The review is dedicated to search for peptidase groups responsible for fungal growth and for inhibitors of these peptidases. Available data on diversity, significance, distribution and peculiarities of proteolytic enzymes of fungi of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma and Alternaria are discussed. According to analysis of the data we concluded that serine, metalloand glutamic peptidases are necessary for fungal growth. Thus, these enzymes are considered as perspective targets for inhibitors that may serve as the reason to search for such inhibitors and development of novel biocides on their basis that protect works of art against biodestruction.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a severe inherited immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent bacterial and fungal infections and aberrant inflammation. The CGD phenotype is due to deficiency of phagocytic NADPH oxidase, unable to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Such phagocytes are limited in phagocytosis and degranulation as well as a unique means of combating pathogens, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation, in response to many receptor and pharmacological stimuli. However, activation of NET formation by neutrophils isolated from the blood of CGD patients in response to calcium ionophores was described in our recent study. As was shown previously, neutrophils deficient in NADPH oxidase are not only unable to form ROS, but also have deficiency in the electrogenic activity of the enzyme and membrane depolarization upon activation. Therefore, these neutrophils have impaired extracellular Ca²⁺ influx and, as a result, multiple disorders in the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines. In the present study, we showed that NET formation by CGD neutrophils in response to calcium ionophore A23187 is accompanied by excessive accumulation of intracellular Ca²⁺. We explain this disorder by the deficiency of the electrogenic function of mutant NADPH oxidase, which in healthy donor neutrophils causes membrane potential depolarization. The results obtained in our study indicate an important function of phagocytic NADPH oxidase as a modulator of Ca²⁺-dependent signaling pathways, and potentially can be used for treatment of CGD.

Interspecific variation of legs morphometric characters were investigated on 2885 exemplar species of the family Dolichopodidae of the 65 species belonging to 22 genera. Nine morphometric characters of the leg were measured including lengths of femora, tibia and first segment of tarsi and their ratio were obtained. The results of analysis of variance showed significant differences between the genera, but not between the subfamilies. Most of the studied characters showed weak phylogenetic signal. Significant phylogenetic signal was found in only one of the studied – the ratio of length of middle femora and tibia. Principal component analysis revealed the set of characters most typical for the species of the family, also was demonstrated leg morphometry diversity through two general trends: elongation of the first segment of middle and hind legs and variation in the ratio of fore, middle and hind femora. Cluster analysis allowed us to found three morphologically distinguishable species groups that also differed in terms of their microhabitat: Medetera-like species (lengths of fore, middle and hind femora are nearly equal), Hydrophorus-like species (middle and hind femora and tibia are significantly extended regarding the fore femora and tibia), Sciapus-like species (all first segments of tarsi are significantly extended). Each of the identified groups includes species belonging to different subfamilies. Therefore, the similarity in leg morphometry features in dolichopodids are supported to be related to convergent evolution, and not the presence of a common ancestor with a similar morphology.

We studied the effect of the photoperiodic conditions of the North-West Russia (Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk) and exogenous melatonin on the body weight and the physiological and biochemical parameters of blood serum in males and females of the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). The animals were divided into 2 groups: control (LD: 12 hours light/12 hours darkness) and experiment (NL: decrease in the duration of the daylight phase from 19:36/4:24 to 12/12, that is typical for the Republic of Karelia from June, 25 to September, 25). Each group was divided into 2 subgroups: hamsters of the 1st subgroup received drinking water without melatonin (LD, NL), and the 2nd group received melatonin (100 μg/animal) (LD + mel, NL + mel) at night. Males were more sensitive to the change in the photoperiod than females: their keeping in NL led to an increase in feed intake, body weight in the middle of the experiment, and total cholesterol and urea levels by the end of the experiment, while the activity of amylase, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase in the blood was lower compared to LD. It was established that the effect of melatonin on the studied parameters depended on the light regime and sex of the animals. Melatonin treatment the NL-females caused the enhancement of the effect of the light regime and the increase in the most of biochemical parameters of blood serum compared to the control, as well as the increase in body weight for the entire study period. The use of melatonin in the standard lighting conditions had a negative effect on the Syrian hamsters, causing intensification of metabolic processes and, as a result, a significant decrease in body weight in both males and females. In our opinion, the revealed differences between the experimental groups are primarily associated with a change in the synthesis of melatonin by the pineal gland in various light conditions.

Gibberellin signaling pathway genes encoding the DELLA protein and gibberellin receptor GID1 were sequenced in several varieties (Alpha, Valdai, Orlovskaya 9, Pracha) and one line of rye (EM-1) using next generation methods. The revealed multiple alleles of these genes differ mainly in single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and less frequently in insertions and deletions. Most of the detected mutations turned out to be synonymous or located in the non-coding regions of the genes. Changes in the amino acid sequences of proteins associated with other mutations are probably functionally neutral. Mutations similar to wheat reduced-height gibberellin-insensitive alleles were not detected.

