Adverse Environmental Factors Research Articles

Changes in activity of H<sup>+</sup>-ATPase of plasma membrane as a link between forming electrical signals and induction of photosynthetic responses in higher plants

Action of numerous adverse environmental factors on higher plants is spatially-heterogenous; it means that induction of a systemic adaptive response requires generation and propagation stress signals. Electrical signals (ESs) induced by local action of stressors include action potential, variation potential, and system potential and participate in forming fast physiological changes at the level of the whole plant, including photosynthetic responses. Generation of these ESs is accompanied by changes in activity of H+-ATPase which is the main system of electrogenic proton transport across the plasma membrane. Literature data show that the changes in H+-ATPase activity and related changes in intra- and extracellular pH play a key role in ESs-induced photosynthetic inactivation in non-irritated parts of plants. This inactivation is caused by both suppression of CO2 flux into mesophyll cells in leaves, which can be induced by the apoplast alkalization and, probably, cytoplasm acidification, and direct influence of acidification of stroma and lumen of chloroplasts on photosynthetic light and, probably, dark reactions. Result of the ESs-induced photosynthetic inactivation is increasing tolerance of photosynthetic machinery to action of adverse factors and probability of survive of plants.

Inferring the health of coral reefs on the Egyptian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba for three branching-coral species

ABSTRACTThis investigation examined the vulnerability of three branching coral species (Acropora humilis, Pocillopora damicornis, and Stylophora pistillata) to environmental changes within the marine reserves of Taba, Nuweiba, and Dahab in the Gulf of Aqaba. Coral growth rates were assessed as a key indicator of coral reef vitality, reacting to shifting physicochemical parameters. A. humilis manifested the highest growth rate, followed by S. pistillata and P. damicornis. Site-specific data analysis found Dahab displayed the greatest coral proliferation, with Taba exhibiting the least. Accounting for seasonal changes, spring showed maximal coral growth. Statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between salinity and coral growth rate, contrasted by a negative correlation with variables such as pH, PO4-P, and silicate (SiO4-Si). This work underscores the significant influence of environmental factors on coral growth rates, and by extension, the health of coral reef ecosystems. These findings are integral to coral reef management, suggesting mitigation of adverse environmental factors could enhance these ecosystems’ resilience against climatic shifts and human-induced stressors. By combining species, site, seasonal, and physicochemical variations, this research underlines the importance of localized conservation strategies.

Attractiveness of Facial Symmetry in the Context of the Dominant Visual Field

One of the key features of an attractive face is symmetry. The presence of symmetry in living organisms reflects their ability to cope with various adverse environmental or genetic factors, thus a symmetrical face signals the hidden qualities of the organism. Despite the evolutionary basis for the attractiveness of facial symmetry, studies that have examined it have yielded diverse results. One reason may lie in the fact that the symmetrical stimulus faces are often composites that are created by using the mirror image of one, which can lead to contradictory outcomes. When evaluating human faces, the dominance of the left visual field (as a reflection of brain lateralisation functions) comes into play, which may modify the attractiveness of the composite depending on whether it was created as a left-sided mirror image (using the left half of the face) or a right-sided mirror image (using the right half of the face). The study aims to evaluate the attractiveness of left-sided and right-sided symmetrical facial composites and how the evaluator's visual field dominance affects the assessed attractiveness. The research was conducted on a sample of 1,921 participants aged from 15 to 77 (M = 23.57; SD = 9.52); 60.7% women using computerised facial composites in quasi-experimental research design. The results show that left-sided facial composites are significantly (p<0.001) more attractive than right-sided, for both female and male faces. Furthermore, it is noted that visual field dominance is not related to the type (left-sided vs. right-sided) of symmetry or the evaluation of its attractiveness – individuals with dominant left visual fields as well as those with dominant right visual fields universally rate the left-sided composite as significantly more attractive than the right-sided composite.

