Formation of adaptive types as a process of microevolution

The study populations have been grouped into two clusters. The first constituted the ethnic groups that are anthropologically affine but differ in adaptive types and husbandry practices. The second included the anthropologically unrelated ethnic groups having similar environment economy systems and adaptive types. We analyzed the genotype and allele frequencies of the metabolism-associated APOE, LCT, TREH, UCP1 genes, and Fok1 and BsmI polymorphisms of VDR gene. A total of 749 samples in the study represents the ethnic groups of Komi-Permyaks (n=181), Komi (n=235), Komi-Izhems (n=200), Shores (n=133). Results. A resemblance in the morphological and physiological complexes that have convergently developed in the course of environmental adaptations have been shown to reflect similarities in the gene features of anthropologically unrelated populations. In contrast, in the historically related groups that have utilized different biotopes and types of husbandry, there are growing divergence in the frequencies of metabolism-associated genotypes and alleles. These findings imply that ecological adaptations of modern human populations drive the minor changes in allele frequencies, which have occurred over a few generations. Conclusion. The apparent morpho-physiological and population-genetic specificity of the adaptive types allows us to regard the process of their formation as microevolution.

Imaging Voltage with Microbial Rhodopsins

Membrane potential is the critical parameter that reflects the excitability of a neuron, and it is usually measured by electrophysiological recordings with electrodes. However, this is an invasive approach that is constrained by the problems of lacking spatial resolution and genetic specificity. Recently, the development of a variety of fluorescent probes has made it possible to measure the activity of individual cells with high spatiotemporal resolution. The adaptation of this technique to image electrical activity in neurons has become an informative method to study neural circuits. Genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) can be used with superior performance to accurately target specific genetic populations and reveal neuronal dynamics on a millisecond scale. Microbial rhodopsins are commonly used as optogenetic actuators to manipulate neuronal activities and to explore the circuit mechanisms of brain function, but they also can be used as fluorescent voltage indicators. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the design and the application of rhodopsin-based GEVIs.

PHENOTYPIC CONSOLIDATION OF BROWN BREEDS COWS BY LINEAR TRAITS OF CONFORMATION TYPE

Breeding practice testifies that phenotypic and genetic specificity and an appropriate level of consolidation by leading economically useful traits are important characteristics and binding conditions for testing and subsequent genetic progress of breeds and their structural breeding units. Therefore, in the aspect of estimation of the conformation type of brown breeds in Sumy region – Lebedyn, Ukrainian brown dairy and brown Swiss, the level of phenotypic consolidation coefficients of firstborn cows, evaluated by the method of linear classification, was studied. Five farms of Sumy region were used as the basis of experiments: PJSC “Plemzavod “Mykhailivka” Lebedynsky, PAF “Kolos” and SE “Pobeda” of Bilopilsky and pedigree reproducers – AJSCCT “Zorya” Okhtyrsky and JSC “Mayak” of Trostyanets districts. The coefficients of phenotypic consolidation (K1 and K2) of breeding groups of animals on linear traits of conformation were determined by formulas proposed by Yu. P. Polupan (2005). Taking into account the importance of estimation of breeds of dairy cattle created in the process of interbreed combinations, in the aspect of studying the genetic progress and the desired level of their phenotypic consolidation, determining the degree of coefficients of phenotypic consolidation of cows of brown breeds in Sumy region by linear traits, that characterize the conformation type of animals, is motivated and relevant research. According to the group traits of 100-point linear classification system was revealed that the most consolidated by type were animals of brown Swiss breed by all group traits (K1 = 0.274–0.362; K2 = 0.262–0.369) and the final type assessment (K1 = 0.304; K2 = 0.322). The negative values of phenotypic consolidation coefficients indicated that the least consolidated by type were animals of the Swiss breed, especially on the group traits that characterize the dairy type (K1 = -0.012; K2 = -0.021), udder (K1 = -0.212; K2 = -0.231) and the final score (K1 = -0.028; K2 = -0.023). Animals of Ukrainian brown dairy breed were closer to the peers of brown Swiss cattle by both group traits (K1 = 0.202; K2 = 0.268) and by the final score (K1 = 0.219; K2 = 0.279). The consolidation coefficients of brown Swiss cows by group traits are (K1 = 0.274; K2 = 0.362), and by the final estimate (K1 = 0.304; K2 = 0.322). In a comparative analysis of the level of phenotypic consolidation coefficients of descriptive traits of the type was determined that of the evaluated breeds significant advantage by the phenotypic consolidation of these traits have animals of brown Swiss breed. The most consolidated firstborn cows of this breed for important descriptive traits of angularity (K1 = 0.362; K2 = 0.375), rear width (K1 = 0.293; K2 = 0.306, attachment of front (K1 = 0.289; K2 = 0.309) and rear ( K1 = 0.225; K2 = 0.229) udder parts, central ligament expression (K1 = 0.333; K2 = 0.371), udder depth (K1 = 0.296; K2 = 0.312), placement (K1 = 0.286; K2 = 0.303) and teats length (K1 = 0.321; K2 = 0.313) and locomotion (K1 = 0.304; K2 = 0.333). The determined hereditary influence of breed on the degree of phenotypic consolidation of the majority of linear traits testifies to the possibility of effective breeding of dairy cattle by type with intensive use of purebred sires of brown Swiss breed with high score by the linear classification of type of their daughters.

