Repression System Research Articles

A conserved fungal morphogenetic kinase regulates pathogenic growth in response to carbon source diversity

Fungal pathogens must exhibit strong nutritional plasticity, effectively sensing and utilizing diverse nutrients to support virulence. How the signals generated by nutritional sensing are efficiently translated to the morphogenetic machinery for optimal growth and support of virulence remains incompletely understood. Here, we show that the conserved morphogenesis-related kinase, CotA, imparts isoform-specific control over Aspergillus fumigatus invasive growth in host-mimicking environments and during infection. CotA-mediated invasive growth is responsive to exogenous carbon source quality, with only preferred carbon sources supporting hyphal morphogenesis in a mutant lacking one of two identified protein isoforms. Strikingly, we find that the CotA protein does not regulate, nor is cotA gene expression regulated by, the carbon catabolite repression system. Instead, we show that CotA partially mediates invasive growth in specific carbon sources and virulence through the conserved downstream effector and translational repressor, SsdA. Therefore, A. fumigatus CotA accomplishes its conserved morphogenetic functions to drive pathogenic growth by translating host-relevant carbon source quality signals into morphogenetic outputs for efficient tissue invasive growth.

A role played by the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) Central Committee Bureau for Lithuania in suppressing resistance of partisans (November 1944–March 1947)

The article examines the role of one of the main administrative institutions of the Soviet occupation, the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) Central Committee Bureau for Lithuanian Affairs, in organising the suppression of the anti-Soviet resistance in 1944– 1947. The research attempts to reveal how the fight against the resistance was managed, what solutions were proposed by the Moscow emissaries, what was their influence in suppressing the resistance, and what was the role of the ACP(B) CC Bureau for Lithuanian Affairs within the overall system of repression.

VvMYBA1 and VvMYB3 form an activator–repressor system to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in grape

Anthocyanins are important metabolites that provide a red or blue–purple hue to plants. The biosynthesis of these metabolites is mainly activated by the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) complex and repressed by a wide variety of proteins. Studies have shown that MYB activators activate MYB repressors to balance anthocyanin biosynthesis. However, there is a scarcity of studies investigating this mechanism in grapes. To explore the transcription factors involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis, we reanalyzed the RNA-seq database for different developmental stages of ‘Muscat Hamburg’ berries, and the R2R3-MYB gene, annotated as VvMYB3, was screened. Our study revealed the anthocyanin content of the grape cultivar ‘Y73’ was higher than that of its parental cultivar MH, and the putative repressor VvMYB3 was found to be highly expressed in ‘Y73’ by qRT-PCR. The calli transgenic assays demonstrated that the repressive activity of VvMYB3 was conferred by the bHLH-binding motif, as well as by the C1 and C2 motifs. Yeast hybridization and chip-PCR assays revealed that VvMYB3 could repress anthocyanin biosynthesis by competing with VvMYBA1 to bind to VvMYC1 and promoting histone deacetylation of VvUFGT via the C2 motif. However, the expression of VvMYB3 was activated by VvMYBA1, which forms a negative feedback regulatory loop to modulate anthocyanin accumulation. In addition, we found a 408-bp repeat tandem sequence insertion in the VvMYBA1 promoter region of ‘Y73’ by sequencing. The GUS activity analysis showed that this sequence enhanced the expression of VvMYBA1 and led to an excessive accumulation of anthocyanins. Overall, our results provide insights into the anthocyanin activator–repressor system in grapes that prevents overaccumulation of anthocyanins.

Metabolic network rewiring and temperature-dependent regulation for enhanced 3-dehydroshikimate production in Escherichia coli

The cyclohexane organic acid 3-dehydroshikimate (DHS) has potent antioxidant activity and is widely utilised in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. However, its production requires a long fermentation with a suboptimal yield and low productivity, and a disproportionate growth-to-production ratio impedes the upscaling of DHS synthesis in microbial cell factories. To overcome these limitations, competing and degradation pathways were knocked-out and key enzymes were balanced in an engineered Escherichia coli production strain, resulting in 12.2 g/L DHS. Furthermore, to achieve equilibrium between cell growth and DHS production, a CRISPRi-based temperature-responsive multi-component repressor system was developed to dynamically control the expression of critical genes (pykF and aroE), resulting in a 30-fold increase in DHS titer. After 33 h fermentation in 5 L bioreactor, the DHS titer, productivity and yield reached 94.2 g/L, 2.8 g/L/h and 55 % glucose conversion, respectively. The results provided valuable insight into the production of DHS and its derivatives.

