Genetic resources and genetic technologies for the development of the Northern Territories: on the results of the Second Conference (March 13–15, 2023)

A series of events in honor of the centenary of the Polar Experiment Station of VIR founded by Nikolay Ivanovich Vavilov, was opened by the Second Scientific Conference “Genetic Resources and Genetic Technologies for the Development of Northern Territories”, which took place on March 13-15, 2023. The objective of the Conference was to provide a regular platform for the exchange of experience, consolidation of efforts and development of interdisciplinary approaches between specialists – geneticists, resource scientists and biotechnologists, as well as specialists from related areas of biology, medicine and other sciences, whose joint efforts are aimed at increasing the demand for bio-resource collections and the role of genetic technologies in the development of the northern regions of the country. The Conference was organized by the Federal Research Centre the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR), the Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders (VOGiS), the Russian Geographical Society (RGS), Scientific Council on Genetics and Breeding of the RAS, Scientific Council of RAS for the Studies of the Arctic and Antarctic, and the Russian Botanical Society (RBS). The Conference was held online. The program of the Conference included three sections: “Effective Development of Northern Agriculture: Genetic Resources of Agricultural Plants and Microorganisms, Genetic Technologies and Interdisciplinary Research”; “Farm Animals, Marine Mammals and Commercial Fish in the Far North: Conservation and Study of Genetic Resources, Breeding and Interdisciplinary Research”; “Health and Longevity of the Population in Northern Territories: Genetic and Interdisciplinary Studies (Including Model Organisms)”, as well as a Round Table “Expeditionary Research in the Arctic and Northern Regions of Russia: Experience of Young Scientists”. Altogether, five plenary presentations, one evening lecture and 23 section reports were made. Genetic, genomic and omics research using valuable genetic resources of plants, animals and microorganisms, as well as human biomaterials, including bio-resource ex situ collections from regions with extreme nature and climate conditions is the basis for acquiring knowledge, creating a set of tools and developments that contribute to socio-economic development and security in the Arctic, addressing health-saving issues, improving the quality of life of the population and partial food self-sufficiency of the regions of the North and the Arctic. The development of these aspects is important for the implementation of the State scientific and technical policy of the Russian Federation, considering the Presidential Decrees 164 of March 5, 2020, and 645 of October 26, 2020. The article presents the main trends announced at the Conference and publishes the Resolution adopted by the Conference

On the results of the 5th Vavilov International Conference (November 21–25, 2022)

Under the auspices of the 5th Vavilov International Conference held in St. Petersburg on 21–25 November 2022, eight events were held on the conservation, development, study and practical use of plant genetic resources (PGR) collections, as well as on the scientific heritage of Nikolay Ivanovich Vavilov and the development of the scientific schools founded by him and the activities of his associates and followers. In view of the modern context of new trends in the development of science, fundamental knowledge, modern methods and technologies, as well as of climatic and economic challenges, the development of the scientific heritage of N.I. Vavilov plays a big role for scientific and technological development. A total of 185 oral presentations was made at the 5th Vavilov International Conference. Meetings of the Conference attracted over 330 participants. This publication reflects the main objectives and content of the performed activities and contains key recommendations emanating from the Conference, including (1) recommendations for the conservation, study and use of PGR, including those on the multidisciplinary basis; (2) recommendations on activities to ensure coordination in the field of conservation, research, breeding and seed production; (3) recommendations on the normative and legislative regulation in the sphere of breeding, seed production, development, maintenance and use of genetic resource collections; (4) recommendations on training, guidance and education. Presentations made at the Conference show that over the past five years there has been a significant increase in the use of modern methodical approaches, i.e. molecular-genetic, genomic and omics in the field of PGR research. All this provides a solid basis for the development of new breeding methods (Next-Generation Breeding). At the same time, it is emphasized that new breeding technologies based on the acquired knowledge, can lead to further progress not in isolation from, but in conjunction with the amassed heritage of classical breeding. Among the discussed and proposed issues, the Conference Resolution identifies those requiring special and urgent attention: (1) the need to legislate for the preservation and expansion of crop diversity in the State Register of Varieties and Hybrids of Agricultural Plants Approved for Use; (2) the inadmissibility of reducing the list of these crops; (3) the inadmissibility of reducing of the number of state variety testing sites; (4) the inadmissibility of reducing of time limits of state variety testing from three to two years or one year; (5) the need to bring the concepts of “genetic passportˮ and “genetic passportizationˮ used in legal and regulatory acts to the canonical understanding of “genetic passportˮ as a document reflecting individual genetic features of an organism (cultivar/hybrid/breed/strain), which make it possible to distinguish its genotype from that of other organisms (cultivars/hybrids/breeds/ strains) of a particular species and the need to carefully elaborate methods of genetic certification of each crop, taking into account all types of genetic markers (molecular-genetic markers (DNA markers), protein and morphological markers). The Conference also noted that under the conditions of the increasing climate change and its sudden unpredictable fluctuations, reliable conservation of valuable plant genetic resources in situ and ex situ is required in order to avoid the irreversible loss of part of plant agrobiodiversity. In addition, extensive expeditionary surveys should be undertaken in the nearest future in crop and CWR diversity centers, under-explored areas, as well as in the regions with extreme environmental conditions and those prone to anthropogenic impacts

