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

Genetic engineering of cotton: current status and perspectives

Currently, several species of the genus Gossypium are cultivated in agriculture to produce fiber. Cotton has been cultivated for a long time, however, many aspects of its cultivation and processing are still researched. Writing about the cultivation of cotton, it is worth mentioning the fundamental problems of its processing. For example, the amounts of pesticides used in the cultivation of cotton are greater than for any other crop. Chemicals sprayed on cotton fields are washed away from the fields and, reaching the fresh water sources, pollute them, causing significant damage to the environment. Fortunately, such challenges can be solved by switching to the cultivation of transgenic cotton. Transgenic cotton has already brought many important environmental, social and economic benefits, including reduce of the used pesticides, indirectly increasing of yield, minimizing environmental pollution, reducing the labor force involved and economic costs.Today, the main methods of obtaining transgenic cotton lines are still agrobacterial transformation and biolistics. In recent years, however, innovative methods of transformation have also been developed. For example, the introduction of genetic material mediated by a pollen tube for the cultivation of commercial transgenic cotton is actively used in China. Although in recent decades transgenic lines resistant to diseases, abiotic stresses and with improved fiber quality have been obtained, the dominant position in the market of transgenic cotton is still occupied by lines of plants resistant to insects and herbicides. All the above indicates an insufficient degree of integration between institutes that introduce new advanced developments and agricultural industry.In this review the results of research involving the cultivation and genetic modification of cotton were collected and summarized. The main methods of genetic transformation of cultivated representatives of the genus Gossypium, both actively used at present and still under development, were considered. The most remarkable transgenic lines were also described, among which both those that have already entered agricultural industry and those that have only recently been obtained. Thus, the reader will be able to get a general idea of the current achievements in the field of cotton genetic modification

Polymorphism of CLE gene sequences in potato

CLE (CLV3/ESR) is one of the most important groups of peptide phytohormones: its members regulate the development of various plant organs and tissues, as well as interaction with some parasites and symbionts and response to environmental factors. In this regard, the identification and study of the CLE genes encoding the peptides of this group in cultivated plants are of great practical interest. Relatively little is known about the functions of CLE peptides in potato, since the CLE genes of the potato Solanum phureja Juz. et Buk. were characterized only in 2021. At the same time, potato includes plenty of tuberous species of the genus Solanum L., both wild and cultivated, and the diversity of its forms may depend on differences in the sequences of CLE genes. In this work, we performed a search for and analysis of the CLE gene sequences in three wild potato species (S. bukasovii Juz., S. verrucosum Schltdl., S. commersonii Dunal) and four cultivated species (S. chaucha Juz. et Buk., S. curtilobum Juz. et Buk., S. juzepczukii Juz. et Buk., S. ajanhuiri Juz. et Buk.). In total, we identified 332 CLE genes in the analyzed potato species: from 40 to 43 genes of this family for each potato species. All potato species taken for analysis had homologues of previously identified S. phureja CLE genes; at the same time, the CLE42 gene, which is absent from the S. phureja genome, is present in all other analyzed potato species. Polymorphism of CLE proteins of S. commersonii is significantly higher than that of other analyzed potato species, due to the fact that S. commersonii grows in places outside the growing areas of other potato species and this potato is probably not one of the ancestors of cultivated potato. We also found examples of polymorphism of domains of CLE proteins that carried different functions. Further study of potato CLE proteins will reveal their role in development, including regulation of productivity in this important agricultural crop