A complex preparation was obtained from the culture fluid of micromycete Aspergillus ochraceus L-1 by salting out with ammonium sulfate followed by dialysis and depigmentation to phenolaniline formaldehyde resin at a pH of 8.2 with a specific plasmin-like activity of at least 890 EpNA/mg and a specific activator for protein C activity of less than 130 EpNA/mg was. Comparison of the obtained preparation with caseinolytic, fibrinolytic, fibrinogenolytic and plasminlike activity with commercial analogues terrilithin, trypsin and streptokinase showed its promise for use as a means for thinning purulent burn wounds and fibrin clots. The resulting complex preparation of proteinases had high storage stability at low temperatures for up to 9 months.

Early detection and repair of damaged DNA is important for cell functioning and survival. The recently proposed mechanism of intra-nucleosome loop formation suggests relaxation of DNA supercoiling accumulated during transcription through damaged chromatin. The degree of DNA relaxation is affected by the mechanical properties and structure of the double helix. In this paper we investigated the consequences of the introduction of a single-stranded break on the mechanical properties of a DNA fragment by molecular dynamics. It was concluded that the introduction of a single-stranded break leads to decreased stiffness and higher elasticity of the damaged DNA molecule as compared to the intact one. This, in turn, may lead to relief of the supercoiling of the defective DNA and arrest of the enzyme.

Gossypol is a highly active compound with antiviral, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antimalarial and antitumor properties. It is known that the antitumor effect of gossypol is associated with genotoxicity, but interaction of gossypol with chromatin was not investigated. In this work,using microscopy of single particles based on the Förster resonance energy transfer it was found that at 10 M or higher concentration, gossypol causes significant structural changes in the conformation of nucleosomal DNA on the histone octamer. These changes affect at least 35 bp of nucleosomal DNA, increase the distance between neighboring gyres of nucleosomal DNA in this region to 9 nm or more, and appear to be associated with uncoiling of nucleosomal DNA. The presence of linker DNA somewhat increases the resistance of nucleosomes to the gossypol action, as compared with core nucleosomes. At a concentration of 30 μM or higher, gossypol completely disrupts the structure of nucleosomes, causing dissociation of core histones from DNA. The obtained data indicate that gossypol genotoxicity observed in vivo could be associated with a direct effect of gossypol on chromatin, leading to destabilization of the nucleosome structure.

Abundance and biomass of small photosynthetic flagellates (SPF; 3–10 µm), chlorophyll a, and the contribution of SPF to total phytoplankton biomass in different stages of seasonal succession in ice and the surface water were studied in Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea in September 2016, February and July 2017. In summer SPF biomass in the photic layer averaged 38.36±9.77 mg С/м³, in autumn – 2.22±1.43 mg С/м³, in under-ice water – 2.6±1.72 mg С/м³, and in ice – 14.79±11.25 mg С/м³. The contribution of SPF to total phytoplankton biomass depends of the season and ranged from 29% to 95%, the contribution to sympagic communities averaged 66%. The size structure of photosynthetic flagellates varied by seasons. Flagellates with cell size 6–10 µm dominated in summer plankton and in the ice. Flagellates with cell size 3–6 µm prevailed in autumn and in the under-ice water. The obtained data of SPF abundance gave higher values of the total phytoplankton biomass of the White Sea in the autumn-winter period compared with the estimates obtained previously. Applying the method of epifluorescence microscopy confirms the assumption that photosynthetic flagellates are the main producers in the winter period, as well as in the summer when the biomass of planktonic algae with cell size more than 10 µm is low.more than 10 µm is low.

50 samples of bottom sediments of Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea were taken in 2016–2017 from depths of 1.5–15 meters of which 1419 colonies of culturable filamentous fungi were obtained. Based on morphological and cultural features, a total of 136 morphotypes were classified, 81 of these were identified to a species. We discovered 13 species new to the White Sea. The most common were Tolypocladium cylindrosporum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Tolypocladium inflatum, Penicillium glabrum and the anamorph of Pseudogymnoascus pannorum. The dominance of ascomycetous fungi was a common characteristic of the mycobiota due to the anamorphic species, and the class Sordariomycetes was the most prevailing group. Assessment of species richness using a cumulative curve and the calculation of the expected total number of species adjusted using Chao2 showed that about 81% of the species diversity was found. The ordination of samples by the nMDS with the ANOSIM test showed the high importance of combining the samples into groups based on the year of sampling and type of sediment, as well as the year of sampling and type of ecotope. Therefore, the type of sediment associated with the type of coast and the presence of fresh inflow is the most important factor for the formation of mycobiota. Moreover, the communities of mycelial fungi change from year to year in the studied bottom sediments.