Large-scale genome-wide SNP analysis reveals the rugged (and ragged) landscape of global ancestry, phylogeny, and demographic history in chicken breeds.

The worldwide chicken gene pool encompasses a remarkable, but shrinking, number of divergently selected breeds of diverse origin. This study was a large-scale genome-wide analysis of the landscape of the complex molecular architecture, genetic variability, and detailed structure among 49 populations. These populations represent a significant sample of the world's chicken breeds from Europe (Russia, Czech Republic, France, Spain, UK, etc.

The Genetic Diversity of Horse Native Breeds in Russia.

Horses were domesticated later than other farm animals. Horse breeds have been selectively developed by humans to satisfy different needs and purposes. The factory and indigenous breeds are of particular interest, having been bred in purity for many centuries without the addition of foreign blood.

Expression of Hairpin-Enriched Mitochondrial DNA in Two Hairworm Species (Nematomorpha).

Nematomorpha (hairworms) is a phylum of parasitic ecdysozoans, best known for infecting arthropods and guiding their hosts toward water, where the parasite can complete its life cycle. Over 350 species of nematomorphs have been described, yet molecular data for the group remain scarce. The few available mitochondrial genomes of nematomorphs are enriched with long inverted repeats, which are embedded in the coding sequences of their genes-a remarkably unusual feature exclusive to this phylum.

The Genetic Diversity of Stallions of Different Breeds in Russia.

The specifics of breeding and selection significantly affect genetic diversity and variability within a breed. We present the data obtained from the genetic analysis of 21 thoroughbred and warmblood horse breeds. The most detailed information is described from the following breeds: Arabian, Trakehner, French Trotter, Standardbred, and Soviet Heavy Horse.

Salmonidae Genome: Features, Evolutionary and Phylogenetic Characteristics.

The salmon family is one of the most iconic and economically important fish families, primarily possessing meat of excellent taste as well as irreplaceable nutritional and biological value. One of the most common and, therefore, highly significant members of this family, the Atlantic salmon ( L.), was not without reason one of the first fish species for which a high-quality reference genome assembly was produced and published.

Comparative Analysis of Molecular RFLP and SNP Markers in Assessing and Understanding the Genetic Diversity of Various Chicken Breeds.

Monitoring the genetic diversity of small populations is important with respect to conserving rare and valuable chicken breeds, as well as discovery and innovation in germplasm research and application. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), the molecular markers that underlie multilocus DNA fingerprinting (MLDF), have historically been employed for this purpose, but over the past two decades, there has been an irreversible shift toward high-throughput single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of archived MLDF results and new data from whole-genome SNP genotyping (SNPg) among 18 divergently selected breeds representing a large sample of the world gene pool.

Elemental composition of sediments on exterior window surfaces along vertical gradient in Moscow.

Despite numerous studies on the spatial distribution of pollutants in urban environments, little is known about their vertical profile. The presented research aims to analyze loadings and concentration of elements sedimented on exterior glass window surfaces of a high-rise building in Moscow city. The roadside part of a typical 17-level building was examined.

Prevalence of Recombinant Strains of Potato Virus Y in Seed Potato Planted in Idaho and Washington States Between 2011 and 2021.

Potato virus Y (PVY) has emerged as the main reason for potato seed lot rejections, seriously affecting seed potato production in the United States throughout the past 20 years. The dynamics of PVY strain abundance and composition in various potato growing areas of the United States has not been well documented or understood up to now. The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of PVY strains in potato fields in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), including seed potato production systems in the State of Idaho and commercial potato fields in the Columbia Basin of Washington State between 2011 and 2021.

Structural Insight into LaCaMnCoO Decomposition in the Methane Combustion Process.

Perovskite-like solid solution LaCaMnCoO was tested during the total methane combustion reaction. During the reaction, there is a noticeable decrease in methane conversion, the rate of catalyst deactivation increasing with an increase in temperature. The in situ XRD and HRTEM methods show that the observed deactivation occurs as a result of the segregation of calcite and cobalt oxide particles on the perovskite surface.

