Tissue-Specific Expression of Genes Involved in Cellular Transportation in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Exposed to Cadmium.

Juvenile common carp were treated with Cd at a sublethal concentration for Cyprinidae (6.4 mg/L). The expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit genes (NR2A, NR2B) and ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 1 gene (ABCC1) was compared between treated and untreated fish.

PDCD1 PD-1.3 polymorphism and allergic bronchial asthma in Russian and Buryat patients.

Objective: The programmed death-1 receptor, PD-1, is a negative regulator of T-cell activation. The PD-1.3 polymorphism of the PD-1 gene (PDCD1) has been previously shown to be associated with several autoimmune and inflammatory disorders including systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis.

[Effect of mutations and modifications of amino acid residues on zinc-induced interaction of the metal-binding domain of β-amyloid with DNA].

Interaction of intranuclear β-amyloid with DNA is considered to be a plausible mechanism of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. The interaction of single- and double-stranded DNA with synthetic peptides was analyzed using surface plasmon resonance. The peptides represent the metal-binding domain of β-amyloid (amino acids 1-16) and its variants with chemical modifications and point substitutions of amino acid residues which are associated with enhanced neurotoxicity of β-amyloid in cell tests.

[Physico-chemical methods for studing β-amyloid aggregation].

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent neurodegenerative pathology. According to the amyloid cascade hypothesis, a key event of the Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis is a transition of the β-amyloid peptide (Аβ) from the monomeric form to the aggregated state. The mechanism of Аβ aggregation is intensively studied in vitro, by means of synthetic peptides and various physico-chemical methods allowing evaluation of size, molecular structure, and morphology of the formed aggregates.

Zinc-induced interaction of the metal-binding domain of amyloid-β peptide with DNA.

The interaction of the 16-mer synthetic peptide (Aβ16), which represents the metal-binding domain of the amyloid-β with DNA, was studied employing the surface plasmon resonance technique. It has been shown that Aβ16 binds to the duplex DNA in the presence of zinc ions and thus the metal-binding domain can serve as a zinc-dependent DNA-binding site of the amyloid-β. The interaction of Aβ16 with DNA most probably depends on oligomerization of the peptide and is dominated by interaction with phosphates of the DNA backbone.

[CARD15 and TLR4 genes polymorphisms in atopic bronchial asthma].

In order to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms G(+2722)C and 3020insC in CARD15 gene and Asp299Gly in TLR4 gene contribute to atopic bronchial asthma we performed a comparative analysis of alleles and genotypes frequencies of these polymorphisms in Russian patients from Moscow. DNA samples from 283 patients with atopic bronchial asthma and 227 healthy donors were genotyped. There were associations neither of G(+2722)C and 3020insC in CARD15 gene and Asp299Gly in TLR4 gene with asthma nor of markers of CARD15 gene with asthma severity.

[M31R and R335C polymorphic variants of the IL8RA gene in Russian and Buryat patients with atopic bronchial asthma].

To test the M31R and R335C polymorphisms of the Il8RA gene for association with atopic bronchial asthma (BA), the allele and genotype frequency distributions of the polymorphisms were studied in Russian patients from Moscow and Buryat patients from Ulan-Ude. The study involved two Russian groups, one including 291 DNA samples of patients with atopic BA, and the other, 266 DNA samples of healthy people. The two Buryat groups included 124 and 152 DNA samples from patients with atopic BA and healthy people, respectively.

[Photoaptamer heterodimeric constructs as a new approach to enhance the efficiency of formation of photocrosslinking with a target protein].

Using two DNA aptamers selectively recognizing anion-binding exosites 1 and 2 of thrombin as a model, it has been demonstrated that their conjugation by a poly-(dT)-linker (ranging from 5 to 65 nt in length) to produce aptamer heterodimeric constructs results into affinity enhancement. The apparent dissociation constant (Kd(app)) measured at the optical biosensor Biacore-3000 for complexes of thrombin with the heterodimeric constructs reached minimum values (Kd(app) = 0.2-0.

[Comparative thermodynamic analysis of thrombin interaction with anti-thrombin aptamers and their heterodimeric construct].

Aptamers interacting selectively with the anion-binding exosites 1 and 2 of thrombin were merged into dimeric oligonucleotide constructs with use of a poly-(dT)-linker of 35 nucleotides (nt) long. Complexes of thrombin with the aptamers and their hetero- and homodimeric constructs were measured using the optical biosensor Biacore-3000. K(D) values measured for the hetero- and homodimeric constructs were correspondingly 25-30- and 2-3-fold lower than those for the primary aptamers.

Use of oligonucleotides conjugated to gold nanoparticles and streptavidin for amplification of optical biosensor signal during detection of telomeric repeats.

Hybridization of telomeric repeats with a complementary oligonucleotide probe was studied by the surface plasmon resonance method. Conjugation of the probe with streptavidin and gold nanoparticles was shown to amplify the signal at similar concentrations of this probe (by 60 and 300 times, respectively). Nanoparticles can be used for biosensor signal amplification in studying the telomerase activity of malignant cells.

Au-nanoparticles as an electrochemical sensing platform for aptamer-thrombin interaction.

A novel electrochemical method for the detection of bioaffinity interactions based on a gold-nanoparticles sensing platform and on the usage of stripping voltammetry technique was developed. The oxidation of gold surface (resulted in gold oxide formation) upon polarization served as a basis for analytical response. As a model, thrombin-thrombin binding aptamer couple was chosen.

[The use of SNP markers for estimation of individual genetic predisposition to diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2].

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are now considered as the most perspective and convenient markers for research of genetic bases of multifactorial diseases. Fast development of technologies for exact screening of great volume of genetic information, construction of genomic maps of SNP-markers promotes development of innovative diagnostic systems on the basis of significant SNP for an estimation of individual genetic risk of development of various diseases. In this review the basic aspects of genetics of a diabetes of type 1 and 2 and an opportunity of use SNP as markers for an estimation of individual genetic predisposition to the given diseases are considered.

[Synthesis of artifical genome as the basis of synthetic biology].

Recent achievements in the whole-genome sequencing especially viral and bacterial ones, together with the development of methods of bioinformatics and molecular biology, have created preconditions for transition from synthesis of genes to assembly of the whole genomes from chemically synthesized blocks, oligonucleotides. The creation of artificial genomes and artificial cells, will undoubtedly render huge influence on a deepening of knowledge of mechanisms of functioning of living systems at a cellular level, on a way of origin and evolution of life, and also on biotechnology of the future, and will generate preconditions for the further development of synthetic biology and nanobiotechnology.

[Aptamers as perspective affine reagents for clinical proteomics].

Application of proteomic results to scientific and medical practice will depend in many respects on progress of affine microchips technologies that determine the continuous search for inexpensive and robust affine reagents alternative to monoclonal antibodies. Among synthetic mimetics of antibodies, the oligonucleotide aptamers are of the greatest interest as affine reagents due to the possibility to automate their selection and due to the low cost of oligonucleotide synthesis. In the review the problems related to the automation and optimization of aptamer selection and to the selection of photoaptamers capable to formation of photo-induced covalent complexes with protein targets have been considered.