Прогноз риска развития опухоли с учетом регуляторных механизмов организма человека и процесса ангиогенеза

Adverse environmental and lifestyle factors produce considerable effects on occurrence of cancerous tumors, both directly and indirectly through impaired functionality of the body protection mechanisms. Investigation of these effects has practical significance for risk assessment and development of effective cancer preventive strategies. Mathematical modeling is an eligible method for considering complex multicomponent interactions between elements of various systems involved in tumor growth. This article presents an approach to assessing risks of cancerous tumors by using a created predictive model that describes dynamics of abnormal cells considering regulatory mechanisms and angiogenesis. An evolution approach is applied to estimate accumulated functional disorders of the immune system due to natural ageing and chemical environmental exposures. The Monte Carlo simulation is employed to estimate a likely outcome of cancerous tumor evolution given different possible properties of abnormal cells. The article provides the results of accomplished computation experiments aimed at describing dynamics of changes in cell population properties in an analyzed organ tissue. Development of a vessel system is described considering different effects of the most significant factors. Computation results are analyzed within various scenarios that describe cancerous tumor growth in dynamics considering how angiogenesis develops under different parameters of the immune system dysfunction and different properties of abnormal cells. Risks of tumor development are assessed considering parameters that determine the overall state of the body (the immune system) and properties of abnormal cells. This approach makes it possible to develop a system of preventive and sanitary-hygienic activities in areas where envi-ronmental conditions are unfavorable in order to reduce cancer incidence.

Predicting a risk of tumor evolution considering regulatory mechanisms of the body and angiogenesis

Adverse environmental and lifestyle factors produce considerable effects on occurrence of cancerous tumors, both directly and indirectly through impaired functionality of the body protection mechanisms. Investigation of these effects has practical significance for risk assessment and development of effective cancer preventive strategies. Mathematical modeling is an eligible method for considering complex multicomponent interactions between elements of various systems involved in tumor growth. This article presents an approach to assessing risks of cancerous tumors by using a created predictive model that describes dynamics of abnormal cells considering regulatory mechanisms and angiogenesis. An evolution approach is applied to estimate accumulated functional disorders of the immune system due to natural ageing and chemical environmental exposures. The Monte Carlo simulation is employed to estimate a likely outcome of cancerous tumor evolution given different possible properties of abnormal cells. The article provides the results of accomplished computation experiments aimed at describing dynamics of changes in cell population properties in an analyzed organ tissue. Development of a vessel system is described considering different effects of the most significant factors. Computation results are analyzed within various scenarios that describe cancerous tumor growth in dynamics considering how angiogenesis develops under different parameters of the immune system dysfunction and different properties of abnormal cells. Risks of tumor development are assessed considering parameters that determine the overall state of the body (the immune system) and properties of abnormal cells. This approach makes it possible to develop a system of preventive and sanitary-hygienic activities in areas where envi-ronmental conditions are unfavorable in order to reduce cancer incidence.

The Effect of Seed Treatment with Polyfunctional Preparations on the Resistance of Winter Wheat to Adverse Environmental Factors

The Effect of Seed Treatment with Polyfunctional Preparations on the Resistance of Winter Wheat to Adverse Environmental Factors

Environmental factor reversibly determines cellular identity through opposing Integrators that unify epigenetic and transcriptional pathways.

Organisms must adapt to environmental stresses to ensure their survival and prosperity. Different types of stresses, including thermal, mechanical, and hypoxic stresses, can alter the cellular state that accompanies changes in gene expression but not the cellular identity determined by a chromatin state that remains stable throughout life. Some tissues, such as adipose tissue, demonstrate remarkable plasticity and adaptability in response to environmental cues, enabling reversible cellular identity changes; however, the mechanisms underlying these changes are not well understood. We hypothesized that positive and/or negative "Integrators" sense environmental cues and coordinate the epigenetic and transcriptional pathways required for changes in cellular identity. Adverse environmental factors such as pollution disrupt the coordinated control contributing to disease development. Further research based on this hypothesis will reveal how organisms adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions, such as temperature, extracellular matrix stiffness, oxygen, cytokines, and hormonal cues by changing their cellular identities.

Senktide blocks aberrant RTN3 interactome to retard memory decline and tau pathology in social isolated Alzheimer's disease mice.