Linking pollution of roadside soils and ecotoxicological responses of five higher plants.

This research studies a typical landscape of an agricultural area separated from the road by a ditch with trees. Soils were sampled at 1, 2, 7, 25, and 50 m from the road. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), total and phyto-available heavy metals (HM), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and de-icing salts (DS, Cl) were determined using standard techniques.

Ecotoxicological effects of traffic-related pollutants in roadside soils of Moscow.

The objective of this research is to find correlations between traffic-related contaminants in the roadside soils and their ecotoxicity. The study was conducted in Moscow in the vicinity of a highway of 125 000 vehicles per day. The topsoils (0-3 cm depth) were sampled perpendicular to the road at 1-, 6-, 10-, 18- and 50-m distances from the roadbed.

Transient interaction between the N-terminal extension of the essential light chain-1 and motor domain of the myosin head during the ATPase cycle.

The molecular mechanism of muscle contraction is based on the ATP-dependent cyclic interaction of myosin heads with actin filaments. Myosin head (myosin subfragment-1, S1) consists of two major domains, the motor domain responsible for ATP hydrolysis and actin binding, and the regulatory domain stabilized by light chains. Essential light chain-1 (LC1) is of particular interest since it comprises a unique N-terminal extension (NTE) which can bind to actin thus forming an additional actin-binding site on the myosin head and modulating its motor activity.

Strain-Specific Resistance to Potato virus Y (PVY) in Potato and Its Effect on the Relative Abundance of PVY Strains in Commercial Potato Fields.

Potato virus Y (PVY) is a serious threat to potato production due to effects on tuber yield and quality, in particular, due to induction of potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease (PTNRD), typically associated with recombinant strains of PVY. These recombinant strains have been spreading in the United States for the past several years, although the reasons for this continuing spread remained unclear. To document and assess this spread between 2011 and 2015, strain composition of PVY isolates circulating in the Columbia Basin potato production area was determined from hundreds of seed lots of various cultivars.

Biological and molecular characterization of a tomato isolate of potato virus Y (PVY) of the PVY lineage.

An isolate of potato virus Y (PVY), PVY-H14, was collected on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, from tomato plants exhibiting stunting and necrotic lesions on leaves. PVY-H14 triggered the hypersensitive resistance response in potato cultivars King Edward and Maris Bard, typical of a PVY strain, and was unable to infect systemically the four tested cultivars, Desiree, Maris Bard, King Edward, and Russet Norkotah. Phylogenetic analysis of H14 and the whole genomes of 31 PVY isolates of non-recombinant strains of PVY placed PVY-H14 in the same clade with PVY and several unclassified PVY isolates from tomato and tobacco.

Does Interaction between the Motor and Regulatory Domains of the Myosin Head Occur during ATPase Cycle? Evidence from Thermal Unfolding Studies on Myosin Subfragment 1.

Myosin head (myosin subfragment 1, S1) consists of two major structural domains, the motor (or catalytic) domain and the regulatory domain. Functioning of the myosin head as a molecular motor is believed to involve a rotation of the regulatory domain (lever arm) relative to the motor domain during the ATPase cycle. According to predictions, this rotation can be accompanied by an interaction between the motor domain and the C-terminus of the essential light chain (ELC) associated with the regulatory domain.

Recombinants of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and genetic determinants of BCMV involved in overcoming resistance in common bean.

Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) exists as a complex of strains classified by reactions to resistance genes found in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); seven BCMV pathotypes have been distinguished thus far, numbered I to VII. Virus genetic determinants involved in pathogenicity interactions with resistance genes have not yet been identified. Here, we describe the characterization of two novel field isolates of BCMV that helped to narrow down these genetic determinants interacting with specific P.

Molecular and Serological Typing of Potato virus Y Isolates from Brazil Reveals a Diverse Set of Recombinant Strains.

