Search Results (10)

This paper focuses on insect remains found at the Kebezen site (51.93600° N, 87.09665° E) on the Turachak stream, Altai Republic, Russia, in layers ranging in age from 20.1 to 19.3 cal ky BP, corresponding to the onset of the last deglaciation. Coleoptera, represented by 105 species from 21 families, predominate in the sediments, with the families Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Chrysomelidae and Scolytidae being the most numerous. The insect assemblage of Kebezen contrasts sharply with the Late Pleistocene entomofauna of the West Siberian Plain, but it is similar with the assemblages of the geographically close Lebed site (Oldest and Older Dryas). Also, it corresponds well with the modern middle-altitude entomofauna of the mountains of north-eastern Altai. Based on such entomological data, boreal forests with a predominance of Picea and alpine meadows, as well as a cold and humid climate, were reconstructed for the Kebezen site. Changes in the ecological composition of beetles were traced during sedimentation: the most complete spectrum of the basal layer was replaced by a complex with a significant predominance of meadow and water-edge species, after which the proportions of shrub species, bryophilous species, and forest species consistently increased. Such changes correspond to the course of primary succession initiated by a catastrophic factor such as a megaflood. Full article

In December 2019, a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was found to in Wuhan, China. Cases of infection were subsequently detected in other countries in a short period of time, resulting in the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. Questions about the impact of herd immunity of pre-existing immune reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 on COVID-19 severity, associated with the immunity to seasonal manifestation, are still to be resolved and may be useful for understanding some processes that precede the emergence of a pandemic virus. Perhaps this will contribute to understanding some of the processes that precede the emergence of a pandemic virus. We assessed the specificity and virus-neutralizing capacity of antibodies reacting with the nucleocapsid and spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in a set of serum samples collected in October and November 2019, before the first COVID-19 cases were documented in this region. Blood serum samples from 799 residents of several regions of Siberia, Russia, (the Altai Territory, Irkutsk, Kemerovo and Novosibirsk regions, the Republic of Altai, Buryatia, and Khakassia) were analyzed. Sera of non-infected donors were collected within a study of seasonal influenza in the Russian Federation. The sample collection sites were located near the flyways and breeding grounds of wild waterfowl. The performance of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the collected sera included the usage of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 protein antigens: full-length nucleocapsid protein (CoVN), receptor binding domain (RBD) of S-protein and infection fragment of the S protein (S5-6). There were 183 (22.9%) sera reactive to the S5-6, 270 (33.8%) sera corresponding to the full-length N protein and 128 (16.2%) sera simultaneously reactive to both these proteins. Only 5 out of 799 sera had IgG antibodies reactive to the RBD. None of the sera exhibited neutralizing activity against the nCoV/Victoria/1/2020 SARS-CoV-2 strain in Vero E6 cell culture. The data obtained in this study suggest that some of the population of the analyzed regions of Russia had cross-reactive humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 before the COVID-19 pandemic started. Moreover, among individuals from relatively isolated regions, there were significantly fewer reliably cross-reactive sera. The possible significance of these data and impact of cross-immunity to SARS-CoV-2 on the prevalence and mortality of COVID-19 needs further assessment. Full article

Paeonia anomala L. is a valuable and sought-after medicinal plant for treating therapeutic pathologies. The natural habitat of P. anomala in the Republic of Kazakhstan is located in the mountainous areas of the East Kazakhstan region. P. anomala is listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan as a rare species with limited distribution. In this regard, we studied a strategy for preserving the biological diversity of P. anomala wild population. In particular, the ecological, phytocenotic, and floristic characteristics of five P. anomala populations in East Kazakhstan were explored. The anatomical, morphological, and genetic variability of the species in various habitats was evaluated. Overall, the condition of the P. anomala population in the study region can be considered satisfactory. The floristic composition of P. anomala plant communities recorded 130 species belonging to 35 families and 101 genera. The northern slopes of mountains and shrub-grass communities with leached chernozem with high contents of N-NO₃ and P₂O₅ appeared to be optimal for P. anomala growth. Asteraceae (13%), Rosaceae (13%), Poaceae (10%), and Ranunculaceae (9%) are the major families of P. anomala flora and plant communities. The Eurasian (54%), Asian (24%), and Holarctic (15%) groups were recognized as dominant in the chronological spectrum. Amplification with iPBS primers resulted in the generation of 505 fragments, 257 of which were polymorphic. Our research results indicate that the genetic differentiation of the Kazakhstan populations is not quite as high and may indicate their long-term existence within one large population. A separate branch is formed by the P5 population, which is located separately from other populations, confirming its genetic isolation. The analysis of genetic diversity iPBS markers suggests the existence of a large, unified P. anomala population in Kazakhstan Altai. Full article