Imaging neuropeptide release at synapses with a genetically engineered reporter

Research on neuropeptide function has advanced rapidly, yet there is still no spatio-temporally resolved method to measure the release of neuropeptides in vivo. Here we introduce Neuropeptide Release Reporters (NPRRs): novel genetically-encoded sensors with high temporal resolution and genetic specificity. Using the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) as a model, we provide evidence that NPRRs recapitulate the trafficking and packaging of native neuropeptides, and report stimulation-evoked neuropeptide release events as real-time changes in fluorescence intensity, with sub-second temporal resolution.

MOLECULAR GENETIC STUDIES OF COMORBIDITY

This review focuses at the problem of the genetic basis of comorbidity. We discuss the concepts and terms relating to combinations of diseases. The guidelines of the study of comorbidity using modern high throughput methods and approaches of genetics, molecular biology and bioinformatics are designated. In this review we present results of studies showing genetic specificity for the combined phenotypes dif-ferent from the isolated disease, we considergene-gene and gene-environment interactions in comorbidity. We also discuss the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms and structural genome variations in the development of comorbidity. Own results of researching shared genes of inversely comorbid diseases like as bronchial asthma and tuberculosis are presented.

Genetic specificity of face recognition

Specific cognitive abilities in diverse domains are typically found to be highly heritable and substantially correlated with general cognitive ability (g), both phenotypically and genetically. Recent twin studies have found the ability to memorize and recognize faces to be an exception, being similarly heritable but phenotypically substantially uncorrelated both with g and with general object recognition. However, the genetic relationships between face recognition and other abilities (the extent to which they share a common genetic etiology) cannot be determined from phenotypic associations. In this, to our knowledge, first study of the genetic associations between face recognition and other domains, 2,000 18- and 19-year-old United Kingdom twins completed tests assessing their face recognition, object recognition, and general cognitive abilities. Results confirmed the substantial heritability of face recognition (61%), and multivariate genetic analyses found that most of this genetic influence is unique and not shared with other cognitive abilities.

Populations of Transcarpathia and Bukovina on the genetic landscape of surrounding regions

The territory of present-day Ukraine is subdivided into some regions with specific demographic and politic history. Nevertheless, the corresponding subdivision in genetic structure is not revealed in previous investigations: populations of Ukrainians under study were genetically homogeneous on SNP markers of Y chromosome. In the current investigation we studied the Y-chromosomal genetic structure of Transcarpathia and Bukovina populations. Several factors exist to expect the genetic specificity of these populations. Both ones are placed in the Carpathian foothills, at the south-western border of the Ukrainian area. During the last millennium these territories were the parts of different states and were open for ethnically diverse migrations. It was revealed that the major Y chromosomal haplogroups in Transcarpathia population were R1a1a1*(М198), I2a (Р37.2), R1a1a1g (М458), E1b1b1a1 (M78). The major haplogroups in Bukovina population were I2a (Р37.2), R1a1a1*(М198), R1a1a1g (М458), R1b1b2 (М269), E1b1b1a1 (M78), I1 (М253). The Bukovina population differs from the typical Ukrainian population by higher frequency of I2a (Р37.2) and lower frequency of R1a1a1*(М198). Moreover, this is the only population among ones studied in Ukraine where the most frequent haplogroup is I2a (Р37.2) but not R1a1a1*(М198). Such a deviation can be caused by possible mixing with neighbouring southern groups, and Carpathian mountains were not a border for exchange in this case. Interestingly, the haplogroup N1c (M178) is not revealed in Transcarpathia at all, obviously due to the mountain barrier. It was revealed by principal component analysis that Ukrainians from Transcarpathia and Bukovina despite some specific peculiarities are more similar to other Ukrainian populations than to the surrounding ethnic groups such as Poles, Slovaks, Hungarians, Romanians, Moldavians and Gagauzes. Ukrainians of Transcarpathia and Bukovina form the entire genetic continuum with the whole Ukraine on maps of gene distances, confirming the homogeneity of Ukrainian parental gene pool and it’s differentiation from other groups. After performing the analysis of Y-haplogroup spatial distribution, it is supposed that the northern ridges ofCarpathian mountainsare the East-European barrier decreasing the gene flow. It decreases the spreading of haplogroups N1c (М178) and R1a (М198) southward and movement of E1b (М78), R1b (М269), J (М304) and G (М201) northward.