In Brazil, Potato virus Y (PVY) currently presents a significant problem for potato production, reducing tuber yield and quality. Recombinant tuber necrotic isolates of PVY had been reported to occur in the country but no systematic study of the PVY isolate diversity was conducted thus far. Here, a panel of 36 PVY isolates, randomly collected in Brazil from potato between 1985 and 2009, was subjected to a systematic molecular and serological typing using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and a series of PVY- and PVY-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Identification of the key residues determining the product specificity of isomerohydrolase.

The efficient recycling of the chromophore of visual pigments, 11-cis-retinal, through the retinoid visual cycle is an essential process for maintaining normal vision. RPE65 is the isomerohydrolase in retinal pigment epithelium and generates predominantly 11-cis-retinol (11cROL) and a minor amount of 13-cis-retinol (13cROL), from all-trans-retinyl ester (atRE). We recently identified and characterized novel homologues of RPE65, RPE65c, and 13-cis-isomerohydrolase (13cIMH), which are expressed in the zebrafish inner retina and brain, respectively.

Identification of the molecular make-up of the Potato virus Y strain PVY(Z): genetic typing of PVY(Z)-NTN.

Potato virus Y (PVY) strains were originally defined by interactions with different resistance genes in standard potato cultivars. Five distinct strain groups are defined that cause local or systemic hypersensitive responses (HRs) in genetic background with a corresponding N gene: PVY(O), PVY(N), PVY(C), PVY(Z), and PVY(E). The nucleotide sequences of multiple isolates of PVY(O) and PVY(N) differ from each other by ≈8% along their genomes.

Alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) prevents light-induced degeneration of the retina by inhibiting RPE65 protein isomerohydrolase activity.

α-Phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN), a free radical spin trap, has been shown previously to protect retinas against light-induced neurodegeneration, but the mechanism of protection is not known. Here we report that PBN-mediated retinal protection probably occurs by slowing down the rate of rhodopsin regeneration by inhibiting RPE65 activity. PBN (50 mg/kg) protected albino Sprague-Dawley rat retinas when injected 0.

RDH10 is the primary enzyme responsible for the first step of embryonic Vitamin A metabolism and retinoic acid synthesis.

Retinoic acid (atRA) signaling is essential for regulating embryonic development, and atRA levels must be tightly controlled in order to prevent congenital abnormalities and fetal death which can result from both excessive and insufficient atRA signaling. Cellular enzymes synthesize atRA from Vitamin A, which is obtained from dietary sources. Embryos express multiple enzymes that are biochemically capable of catalyzing the initial step of Vitamin A oxidation, but the precise contribution of these enzymes to embryonic atRA synthesis remains unknown.

An alternative isomerohydrolase in the retinal Müller cells of a cone-dominant species.

Cone photoreceptors have faster light responses than rods and a higher demand for 11-cis retinal (11cRAL), the chromophore of visual pigments. RPE65 is the isomerohydrolase in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) that converts all-trans retinyl ester to 11-cis retinol, a key step in the visual cycle for regenerating 11cRAL. Accumulating evidence suggests that cone-dominant species express an alternative isomerase, likely in retinal Müller cells, to meet the high demand for the chromophore by cones.

Genetic diversity of the ordinary strain of Potato virus Y (PVY) and origin of recombinant PVY strains.

The ordinary strain of Potato virus Y (PVY), PVY(O), causes mild mosaic in tobacco and induces necrosis and severe stunting in potato cultivars carrying the Ny gene. A novel substrain of PVY(O) was recently reported, PVY(O)-O5, which is spreading in the United States and is distinguished from other PVY(O) isolates serologically (i.e.

Conserved noncanonical residue Gly-126 confers instability to the middle part of the tropomyosin molecule.

Tropomyosin (Tm) is a two-stranded α-helical coiled-coil protein with a well established role in regulation of actin cytoskeleton and muscle contraction. It is believed that many Tm functions are enabled by its flexibility whose nature has not been completely understood. We hypothesized that the well conserved non-canonical residue Gly-126 causes local destabilization of Tm.