Plant stem cells: unity and diversity

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells of multicellular organisms that can divide, self-renew and differentiate. Despite the differences of properties, general principles of the existence of stem cells can be distinguished in all multicellular organisms. In plants, stem cells are found in meristems – the structures that ensure the continuous growth of plant and provide material for the formation of various specialized tissues. There are numerous types of meristems: shoot and root apical meristems, lateral meristems (procambium, cambium, pericycle), as well as the so-called irregular meristems, developing under certain conditions (callus, meristems of symbiotic nodules, spontaneous and pathogen-induced tumors, etc.). For each of meristems, specific mechanisms of regulation, which are based on the interaction of plant hormones and the major groups of transcription factors, were identified. The activity of meristems is based on two opposite processes: proliferation and self-renewal of stem cells in the central part of the meristem and differentiation of specialized cells in the periphery. WOX-CLAVATA systems are a regulatory component conservative for different meristems and providing consistency of the composition of the meristem, as well as the balance of stem cell proliferation and differentiation. In this review, we will consider the similarities and differences between the principles of organization of stem cell niches in plants and animals, as well as in a variety of meristems of higher plants; special attention will be paid to the role of WOX-CLAVATA systems in maintaining meristems and their interaction with other meristem regulators

Transcriptomic analysis of Medicago truncatula calli with MtWOX9-1 overexpression

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is the development of embryo-like structures from somatic plant tissues. This process rarely can be observed in nature, but for many plant species, in vitro protocols are developed, which allow to obtain somatic embryos formation directly from tissues of plant explant or from the embryogenic callus. SE is widely used for plant propagation and transformation; therefore, the search for SE stimulators and revealing of the mechanisms of their functioning are very important for biotechnology. Among the SE regulators, proteins of the WOX family play significant roles. WOX (WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX) is a homeodomain-containing transcription factor family. Different WOX genes  function  in different plant organs  and tissues, maintaining meristem activity and regulating cell proliferation  and differentiation. Recently, we have shown  that  transcription factor MtWOX9-1, belonging to the WOX family, can stimulate SE in the Medicago truncatula callus culture. In this research, transcriptomic analysis of highly embryogenic calli with MtWOX9-1 overexpression was performed in comparison to wildtype calli. It was shown that MtWOX9-1 overexpression led to the activation  of several groups  of genes,  including genes  related  to cell division, tissue differentiation, and seed development. Enriched GO pathways included  several groups  related to histone  methyltransferase activity as well as DNA methylation and chromatin binding,  suggesting major epigenetic changes that  occur in call overexpressing MtWOX9-1. Using Medicago Truncatula Gene Expression Atlas, we also identified a group of genes  coding for transcription factors that were both coexpressed with MtWOX9-1 in different plant organs  and differentially expressed in our samples. These genes  are putative targets of MtWOX9-1, and they may act in the same pathway with this regulator during SE

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN POLYMORPHISMS IN GENES ENCODING 2′-5′-OLIGOADENYLATE SYNTHETASES AND THE HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE UPON VACCINATION AGAINST TICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS

Vaccination forms active immunity and represents an effective way of preventing tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). However, excessive vaccination is unjustified in terms of economics and medical ethics. One of the individualized approaches to vaccines is the selection of vaccine doses depending on the expected levels of immune response. Therefore, there is a need for new methods for assessing potential human immune responses prior to vaccination. The aim of this study was to determine possible association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within OAS2 and OAS3 genes, which have been previously associated with the development of severe forms of TBE, and the formation of antibodies and cytokines upon vaccination against TBE. The study involved 97 volunteers of both sexes who had not previously been vaccinated against TBE and had no contact with ticks. Venous blood samples were collected one month after vaccination against TBE using the EnceVir vaccine. Levels of specific IgG antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus and interleukin 4 (IL-4) were analyzed. Genomic DNA samples were genotyped for the SNPs rs2285932, rs2072136, rs1293762, rs15895 and rs1732778 in genes encoding 2’-5’-oligoadenylate synthetases OAS2 and OAS3. Antibody production in response to vaccine administration was significantly associated with SNP rs1732778 in the regulatory region of the OAS2 gene. This indicator was significantly higher in people with heterozygous genotypes G/A as compared to people with homozygous genotypes G/G and A/A. Carriers of the A allele (G/A or A/A genotypes) of the same SNP had reduced IL-4 levels as compared to the homozygous G/G individuals. Thus, the data obtained indicate that SNP rs1732778 in the regulatory region of the OAS2 gene correlates with the formation of antiviral IgG antibodies and changes in IL-4 levels upon vaccination. Evidently, the genetic polymorphism in OAS2 gene should be considered when performing individualized TBE vaccinations