Sporadic or late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) accounts for more than 95% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases without any family history. Although genome-wide association studies have identified associated risk genes and loci for LOAD, numerous studies suggest that many adverse environmental factors, such as social isolation, are associated with an increased risk of dementia. However, the underlying mechanisms of social isolation in AD progression remain elusive. In the current study, we found that 7 days of social isolation could trigger pattern separation impairments and presynaptic abnormalities of the mossy fibre-CA3 circuit in AD mice. We also revealed that social isolation disrupted histone acetylation and resulted in the downregulation of 2 dentate gyrus (DG)-enriched miRNAs, which simultaneously target reticulon 3 (RTN3), an endoplasmic reticulum protein that aggregates in presynaptic regions to disturb the formation of functional mossy fibre boutons (MFBs) by recruiting multiple mitochondrial and vesicle-related proteins. Interestingly, the aggregation of RTN3 also recruits the PP2A B subunits to suppress PP2A activity and induce tau hyperphosphorylation, which, in turn, further elevates RTN3 and forms a vicious cycle. Finally, using an artificial intelligence-assisted molecular docking approach, we determined that senktide, a selective agonist of neurokinin3 receptors (NK3R), could reduce the binding of RTN3 with its partners. Moreover, application of senktide in vivo effectively restored DG circuit disorders in socially isolated AD mice. Taken together, our findings not only demonstrate the epigenetic regulatory mechanism underlying mossy fibre synaptic disorders orchestrated by social isolation and tau pathology but also reveal a novel potential therapeutic strategy for AD.

Assessment of low-growing forms of apple clonal rootstocks in the conditions of the Orenburg region

In Russia, as in other countries, breeding work is being carried out to remove the weakest clonal apple rootstocks that are most resistant to adverse environmental factors. The study of the forms of clonal rootstocks of apple trees in irrigated conditions was carried out in 2021-2022 on the basis of the Orenburg branch of the Federal State Budgetary Research Center for Horticulture. The objects of research were the forms of clonal rootstocks of apple trees: OB 2-15, OB 2-24, OB 4-3, OB 2-14, OB 3-14, OB 3-11, OB 2-2, Volga 8, Volga 3, K-1, K-2, ARM-18, 76-23-2, 54 118, 58238, 64-143, Ural 1, Ural 3, Ural 5 No. 8, Ural 5 No. 10, Ural 11, Ural 11 KR. According to the results of the research, the forms of low-growing clonal rootstocks of apple trees OB 2-14, OB 3-14, OB 3-11 were distinguished, characterized by the following indicators: the yield of cuttings from the bush and the unit area (ha) of 2.7 pcs. and 48.1 thousand pcs./ha, 4.2 pcs. and 50.3 thousand pcs./ha, 3.9 pcs. and 50.6 thousand pcs./ha, respectively, with rooting up to 4.5 points. These forms have shown high adaptive capabilities in the extreme conditions of the steppe zone of the Orenburg region and are the starting material for laying intensive plantings.

Grain quality indicators and their phenotypic variability of ancient varieties of Triticum aestivum in the mountains of Uzbekistan

Abstract. Ruziyev F, Djabbarov I, Olimjonova S, Niyozov U, Urokov S, Ishankulova D, Bakhadirov U. 2023. Grain quality indicators and their phenotypic variability of ancient varieties of Triticum aestivum in the mountains of Uzbekistan. Biodiversitas 24: 5995-6001. Today, creation of varieties of agricultural crops that are resistant to adverse environmental factors and produce stable crops under the influence of stress factors has become one of the most important issues in the world. In the following years, scientific and research work is being carried out on the wide use of the diversity of its genetic resources in the creation of new varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this regard, there are opportunities to use wild, semi-wild and ancient local forms of wheat with high protein and high gluten content to create varieties that meet modern production requirements. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the quality indicators of ancient varieties and the degree of phenotypic variation in the selection of wheat varieties that are resistant to adverse environmental factors, fertile and high-quality. This research work, aimed at researching ancient wheat varieties cultivated by the people living in the mountainous regions of Uzbekistan for many years. According to the research results, the grain quality indicators (grain hardness, diameter of grains, grain quality indicators, rheological properties, etc.) of the ancient wheat varieties distributed in the mountain regions are different. According to the results of the experiment, the grain hardness of the studied ancient wheat varieties is 73-82 µm, grain diameter 2.65-2.71 mm, hectolitre of weight 818.2-838.1±8.7 g/L, vitreousness 62.2-70.3%, gluten content in grain 31.5-34.6%, sedimentation index 64.4-77.2 mL. It was also observed that the phenotypic variability of the quality indicators was different in the wheat varieties that were the object of the study. Differences in the grain quality indicators of ancient wheat varieties are explained by the different effects of climatic parameters, abiotic and biotic factors in the regions where wheat grows. The information presented in the article provides an opportunity to select ancient wheat varieties distributed in the mountainous regions of Uzbekistan as starting sources for the creation of varieties with high nutritional value, resistant to adverse factors.

