Two H3K23 histone methyltransferases, SET-32 and SET-21, function synergistically to promote nuclear RNAi-mediated transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Nuclear RNAi in C. elegans induces a set of transgenerationally heritable marks of H3K9me3, H3K23me3, and H3K27me3 at the target genes. The function of H3K23me3 in the nuclear RNAi pathway is largely unknown due to the limited knowledge of H3K23 histone methyltransferase (HMT).

Tryptophan Metabolites Target Transmembrane and Immunoglobulin Domain-Containing 1 Signaling to Augment Renal Tubular Injury.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by the accumulation of uremic toxins and renal tubular damage. Tryptophan-derived uremic toxins [indoxyl sulfate (IS) and kynurenine (Kyn)] are well-characterized tubulotoxins. Emerging evidence suggests that transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain-containing 1 (TMIGD1) protects tubular cells and promotes survival.

Target-dependent suppression of siRNA production modulates the levels of endogenous siRNAs in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline.

Despite the prominent role of endo-siRNAs in transposon silencing, their expression is not limited to these 'nonself' DNA elements. Transcripts of protein-coding genes ('self' DNA) in some cases also produce endo-siRNAs in yeast, plants and animals. How cells distinguish these two populations of siRNAs to prevent unwanted silencing of active genes in animals is not well understood.

nuclear RNAi factor SET-32 deposits the transgenerational histone modification, H3K23me3.

Nuclear RNAi provides a highly tractable system to study RNA-mediated chromatin changes and epigenetic inheritance. Recent studies have indicated that the regulation and function of nuclear RNAi-mediated heterochromatin are highly complex. Our knowledge of histone modifications and the corresponding histonemodifying enzymes involved in the system remains limited.

[VIRAL HEPATITIS C: EVOLUTION OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGIC PROCESS, EVOLUTION OF THE VIRUS].

Periodization of the evolution of epidemic process of hepatitis C is given based on the results of phylodynamic, phylogeographic, historic and demographic studies: invasion of the virus into European and North-American population in 1700-1850; primary activation of the epidemic process in the years of the World War 1; expansive giowth of prevalence in 40--60s of the 20th century due to mass parenteral interventions; new rise due to heroine drug abuse in 60--80s of the 20th century; manifold reduction of incidence of acute hepatitis C in industrial countries for the last 10-15 years as a result of general medical measures of prevention of hemocontact infec-tions. A problem of possibility of hepatitis C management and necessity of evaluation of effectiveness of existing prophylaxis measures involving quantitative analytical methods of epidemiology is discussed. Data from phylogenetic studies on stages of hepatitis C virus evolution (HCV) are provided: division of its root genetic lineage with homologous hepaciviruses of animals 985--2013 years ago; division of HCV into genotypes 500--2000 years ago; division of genotypes into subtypes 70--300 years ago.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF CHRONIC VIRUS HEPATITIS B AND C IN THE REPUBLIC SAKHA (YAKUTIA).

High disease burden of chronic virus hepatitis B and C of population in the Republic Sakha (Yakutia) is subject to referring it to endemic territories due to these infections. For a 15-year-old period the disease has been registered at higher rates in the Russian Federation.

[Phylodynamic of HCV Populations].

Hepatitis C virus is an actual public health problem worldwide since its discovering in 1989. It is explained not only by the wide spreading and frequent adverse outcomes of disease, the lack of effective preventive vaccine, but also by the high genetic variability of the virus. The current review summarizes the results of phylodynamic and phylogeographic studies of different HCV populations that allowed to characterize epidemic processes, to analyze the divergence of HCV into genotypes and subtypes, and to determine the geographic origin of the current HCV epidemic variants.

[From molecular to genomic and metagenomic epidemiology].

The notion "molecular epidemiology" was introduced into scientific literature by Kilburn E. et al. in 1973.

[Anti-pertussis immunity in children in the cities of Northwestern Federal District with various population].

Aim: Evaluate the state of immunity against pertussis in children living in St. Petersburg and regional centers of Northwestern Federal District (NFD).

Materials And Methods: The level of anti-pertussis antibodies by EIA and agglutinin reaction (AR) was studied in 419 children living in St.

[Helicobacter pylori population characteristic in patients with diseases of gastrointestinal tract].

Aim: Study H. pylori strains circulating in St. Petersburg among patients with various gastrointestinal tract pathology as well as study of frequency of infection by H.

The European Virus Archive: a new resource for virology research.

The European Virus Archive (EVA) was conceived as a direct response to the need for a coordinated and readily accessible collection of viruses that could be made available to academia, public health organisations and industry, initially within Europe, but ultimately throughout the world. Although scientists worldwide have accumulated virus collections since the early twentieth century, the quality of the collections and the viruses collected may vary according to the personal interests and agenda of the scientists. Moreover, when laboratories are re-organised or closed, collections are no longer maintained and gradually cease to exist.

