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O V Morozova

Publications and source records attributed to O V Morozova.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Purification and characterization of alcohol oxidase from a genetically constructed over-producing strain of the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha.

Alcohol oxidase (AOX) has been purified 8-fold from a genetically constructed over-producing strain of the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha C-105 (gcr1 catX) with impaired glucose-induced catabolite repression and completely devoid of catalase. The final enzyme preparation was homogeneous as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HPLC. Some physicochemical and biochemical properties of AOX were studied in detail: molecular weight (approximately 620 kD), isoelectric point (pI 6.1), and UV-VIS, circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence spectra. The content of different secondary structure motifs of the enzyme has been calculated from the CD spectra using a computer program. It was found that the native protein contains about 50% alpha-helix, 25% beta-sheet, and about 20% random structures. The kinetic parameters for different substrates, such as methanol, ethanol, and formaldehyde, were measured using a Clark oxygen electrode. The rate of enzymatic oxidation of formaldehyde by alcohol oxidase from H. polymorpha is only twice lower compared to the best substrate of the enzyme, methanol.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

[The role of the promoter structure in the efficiency of the expression of guanylspecific ribonucleases from Bacillus intermedius and Bacillus pumilus].

Guanylspecific ribonucleases from B. intermedius (binase) and B.pumilus (RNase Bpu) are structural and functional homologues, and their biosynthesis is subjected to the same laws. At the same time, there are essential differences in the expression efficiency of binase and RNase Bpu genes. This was first suggested to be due to differences in nucleotide sequences of promoters of the genes. Therefore, we constructed plasmids changing each different nucleotide in binase promoter for corresponding one from RNase Bpu and vise versa. It was found that the difference in RNase Bpu and binase expression was due to the only nucleotide in RNase Bpu promoter.

Bacillus↗

Electrochemistry and kinetics of fungal laccase mediators.

The screening of potential redox mediators for laccase was performed using homogeneous Trametes hirsuta laccase. Heterogeneous (electrochemical) and homogeneous (oxidation by laccase) reactions of the different types of the enhancers (mediators) of the enzyme were investigated. It was discovered that derivatives of phenyl-methyl-pyrazolones and benzoic acid, as well as N-hydroxynaphthalimide were efficient substrates for the laccase. The characterization of several representatives from each class was carried out using electrochemical and enzyme kinetics methods. The kinetic parameters for the oxidation of phenyl-methyl-pyrazolones and 3-(6-hylroxy)-aminobenzoic acid were comparable to those for 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) oxidation by the laccase, whereas the rate of enzymatic oxidation of N-hydroxynaphthalimide was sufficiently lower. Electrochemical experiments demonstrated that only oxidation of phenyl-methyl-pyrazolones and N-hydroxynaphthalimide yielded several high-potential intermediates capable of oxidizing veratryl alcohol, which was used as a lignin model substrate, whereas derivatives of benzoic acid showed low-potential intermediate, which was not able to oxidized lignin model compound. Phenyl-methyl-pyrazolones was about 50% as effective in degrading veratryl alcohol compared to ABTS as judged from HPLC kinetic studies, whereas N-hydroxynaphthalimide showed the same efficiency as ABTS. Phenyl-methyl-pyrazolones and hydroxynaphthalimides may be of commercial interest for oxidoreductase-catalyzed biodegradation of different xenobiotics.

Basidiomycota↗

Babesia DNA detection in canine blood and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in southwestern Siberia, Russia.

Babesia infection was studied in 21 blood samples of dogs with symptoms of babesiosis and among 72 Dermacentor reticulatus and 70 Ixodes persulcatus ticks from southwestern Siberia, Russia. Babesia DNA was detected by hemi-nested PCR based on the 18S rRNA gene with subsequent direct sequencing. All of the analyzed canine blood samples and three D. reticulatus, but none from I. persulcatus ticks studied were shown to contain Babesia DNA. Nucleotide sequences of the Babesia 18S rRNA gene fragment of 354 bp long for all 24 positive samples appeared to belong to the subspecies Babesia canis canis and differed only at three positions. The Babesia nucleotide sequences from 17 canine blood samples and from one D. reticulatus tick were identical to each other and to previously known B. canis canis from canine blood in Slovenia. Four canine blood samples and the second tick sample contained a mixture of two nucleotide sequences previously found in canine blood. B. canis canis nucleotide sequence from the third tick differed in the unique nucleotide transition and could correspond to a new genetic variant. Thus, the main etiological agent of canine babesiosis in Novosibirsk region is B. canis canis, and D. reticulatus, but not I. persulcatus, ticks could serve as a vector of this infectious agent. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the B. canis canis nucleotide sequences from ticks.

Animals↗

Semi-nested PCR detection of Bartonella henselae in Ixodes persulcatus ticks from Western Siberia, Russia.

Questing adult Ixodes persulcatus ticks from Western Siberia, Russia were tested for infections with Bartonella spp. using seminested PCR assay with primers specific to the groEL gene. The proportion of ticks infected with Bartonella spp. was 44% in 2002 (n = 50) and 38% in 2003 (n = 50). Nucleotide sequences of a portion of the PCR products corresponded to Bartonella henselae species.

