Vol 52, No 4 (2018)

In order to study the role of posttranslational α-tubulin acetylation in the realization of stressinduced autophagy, levels of α-tubulin acetylation in Arabidopsis thaliana plants subjected to abiotic stress, such as salt and osmotic stresses, starvation, or ultraviolet B irradiation, were determined by Western blot analysis. It was shown a significant increase in the levels of acetylated α-tubulin under autophagy development, moreover, a synergistic action of stressful factors and E-64, an autophagy inhibitor, attenuated this increase. In order to study tissue-specific character of this modification, an immunohistochemical analysis of α-tubulin acetylation in A. thaliana seedlings was conducted. These experiments demonstrated the tissuespecific character of α-tubulin acetylation induced by stress, particularly, it is most markedly manifested in young and meristematic tissues, as well as in root tissues (root cap, epidermis and pericycle cells). Obtained results can serve as a proof of the regulatory role of α-tubulin acetylation in the realization of autophagy as an adaptive response to the influence of stressful stimuli.

On the basis of the winter bread wheat cultivar Obryi, two independent disomic addition lines BC₁₂F_∞ with the chromosome of the E. sibiricus S^t genome are created. A practical algorithm for determining the probabilities of transmission of the odd chromosome separately through male and female gametes in selfpollination of hemizygous hybrids from the equation p²–(1 + f₁–f₄) × p + f₁ = 0 is proposed, where p is the probability of the formation of viable gametes with the considered chromosome and f₁ and f₄ are the empirical frequencies of the corresponding homozygotes with and without the trait. The probability of transmission of an alien univalent chromosome through pollen (p_♂) is associated with the frequency of its transmission through the egg cell (p_♀) in backcrosses and in self-pollination (1–f₄) by the equation p_♂ = 1–f₄/(1–p_♀). The calculated empirically dependent estimates of the probabilities of transmission of the added chromosome through the egg cell p_♀ = 18.7% and through pollen p_♂ = 4.3% correspond to the empirical frequencies obtained for backcrosses. The coefficients of the gamete selection V_♀ = 0.748 and V_♂ = 0.172 are calculated, and the expected segregation for the alien trait controlled by a dominant gene located in the added chromosome is determined—with the trait: without the trait is 0.222: 0.778 in F₂; 0.187: 0.813 in equational and 0.043: 0.957 in certational backcrosses.

The genetic improvement of soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other hexaploid wheat species (T. spelta, T. spherococcum, T. petropavlovskyi, and T. compactum) is important. This can be done by transferring genes of interest (resistance to biotic and abiotic factors). For this purpose, phylogenetic connections of the studied genotypes should be investigated. This problem can be solved by using a multilocus system based on ISSR markers. The marker system is highly polymorphic and convenient for analysis. The study presents the results of a comparison of 20 different hexaploid wheat genotypes based on ISSR markers. In addition, the level of polymorphism was determined and a dendrogram reflecting the phylogenetic connections between the studied genotypes was constructed. It was shown that the species located next to each other according to the systematics turned out to be more remote after the ISSR-marker analysis, and, vice versa, the species that were systematically more distant showed a higher level of kinship.

Mutations in the MECP2 gene are known to cause Rett syndrome (RTT)—a neurodevelopmental disorder, one of the most common causes of intellectual disability in females, with an incidence of 1 in 10000–15000. We have investigated exons 3 and 4 of the MECP2 gene, that coding MBD and TRD domains of the MeCP2 protein, in 21 RTT patients from Ukraine by PCR-DGGE analysis followed by Sanger sequencing of PCR fragments with abnormal migration profiles. In 13 of 21 (61.9%) patients 7 different mutations were identified one nonsense mutation—c. NC_000023.11:g.154031326G>A (MECP2:c.502C>T) and 4 missense mutation NC_000023.11:g.154031409G>T (MECP2:c.419C>T), NC_000023.11:g.154031355G>A (MECP2:c.473C>T), NC_000023.11:g.154031354A>C (MECP2:c.472A>C), NC_000023.11:g.154031431G>A (MECP2:c.397C>T) located in exon 4, a rare RTT-causing splice site mutation NC_000023.10:g.153296903T>G (MECP2:c.378-2A>C) in intron 3 and deletion NC_000023.10:g.1532 96079_153296122del44 in exon 4. The novel mutation MECP2:c.472A>C identified in our study in patients withclassic RTT phenotype leds to T158P substitution. It is one more confirmation of crucial role that 158 codon in MECP2 protein function.

Geranium molle is known as Dovefoot Geranium or Awnless Geranium. Dovefoot Geranium is a low-growing herb with pink flowers and sharply toothed leaves. Dovefoot Geranium is native to Eurasia and has been introduced to many habitats of the world. This species is very similar to G. robertianum but its palmate-like leaves and bilobed petals show differences. This plant is considered to be anodyne, astringent and vulnerary. We have no information on its population genetic structure, genetic diversity, and morphological variability in Iran. Therefore, due to the importance of these plant species, we performed a combination of morphological and molecular data for this species. For this study, we used 132 randomly collected plants from 18 geographical populations in 4 provinces. Genetic diversity parameters were determined in these populations. STRUCTURE analysis and K-Means clustering identified 14 gene pools in the country and revealed isolation by distance among the studied populations. The Mantel test showed correlation between genetic and geographical distance. AMOVA revealed a significant genetic difference among populations and showed that 40% of total genetic variation was due to within-population diversity. The consensus tree of both molecular and morphological data identified divergent populations. These data may be used in future breeding and conservation of this important medicinal plant in the country.

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The relative increase of root length was significantly enhanced in wild-type pretreated with LPS 8614, SA, or the composite preparation (Fig. 3).

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For instance, the elicitor chitosan was shown to activate the defense genes by stimulating JA synthesis through the octadecanoid pathway [17].