The therapeutic implications of all-in-one AAV-delivered epigenome-editing platform in neurodegenerative disorders

Safely and efficiently controlling gene expression is a long-standing goal of biomedical research, and CRISPR/Cas system can be harnessed to create powerful tools for epigenetic editing. Adeno-associated-viruses (AAVs) represent the delivery vehicle of choice for therapeutic platform. However, their small packaging capacity isn’t suitable for large constructs including most CRISPR/dCas9-effector vectors. Thus, AAV-based CRISPR/Cas systems have been delivered via two separate viral vectors. Here we develop a compact CRISPR/dCas9-based repressor system packaged in AAV as a single optimized vector. The system comprises the small Staphylococcus aureus (Sa)dCas9 and an engineered repressor molecule, a fusion of MeCP2’s transcription repression domain (TRD) and KRAB. The dSaCas9-KRAB-MeCP2(TRD) vector platform repressed robustly and sustainably the expression of multiple genes-of-interest, in vitro and in vivo, including ApoE, the strongest genetic risk factor for late onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD). Our platform broadens the CRISPR/dCas9 toolset available for transcriptional manipulation of gene expression in research and therapeutic settings.

Engineered transcription activator-like effector dimer proteins confer DNA loop-dependent gene repression comparable to Lac repressor.

Natural prokaryotic gene repression systems often exploit DNA looping to increase the local concentration of gene repressor proteins at a regulated promoter via contributions from repressor proteins bound at distant sites. Using principles from the Escherichia coli lac operon we design analogous repression systems based on target sequence-programmable Transcription Activator-Like Effector dimer (TALED) proteins. Such engineered switches may be valuable for synthetic biology and therapeutic applications. Previous TALEDs with inducible non-covalent dimerization showed detectable, but limited, DNA loop-based repression due to the repressor protein dimerization equilibrium. Here, we show robust DNA loop-dependent bacterial promoter repression by covalent TALEDs and verify that DNA looping dramatically enhances promoter repression in E. coli. We characterize repression using a thermodynamic model that quantitates this favorable contribution of DNA looping. This analysis unequivocally and quantitatively demonstrates that optimized TALED proteins can drive loop-dependent promoter repression in E. coli comparable to the natural LacI repressor system. This work elucidates key design principles that set the stage for wide application of TALED-dependent DNA loop-based repression of target genes.

Recidivism, Labor Markets, and Prison Conditions: Evidence from Uruguay

What explains prison recidivism? Relying on previously unavailable data on prison inmates in Uruguay, we study how external factors, such as employment dynamics on labor-intensive low-skilled jobs, and internal, such as prison-related factors, affect recidivism. Whereas the literature on recidivism has mostly focused on developed countries, we bring its study to the developing world and find that greater employment opportunities in labor-intensive, low-skill sectors, such as construction and domestic services, reduce recidivism. Consistent with the logic of economic opportunities, we also find heterogeneous effects by type of crime (property vs non-property). Finally, we find that prison-specific factors are also relevant, pointing to the importance of understanding prisons as part of the illegal ecosystem and the crime repression system. This analysis is novel to Latin America, a region besieged by the growing influence of criminal organizations that usually extend their influence and power to prisons.

EXPLORATION OF BLACK LIFE IN THE POST-RECONSTRUCTION ERA: A STUDY OF ZORA NEALE HURSTON’S JONAH’S GOURD VINE

The present paper critically examines Jonah’s Gourd Vine to understand better the complexities of Black existence in the post-Reconstruction period. Hurston’s writing portrays the complexity of African American lives during socio-political change, set against the background of a racially divided South. Identity, cultural resiliency, and the fight for autonomy under repressive systems are some of the topics covered in the research. This paper explores how religious symbolism, folklore, and the lasting effects of slavery interact with African American communities via an analysis of the protagonist’s journey. The study emphasizes the value of storytelling as a strategy for resistance and cultural preservation via Hurston’s tale. By shedding light on the ways that Hurston’s writing captures the hopes and realities of African Americans in the early 20th century, this paper seeks to further the conversation about Black literature.