Automatic morphology phenotyping of tetra- and hexaploid wheat spike using computer vision methods

Intraspecific classification of cultivated plants is necessary for the conservation of biological diversity, study of their origin and their phylogeny. The modern cultivated wheat species originated from three wild diploid ancestors as a result of several rounds of genome doubling and are represented by di-, tetra- and hexaploid species. The identification of wheat ploidy level is one of the main stages of their taxonomy. Such classification is possible based on visual analysis of the wheat spike traits. The aim of this study is to investigate the morphological characteristics of spikes for hexa- and tetraploid wheat species based on the method of high-performance phenotyping. Phenotyping of the quantitative characteristics of the spike of 17 wheat species (595 plants, 3348 images), including eight tetraploids (Triticum aethiopicum, T. dicoccoides, T. dicoccum, T. durum, T. militinae, T. polonicum, T. timopheevii, and T. turgidum) and nine hexaploids (T. compactum, T. aestivum, i:ANK-23 (near-isogenic line of T. aestivum cv. Novosibirskaya 67), T. antiquorum, T. spelta (including cv. Rother Sommer Kolben), T. petropavlovskyi, T. yunnanense, T. macha, T. sphaerococcum, and T. vavilovii), was performed. Wheat spike morphology was described on the basis of nine quantitative traits including shape, size and awns area of the spike. The traits were obtained as a result of image analysis using the WERecognizer program. A cluster analysis of plants according to the characteristics of the spike shape and comparison of their distributions in tetraploid and hexaploid species showed a higher variability of traits in hexaploid species compared to tetraploid ones. At the same time, the species themselves form two clusters in the visual characteristics of the spike. One type is predominantly hexaploid species (with the exception of one tetraploid, T. dicoccoides). The other group includes tetraploid ones (with the exception of three hexaploid ones, T. compactum, T. antiquorum, T. sphaerococcum, and i:ANK-23). Thus, it has been shown that the morphological characteristics of spikes for hexaploid and tetraploid wheat species, obtained on the basis of computer analysis of images, include differences, which are further used to develop methods for plant classifications by ploidy level and their species in an automatic mode

On the results of the First Scientific Forum «Genetic Resources of Russia»: prospects for development, research and practical potential of bio-collections

Nine separate scientific conferences and school-conferences dedicated to the conservation, development, study and practical use of biological collections of various types were held under the auspices of the First Scientific Forum “Genetic Resources of Russia”, which took place in Saint Petersburg on 21-24 June 2022. A total of more than 300 oral presentations were made at these events. The Forum plenary sessions, which included 25 lectures, attracted more than 1,500 participants. The development prospects, research and scientific-practical potential of biological collections were thoroughly discussed at the events of the Forum. The results of these discussions are presented in this publication in the form of a Forum resolution. The strategic role of biological collections for the conservation of genetic diversity, for the scientific and technological development of society and for the provision of educational processes is emphasized. This strategic framework, which should be developed and maintained, also makes it possible to implement practical tasks related to meeting the challenges in the field of food and environmental security, health care and technological independence in the rapidly developing spheres of the economy

The first scientific forum «Genetic resources of Russia» - on legal regulation in the field of bioresources and biological collections

The first scientific forum «Genetic Resources of Russia» took place in Saint Petersburg on 21-24 June 2022. The Forum brought together more than 500 specialists from more than 100 research institutions and universities of the Russian Federation. A round table «Regulations and standards of work with bio-resource collections» was organized within the framework of the Forum in connection with the relevance to create the legislation base for the work with biological collections and regulation of the activities of bioresource centres in the Russian Federation. This publication presents the outcomes of the Forum and its resolution relating to the legal regulation of biological collections

On the results of the Second Scientific Forum “Genetic Resources of Russia”

The Second Scientific Forum “Genetic Resources of Russia” was held in St. Petersburg, June 26-28, 2023. Thе Forum comprised nine associated scientific conferences and conference schools dedicated to the establishment, formation, conservation, development, studying and utilization of biological (bioresource) collections as well as to the activities of bioresource centers, and a round table entitled “Statutory Legal Regulation and Standards for the Work with Bioresource Collections”. More than 700 researchers representing over a hundred scientific institutions and universities from Russia and other countries participated in the Forum. In total, more than 200 oral presentations were made during those events (including 16 talks at the Forum’s Plenary Session). The participants of the Forum events thoroughly discussed the results of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Genetic Technologies for 2019-2030 associated with the establishment and development of bioresource collections for research in the field of genetic technologies, the prospects for the promotion of this sector, and the regulatory legal framework in the sphere of ensuring conservation and development of biological (bioresource) collections, establishment and functioning of bioresource centers, and their sustainable and rational utilization in scientific research and development activities. The outcome of those discussions is presented in this publication in the form of the Forum’s Resolution. Upon reviewing the results of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Genetic Technologies for 2019-2030 pertaining to the establishment and development of bioresource collections for research in the field of genetic technologies, the Forum recognized them as successful. The Forum approved the draft of the legal act “On Bioresource Centers and Biological (Bioresource) Collections”, which is currently under consideration in the State Duma of the Russian Federation and emphasized the need for its soonest adoption

The INCREASE project: Intelligent Collections of food‐legume genetic resources for European agrofood systems

Food legumes are crucial for all agriculture-related societal challenges, including climate change mitigation, agrobiodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, food security and human health. The transition to plant-based diets, largely based on food legumes, could present major opportunities for adaptation and mitigation, generating significant co-benefits for human health. The characterization, maintenance and exploitation of food-legume genetic resources, to date largely unexploited, form the core development of both sustainable agriculture and a healthy food system. INCREASE will implement, on chickpea (Cicer arietinum), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), lentil (Lens culinaris) and lupin (Lupinus albus and L. mutabilis), a new approach to conserve, manage and characterize genetic resources. Intelligent Collections, consisting of nested core collections composed of single-seed descent-purified accessions (i.e., inbred lines), will be developed, exploiting germplasm available both from genebanks and on-farm and subjected to different levels of genotypic and phenotypic characterization. Phenotyping and gene discovery activities will meet, via a participatory approach, the needs of various actors, including breeders, scientists, farmers and agri-food and non-food industries, exploiting also the power of massive metabolomics and transcriptomics and of artificial intelligence and smart tools. Moreover, INCREASE will test, with a citizen science experiment, an innovative system of conservation and use of genetic resources based on a decentralized approach for data management and dynamic conservation. By promoting the use of food legumes, improving their quality, adaptation and yield and boosting the competitiveness of the agriculture and food sector, the INCREASE strategy will have a major impact on economy and society and represents a case study of integrative and participatory approaches towards conservation and exploitation of crop genetic resources

Preliminary results from the CMD-2 detector

A new general-purpose detector CMD-2 (calorimetric magnetic detector has started experiments at the upgraded e{sup {plus}}e{sup {minus}} collider VEPP-2M (collider for electron-positron beams) at Novosibirsk. During early runs an integrated luminosity of about 400 inverse nanobarns has been collected in the center of mass energy range 400{endash}1030 MeV

Microbial diversity and biogeochemical cycling in soda lakes

Soda lakes contain high concentrations of sodium carbonates resulting in a stable elevated pH, which provide a unique habitat to a rich diversity of haloalkaliphilic bacteria and archaea. Both cultivation-dependent and -independent methods have aided the identification of key processes and genes in the microbially mediated carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur biogeochemical cycles in soda lakes. In order to survive in this extreme environment, haloalkaliphiles have developed various bioenergetic and structural adaptations to maintain pH homeostasis and intracellular osmotic pressure. The cultivation of a handful of strains has led to the isolation of a number of extremozymes, which allow the cell to perform enzymatic reactions at these extreme conditions. These enzymes potentially contribute to biotechnological applications. In addition, microbial species active in the sulfur cycle can be used for sulfur remediation purposes. Future research should combine both innovative culture methods and state-of-the-art ‘meta-omic’ techniques to gain a comprehensive understanding of the microbes that flourish in these extreme environments and the processes they mediate. Coupling the biogeochemical C, N, and S cycles and identifying where each process takes place on a spatial and temporal scale could unravel the interspecies relationships and thereby reveal more about the ecosystem dynamics of these enigmatic extreme environments

Genomics of alkaliphiles

Alkalinicity presents a challenge for life due to a “reversed” proton gradient that is unfavourable to many bioenergetic processes across the membranes of microorganisms. Despite this, many bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes, collectively termed alkaliphiles, are adapted to life in alkaline ecosystems and are of great scientific and biotechnological interest due to their niche specialization and ability to produce highly stable enzymes. Advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have propelled not only the genomic characterization of many alkaliphilic microorganisms that have been isolated from nature alkaline sources but also our understanding of the functional relationships between different taxa in microbial communities living in these ecosystems. In this review, we discuss the genetics and molecular biology of alkaliphiles from an “omics” point of view, focusing on how metagenomics and transcriptomics have contributed to our understanding of these extremophiles.https://link.springer.com/bookseries/10hj2021BiochemistryGeneticsMicrobiology and Plant Patholog