Animals↗

Novel laccase redox mediators: spectral, electrochemical, and kinetic properties.

The screening of potential redox mediators for laccase was performed using homogeneous enzyme preparations from Coriolus hirsutus and Coriolus zonatus. It was discovered that derivatives of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolones were efficient substrates for the laccases. The characterization of two representatives of the 1-phenyl-pyrazolone class, sodium 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4- methylamino-pyrazolone-5-N(4)-methanesulfonate and 1-(3'-sulfophenyl)-3- methylpyrazolone-5, in the reaction catalyzed by laccase was carried out using spectral, electrochemical, and enzyme kinetics methods. The kinetic parameters for the oxidation of the newly discovered substrates were comparable with those for 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) oxidation by laccase. Electrochemical experiments demonstrated that oxidation of these compounds yielded two high-potential intermediates capable of oxidizing veratryl alcohol, which was used as a lignin model substrate, to the corresponding aldehyde and acid. 1-(3'-Sulfophenyl)-3- methylpyrazolone-5 was about 30-40% as effective in degrading veratryl alcohol compared to ABTS as judged from high-performance liquid chromatography kinetic studies. 1-Phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolones may be of commercial interest for oxidoreductase-catalyzed biodegradation of organic compounds.

Basidiomycota↗

[Determination of ureaplasma DNA by the competitive and multiplex PCR].

Quantities of Ureaplasma spp DNA were determined by the methods of competitive and multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCR). The results obtained by each of the methods were shown to be compatible. It was established that the number of Ureaplasma spp. cells per one epithelial cell in the female cervical canal varied from 0.05 to 10.

DNA Primers↗

Effect of myelopeptide-2 on the development of spontaneous and urethane-induced tumors in mice.

We studied the effect of endogenous immunoregulatory myelopeptide-2 on the development of spontaneous and urethane-induced lung adenomas. Long-term treatment with myelopeptide-2 (25 injections) in parallel with urethane poisoning decreased animal mortality caused by this carcinogen. Short-term treatment with myelopeptide-2 decreased the number of spontaneous and urethane-induced lung tumors in mice. Myelopeptide-2 delayed the appearance of urethane-induced tumors irrespective of the number of injections.

Adenoma↗

[Clinico-immunological characteristics of lymphoid tumors in children].

The clinical and immunological characteristics of lymphoid tumors were compared in 591 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Comprehensive investigation of a tumor cell by using cytological, morphological, and immunological studies revealed the most significant criteria for differential diagnosis of ALL and NHL in children and showed the specific features of the site of a tumor and the extent of its growth in ALL and NHL in relation to the immunological affiliation of a tumor cell. The predominance of immature forms, such as stem-cell CD34+, pre-pre-B, pre-B and less commonly T-cell forms with almost none peripheral B- and T-cell markers could be immunophenotypically detected in ALL. NHL was, on the contrary, characterized by the prevalence of mature immunological subtypes with peripheral B- and T-cell markers and much less frequently pre-B and pre-T cells and at the same time there was no CD34 antigen in the tumor cells. Anaplastic giant lymphoma was a peculiar type of NHL characterized by the presence of large cells having marked anaplasia and expression on the surface of CD30 antigen. A comprehensive study of lymphoid tumors in children showed that immunophenotyping was of great value, whose results were associated with the specific feature of tumor growth and prognosis, which should be borne in mind while planning antitumor therapy programmes.

Adolescent↗

Tick-borne encephalitis virus NS1 glycoprotein during acute and persistent infection of cells.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was propagated in porcine embryo kidney (PS) cells until 48 h whereas human kidney (RH) cells maintained the virus persistence during at least 2 months. One of possible reasons of flavivirus chronic infection might be abnormal NS1 gene expression. Immunoblotting with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) revealed the similarity of the intracellular and secreted NS1 nonstructural glycoprotein size and linear antigenic determinants in both the infected cell lines. However, according to the competitive binding of MAbs with the TBEV NS1 extracellular glycoprotein, its contiguous epitopes differed for acute or persistent infection. To map the TBEV NS1 glycoprotein antigenic determinants its recombinant analogues were used. All the studied MAbs could bind with the full-length NS1 recombinant protein. Deletion of the TBEV NS1 gene internal region resulted in defective NS1d1 protein without the region between 269 and 333 a.a. Lack of NS1d1 binding with 20B4 MAb and diminished binding with 22H8 and 17C3 MAbs permitted to map their antigenic determinants within or nearby deleted region, respectively. Interaction of other MAbs with the NS1 and NS1d1 recombinant proteins did not differ, suggesting that their epitopes were located in the region of N-terminal 268 a.a. or C-terminal 19 a.a. of the TBEV NS1 protein. The second NS1d2 truncated protein contained the first N-terminal 33 a.a. of the TBEV NS1 protein and was able to bind with 29G9 MAb. Taken together the data stand for the differences in the N-terminal structure of the TBEV NS1 multimers secreted from the acute and persistent infected cells whereas the intracellular and secreted monomer processing was the same. The modified NS1 protein oligomers in the RH cellular line might slow virus replication and could result in the TBEV persistence.