North Korean Culture and Society in the Works of Blaine Harden, Hyeonseo Lee and Yeonmi Park

The prominent goal of this paper is to examine North Korean culture and society in the select works of Blaine Harden’s Escape from Camp 14, Hyeonseo Lee’s The Girl with Seven Names, and Yeonmi Park’s In Order to Live. The research explores how these works highlight the challenges of escaping tyranny and assimilating into a new culture while offering information on the evolution of culture and identities through cultural study. The personal accounts of North Korean defectors offer priceless insights into life under a repressive system as well as the difficulties experienced by those who manage to flee such inhumane conditions. This evaluates how the protagonists, Yeonmi Park, Hyeonseo Lee, and Shin Dong Hyuk depict the challenges and victories of their journeys. This research reveals the unheard voices and untold tales of the sufferings endured by the brave individuals in a brutal regime, who have crossed borders which serves as a limelight for other nations who are unaware of North Korea.

Legal Basis of the Formation and Functioning of the Democratic Regime: the Antinomy of Liberalism and Totalitarism

The article is devoted to the problems of the legal foundations of the formation and functioning of a democratic regime in its liberal and totalitarian dimensions. At the same time, since the unlimited power of the people hides the danger of totalitarianism, which has repeatedly manifested itself in the past of both our country and the world as a whole, the study of the democratic regime is of an urgent nature. Therefore, the purpose of this study is the legal basis of the formation and functioning of a democratic regime in the context of its interaction with liberalism and totalitarianism. The implementation of the specified goal requires the performance of a number of scientific tasks. The article substantiates that «pure» political regimes have a sufficiently abstract character. It was found that within the framework of the «dual» approach there are two dichotomies of political regimes: depending on the interaction of the state with the individual and according to the affiliation of sovereignty. It is proven that as a result of duality, the regime of «totalitarian democracy» is distinguished, an example of which is the USSR during the era of the personality cult of Y. Stalin, and the regime of «liberal democracy», the example of which is the USA for a significant part of its history. The article concludes that the philosophical foundation of «totalitarian democracy» was formed within the framework of the so-called «theory of collectivist democracy», according to which the people were considered as a multi-headed single collective being, which could often have negative consequences in the form of, for example, the maxim «enemy of the people». It is emphasized that the involvement of the broad masses of the people in the repressive Stalinist system created a certain «democratic surrogate» - the Soviet «totalitarian democracy», under which the Soviet people are involved in the trials of the «enemies of the people» (democratic dimension), and the nature of the repression itself has a mass character, which brings it closer to genocide (totalitarian dimension). It was found that the liberal-democratic regime in the USA was formed as a result of the combination of the fact that the people take an active part in the sending of state power (democratic dimension) and the constitutional and legal declaration, as a fundamental principle, of freedom (liberal dimension). The practical value of the work lies in the need to create safeguards for the revival of totalitarianism in the world in conditions of active use of the postulates of democracy by non-democratic regimes.

Repression of Acinetobacter baumannii DNA damage response requires DdrR-assisted binding of UmuDAb dimers to atypical SOS box.

The DNA damage response of the multi-drug-resistant nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii possesses multiple features that distinguish it from the commonly used LexA repression system. These include the absence of LexA in this genus, the evolution of a UmuD polymerase manager into the UmuDAb repressor of error-prone polymerases, the use of a corepressor unique to Acinetobacter (DdrR), and an unusually large UmuDAb binding site. We defined cis- and trans-acting factors required for UmuDAb DNA binding and gene repression, and tested whether DdrR directly enhances its DNA binding. We used DNA binding assays to characterize UmuDAb's binding to its proposed operator present upstream of the six co-repressed umuDC or umuC genes. UmuDAb bound tightly and cooperatively to this site with ~10-fold less affinity than LexA. DdrR enhanced the binding of both native and dimerization-deficient UmuDAb forms, but only in greater than equimolar ratios relative to UmuDAb. UmuDAb mutants unable to dimerize or effect gene repression showed impaired DNA binding, and a strain expressing the G124D dimerization mutant could not repress transcription of the UmuDAb-DdrR regulon. Competition electrophoretic mobility shift assays conducted with mutated operator probes showed that, unlike typical SOS boxes, the UmuDAb operator possessed a five-base pair central core whose sequence was more crucial for binding than the flanking palindrome. The presence of only one of the two flanking arms of the palindrome was necessary for UmuDAb binding. Overall, the data supported a model of an operator with two UmuDAb binding sites. The distinct characteristics of UmuDAb and its regulated promoters differ from the typical LexA repression model, demonstrating a novel method of repression.IMPORTANCEAcinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative bacterium responsible for hospital-acquired infections. Its unique DNA damage response can activate multiple error-prone polymerase genes, allowing it to gain mutations that can increase its virulence and antibiotic resistance. The emergence of infectious strains carrying multiple antibiotic resistance genes, including carbapenem resistance, lends urgency to discovering and developing ways to combat infections resistant to treatment with known antibiotics. Deciphering how the regulators UmuDAb and DdrR repress the error-prone polymerases could lead to developing complementary treatments to halt this mechanism of generating resistance.

