On the anniversary of Lyudmila Andreevna Bespalova, an outstanding breeder, Vice President of the Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders (VOGiS), Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)

April 2, 2022 marks the anniversary of Lyudmila Andreevna Bespalova, an Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, one of the prominent wheat and triticale breeders, the author of many varieties introduced into agricultural practice both in our country and abroad, which are cultivated in areas encompassing millions of hectares, thus making a significant contribution to solving the global food security problem. Lyudmila A. Bespalova is a recognized classic in the field of wheat breeding and seed production, she has published over 300 scientific papers, and received about 120 copyright certificates and patents. Acad. Bespalova is a bright representative of domestic breeders, who maintains the traditions of one of the largest scientific schools and takes an active part in the life of the community of geneticists and breeders in this country by training young specialists and increasing the prestige of and demand for the profession of a breeder

Transcriptomic Studies in Non-Model Plants: Case of Pisum sativum L. and Medicago lupulina L.

Transcriptomics is a dynamically developing branch of biology highly important for geneticists and molecular ecologists alike. A large number of studies concerning differential gene expression, mapping of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL), analysis of genotyping variations and so on has been conducted recently on several non‐model plants using next‐generation sequencing techniques. One example of non‐model legumes is garden pea (Pisum sativum L.), a valuable pulse crop capable of forming nitrogen‐fixing nodules and arbuscular mycorrhiza. Adaptation of standardised RNA‐seq approaches and data analysis developed for model plants to P. sativum should facilitate both studying of pea molecular genetics and breeding of new cultivars possessing agriculturally important traits. Another non‐model legume is black medick Medicago lupulina L. (a close relative of model legume plant barrel medick, Medicago truncatula Gaertn.), for which unique genetic lines almost obligatory dependent on arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis formation have been obtained. Such lines show promise as the perfect model for studying the genetic bases of arbuscular mycorrhiza development. In this chapter, we give a brief description of the current developments in the field of garden pea and black medick transcriptomics. Our aim is to provide a quick start guide to the non‐expert researchers for next‐generation sequencing (NGS)‐based transcriptome analysis

Bioinformatics benefits from Siberia: on the anniversary of Nikolay Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)

January 9, 2022 marks the 75th anniversary of Nikolai Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Leader of the Federal Research Center the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, First Vice-President of the Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders. Acad. N.A. Kolchanov is a prominent specialist in the field of bioinformatics and systems computational biology, under whose guidance the largest domestic scientific school in this area has formed and received global development. He is the author and co-author of about 700 publications in domestic and foreign press, holder of 18 copyright certificates and 8 patents. For almost 20 years, Acad. Kolchanov is the Head and Professor of the Department of Information Biology with the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Novosibirsk State University. He supervised the work of 12 doctoral and 2 senior doctorate students. His students, who work in leading domestic and foreign scientific centers, are the pride of Russian science and make a significant contribution to the world level of development of modern bioinformatics at the global level

On the anniversary of Academician Nikolay Kazimirovich Yankovsky

June 21, 2023, marks the 75th anniversary of RAS Academician Nikolay Kazimirovich Yankovsky, an eminent specialist in the field of general and molecular genetics and biotechnology. Nikolay Kazimirovich has published more than 170 scientific papers, has nine patents, trained six Doctors and 19 Candidates of Science. He is a laureate of the USSR Council of Ministers Prize and several other awards. Nikolay Kazimirovich carries out extensive editorial work, being the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal “Genetics” and a member of editorial boards of a few other specialized periodicals. N.K. Yankovsky is also known as a major organizer in science; in 2006-2016 he held the position of Director of the Institute of General Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and currently he is the Scientific Director of this Institute. Nikolay Kazimirovich carries out extensive educational work, being the author of dozens of popular scientific publications and presentations in the mass media. It is impossible to overestimate the contribution of N.K. Yankovsky into the work of the Russian genetic community in the rank of the first Vice-President of the Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders, in which position he has always been and still is a generator of new ideas and an active fighter for the ideals of genetic science. Friends and associates – Russian geneticists and breeders, congratulate Nikolay Kazimirovich on his anniversary and wish him achieving new creative successes, grateful apprentices, enthusiasm and inexhaustible energy in solving large-scale challenges of genetics on a national and global scales

