargarita namibiensis, a giant spherical aero-biobacterium, - 750 μm in diameter, and Epulopiscium sp., an anaerobic bacillus, - 80 μm diameter, which are larger than even some multicellular eukaryotes*. It is noteworthy that previously it was assumed that an extremely small diameter of a prokaryotic cell * Eukaryotes - uni- or multicellular plants, animals and some microorganisms, whose cell body is differentiated by cytoplasm and nucleus, limited by a membrane. Prokaryotes are microorganisms that have no typical cell nucleus and chromosome system. - Auth. стр. 31 can serve as the main phenotypical distinction of bacteria. By the way, it has become known recently (from publications by Claude Courties et al. in 1994 and 1998, as well as by Motomichi Matsuzaki in 2004, from the Tokyo State University, Japan) that the smallest one-cell independent eukaryotic organisms (Ostreococcus tauri and Cyanidoschizon merolae algae) are not larger than 0.6 - 2.0 μ. The smallest prokaryotes are Mycoplasma genitalium and Pelagibacter ubique bacteria, which are < 0.3 μm (300 nm). Let us note that the largest virus is 0.4 μm, while the majority of bacterial cells are 1 -2 um in size. The interest of scientists in ultrasmall b ... Read more

ARSENAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 23:45:00 +0300

by Academician A. BAYEV, Academic Secretary, Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Chemistry of Physiologically Active Compounds, USSR Academy of Sciences The scientific and technological revolution is spreading fast-to biology as well. It has become possible to make headway in the cognition of vital processes thanks to the marriage of biology with chemistry and physics enabling biologists to gain a "chemical mentality". The hard sciences, by taking up an area cardinally different from their proper domain, have exhibited their universality and midwifed the birth of a variety of crossover disciplines, such as biochemistry and biophysics, molecular biology and genetics as well as bioorganic chemistry - all that known under the coverall name of "physicochemical biology". The essentially new method of genetic and cell engineering now in a biologist's arsenal has paved the way for the rapid development of biotechnology and its hands-on uses. Economists say that by the year 2000 biotechnological industries worldwide are to turn out products to the tune of 40 bln dollars and more. For its part, biotechnology stimulates further progress in genetic (gene) engineering. The very term sounds like a malaprop, with "gene", the basic unit of heredity, the holy of holies of life, rubbing shoulders with the rigorous technical word "engineering". And yet the term is very exact in conveying the substance of the method. Gene engineering is a conscious and purposeful designing ("engineering") of functionally active genetic structures, i.e. those capable of performing outside the host organism. Such structures are called "recombinant DNAs". In other words, gene engineering implies the designing and reproduction of artificial programs of heredity. A live cell may be compared to a miniature chemical plant with topnotch technology. Nothing extra, nothing superfluous, all the processes are in trim, rigorously consistent with a thoroughly verified hereditary program of DNA molecules. ... Read more

Cell Engineering

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 23:29:00 +0300

by Leon CHAILAKHYAN, RAS Corresponding Member, and Tatyana SVIRIDOVA-CHAILAKHYAN, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), research scientist The very possibility of human cloning has made quite a stir among the scientific community of many countries, Russia including, and broad public. It has triggered off a spate of lively discussions of all the various aspects of the problem. At the close of the century British, American and Japanese research scientists scored great achievements in the cloning of laboratory animals-farm animals for the most part. It all began with the sensational publication in the journal Nature (1997) about the cloning of the sheep Dolley. Yet a good deal of spadework preceded that momentous event - in this country too, in particular, at our Institute of Biological Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (today RAS Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics) which was involved in the job back in the 1980s. Reconstruction of embryonic cells (that is replacing the native cell nucleus with a foreign one) allows to attack the all-important problem of identifying the mechanisms responsible for the realization of genetic information. Of much interest here are studies related to what is known as the phenomenon of totipotency * of a genome of differentiated cells - for one, to what extent the cell genome is amenable to reprogramming, and capable of producing paternal and maternal copies (cloning in other words), and also of giving rise to interspecies chimeric (or mosaic) animals. And so forth. Reconstruction of embryonic cells is also important for a global problem first raised by Professor B. Veprintsev of our Institute still in the 1970s - namely, pertaining to realization of the genetic information contained in the cryoconserved genomes of endangered animal species. But this is far from a complete list of cell reconstruction techniques. Certain progress achieved in the cloning of amphibians during the 1960s and 1970s inspired confidence in the essent ... Read more