A draft Concept of Biological Education has been developed, aimed at achieving the national goals of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 and for the future up to 2036. The concept is a general view of the basic principles, goals, objectives and main directions of development of biological education in the Russian Federation. The project sets the following tasks: to determine the relevance, priority and problematic nature of the field of biological education for the economic development of the Russian Federation; to characterize the main goals and objectives, directions and tools for the development of modern biological education; present novelties of the concept of biological education.

The life cycle with two larvae (planktotrophic and reserve-trophic) is assumed to be a synapomorphy of Ambulacraria. Planktotrophic larvae have a complex ciliary band and use the “up-stream” filtration for nutrition. Planktotrophic larvae undergo metamorphosis and turn into non-feeding larvae with complete or incomplete ciliary rings. These larvae do not use the yolk, but the reserves stored at the previous planktotrophic stage, therefore they can be called reservetrophic. Among echinoderms, holothurian life cycle is assumed to be plesiomorphic. It includes a planktotrophic larva (auricularia) followed by a reserve-trophic larva (doliolaria). Most echinoderms have lost their reserve-trophic larvae, although rudimentary doliolarians are known in some sea urchins and brittle stars. Most crinoids have doliolaria larvae only, although stalked sea lilies have auricularia followed by doliolaria, but both larvae are lecithotrophic. In enteropneusts, Spengelidae and Ptychoderidae have planktotrophic tornarians followed by reserve-trophic Agassiz larvae. Species of the Harrimaniidae have lost tornarians, but have retained the lecithotrophic Agassiz larvae. The giant planktotrophic larvae were recorded both in echinoderms and hemichordates. The deep-sea holothurian Protankyra brychia has giant larva known by the name Auricularia nudibranchiata. It is possible that the giant tornarian known by the name Planctosphaera pelagica is a larva of some species of deep-sea enteropneust.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological diseases and the number of affected people is constantly growing worldwide. Untreated MS leads to disability of the most capable part of the young population, and in recent years it has been diagnosed increasingly in elderly patients as well. The second part of our review is devoted to the prospects of MS therapies currently under development. Mitochondria and the use of mitochodria-targeted antioxidants, neutrophils, as well as immune cells affected by pathology and other differentiated cells, which can be reprogrammed and replaced by healthy cells using stem cells, are considered as targets in MS treatment. Helminth therapy, accompanied by a shift in the composition of the microbiota of MS patients and the release of antioxidants in the tissues of the examined humans and model animals, may lead to immunomodulation and reduction of oxidative stress, providing significant attenuation of the disease. Approaches to the treatment of elderly MS patients are discussed.

In the classical view of the mechanisms of development of allergic inflammation, the leading role is given to Th2 cells and their cytokines. Currently, this concept is being rethought, since in some cases, influencing the components of the second type of immune response does not eliminate allergic symptoms. At the same time, experimental evidence has been obtained of the involvement of Th1 and Th17 lymphocyte populations in the development of allergic diseases of the respiratory tract, such as bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. Components of the type 1 immune response, in particular IFN-γ, promote both anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory processes, regulating the severity of the immune response of the respiratory tract to the action of the allergen. The net effect is likely to be to inhibit its progression by suppressing the type 2 immune response. Components of the type 17 immune response activate a wide range of effector cells that support inflammation. Cytokines of the IL-17 family (IL-17A and IL-17F) stimulate the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in airway epithelial cells, which recruit and activate neutrophils. It is assumed that similar mechanisms determine the involvement of Th17 in the development of allergic airway inflammation.

