Vol 22, No 3 (2024)

BACKGROUND: Within the pea (Pisum sativum L.) species, genotypes with high and low responsiveness to inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can be distinguished.

AIM: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that pea responsiveness to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation may be inversely correlated with root colonization levels.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The wild-type line Finale with low responsiveness to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation and symbiotic mutants obtained on its basis were used. Plants were grown under controlled climatic conditions with a deficiency of available phosphorus; the fungus Rhizophagus irregularis was used for inoculation. Parameters of plant growth and development of reproductive organs were determined 52 and 71 days after inoculation, which corresponded to the flowering and pod filling stages, respectively.

RESULTS: All mutant lines under conditions without inoculation had generally reduced parameters compared to the original line Finale. Inoculation led to a decrease in many parameters in the line Finale. Mutations in the Sym7 and Sym34 genes, which led to a decrease or delay in the start of mycorrhization, respectively, contributed to the manifestation of a positive plant response to inoculation. The mutant in the Sym19 gene almost completely lacked intrartadical colonization, while inoculation had no effect on the growth and development of above-ground organs.

CONCLUSIONS: The study results support the idea that reducing mycorrhization levels can have a positive effect on pea plants.

BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of COVID-19 infection, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), oxidative stress has been proposed as an important player in its severity. This increased the interest in studying antioxidant systems to evaluate their possible role in counteracting disease progression.

AIM: The aim of the current study was to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) genes with the severity of COVID-19.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study subjects were divided into two groups based on the severity of their symptoms. Allele-specific PCR was used for genotyping, and multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis was performed to investigate the SNP–SNP interaction models.

RESULTS: The results showed a significant association of SOD2 rs4880 with the severity of COVID-19 (p = 0.002). SOD2 47TT genotype was significantly more frequent among patients with severe COVID-19 (OR 4.34; 95% CI 1.72–10.96). The three-locus SNP–SNP interaction model, resulted from MDR analysis, was statistically significant (0.55 × 10^–4, OR 3.81; 95% CI 1.96–7.42). Carriers of SOD1 7958G * SOD2 47T * CAT 262C allele combination had a higher risk of severe COVID-19 (p = 0.0045, OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.40–5.78).

CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results contribute to better understanding of COVID-19 pathogenesis and suggest novel potential prognostic biomarkers of the infection.

The work examines the main mechanisms responsible for the process of acclimatization of the population of high mountain regions to the conditions of hypobaric hypoxia. The purpose of this review is to describe the pathways of genetic, epigenetic and physiological control in the adaptation of indigenous populations of highlands to reduced barometric pressure and oxygen tension in the environment. It has been shown that populations living in different high-mountain regions demonstrate different ways of adaptation in response to a decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen in the inspired air. The changes that occur in the body in response to stressful conditions are extremely diverse. These include changes in the respiratory, cardiovascular, hematological systems and cellular adaptation. In this review, we examine genomic variations leading to evolutionary adaptation to life at high altitudes, gene expression, pathophysiological and metabolic features, and long-term adaptation in various high-altitude populations. We also consider the peoples of the Caucasus as one of the most promising populations for further study of complex adaptation mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: The method of protein-protein interaction analysis using the yeast two-hybrid system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells is used to search for protein coregulators. This method is also used for mass screening of libraries of cloned fragments of complementary DNA (cDNA) that are translated in the cell. The key factor in the success of such screening is the level of efficiency of yeast cell transformation, since the resolution of the analysis is based on this.

AIM: The aim of this study is to search for optimal parameters for chemical transformation of yeast cells to increase the resolution of cDNA library screening.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasmids pDEST22 and pDEST32 were used for chemical transformation of the yeast strain S. cerevisiae pJ69-4A. For screening, a cDNA library was used, obtained on the basis of mRNA isolated from the roots of pea Pisum sativum cultivar Finale, inoculated with rhizobia.

RESULTS: Factors influencing the efficiency of transformation were identified. Among them are the molecular weight of polyethyleneglycol used for transformation, as well as the number of cell division cycles that the culture undergoes. The effect of the number and size of plasmids used in transformation was also shown. Using the optimized protocol, a cDNA library was successfully screened to find coregulators of the NIN transcription factor.

CONCLUSIONS: Based on the data obtained, optimal parameters were determined that allow achieving a high level of competence in yeast cells. The use of the described protocol allowed for successful screening of the library to identify coregulators of the NIN transcription factor.