Rhodiola rosea L. is a vulnerable species in the Altai Republic (AR) and Russia in general. For the first time on the territory of AR, studies of the adaptive capabilities of the species and genetic differentiation using ISSR markers were carried out in seven cenopopulations (CP) of R. rosea in 2018 and 2020. The research was founded on the notion of conducting a comparative analysis of the morphogenetic structure of Rhodiola rosea populations in various ecological and geographical conditions of AR. The aim of this work is to evaluate the variability of morphometric traits of sexually mature living female R. rosea plants and to conduct a comparative analysis of genetic variability in cenopopulations (CP) both under undisturbed conditions and under stressful conditions of anthropogenic impact (grazing). Of the 8 primers used, HB12 turned out to be the most informative. The percentage of polymorphic loci in the populations between 0 and 88%. Two populations, located in favorable conditions at relatively low absolute altitudes (2000 m above sea level) (masl) in the undisturbed habitats of the Katun and Altai reserves of AR, were characterized by higher polymorphism. The share of polymorphic loci reached 80%. According to the analysis of statistical data, the highest values of morphometric parameters of the aerial parts of R. rosea plants and the highest potential seed productivity were also recorded in these habitats. Representatives of two high-mountain CPs (2400–2500 masl) in the Sailyugemsky National Park (SNP) were characterized by the lowest genetic polymorphism. Their genetic structure is the most homogeneous, since we have not found polymorphic loci. Due to spatial isolation, these individuals are reliably genetically differentiated. In addition, individuals of one type were subjected to stressful anthropogenic impact (grazing). Therefore, the smallest sizes and lowest potential seed productivity were recorded. Our research shows that alpine populations of R. rosea in AR, under conditions of anthropogenic stress, need protection for their gene pool. Full article

Plants in high-altitude habitats are exposed to severe environmental stressors, including extreme temperatures and irradiation, which can have wide-ranging effects on changes of secondary-metabolite profiles in higher plants. Altitude-related variation of levels of polyphenols in organs of medicinal and food plant species has not yet been investigated sufficiently. This study was focused on variation in quantitative profiles of classes and of individual biologically active phenolic compounds in leaf extracts of resource species Spiraea chamaedryfolia and Spiraea media from the family Rosaceae in coenopopulations of the Altai Mountains, along an altitudinal gradient. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed 22 polyphenolic compounds in the extracts of S. media leaves, with the main polyphenolic compounds being flavonols. Sixteen compounds were found in S. chamaedryfolia leaf extracts, and the major ones were flavonols and a flavanone. Opposite responses to changes in the altitude-associated growth conditions were documented for levels of some individual polyphenolic compounds. With an increase in altitude, concentrations of chlorogenic acid and of flavanone in the extracts of S. chamaedryfolia leaves significantly increased, while concentrations of cinnamic acid, astragalin, and kaempferol diminished. A statistically significant positive correlation between the altitude of plant habitats and total levels of polyphenols and phenolcarboxylic acids was detected. In leaf extracts from S. media, an altitude increase was significantly positively correlated with astragalin, avicularin, and cinnamic acid levels and negatively correlated with hyperoside concentration. Full article

Combined inoculation of legumes with rhizobia and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria or endophytes is a known technique for increasing the efficiency of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis and plant productivity. The aim of this work was to expand knowledge about the synergistic effects between commercial rhizobia of pasture legumes and root nodule bacteria of relict legume species. Pot experiments were performed on common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) co-inoculated with the participation of the corresponding commercial rhizobial strains (R. leguminosarum bv. viciae RCAM0626 and R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii RCAM1365) and seven strains isolated from nodules of relict legumes inhabiting the Baikal Lake region and the Altai Republic: Oxytropis popoviana, Astragalus chorinensis, O. tragacanthoides and Vicia costata. The inoculation of plants with combinations of strains (commercial strain plus the isolate from relict legume) had a different effect on symbiosis depending on the plant species: the increase in the number of nodules was mainly observed on vetch, whereas increased acetylene reduction activity was evident on clover. It was shown that the relict isolates differ significantly in the set of genes related to different genetic systems that affect plant–microbe interactions. At the same time, they had additional genes that are involved in the formation of symbiosis and determine its effectiveness, but are absent in the used commercial strains: symbiotic genes fix, nif, nod, noe and nol, as well as genes associated with the hormonal status of the plant and the processes of symbiogenesis (acdRS, genes for gibberellins and auxins biosynthesis, genes of T3SS, T4SS and T6SS secretion systems). It can be expected that the accumulation of knowledge about microbial synergy on the example of the joint use of commercial and relict rhizobia will allow in the future the development of methods for the targeted selection of co-microsymbionts to increase the efficiency of agricultural legume–rhizobia systems. Full article

