Molecular and Biochemical Aspects of the Ontogenesis of Eukaryotes Under Global Warming

Abstract

Global warming is an irreversible process resulting in the deterioration of living conditions for various organisms, including the most important agricultural species. So-called σ32 factor of Escherichia coli is embedded into the RNA thermosensor in the λ cIII gene and plays an important role in the regulation of bacterial response to heightened temperatures. Expression of heat/cold shock genes and some virulence genes in response to temperature changes is coordinated by the genome. There are some known RNA thermosensors with different structures that provide a functional control of the diversity of cellular processes. The most common RNA thermosensor is the ROSE element suppressing expression of heat shock genes. A common feature of all ROSE elements is the presence of the G residue opposite to the SD sequence since this nucleotide is functionally important and its elimination makes the RNA thermosensor insensitive to high temperatures. In this paper, we describe molecular sequences (RNA thermosensors) whose chemical compounds influence on the homeostatic temperature regulation, namely, on the corresponding enzymes. Though the data on RNA thermosensors were obtained for microorganisms, it may be possible in the long run to change the animal genome at the molecular level by the insertion of these sequences or cultivation of symbiotic microorganisms, which may be used for production of biologically active compounds. In addition, such insertions would probably be able to reduce the negative effect of high environmental temperatures on living organisms.