STUDY OF STRESS-PROTECTIVE AND ANXIOLYTIC ACTIONS OF SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS GEORGI EXTRACT UNDER "SOCIAL" STRESS

Background. The search for natural adaptogens is promising due to the possibility of expanding the range of drugs that contribute to the adaptation of the body to adverse environmental factors.
 Purpose. To study the stress-protective and anxiolytic action of the extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi under conditions of "social" stress.
 Materials and methods. We used an extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. The study of the stress-protective and anxiolytic effects of the extract was carried out on 84 male non-linear rats aged 7-9 months. The first stage of the experiment involved the study of pharmacological actions in the absence of stress, and at the second stage, under conditions of “social” stress, the expected effects were determined on animals, in the groups of which individuals of dominant and submissive types of behavior were identified. Determination of the content of corticosterone, adrenaline and noradrenaline (nmol/l) was carried out by enzyme immunoassay.
 Results. It was established that in the norm, the experimental groups that received the extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, medicinal products "Mebikar®" and "Phezam®" showed a significant decrease in the level of corticosterone compared with the control group. At the second stage of the study in groups when modeling "social" stress, it was found that there were significant differences between the concentration of stress hormones in animals of dominant and submissive types. Administration of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract reduced hormone levels for both aggressors and victims relative to the stressed control group. We observed a decrease in the concentration of corticosterone by 1.5 and 1.5 (p<0.05) times, the level of adrenaline by 3.2 and 3.1 (p<0.05) times, the content of norepinephrine by 1.6 and 1.6 (p<0.05) times for individuals of dominant and submissive types, respectively. The presence of the leveling effect of the Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract proves its anxiolytic and stress-protective effect.
 Conclusion. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day, when exposed to "social" stress, has a stress-protective and anxiolytic effect, reducing the severity of stress-induced changes, limiting hyperactivation of the central stress-realizing systems, correcting the endogenous antioxidant system of the body.

Rapeseed NTL4 transcription factor positively regulates leaf senescence and resistance against bacterial pathogen via controlling transcription of ROS and SA biosynthetic genes

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is widely planted for both edible oil and biodiesel. However, its growth is frequently affected by adverse environmental factors such as pathogens. Moreover, rapeseed shows significant falling of leaves during the whole growth period, making it important to control leaf senescence for better nutrient utilization efficiency and improved growth. Membrane-tethered transcription factors (MTTF) constitute a special group of proteins, which facilitate rapid response to adverse conditions. However, the role of MTTFs in rapeseed has seldomly been reported. Here BnaNTL4 was functionally characterized to transcriptionally regulate leaf senescence and resistance towards a bacterial pathogen in rapeseed. BnaNTL4 encodes a member-associated transcription factor and its expression was induced by several stimuli including salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Both stable and transient expression demonstrated BnaNTL4 could induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and leaf chlorosis. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay of differentially expressed genes in BnaNTL4 overexpression lines and control plants uncovered that several genes related to programmed cell death (γVPE, BFN1), ROS production (RbohF), salicylic acid (SA) synthesis (PBS3) and senescence (SEN4) were induced by BnaNTL4 overexpression. Further, a dual luciferase reporter assay revealed BnaNTL4 transactivated the activities of the promoters of putative target genes. At last, an electrophoretic mobility shift assay discovered that BnaNTL4 directly bound to promoters of BnaRbohF, BnaPBS3 and BnaSEN4. Overexpression of BnaNTL4 also enhances resistance towards a bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae DC3000. Thus, the results uncovered a dual role of BnaNTL4 in leaf senescence and disease resistance in rapeseed.

