This is a brief review of the latest changes in the editorial policy and content of the journal “Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 16: Biologiya” with special emphasis on the situation with its English-language version – “Moscow University Biological Sciences Bulletin”. The current strategy of the editorial board for evaluation of the submitted manuscripts, their rejection, peer reviewing and editing, as well as the distribution of papers among new sections of the journal are described. The article discusses the requirements for the language of articles, compilation of reference lists, and statistical analysis of the data obtained by the authors. Information is provided on the growth of scientometric indicators of the journal in recent years, as well as a list of databases in which the periodical is currently indexed. Differences in interest in published articles between foreign and domestic readers are noted. Data on the number of downloads of the most popular articles from the Springer Nature website are provided. The article analyzes the topics of articles published in the journal in 2017–2019. The authors emphasize the priority for the editorial board of reviews affecting both fundamental and applied aspects of research in the field of biology, biomedicine, and biotechnology.

Currently, fluorescent nanoparticles are considered as promising enhancers of photodynamic activity of traditional photosensitizers in the procedures of photodynamic therapy of cancer and inactivation of pathogens. On the one hand, such nanoparticles act as a nanoplatform for target delivery of dye molecules to cells, on the other – as light-harvesting antennas that increase the effective absorption cross-section of the dye. In this paper the influence of semiconductor CdSe/ZnS quantum dots coated with a polymer shell on the photostability of zinc or aluminum polycationic phthalocyanines was studied. It was shown that in presence of the quantum dots the rate of photobleaching of phthalocyanines increases significantly both with direct illumination of phthalocyanine by red light and with the quantum dot-mediated illumination by blue light. This effect can be explained by the fact that phthalocyanine is the primary target for the attack of reactive oxygen species inside the polymer shell of the quantum dot. The rate of bleaching of chemical trap of the reactive oxygen species 4-nitroso-N,N-dimethylaniline in phthalocyanine solution increases in the presence of the quantum dot under red light illumination. We believe that the chemical trap is concentrated in the polymer shell of the quantum dot, which increases the probability of its damage by active oxygen species generated by the phthalocyanine. Since the diffusion of reactive oxygen species from the polymer shell of a nanoparticle into the surrounding solution is slow, the use of quantum dots as an enhancer of the photodynamic action of phthalocyanines can be effective only in the absence of significant steric obstacles to the diffusion of reactive oxygen species to the target molecules of photodynamic inactivation.

Trends in body size were analyzed based on the results of anthropometric examination of more than 6300 undergraduate students of MSU, obtained in 2000–2018. The retrospective analysis was conducted by comparing data of total body dimensions collected on a sample of young males and females since 1920s. The observations of 17–18-year-old males and females demonstrated increase in height during the last 80 years until the beginning of XXI century in Moscow. This parameter was relatively stable in both sexes since the beginning of 2000s until present. Although the secular increase in body weight in either males or females still continued, some gender differences in growth dynamics of this index were observed. From the microevolutionary prospect highlighted tendencies could be explained as a result of changing lifestyle in modern human populations. Along with secular changes in body size the concomitant changes of head and face dimensions in both sexes were observed, which were probably related to debrachicephalization (decrease in cephalic index) and tendency toward leptoprosopia (increase in facial index). Investigated patterns of secular (cross–generational) changes in morphological characteristic of modern youth can reflect socio-economic processes occurring in society and could be of great importance for fundamental studies in biology and sociology as well as for preventive medicine.

The search for new approaches for skin restoration is an urgent task of modern regenerative medicine. A promising area is the use of biocompatible materials. Designs from them can serve as the basis for biomedical products designed to replace damaged tissue, or serve as wound dressings. In this work, photopolymerized films based on silk fibroin and methacrylated gelatin (F-MG) were created. An in vitro study revealed that the use of films as a substrate for the cultivation of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes leads to a change in the kinetics of cell growth. According to the MTT assay, the fibroblasts proliferation rate was lower on photopolymerized films, and keratinocytes’ one was higher compared to culture plastic. An assessment of the effect of the obtained films on skin regeneration was performed in vivo in a model of a full-layer wound of mouse skin. The use of F-MG films as wound dressings contributed to the acceleration of wound healing and a more complete restoration of the skin structure compared to control (use of gauze). In animals in the experimental group, the formation of hair follicles and the reduction in the scar area by 28 days were observed.

MicroRNAs (miR) are small single-stranded ribonucleotide sequences, which regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. It has been shown that some miRs play a key role in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology. In this work the effects of lipotransfection of miR-1-3p, miR-133a-3p and miR-153-3p on electrophysiological parameters of myocardial tissue were studied for the first time. Action potentials (AP) were recorded in multicellular Tyrode-perfused rat atria preparations after the injection of transfection mixture consisting of lipofectamine and miR-1-3p, miR-133a-3p or miR-153-3p with the usage of microelectrode technique. It was shown that treatment of myocardial tissue with transfection mixture itself leads to a prolongation of AP repolarization phase. Herewith, miR-1-3p, miR-153-3p did not cause a significant change in AP configuration within 6 hrs after the injection in tissue preparations compared to the injection of transfection mixture free of miRs. At the same time, miR-133a-3p caused a significant increase in AP duration at the level of 90% repolarization and the effect was maximal 4 hrs after transfection. Based on the bioinformatic search and analysis of possible miR-133a-3p targets, it was suggested that this miR can interact with the mRNA of a number of protein phosphatases. A suppression of protein phosphatase expression in cardiomyocytes may underlie the observed increase in AP duration under the action of miR-133a-3p due to the affection of proteins involved in calcium dynamics.

Using the chromogenic peptide substrates, proteolytic activity against proteins of the hemostasis system was studied in 9 micromycetes belonging to different ecological-trophic groups: phyto-, nemato-, myco- and entomopathogens, as well as human pathogens. It is shown that the investigated micromycetes secrete proteases with broad substrate specificity, but among them there are producers with pronounced both plasmin-like and urokinase (Arthrobotrys longa 1, Sarocladium strictum 203) also as TAP-like (Purpureocillium lilacinum k1) activity. The most active producer of proteases with fibrinolytic and activator activity to plasminogen activity was S. strictum 203 micromycete. The activity of proteinases formed by S. strictum 203 is about 50% of the fibrinolytic activity of plasminogen, which makes it a promising producer of fibrinolytic enzymes.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) is a dioecious shrub, or tree. It is the perennial plant, the juvenile period of which continues from 3 to 5 years. Sea buckthorn is widely used in cosmetology, biotechnology, pharmacology, agriculture. It grows in many countries of Europe and Asia. This crop is a source of different vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and flavonoids. Phenotypic description does not give an accurate description of the taxon (species, subspecies, varieties, populations) so it means that we have to use molecular methods of analysis. The collection of Sea buckthorn with different ecological and geographical genesis was selected. It consists of herbarium specimens and natural populations. We selected ISSR-markers which are able to detect genotypic differences effectively. The dendrogram was built on the PCR basis. We revealed a high level of interspecies polymorphism, and it was also established that samples with similar ecological-geographical genesis tend to group into clusters, which are located at different genetic distances. The result of the research will help us to evaluate the gene pool of this crop, the diversity of forms, the similarity between them and it will help us to determine ecological and geographical origin of sea buckthorn, its evolution. So we will be able to select pairs for crossing and to define certification and identification of varieties before they reach the generative period.