Studies were performed on the Arabidopsis double mutant plants parg1 exa1 characterized by cell death along the leaf margin, activation of expression of immune receptor genes, PR-genes and hypersensitive response genes, which is a sign of autoimmunity. At the same time, unlike other autoimmunity mutations, the parg1 exa1 mutant demonstrated the acquisition of pluripotency by leaf cells and the ability to regenerate new leaf margins. Because of the unusual phenotype, this study analyzed in depth the transcriptome of young leaves of mutant and wild-type plants. The mutant was found to have increased expression levels of all major components of the immune response, including genes for Ca2+ conducting channels, NADPH oxidases, salicylic acid synthesis genes, jasmonic acid, and many others. The findings suggest that PARG1 and EXA1 genes, which control the level of poly(ADP-ribosylation) and the process of nonsensemediated RNA degradation, respectively, are important regulators of the immune response. Their function is essential to prevent overactivation of defense systems in plants.

Orange (Citrus sinensis) and mandarin (C. reticulata) are economically important agricultural plants grown in many countries of the world, including southern Russia. In this regard, their genetic studies are widely carried out, including both sequencing of individual loci and whole genome sequencing. Some of the most important loci in a genome are the 5S ribosomal RNA gene arrays, which are tandem repeats. Their monomers consist of a conservative 120-nucleotide coding part and a non-transcribed spacer (NTS), which often has different length and sequence in different species. In this work, 8 NTSs of orange (Hamlin variety) and 16 NTSs of mandarin (3 willow-leaved mandarin, as well as 8 Dwarf Unshiu, 4 Tiahara, and 1 Unshiu varieties) were sequenced and studied. The obtained NTSs had different lengths and were divided into two classes – NTS_218 (217-221 bp long) and NTS_381 (381 bp long). The internal structure of NTSs of both classes was studied, including such characteristics as the sequence of the 16-17 bp start region involved in transcription termination and polyadenylation, the presence of poly-T and poly-G motifs, TATA-like motifs at position -25–-30 bp from the end of NTS, the presence of microsatellite motifs, etc. The obtained results expand the theoretical understanding of the NTS nature, knowledge of the NTS structure in closely related species and can be used in the analysis of Citrus hybrids and varieties bred with the participation of orange and mandarin.

The aim of the work is to develop a light source for uniform irradiation of cell cultures in plates and for determination of the efficiency of new photosensitizers. The designed scheme of the light source provides uniform irradiation of a 96-well plate with irradiance up to 76 mW/cm2 with temperature values not exceeding 43°C, which allows to use it for activation of photosensitizers. For approbation of the working modes of the unit, zinc phthalocyanine with cholinyl substituents (cholosens) and cell cultures HEK-293 and A431 were used as a model object. Dependences of cell survival on irradiation time and photosensitizer concentration were determined, and fluorescence images of the marker of reactive oxygen species in cells experiencing oxidative stress due to the photodynamic effect of photosensitizers were obtained. The results show a more than twofold difference in survival between cells in experimental and control wells, as well as uniform illumination of all wells of the plate.

Systemic chronic inflammation (SCI) can develop due to diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, autoimmune diseases, kidney, liver, and lung pathologies, cancer, etc. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was clear evidence showing that inflammation damages endothelial cells of the vascular wall, leading to impaired microcirculation. Currently, the mechanisms causing pathological changes in the brain amid SCI are still unclear. In this work, we investigated how systemic inflammation affects the vasodilatory function of cerebral arteries. SCI was modeled using the well-established cecal ligation and puncture model, which involves tying off the cecum below the ileocecal valve and puncturing it with a needle. For characterizing the SCI model in animals, we recorded changes in body weight, blood pressure, and analyzed levels of leukocytes, ESR, hematocrit, erythrocyte aggregation in arterial blood, and the number of desquamated endothelial cells in venous blood. The density of the vascular network in the pial membrane and arterial reactivity was studied using in vivo microvascular imaging. The number of vessels per unit area and changes in arterial diameter under the influence of vasoactive substances – aminoguanidine (an inducible NO-synthase inhibitor) and acetylcholine – were measured. From 7 days to 3 months after the onset of SCI, leukocyte levels in rat blood increased by 2.1–1.7 times compared to the control group. The number of desquamated endothelial cells increased by 1.8 times compared to the control. Erythrocyte aggregation rose by an average of 1.3 times. The density of the vascular network in the pial membrane decreased by an average of 1.7 times. The number of constrictions in pial arteries induced by aminoguanidine increased by 1.5 to 3.7 times. The number of arteries that expanded in response to acetylcholine decreased by 1.8 to 4.9 times. Thus, SCI over a period of three months leads to a decrease in the density of the cerebral vascular network and a deterioration in the vasomotor function of endothelial cells in cerebral arteries.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases 1 and 2 (PARP1 and PARP2) play an important role in repairing DNA, and their inhibition is being used to treat certain oncological diseases. New inhibitors of PARP are being actively developed and the mechanisms of their action are being studied. In the present work, using the inhibitors talazoparib, olaparib and veliparib, as example, it is shown that electrophoresis of DNA complexes with PARP1 and PARP2 in polyacrylamide gel in the presence of inhibitors makes it possible to identify the effect of inhibitors on the affinity of enzymes to DNA, and after adding the NAD+ substrate, to evaluate the inhibition of the catalytic activity of enzymes. When selecting new inhibitors for biomedical research, it is important to consider these mechanisms of action against PARP1 and PARP2.