On Students Training in a New Masters Program “Molecular Biology and Plant Agrobiotechnology” at SaintPetersburg State University (SPbSU)

The development of an agro-industrial complex under present-day conditions is impossible to imagine without the development of agro-biotechnology, which in turn requires specialists with profound knowledge of biology, chemistry and related sciences. In this regard, training of personnel is needed to ensure active implementation of modern technologies in agricultural sciences. Until recently, such specialists have not been trained at classical universities, to which St. Petersburg State University belongs. To deal with this challenge, a Masters Program «Molecular Biology and Agrobiotechnology of Plants» has been developed and is being implemented in SPbSU. Teaching staff from eight departments of the Biological Faculty of SPbSU is involved in the creation and implementation of the Program. The Program in question is focused on familiarizing students with the modern problems, achievements, methodology of agro-biotechnology of plants, as well as on practical application of the obtained knowledge. Special attention is paid to the formation of trainees’ perceptions of the possibility and necessity of bringing plant breeding to the level of requirements and possibilities of the «post-genome era» to achieve high productivity and sustainability of agricultural production with minimal environmental risks. The Program seamlessly integrates practical exercises and students’ research work in the SPbSU facilities, as well as that performed at St. Petersburg research institutes. Much attention is paid to the development of students’ skills in conducting scientific discussions and in presenting their scientific data in different formats, for instance in English, which is very important for monitoring current scientific trends and integrating own research into world science. The Program is popular with students and many of its graduates have been employed by the leading biological and agricultural research institutes

On the anniversary of Academician Lyubov Vladimirovna Khotyleva

March 12, 2023 is the anniversary of Lyubov Vladimirovna Khotyleva, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Belarus, one of the world’s largest specialists in the field of genetics of agricultural plants. She published more than 400 scientific works, received 18 copyright certificates for varieties and inventions. Lyubov V. Khotyleva directed the Institute of Genetics and Cytology of the NAS of Belarus for almost a quarter of a century, raised several generations of scientists. Under her leadership, six Doctors and 43 Candidates of Sciences defended their theses. In different years, Lyubov Vladimirovna was the Vice-President of the N.I. Vavilov All-Union Society of Geneticists and Breeders, the President of the Belarus Society of Geneticists and Breeders, was a member of the presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission (VAK) of Belarus and VAK of Russia, was an Academician-Secretary of the Biological Department of the NAS of Belarus. L.V. Khotyleva carries out important scientific and organizational work as one of the prominent experts in the field of plant genetics, member of the editorial boards of several specialized periodicals

A high coverage reference transcriptome assembly of pea (<i>Pisum sativum</i> L.) mycorrhizal roots

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is an ancient mutualistic symbiosis formed by 80–90 % of land plant species with the obligatorily biotrophic fungi that belong to the phylum Glomeromycota. This symbiosis is mutually beneficial, as AM fungi feed on plant photosynthesis products, in turn improving the efficiency of nutrient uptake from the environment. The garden pea (Pisum sativum L.), a widely cultivated crop and an important model for genetics, is capable of forming triple symbiotic systems consisting of the plant, AM fungi and nodule bacteria. As transcriptomic and proteomic approaches are being implemented for studying the mutualistic symbioses of pea, a need for a reference transcriptome of genes expressed under these specific conditions for increasing the resolution and the accuracy of other methods arose. Numerous transcriptome assemblies constructed for pea did not include mycorrhizal roots, hence the aim of the study to construct a reference transcriptome assembly of pea mycorrhizal roots. The combined transcriptome of mycorrhizal roots of Pisum sativum cv. Frisson inoculated with Rhizophagus irregularis BEG144 was investigated, and for both the organisms independent transcriptomes were assembled (coverage 177x for pea and 45x for fungus). Genes specific to mycorrhizal roots were found in the assembly, their expression patterns were examined with qPCR on two pea cultivars, Frisson and Finale. The gene expression depended on the inoculation stage and on the pea cultivar. The investigated genes may serve as markers for early stages of inoculation in genetically diverse pea cultivars

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