Big Lies, Drag Shows, and Legal Fictions

Today, the United States faces a relentless offensive of lies and falsehoods, as we grapple with the fallout from election denialism and conservative forces work tirelessly to advance anti-LGBTQ laws that directly challenge the validity of LGBTQ identities. Although it may be appealing to dismiss these shocking lies and falsehoods as legal fictions, they are nothing of the sort. They are not legal fictions in the traditional sense because they are not offered as patently false statements. More importantly, such characterization disregards the uniquely constitutive power of the law. This article builds on my earlier observations regarding a similar misuse of the term “legal fiction” in the context of chattel slavery and the doctrine of discovery. By revisiting the controversy in a contemporary frame, it offers an opportunity to study, in real-time, the attempted construction of legal regimes that rest on errors, lies, and the relentless demonization of the Other. It concludes that just as there was nothing fictive about repressive legal systems that spanned centuries and brutalized millions, there is nothing fictive about our current democratic crisis. To the contrary, it is imperative that we remain clear-eyed about the nature and power of the falsehoods that undergird both the Big Lie and the new anti-LGBTQ laws in order to develop effective strategies to refute them. We dismiss them as legal fictions at our peril.

A toolbox to engineer the highly productive cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901.

Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901 (PCC 11901) is a fast-growing marine cyanobacterial strain that has a capacity for sustained biomass accumulation to very high cell densities, comparable to that achieved by commercially relevant heterotrophic organisms. However, genetic tools to engineer PCC 11901 for biotechnology applications are limited. Here we describe a suite of tools based on the CyanoGate MoClo system to unlock the engineering potential of PCC 11901. First, we characterized neutral sites suitable for stable genomic integration that do not affect growth even at high cell densities. Second, we tested a suite of constitutive promoters, terminators, and inducible promoters including a 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG)-inducible PhlF repressor system, which has not previously been demonstrated in cyanobacteria and showed tight regulation and a 228-fold dynamic range of induction. Lastly, we developed a DAPG-inducible dCas9-based CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system and a modular method to generate markerless mutants using CRISPR-Cas12a. Based on our findings, PCC 11901 is highly responsive to CRISPRi-based repression and showed high efficiencies for single insertion (31% to 81%) and multiplex double insertion (25%) genome editing with Cas12a. We envision that these tools will lay the foundations for the adoption of PCC 11901 as a robust model strain for engineering biology and green biotechnology.

Caste of Marginality and Migration in Bihar

In the world of ‘global capital—peripheral labour’, multiple strategies are employed to accumulate labouring bodies to augment accumulation, the lifeline of capitalism. Relations of inequalities have historically helped capitalism to accumulate and thrive. Growth in India and its accompanied en masse informalisation of labour is located at the intersection of caste, gender and migration. Foregrounding the cultural political economy of agrarian poverty, migration and informalisation of labour, we underline the criticality of caste in reproducing a labour force that is perennially insecure, unsettled and unorganised. Based on a qualitative study in rural Araria, Bihar, we argue that informalisation of labour is institutionalisation of vulnerability, which is sustained and reproduced through caste-based social relations in. Due to the wages in kind, repressive tenancy system and low productivity, indebtedness remains an annual necessity for the lowered caste workers and tillers even when the lowered 1 castes move beyond the bounds of the village and into the wider informal economy, their lack of social capital and adverse incorporation in the urban labour market keep them off the benefits of migration and urban growth.