The role of leaf functional traits (leaf area, mass, specific leaf area – SLA, water content), plant height and Grime’s CSR strategies in plant community formation and plant dominance was studied for subalpine grasslands of the NW Caucasus. These grasslands occur on snowless slopes with deep soil freezing and serve as pastures for high-mountain ungulates. We tested the hypothesis that plant community combines features of stress-tolerants and ruderals and differs from the previously studied high-mountain communities of the Caucasus. The mean aboveground biomass is 349 ± 15 g/m2. Comparison of the mean species trait values with a random sample of a local flora revealed the importance of all studied traits for species selection into community, for instance, leaf size characteristics in grasslands are 10 times lower than in the model community. Comparison of mean and weighted mean shows that dominants of community have smaller dry and stiff leaves at higher functional height of the individual. The mean values of the C:S:R contribution were 26:45:29%. The high contribution of S-strategy is important for both species selection into grasslands and dominance in them. High richness (FR) was recorded for the leaf water content. Divergence (FD) was high only for leaf size traits.

The control of herpesvirus infections is a pressing public health issue because of the widespread prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV), which causes a variety of diseases ranging from mild primary skin lesions to severe and sometimes fatal encephalitis. The use of antisense oligonucleotides (ONs) to suppress HSV replication is a promising development in this field. To overcome one of the major obstacles in delivering ONs into cells, we have prepared nanocomposites, which are composed of antisense oligonucleotides immobilized on titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the form of anatase (Ans~ON). We have investigated the antiviral activity of several nanocomposites bearing oligonucleotides targeting different regions of the HSV-1 genome. Unmodified oligonucleotides and oligonucleotides with methylsulfonyl phosphoramidate internucleotide groups have been used in the work. The most effective nanocomposites reduced virus replication in the cell culture by 3–3.5 orders of magnitude. The selectivity index values of these nanocomposites have been evaluated as 90–110 in the postinfection mode.

Apoptosis plays a vital role in maintaining the balance between proliferating cells and their death. Modifications in the methylation level of promoter regions of genes regulating cell death can affect the transcriptional activity of these genes and, consequently, the execution of apoptosis. At the same time, any defects in the implementation of the apoptotic pathway lead to the development of various diseases, including cancer. The objective of the study was to analyse the effect of methylation of promoter regions in BCL2, BAX, TP53 and MDM2 genes on the intensity of cell death of peripheral blood lymphocytes in individuals exposed to chronic low dose rate radiation. A total of 279 residents of the Techa riverside villages (Southern Urals) were examined, 145 of them were exposed to chronic low dose rate radiation due to the discharge of radioactive waste by the Mayak Production Association into the Techa River between 1949 and 1956 (the average accumulated dose to red bone marrow was 734 ± 49.40 mGy). Methylation of promoter regions of MDM2, TP53, BAX and BCL2 genes was analysed by methyl-sensitive realtime PCR. Apoptotic death of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) was studied by flow cytometry method. It was found that in the long-term period, after the onset of chronic radiation exposure, statistically significant differences were observed in the distribution of the examined people in the group of exposed people by the level of methylation of promoter regions of BCL2 and TP53 genes in comparison with unexposed people. When assessing the effect of methylation on the intensity of cell death in both the combined group and the group of exposed individuals, an increased frequency of PBLs at early and late stages of apoptosis is registered in the groups with hypomethylated MDM2 gene promoter.