Immunogenetics of Schizophrenia in the Light of Modern Genome-Wide Association Studies

Background: Immunological and genetic studies of schizophrenia form two areas of biological psychiatry in which significant progress has been made in recent years related to understanding the role of both neuroinflammation and genetic vulnerability in the development of this disease. However, data to explain the complicity of these two factors in the etiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia are still insufficient. The aim of the review is to assess the degree of interaction between genetic predisposition and neuroinflammation in the pathogenetic mechanisms of schizophrenia based on the currently available information on genes associated with the immune system according to genome-wide association analysis (GWAS), as well as models that involve the interaction of immunological and genetic factors, including taking into account environmental adversities. Material and method: using keywords “genome-wide association study, Mendelian randomization, regulatory regions, maternal immunity activation, synaptic pruning, microglia” both in international and domestic databases the scientific publications selected. Conclusions: recent studies have identified genomic regions that contain genes involved in the functioning of the immune system. Particular attention is paid to the MHC region, and one of the most important achievements in its study is the establishment of the role of the complement gene (component C4A) in the formation of synapses and their abnormal elimination. Other genes, both inside and outside the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region, are of interest, and their functions in the brain and their involvement in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia have yet to be elucidated. The establishment of causal relationships between GWAS data for schizophrenia and immunological indicators of inflammation using the Mendelian randomization (MR method) indicates that the increase in the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in patients with schizophrenia is an intrinsic symptom of the disease, and is not a consequence of the course of the pathological process. Adverse environmental factors play an important role in the interaction of genetic variants associated with schizophrenia and microglial activation, which leads to synaptic disorders.

РЕГУЛЯТОРЫ РОСТА ПОВЫШАЮЩИЕ ПРОДУКТИВНОСТЬ СОИ

Plant growth regulators have a wide spectrum of physiological activity. Thanks to their action, resistance of soybean plants to adverse environmental factors, diseases, growth, development and quality is observed. Soy is the most widely used oilseed in the world. The world annual production of soybeans exceeds 260 million tons. It is the main edible plant and the main source of vegetable protein worldwide.The global demand for soybeans is constantly growing as its seeds provide essential proteins, oils and nutraceuticals. In an effort to meet the increased demand for this crop, it has become necessary to introduce cultural practices that promote adaptation to difficult environmental conditions, can improve soybean tolerance to abiotic stress and increase yields. Plant growth regulators are mainly used for this purpose due to their critical role in plant growth and development. One of the main growth regulators are such phytohormones as: auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, brassinolides, ethylene, abscisic and jasmonic acid. Each of the groups of phytohormones produces its own characteristic action, which is similar in plants of different species. Cell division and elongation, which underlie all processes of growth and morphogenesis, are under the control of auxins and cytokines in plants, so their complete absence can lead to death. These compounds generally have a positive effect on the morphology, physiology and quality of the soybean crop. They are also able to regulate and control to a large extent the processes of growth and differentiation of plant cells. It should be noted that these phytohormones are required in small amounts for the activation and regulation of morphogenetic processes in soybean and other agricultural plants.

Cortical growth from infancy to adolescence in preterm and term-born children.