Animals↗

Viral protein functions study by affinity modification.

The knowledge of virus reproduction is necessary to design new safe drugs for inhibition of infections. Ultra-violet irradiation of virus proteins with labeled virus genome fragments permits to identify specific nucleic acid binding proteins. Affinity modification of enzymes with nucleotide derivatives could help to determine NTP-binding proteins and those involved in viral genome replication. Photoreactive analogues of nucleic acids are among the tools used to detect elongation subunits of replicative complexes. Affinity modification approach has already resulted in successful treatment of virus diseases.

Affinity Labels↗

[Regulation of extracellular phosphohydrolase biosynthesis in bacilli].

Under phosphate-deficient conditions, B. intermedius, B. pumilus, and B. thuringiensis secrete phosphohydrolases, including phosphomono-, phosphodiesterases, and guanyl-specific ribonucleases which cleave RNA molecules to nucleoside-3'-phosphatases. The enzymes are synthesized by phosphate-starved vegetative cells, which is not associated with sporulation. Using B. subtilis strains with mutation in the regulatory protein genes phoP and phoR, it was shown that these proteins regulate expression of B. intermedius, B. pumilus, and B. thuringiensis ribonuclease genes in B. subtilis cells. Genes of heterologous RNAses were activated in recombinant B. subtilis strains simultaneously with its own PHO regulon genes. Presumably a regulatory system homologous to B. subtilis two-component PhoP-PhoR signal transduction system functions in other representatives of the Bacillus genus.

Bacillus↗

[Expression of tissue-specific genes with progression of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma].

Expression of hepatocyte-specific genes in slow- and fast-growing hepatocellular mouse carcinomas was studied. The fast-growing poorly differentiated passaged hepatocarcinoma (fHC) originated from the well-differentiated slow-growing variant (sHC). In contrast to the parental hepatocarcinoma, in fHC the expression of the hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4), in fHC a key factor responsible for hepatocyte differentiation, and several HNF-4-responsive genes, such as those for transferrin, transthyretin, hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (HNF1), and serum albumin, was significantly suppressed. The expression of exogenous HNF4 in the fHC cell culture partially restored the expression of hepatocyte marker genes and the appearance of epithelial cell islands in the culture. The described system may serve as a convenient model for further analysis of mechanisms underlying hepatocarcinogenesis and liver tumor progression.

Animals↗

EBV-based plasmid DNA rearrangements after transfection of eukaryotic cells.

The cDNA encoding influenza virus (A/Udorn/307/72 strain) M2 protein was subcloned into the EBV-based vector pREP9. Three continuous kidney cellular lines of different origin were transfected with recombinant plasmid pREP9-M2. One and 5 months after transfection plasmid DNA rearrangements were detected by means of restriction analysis of recovered plasmids and their hybridization with an influenza-virus-specific radioactive probe. Deletions were the most frequent type of pREP9-M2 mutations. PCR with primers corresponding to cellular genome and plasmid DNA followed by Southern blot analysis with the [(32)P]-labeled M2-fragment allowed host DNA rearrangements to be revealed in transfected cells.

Animals↗

Tick-borne encephalitis virus strains of Western Siberia.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) strains were isolated from ticks in Western Siberia for 12 years. Molecular hybridization of the 46 viral RNA with the TBEV cDNA and oligonucleotide probes revealed differences between the Siberian and Far Eastern strains. A comparison of the viral E gene fragment nucleotide sequence showed 89-98% homology between Siberian TBEV strains, whereas their similarity with strains from other populations was less than 83%. However, the viral E and NS1 glycoprotein antigenic structures appeared to be conservative because of the degenerate genetic code. This was shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the corresponding monoclonal antibodies (MAb). The single exception was the MAb 17C3 against nonstructural glycoprotein NS1, which could distinguish Siberian from Far Eastern strains. Moreover, the neurovirulence differed between strains from the two natural populations. Lower neuroinvasiveness of the Siberian strains in comparison with Far Eastern Sofyin strain might be caused by both E and NS1 glycoprotein mutations.

Animals↗

[Ribonuclease from Bacillus thuringiensis var. subtoxicus. Gene structure and biosynthesis regulation].

The gene for extracellular guanyl-specific ribonuclease of Bacillus thuringiensis var. subtoxicus (RNase Bth), a close homologue of the B. intermedius RNase (binase), was completely sequenced. Analysis of nucleotide sequences in the regions adjoining RNase genes revealed an identical organization of the chromosomal loci of RNase Bth and binase. Growth characteristics of the Bacillus thuringiensis var. subtoxicus strain and its synthesis of RNase were studied. It was shown that the exogenous inorganic phosphate inhibits the biosynthesis of RNase. At the same time, actinomycin D in low doses stimulates the enzyme synthesis. Comparative analysis of the influence of inorganic phosphate and actinomycin D on the biosynthesis of RNAse Bth and binase suggests a possibility of coincidence of regulatory pathways of synthesis of these enzymes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