Institute of
bioorganic chemistry

In order to assess the conservatism of the induction mechanism in different evolutionary lines of vertebrates, the Laboratory of Molecular Basis of Embryogenesis carried out studies on the functional activity of Noggin genes in the lamprey as a representative of another, evolutionarily oldest group of vertebrates – cyclostomes (jawless). It turned out that despite the conservatism of the functional properties of the studied genes in experiments with amphibians, in whose embryos the lamprey Noggins are able to induce complete secondary body axes, a similar effect was not observed in the lamprey embryos themselves. These results may indicate differences in the mechanisms of major axis induction between gnathostomes and agnathans, opening new perspectives for research into the fundamental basis of this process. The results are published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Learn more

The noggin1 has been described as one of the key embryonic inducers in vertebrates. Researchers from the Laboratory of Molecular Basis of Embryogenesis, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, have discovered a unique case of loss of the noggin1 in cartilaginous fish - ancient representatives of modern gnathostomes. The noggin2 and noggin4, conserved in sharks, were studied in the embryos of the grey catshark Chiloscyllium griseum and demonstrate similarities in expression and functional properties with orthologs in other gnathostomes. Since one of the key functions of Noggin1 is to modulate the activity of the BMP signaling pathway involved in the development of skeletal elements of the embryo, it was hypothesized that the loss of noggin1 in cartilaginous fishes is associated with the formation of their unique cartilaginous skeleton. The development of a cartilaginous skeleton and the loss of the noggin1 in cartilaginous fishes are considered to be secondary phenomena that occurred as a result of evolutionary specialization. The results are published in Scientific Reports. Learn more

This research, performed by the members of the Laboratory of Expression Systems and Plant Genome Modification (BIOTRON), Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, together with colleagues from the All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, reports the first time production of edited hexaploid triticale (× Triticosecale) through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplexed induction of multilocular mutations in genes associated with starch biosynthesis. The results are published in Plant Cell Reports. Learn more

In response to cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, a pool of specialized “adaptive” NK cells with immunological memory traits develops in humans. This process is based on the recognition of HCMV peptides presented in the context of the HLA-E molecule by the activating receptor NKG2C. Using retroviral transduction, members of the Laboratory of Cell Interactions of the Immunology Department, IBCH RAS, together with colleagues from the European Medical Center, obtained K562-21E feeder cells expressing HLA-E and identified a subpopulation, whose size is associated with the magnitude of NK cell proliferative response to the presentation of the HCMV peptide. The K562-21E cells can be applied both for the accumulation of HCMV-specific NK cells and for studying the adaptive cells maturation. The results are published in Pharmaceutics.

The foxg1 is known as one of the key regulators of the early development of the forebrain and related sensory organs. Employees of the Laboratory of Molecular Basis of Embryogenesis of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, were the first to identify multiple foxg1 paralogs in lampreys and sturgeons, as archaic representatives of two branches of vertebrates - jawless and gnathostomes. A phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate Foxg1 proteins was carried out, and the expression patterns of foxg1 paralogues in river lamprey and sterlet were studied. The timing of duplication of foxg1 paralogues in the evolution of agnathans and gnathostomes was estimated. As a result, no reliable pairwise orthology of the foxg1 genes was identified in agnathans and gnathostomes. At the same time, it was shown that the phylogeny of foxg1 paralogs in sturgeons corresponds to the model of ancestral duplication followed by asynchronous rediploidization and indicates a genomic duplication that occurred at the level of the common ancestor of sturgeons. The results are published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. Learn more