Early life experiences can exert a significant influence on cortical and cognitive development. Very preterm birth exposes infants to several adverse environmental factors during hospital admission, which affect cortical architecture. However, the subsequent consequence of very preterm birth on cortical growth from infancy to adolescence has never been defined; despite knowledge of critical periods during childhood for establishment of cortical networks. Our aims were to: chart typical longitudinal cortical development and sex differences in cortical development from birth to adolescence in healthy term-born children; estimate differences in cortical development between children born at term and very preterm; and estimate differences in cortical development between children with normal and impaired cognition in adolescence. This longitudinal cohort study included children born at term (≥37 weeks' gestation) and very preterm (<30 weeks' gestation) with MRI scans at ages 0, 7 and 13 years (n = 66 term-born participants comprising 34 with one scan, 18 with two scans and 14 with three scans; n = 201 very preterm participants comprising 56 with one scan, 88 with two scans and 57 with three scans). Cognitive assessments were performed at age 13 years. Cortical surface reconstruction and parcellation were performed with state-of-the-art, equivalent MRI analysis pipelines for all time points, resulting in longitudinal cortical volume, surface area and thickness measurements for 62 cortical regions. Developmental trajectories for each region were modelled in term-born children, contrasted between children born at term and very preterm, and contrasted between all children with normal and impaired cognition. In typically developing term-born children, we documented anticipated patterns of rapidly increasing cortical volume, area and thickness in early childhood, followed by more subtle changes in later childhood, with smaller cortical size in females than males. In contrast, children born very preterm exhibited increasingly reduced cortical volumes, relative to term-born children, particularly during ages 0-7 years in temporal cortical regions. This reduction in cortical volume in children born very preterm was largely driven by increasingly reduced cortical thickness rather than area. This resulted in amplified cortical volume and thickness reductions by age 13 years in individuals born very preterm. Alterations in cortical thickness development were found in children with impaired language and memory. This study shows that the neurobiological impact of very preterm birth on cortical growth is amplified from infancy to adolescence. These data further inform the long-lasting impact on cortical development from very preterm birth, providing broader insights into neurodevelopmental consequences of early life experiences.

Changes in Activity of the Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase as a Link Between Formation of Electrical Signals and Induction of Photosynthetic Responses in Higher Plants.

Action of numerous adverse environmental factors on higher plants is spatially-heterogenous; it means that induction of a systemic adaptive response requires generation and transmission of the stress signals. Electrical signals (ESs) induced by local action of stressors include action potential, variation potential, and system potential and they participate in formation of fast physiological changes at the level of a whole plant, including photosynthetic responses. Generation of these ESs is accompanied by the changes in activity of H+-ATPase, which is the main system of electrogenic proton transport across the plasma membrane. Literature data show that the changes in H+-ATPase activity and related changes in intra- and extracellular pH play a key role in the ES-induced inactivation of photosynthesis in non-irritated parts of plants. This inactivation is caused by both suppression of CO2 influx into mesophyll cells in leaves, which can be induced by the apoplast alkalization and, probably, cytoplasm acidification, and direct influence of acidification of stroma and lumen of chloroplasts on light and, probably, dark photosynthetic reactions. The ES-induced inactivation of photosynthesis results in the increasing tolerance of photosynthetic machinery to the action of adverse factors and probability of the plant survival.

Applications of Computer Vision-Based Structural Monitoring on Long-Span Bridges in Turkey.

Structural displacement monitoring is one of the major tasks of structural health monitoring and it is a significant challenge for research and engineering practices relating to large-scale civil structures. While computer vision-based structural monitoring has gained traction, current practices largely focus on laboratory experiments, small-scale structures, or close-range applications. This paper demonstrates its applications on three landmark long-span suspension bridges in Turkey: the First Bosphorus Bridge, the Second Bosphorus Bridge, and the Osman Gazi Bridge, among the longest landmark bridges in the world, with main spans of 1074 m, 1090 m, and 1550 m, respectively. The presented studies achieved non-contact displacement monitoring from a distance of 600 m, 755 m, and 1350 m for the respective bridges. The presented concepts, analysis, and results provide an overview of long-span bridge monitoring using computer vision-based monitoring. The results are assessed with conventional monitoring approaches and finite element analysis based on observed traffic conditions. Both displacements and dynamic frequencies align well with these conventional techniques and finite element analyses. This study also highlights the challenges of computer vision-based structural monitoring of long-span bridges and presents considerations such as the encountered adverse environmental factors, target and algorithm selection, and potential directions of future studies.