Fermented milk products (FMPs) have numerous health properties, making them an important part of our nutrient budget. Based on traditions, history and geography, there are different preferences and recipes for FMP preparation in distinct regions of the world and Russia in particular. A number of dairy products, both widely occurring and region-specific, were sampled in the households and local markets of the Caucasus republics, Buryatia, Altai, and the Far East and European regions of Russia. The examined FMPs were produced from cow, camel, mare’s or mixed milk, in the traditional way, without adding commercial starter cultures. Lactate and acetate were the major volatile fatty acids (VFA) of the studied FMPs, while succinate, formate, propionate and n-butyrate were present in lower concentrations. Bacterial communities analyzed by 16S rRNA gene V4 fragment amplicon sequencing showed that Firmicutes (Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Lentilactobacillus and Leuconostoc) was the predominant phylum in all analyzed FMPs, followed by Proteobacteria (Acetobacter, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and Citrobacter). Lactobacillus (mainly in beverages) or Lactococcus (mainly in creamy and solid products) were the most abundant community-forming genera in FMPs where raw milk was used and fermentation took place at (or below) room temperature. In turn, representatives of Streptococcus genus dominated the FMPs made from melted or pasteurized milk and fermented at elevated temperatures (such as ryazhenka, cottage cheese and matsoni-like products). It was revealed that the microbial diversity of koumiss, shubat, ryazhenka, matsoni-like products, chegen, sour cream and bryndza varied slightly within each type and correlated well with the same products from other regions and countries. On the other hand, the microbiomes of kefir, prostokvasha, ayran, cottage cheese and suluguni-like cheese were more variable and were shaped by the influence of particular factors linked with regional differences and traditions expressed in specificities in the production process. The microbial diversity of aarts, khurunga, khuruud, tan, ayran and suluguni-like cheese was studied here, to our knowledge, for the first time. The results of this study emphasize the overall similarity of the microbial communities of various FMPs on the one hand, and specificities of regional products on the other. The latter are of particular value in the age of globalization when people have begun searching for new and unusual products and properties. Speaking more specifically, these novel products, with their characteristic communities, might be used for the development of novel microbial associations (i.e., starters) to produce novel products with improved or unique properties. Full article

Forest fires from lightnings create a tense situation in various regions of states with forested areas. It is noted that in mountainous areas this is especially important in view of the geophysical processes of lightning activity. The aim of the study is to develop a deterministic-probabilistic approach to predicting forest fire danger due to lightning activity in mountainous regions. To develop a mathematical model, the main provisions of the theory of probability and mathematical statistics, as well as the general theory of heat transfer, were used. The scientific novelty of the research is due to the complex use of probabilistic criteria and deterministic mathematical models of tree ignition by a cloud-to-ground lightning discharge. The paper presents probabilistic criteria for predicting forest fire danger, taking into account the lightning activity, meteorological data, and forest growth conditions, as well as deterministic mathematical models of ignition of deciduous and coniferous trees by electric current of a cloud-to-ground lightning discharge. The work uses synthetic data on the discharge parameters and characteristics of the forest-covered area, which correspond to the forest fire situation in the Republic of Altay and the Republic of Buryatia (Russian Federation). The dependences of the probability for occurrence of forest fires on various parameters have been obtained. Full article

The mutations in the GJB2 gene (13q12.11, MIM 121011) encoding transmembrane protein connexin 26 (Cx26) account for a significant portion of hereditary hearing loss worldwide. Earlier we found a high prevalence of recessive GJB2 mutations c.516G>C, c.-23+1G>A, c.235delC in indigenous Turkic-speaking Siberian peoples (Tuvinians and Altaians) from the Tyva Republic and Altai Republic (Southern Siberia, Russia) and proposed the founder effect as a cause for their high rates in these populations. To reconstruct the haplotypes associated with each of these mutations, the genotyping of polymorphic genetic markers both within and flanking the GJB2 gene was performed in 28 unrelated individuals homozygous for c.516G>C (n = 18), c.-23+1G>A (n = 6), or c.235delC (n = 4) as well as in the ethnically matched controls (62 Tuvinians and 55 Altaians) without these mutations. The common haplotypes specific for mutations c.516G>C, c.-23+1G>A, or c.235delC were revealed implying a single origin of each of these mutations. The age of mutations estimated by the DMLE+ v2.3 software and the single marker method is discussed in relation to ethnic history of Tuvinians and Altaians. The data obtained in this study support a crucial role of the founder effect in the high prevalence of GJB2 mutations c.516G>C, c.-23+1G>A, c.235delC in indigenous populations of Southern Siberia. Full article

With the recent discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses (family Hantaviridae) in shrews (order Eulipotyphla, family Soricidae), the once-conventional view that rodents (order Rodentia) served as the primordial reservoir hosts now appears improbable. The newly identified soricid-borne hantaviruses generally demonstrate well-resolved lineages organized according to host taxa and geographic origin. However, beginning in 2007, we detected sequences that did not conform to the prototypic hantaviruses associated with their soricid host species and/or geographic locations. That is, Eurasian common shrews (Sorex araneus), captured in Hungary and Russia, were found to harbor hantaviruses belonging to two separate and highly divergent lineages. We have since accumulated additional examples of these highly distinctive hantavirus sequences in the Laxmann’s shrew (Sorex caecutiens), flat-skulled shrew (Sorex roboratus) and Eurasian least shrew (Sorex minutissimus), captured at the same time and in the same location in the Sakha Republic in Far Eastern Russia. Pair-wise alignment and phylogenetic analysis of partial and full-length S-, M- and/or L-segment sequences indicate that a distinct hantavirus species related to Altai virus (ALTV), first reported in a Eurasian common shrew from Western Siberia, was being maintained in these closely related syntopic soricine shrew species. These findings suggest that genetic variants of ALTV might have resulted from ancient host-switching events with subsequent diversification within the Soricini tribe in Eurasia. Full article