Combaterea corupţiei prin presiune şi represiune – practici şi norme ale regimului comunist din România în anii ’70

The beginning of the 1970s was a landmark moment in the evolution of the communist regime in Romania on several levels. A crucial one was the significant change of emphasis in the regime's anti-corruption policies. Nicolae Ceauşescu shifted the pressure from the party and bureaucratic apparatus to the entire society. The aim was not only to limit the economic effects of criminal activity but to also make political control more effective. As significant changes to the country’s economy loomed, the regime needed the full support of the party apparatus and the repressive system, both of whom would hold crucial roles in the implementation of these new economic policies. Ceauşescu carefully transformed party structures into oversight bodies directly subordinate to the Secretary-General. In parallel, he greatly enhanced the involvement of the secret police in the field. Nicolae Ceauşescu thus ensured both his total ability to manipulate the entire system and an important lever of control over the economy and society as a whole. For a while, these changes somewhat limited the economic effects of corruption. Yet, above all, they prevented any vernacular liberalization tendencies that could jeopardize the new direction of the regime.

A nuclease-dead Cas9-derived tool represses target gene expression.

Manipulation of gene expression is central to understanding gene function, engineering cell behavior, and altering biological traits according to production demands. Nuclease-dead Cas9 (dCas9), a variant of active Cas9, offers a versatile platform for the precise control of genome function without DNA cleavage. Notably, however, an effective and universal dCas9-based transcriptional repression system remains unavailable in plants. The non-canonical histone acetyltransferase TENDRIL-LESS (CsTEN) is responsible for chromatin loosening and histone modification in cucumber (Cucumis sativus). In this study, we engineered a gene regulation tool by fusing TEN and its truncated proteins with dCas9. The full-length dCas9-TEN protein substantially repressed gene expression, with the N-terminal domain identified as the core repression domain. We subsequently validated the specificity and efficacy of this system through both transient infection and genetic transformation in cucumber and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) revealed the ability of the N-terminal domain of TEN to bind to chromatin, which may promote target binding of the dCas9 complex and enhance the transcriptional repression effect. Our tool enriches the arsenal of genetic regulation tools available for precision breeding in crops.

Establishing CRISPRi for Programmable Gene Repression and Genome Evolution in Cupriavidus necator.

Cupriavidus necator H16 is a "Knallgas" bacterium with the ability to utilize various carbon sources and has been employed as a versatile microbial cell factory to produce a wide range of value-added compounds. However, limited genome engineering, especially gene regulation methods, has constrained its full potential as a microbial production platform. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 technology has shown promise in addressing this limitation. Here, we developed an optimized CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system for gene repression in C. necator by expressing a codon-optimized deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) and appropriate single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). CRISPRi was proven to be a programmable and controllable tool and could successfully repress both exogenous and endogenous genes. As a case study, we decreased the accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHB) via CRISPRi and rewired the carbon fluxes to the synthesis of lycopene. Additionally, by disturbing the expression of DNA mismatch repair gene mutS with CRISPRi, we established CRISPRi-Mutator for genome evolution, rapidly generating mutant strains with enhanced hydrogen peroxide tolerance and robustness in microbial electrosynthesis (MES) system. Our work provides an efficient CRISPRi toolkit for advanced genetic manipulation and optimization of C. necator cell factories for diverse biotechnology applications.

Simultaneous glucose and xylose utilization by an Escherichia coli catabolite repression mutant.