The paper presents data on the content, composition, and interannual and seasonal dynamics of photosynthetic pigments in the Nizhnekalmius and Starobeshevo reservoirs of the Kalmius River in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The average chlorophyll a content in the reservoirs ranged from 54.24 ± 1.4 to 106.47 ± 1.5 µg/litre. The Nizhnekalmius reservoir was characterised by higher values of photosynthetic pigment concentration with lower phytoplankton biodiversity. The presence of a constant dominant group and increased concentrations of nutrients characterise the reservoir ecosystem as unstable. The summer bloom of cyanobacteria determines high chlorophyll a concentrations. The increase in the absolute and relative number of cyanobacteria indicates the transition to the eutrophic type of the reservoir. The Starobeshevo reservoir was characterised by a wide variability of chlorophyll a values with no single peak character of phytoplankton development. Interannual changes in chlorophyll a depend indirectly on the temperature factor and largely on the variation of concentrations and biogenic elements. The annual increase in temperature leads to a prolongation of the period of maximum chlorophyll a concentrations. In general, the ecosystem of the Starobeshevo and Nizhnekalmius reservoirs is coping with anthropogenic impacts.

Marennine and marennine-like pigments produced by certain diatom species of the genus Haslea are unique water-soluble compounds with several valuable properties. The exact chemical structure of these pigments has not been fully elucidated, but data on the physical and chemical characteristics of marennines have been obtained primarily for H. ostrearia. Over the past fifteen years, four additional species producing marennine have been identified, which opens up the opportunity to explore the diversity within the genus Haslea and, consequently, the diversity of marennines. Diatom representatives of the genus Haslea, that produce marennine, accumulate pigment at the apices of their cells and release it into the external environment, giving the surrounding water a greenish-blue color. Although the exact role of marennine in diatom cellular function is unknown, it is believed to act as a photoprotectant, absorbing light in the ultraviolet (UV), violet, and red wavelengths, as it does not participate in photosynthesis. The chemical composition and spectral properties of marennines produced by different Haslea species vary slightly, although the physical and chemical characteristics of marennine from H. ostrearia have been extensively studied. While the physicochemical properties of marennine in some species, particularly H. ostrearia, have been described in detail, the pigment in H. karadagensis, an endemic species of the Black Sea region, remains largely unexplored. The study presents a comparison of the spectrophotometric and physicochemical characteristics of marennine from H. karadagensis and H. ostrearia under given conditions. The apparent dissociation constants and isobestic points of marennine from both diatom species were determined.

The problem of antioxidant efficiency in terms of their impact on “normal” aging and agerelated diseases is discussed. It is emphasized that for many years antioxidants were considered the most promising geroprotectors (anti-aging drugs) capable of slowing down aging, treating age-related diseases and increasing both the average and maximum lifespan of animals and humans. However, as noted, in recent years the situation has begun to change dramatically. The methodological aspects of this problem are considered – in particular, the complexity of the correct selection of effective concentrations of such drugs in experimental gerontological studies on both multicellular organisms and cell cultures is emphasized. The literature data is analyzed, indicating that, in many cases, antioxidants, unfortunately, can even be harmful to the body, causing “paradoxical” oxidative stress and suppressing some important physiological functions.