Influence of succinic acid Acidum succinicum on chinchilla growth in postembryonic period

In animal husbandry, special attention is paid to biological additives and natural metabolites used in the development of feeds that ensure productivity of animals and increase resistance to adverse environmental factors. Such additives actively influence energy metabolism and do not harm even in case of an overdose, due to the absence of xenobiotic effects inherent in a large number of synthetic drugs. The purpose of the research was to study growth dynamics of chinchillas against the background of drug Succinic acid forte. The experiments were carried out on chinchillas 55-61 days old. At the same time, succinic acid (Acidum succinicum) was given to the chinchillas of the experimental group for 30 days in addition to the main diet - 20 mg/kg of live weight, pre-mixed with a small amount of water, then chinchillas were fed individually from the syringe. Determination of the dynamics of live weight was carried out using individual weighing of animals at the beginning of the experiment when forming groups, and then every ten days before feeding. When analyzing the main productive indicators, a direct pattern was noted - use of succinic acid in the diet of young chinchillas led to an increase in growth rate. So, 20 days after the start of the experiment, indicators of absolute gain in live weight of experimental animals were 32.07 % (p = 0.001), and after 30 days - 45.34 % (p = 0.001) more than in the control, where in the feeding of chinchillas, only the main diet was used without additional introduction of succinic acid.

Anaerobic biodegradation of azo dye reactive black 5 by a novel strain Shewanella sp. SR1: Pathway and mechanisms

The efficiency of microbial populations in degrading refractory pollutants and the impact of adverse environmental factors often presents challenges for the biological treatment of azo dyes. In this study, the genome analysis and azo dye Reactive Black 5 (RB5) degrading capability of a newly isolated strain, Shewanella sp. SR1, were investigated. By analyzing the genome, functional genes involved in dye degradation and mechanisms for adaptation to low-temperature and high-salinity conditions were identified in SR1. The addition of co-substrates, such as glucose and yeast extract, significantly enhanced RB5 decolorization efficiency, reaching up to 87.6%. Notably, SR1 demonstrated remarkable robustness towards a wide range of NaCl concentrations (1–30 g/L) and temperatures (10–30 °C), maintaining efficient decolorization and high biomass concentration. The metabolic pathways of RB5 degradation were deduced based on the metabolites and genes detected in the genome, in which the azo bond was first cleaved by FMN-dependent NADH-azoreductase and NAD(P)H-flavin reductase, followed by deamination, desulfonation, and hydroxylation mediated by various oxidoreductases. Importantly, the degradation metabolites exhibited reduced toxicity, as revealed by toxicity analysis. These findings highlighted the great potential of Shewanella sp. SR1 for bioremediation of wastewaters contaminated with azo dyes.

OsBTBZ1 Confers Salt Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), one of the most important commodities and a primary food source worldwide, can be affected by adverse environmental factors. The chromosome segment substitution line 16 (CSSL16) of rice is considered salt-tolerant. A comparison of the transcriptomic data of the CSSL16 line under normal and salt stress conditions revealed 511 differentially expressed sequence (DEseq) genes at the seedling stage, 520 DEseq genes in the secondary leaves, and 584 DEseq genes in the flag leaves at the booting stage. Four BTB genes, OsBTBZ1, OsBTBZ2, OsBTBN3, and OsBTBN7, were differentially expressed under salt stress. Interestingly, only OsBTBZ1 was differentially expressed at the seedling stage, whereas the other genes were differentially expressed at the booting stage. Based on the STRING database, OsBTBZ1 was more closely associated with other abiotic stress-related proteins than other BTB genes. The highest expression of OsBTBZ1 was observed in the sheaths of young leaves. The OsBTBZ1-GFP fusion protein was localized to the nucleus, supporting the hypothesis of a transcriptionally regulatory role for this protein. The bt3 Arabidopsis mutant line exhibited susceptibility to NaCl and abscisic acid (ABA) but not to mannitol. NaCl and ABA decreased the germination rate and growth of the mutant lines. Moreover, the ectopic expression of OsBTBZ1 rescued the phenotypes of the bt3 mutant line and enhanced the growth of wild-type Arabidopsis under stress conditions. These results suggest that OsBTBZ1 is a salt-tolerant gene functioning in ABA-dependent pathways.