[Cellular targets of antitumor ribonucleases].

Some ribonucleases (RNases) produce selective toxic effect on the cancer cells. The mechanism of this antitumor activity remains largely unclear. The subject of this review is the RNases interaction with cellular components, resulting in the induction of apoptosis of tumor cells.

[Ribonucleases as antiviral agents].

Many ribonucleases (RNases) are able to inhibit the reproduction of viruses in infected cell cultures and laboratory animals, but molecular mechanisms of their antiviral activity remain unclear. The review observes the most known RNases which possess established antiviral effects, actually intracellular RNases (RNase L, MCPIPI protein, eosinophylic RNases) as well as exogenously applied ones (RNase A, BS-RNase, onconase, binase, synthetic RNases). Attention is given on two important but not always obligatory aspects in molecule of RNases, which have antiviral properties: catalytic activity and ability to the dimerization.

[Effect of Bacillus pumilus ribonuclease on the paramagnetic centers of microbial cells].

Potential clinical application of Bacillus pumulus cytotoxic ribonuclease (binase) selectively inducing the death of tumor cells makes it imperative to investigate its effect on the normal human microflora. Flow cytometry was used to determine that binase concentration causing the apoptosis of cancer cells had no effect of the viability of Escherichia coli K12. The changes in the paramagnetic centers of E.

[Probiotics for plants: NO-producing lactobacilli protect plants from drought].

After the inoculation of wheat roots with a suspension of the bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum, leveling of oxidative stress detected by the accumulation of H2O2 and MDA was found in leaves. Activation of catalase and increased integral antioxidant capacity in seedlings treated with NO-producing lactobacilli were detected during the determination of the contribution of bacterial NO to the plant stress reaction. Thus, for the first time, we have demonstrated that lactobacilli affect plant adaptive responses to stress by the involvement of nitric oxide.

[Composition of the oil-slime microbial community determined by analysis of the 16S rRNA gene].

Analysis of the 16S rRNA genes of the cultured microorganisms of industrial oil-slime revealed predominance (-85-90%) of the Gammaproteobacteria in the community of aerobic heterotrophs and specific oil-slime degraders. Relation of the isolated strains with members of the genera Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Enterobacter was established. Analysis of the same gene in the total DNA from the oil-slime revealed greater microbial diversity (-20 operative taxonomic units determined by T-RFLP) than in the cultured part of the community, which included -12 different colony types.