[Analysis of Helicobacter pylori infection prevalence in children in the contemporary period].

Aim: Study of prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in one organized children community of St. Petersburg in the current period.

Materials And Methods: 390 children and adolescents of one of the general education schools of St.

[Biodiversity and evolution of circulating bacteria and virus populations. Novel problems of medical microbiology].

Biodiversity and evolution of circulating bacteria and virus populations is a serious scientific problem, solving this problem is necessary for effective prophylaxis of infectious diseases. Principal trends of development in this field of science are described. Results of studies that were carried out and investigated biodiversity of principal pathogens in Russia and St.

[Prevalence of Helicobater pylori infection among population of Northwestern federal district of Russian Federation].

Aim: Studies of Helicobater pylori infection rate among population of North-western federal district including St. Petersburg in 2007 - 2009.

Materials And Methods: 1021 individuals with various digestive tract pathologies as well as healthy individuals and blood donors were examined.

[Genotyping and molecular marking of bacteria and viruses in epidemiological surveillance of actual infections].

Aim: Determination of genetic and molecular features of pathogens circulating in Russia, in the northwest of the country and in St. Petersburg to resolve the problems of spread of diseases caused by these pathogens.

Materials And Methods: Complete and limited gene sequencing, DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, spoligotyping, VNTR-typing, resistotyping and other methods were used.

[Development and use of test systems for the evaluation of sensitivity of Trichomonas vaginalisto preparations of the 5-nitroimidazole and 5-nitrofuran groups].

Aim: Development of test system for the evaluation of sensitivity of Trichomonas vaginalis to preparations of the 5-nitroimidazole and 5-nitrofuran groups.

Materials And Methods: Determination of minimal cidic concentration (MCC) of antiprotozoal preparations was carried out by cultivating laboratory T. vaginalis strains in wells of plates with nutrient medium containing varying concentrations of these preparations.

[Rubella in Russia: variability of the infectious agent during the period of vaccine prophylaxis].

Aim: To assess influence of vaccination against rubella on the genetic diversity of rubella virus.

Materials And Methods: Vaccine strains of rubella virus Wistar 27/3 and Orlov-B as well as sera from patients with rubella obtained in Perm region during 1999 - 2005 period and standard serologic, molecular, epidemiologic and statistical methods were used. The study was performed according to the WHO recommendations on the genotyping of wild rubellavirus strains.

[The diagnosis of Helicobacter infections in patients with gastric and duodenal peptic ulcers].

The results of the study of 33 patients having gastroduodenal peptic ulcer, with 9 of them subjected to surgical treatment, are presented. The diagnostics of Helicobacter infection was made with the use of bacteriological and biochemical assays. The study revealed that in the overwhelming majority of cases peptic ulcer was associated with the presence of H.

[The prospects for using the genetically engineered surface antigen of the hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) expressed by recombinant poxvirus strains as the basis for vaccines against hepatitis B].

The use of a recombinant poxvirus (RPV) strain, expressing HBsAg in the process of reproduction in different bioreactor systems under stationary and bioreactor conditions of cultivation, made it possible to obtain highly purified HBsAg. The identity and purity of HBsAg was confirmed by the analysis of its amino acid composition, SDS electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, electron microscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography. Good prospects of the use of RPV-expressed gene engineering HBsAg as the basis vaccines against hepatitis B was demonstrated in 10 experimental batches of vaccine.

Autoimmune component in individuals during immune response to inactivated combined vaccine against Q fever.

Serum samples from 20 individuals immunized with inactivated combined vaccine (ICV) against Q fever and 10 individuals that received placebo were investigated on days 14, 21, 28 and 60 after immunization by isotope specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of antibodies directed to human IgA, IgM and IgG, and their fragments (F(ab')2, Fab, Fc). None of the subjects that received placebo exhibited significant increase of reactivity with any of the used antigens. By contrast, the sera of immunized individuals tended to show increased autoantibody activity with diverse antigens.

[The characteristics of the autoimmune reactions in donors immunized with influenza vaccine and staphylococcal anatoxin].

Regularities in the formation of autoantibodies to human IgA, IgM, IgG and their fragments, such as F(ab')2, Fab, Fc, in donors immunized with influenza vaccine (44 subjects) and staphylococcal toxoid (15 subjects) were studied with regard to the dynamics of specific immune response. After immunization with staphylococcal toxoid autoimmune reactions were registered only in the precipitation tests during 3-5 weeks of observation. In donors immunized with influenza vaccine the induction of isotypically heterogeneous autoimmune reactions was established.