As advances are made toward the industrial feasibility of mass-producing biofuels and commodity chemicals with sugar-fermenting microbes, high feedstock costs continue to inhibit commercial application. Hydrolyzed lignocellulosic biomass represents an ideal feedstock for these purposes as it is cheap and prevalent. However, many microbes, including Escherichia coli, struggle to efficiently utilize this mixture of hexose and pentose sugars due to the regulation of the carbon catabolite repression (CCR) system. CCR causes a sequential utilization of sugars, rather than simultaneous utilization, resulting in reduced carbon yield and complex process implications in fed-batch fermentation. A mutant of the gene encoding the cyclic AMP receptor protein, crp*, has been shown to disable CCR and improve the co-utilization of mixed sugar substrates. Here, we present the strain construction and characterization of a site-specific crp* chromosomal mutant in E. coli BL21 star (DE3). The crp* mutant strain demonstrates simultaneous consumption of glucose and xylose, suggesting a deregulated CCR system. The proteomics further showed that glucose was routed to the C5 carbon utilization pathways to support both de novo nucleotide synthesis and energy production in the crp* mutant strain. Metabolite analyses further show that overflow metabolism contributes to the slower growth in the crp* mutant. This highly characterized strain can be particularly beneficial for chemical production by simultaneously utilizing both C5 and C6 substrates from lignocellulosic biomass.IMPORTANCEAs the need for renewable biofuel and biochemical production processes continues to grow, there is an associated need for microbial technology capable of utilizing cheap, widely available, and renewable carbon substrates. This work details the construction and characterization of the first B-lineage Escherichia coli strain with mutated cyclic AMP receptor protein, Crp*, which deregulates the carbon catabolite repression (CCR) system and enables the co-utilization of multiple sugar sources in the growth medium. In this study, we focus our analysis on glucose and xylose utilization as these two sugars are the primary components in lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysate, a promising renewable carbon feedstock for industrial bioprocesses. This strain is valuable to the field as it enables the use of mixed sugar sources in traditional fed-batch based approaches, whereas the wild-type carbon catabolite repression system leads to biphasic growth and possible buildup of non-preferential sugars, reducing process efficiency at scale.

Women in the Armed Resistance in the Northeast of Lithuania: The Case of the King Mindaugas Partisan Region

The purpose of the article is to refine the data of the initial statistical study, “Women in the Lithuanian Partisan War, 1944-1953”, by examining the biographies of the female partisans in the Northeastern Lithuania partisan region according to targeted biographical parameters, and to present an objective picture of the female partisan. The paper analyses the reasons for women getting involved in the partisan movement, examines the social cross-section of the female fighters, and investigates the marital status and fates of the female partisans. After conducting the research, it was found that more than half of the female fighters chose this path because they had been influenced by their immediate environment, i.e. their relatives were actively involved in the armed resistance. This insight confirms the relationship between women’s motivation and the activities of their relatives imparted in historiography. One tenth of the female partisans examined became involved in the armed resistance for political reasons. This trend correlates with the insight that political engagement was low among women. Examination of the social cross-section revealed that most of the female partisans came from farming families, i.e. belonged to the main social group of the Republic of Lithuania population. Empirical data confirmed the opinion that the partisan resistance was essentially a struggle of the rural part of society against the Soviet regime. An analysis of the marital status of the female partisans revealed that more than 60 per cent of the female fighters were single, while 30 per cent were married and 18 per cent had children. The study of the fates of the female fighters imparts that these women either died/committed suicide or were arrested and convicted. There were only a few isolated cases of female partisans becoming legal. In this case, a clear difference is evident between the fates of women and men. Men became legal both individually and in groups. The Soviet repressive system treated male and female partisans equally – they were called “bandits” and punished according to Article 58 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR.

Moterys ginkluotoje rezistencijoje Lietuvos šiaurės rytuose: Karaliaus Mindaugo partizanų srities atvejis

The purpose of the article is to refine the data of the initial statistical study, “Women in the Lithuanian Partisan War, 1944-1953”, by examining the biographies of the female partisans in the Northeastern Lithuania partisan region according to targeted biographical parameters, and to present an objective picture of the female partisan. The paper analyses the reasons for women getting involved in the partisan movement, examines the social cross-section of the female fighters, and investigates the marital status and fates of the female partisans. After conducting the research, it was found that more than half of the female fighters chose this path because they had been influenced by their immediate environment, i.e. their relatives were actively involved in the armed resistance. This insight confirms the relationship between women’s motivation and the activities of their relatives imparted in historiography. One tenth of the female partisans examined became involved in the armed resistance for political reasons. This trend correlates with the insight that political engagement was low among women. Examination of the social cross-section revealed that most of the female partisans came from farming families, i.e. belonged to the main social group of the Republic of Lithuania population. Empirical data confirmed the opinion that the partisan resistance was essentially a struggle of the rural part of society against the Soviet regime. An analysis of the marital status of the female partisans revealed that more than 60 per cent of the female fighters were single, while 30 per cent were married and 18 per cent had children. The study of the fates of the female fighters imparts that these women either died/committed suicide or were arrested and convicted. There were only a few isolated cases of female partisans becoming legal. In this case, a clear difference is evident between the fates of women and men. Men became legal both individually and in groups. The Soviet repressive system treated male and female partisans equally – they were called “bandits” and punished according to Article 58 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR.