Geographical and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 clades in the WHO European Region, January to June 2020

We show the distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genetic clades over time and between countries and outline potential genomic surveillance objectives. We applied three genomic nomenclature systems to all sequence data from the World Health Organization European Region available until 10 July 2020. We highlight the importance of real-time sequencing and data dissemination in a pandemic situation, compare the nomenclatures and lay a foundation for future European genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

Sperm olfactory receptors in solitery and social rodents.

Department of ZoologyKatedra zoologieFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Evolution of olfactory receptors

This bachelor thesis deals with the largest gene family of mammals which encode olfactory receptors. Olfactory receptors fall in rhodopsin-like GPCRs subfamily, approximately 600 - 800 millions of years old. At least from this time, olfactory receptors play, as a part of one of the oldest senses (smell), fundamental role in detection of chemical cues from water or air. This work summarizes large repertoire of olfactory receptors and its changes during the evolution of important animal taxons with emphasis on number and fraction of functional and nonfunctional olfactory receptor genes. Those values are part of criteria used for olfactory ability of animals. Olfactory receptors are typically placed on surface of sensory neuron placed in olfactory epithelium, where they bind various odorants and triggers signal cascade which leads to neuron's membrane depolarization. Therefore, about one half of this work summarizes knowledge of olfactory receptor's molecular biology like their structure, main parts of signal cascade (Gαolf, ACIII, CNG channel, Ca2+ dependent Cl- channel) just as parts needed for steady-state establishment. Expression of olfactory receptors detected in amount of non-olfactory tissues (mussels, sperm, brain etc.), indicate possibly important biomedical roles of this receptors

On the tear proteome of the house mouse (Mus musculus musculus) in relation to chemical signalling

Mammalian tears are produced by lacrimal glands to protect eyes and may function in chemical communication and immunity. Recent studies on the house mouse chemical signalling revealed that major urinary proteins (MUPs) are not individually unique in Mus musculus musculus. This fact stimulated us to look for other sexually dimorphic proteins that may—in combination with MUPs—contribute to a pool of chemical signals in tears. MUPs and other lipocalins including odorant binding proteins (OBPs) have the capacity to selectively transport volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their eight-stranded beta barrel, thus we have generated the tear proteome of the house mouse to detect a wider pool of proteins that may be involved in chemical signalling. We have detected significant male-biased (7.8%) and female-biased (7%) proteins in tears. Those proteins that showed the most elevated sexual dimorphisms were highly expressed and belong to MUP, OBP, ESP (i.e., exocrine gland-secreted peptides), and SCGB/ABP (i.e., secretoglobin) families. Thus, tears may have the potential to elicit sex-specific signals in combination by different proteins. Some tear lipocalins are not sexually dimorphic—with MUP20/darcin and OBP6 being good examples—and because all proteins may flow with tears through nasolacrimal ducts to nasal and oral cavities we suggest that their roles are wider than originally thought. Also, we have also detected several sexually dimorphic bactericidal proteins, thus further supporting an idea that males and females may have adopted alternative strategies in controlling microbiota thus yielding different VOC profiles

Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 Lineages in the Czech Republic, Analysis of Data from the First Year of the Pandemic

In the Czech Republic, the current pandemic led to over 1.67 million SARS-CoV-2- positive cases since the recording of the first case on 1 March 2020. SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis is an important tool for effective real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) diagnostics, epidemiology monitoring, as well as vaccination strategy. To date, there is no comprehensive report on the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 genome variants in either the Czech Republic, including Central and Eastern Europe in general, during the first year of pandemic. In this study, we have analysed a representative cohort of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from 229 nasopharyngeal swabs of COVID-19 positive patients collected between March 2020 and February 2021 using validated reference-based sequencing workflow. We document the changing frequency of dominant variants of SARS-CoV-2 (from B.1 -> B.1.1.266 -> B.1.258 -> B.1.1.7) throughout the first year of the pandemic and list specific variants that could impact the diagnostic efficiency RT-qPCR assays. Moreover, our reference-based workflow provided evidence of superinfection in several samples, which may have contributed to one of the highest per capita numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths during the first year of the pandemic in the Czech Republic

A study of the centrally produced K * (892)K̄ * (892) and φω systems in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

0info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A partial wave analysis of the centrally produced K+K- and K0SK0S systems in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c and new information on the spin of the fJ(1710)

0info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A study of the centrally produced baryon-antibaryon systems in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

0info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A measurement of the branching fractions of the f1(1285) and f1(142O) produced in central pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

0info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A study of the KKπ channel produced centrally in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

0info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe