[Construction of DNA-fragments' libraries with complete genomes of different variola strains].

Libraries of hybrid plasmids carrying DNA fragments of complete genomes of 8 variola virus strain from the Russian Collection belonging to 2 epidemical types and isolated in various geographic regions of the world were obtained. Genomic sequences of variola virus can be thus preserved for a long time in a biologically safe form and provide the research work on studying the genetic organization of this unique virus and on developing modern methods for rapid detection of variola virus and other orthopoxviruses.

M.BstF5I-2 and M.BstF5I-4 DNA methyltransferases from BstF5I restriction-modification system of Bacillus stearothermophilus F5.

The BstF5I restriction-modification system from Bacillus stearothermophilus F5 includes four site-specific DNA methyltransferases, thus differing from all known restriction-modification systems. Here we demonstrated for the first time that one bacterial cell can possess two pairs of methylases with identical substrate specificities (methylases BstF5I-1 and BstF5I-3 recognize GGATG, whereas methylases BstF5I-2 and BstF5I-4 recognize CATCC) that modify adenine residues on both DNA strands. Different chromatographic methods provide homogenous preparations of methylases BstF5I-2 and BstF5I-4.

[The unique FauI restriction-modification system: cloning and comparative analysis of protein structure].

The nucleotide sequence was established for the full-length Flavobacterium aquatile operon coding for the FauI restriction-modification system. The operon is unusual in structure and has the gene order control protein gene-DNA methyltransferase A gene-restriction endonuclease gene-DNA methyltransferase B gene, other than in the known analogs. The genes are similarly oriented and overlap.

[Comparison of the homologous SfeI and LlaBI restriction-modification systems].

A fragment containing the SfeI restriction-modification system (RMS) operon was cloned from a Streptococcus faecalis SE72 plasmid. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed its high (99.2%) homology to the operon for Lactococcus lactis subsp.

[M.BstF5I-4, the forth DNA methyltransferase of BstF5I restriction-modification system from Bacillus stearothermophilus F5].

The fourth DNA-methyltransferase of the BstF5I restriction-modification (RM) system from Bacillus stearothermophilus F5 (M.BstF5I-4) was discovered, which modifies the adenine residue within the upper strand of the recognition site 5'-GGATG-3'/5'-CATCC-3'. Thus, unlike other known RM systems, the BstF5I RM system comprises four genes encoding DNA-methyltransferases, three of which possess the same substrate specificity and methylate adenine within the 5'-GGATG sequence.