Methylglyoxal as a scavenger for superoxide anion-radical.

Methylglyoxal at a concentration of 5 mM caused a significant inhibition of superoxide anion radical (O2 (·-)) comparable to the effect of Tirone. In the process of O2 (·-) generation in the system of egg phosphatidylcholine liposome peroxidation induced by the azo-initiator AIBN, a marked inhibition of chemiluminescence in the presence of 100 mM methylglyoxal was found. At the same time, methylglyoxal did not inhibit free radical peroxidation of low-density lipoprotein particles, which indicates the absence of interaction with methylglyoxal alkoxyl and peroxyl polyenoic lipid radicals. These findings deepen information about the role of methylglyoxal in the regulation of free radical processes.

[Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria in soda lake stratified sediments].

Various previously developed techniques for DNA extraction from the samples with complex physicochemical structure (soils, silts, and sediments) and modifications of these techniques developed in the present work were tested. Their usability for DNA extraction from the sediments of the Kulunda Steppe hypersaline soda lakes was assessed, and the most efficient procedure for indirect (two-stage) DNA extraction was proposed. Almost complete separation of the cell fraction was shown, as well as the inefficiency of nested PCR for analysis of the clone libraries obtained from washed sediments by amplification of the 16S rRNA gene fragments. Analysis of the clone library obtained from the cell fractions of stratified sediments (upper, medium, and lower layers) revealed that in the sediments of Lake Gorchina-3 most eubacterial phylotypes belonged to the class Clostridia, phylum Firmicutes. They were probably specific for this habitatand formed a new, presently unknown high-rank taxon. The data obtained revealed no pronounced stratification of the spe- cies diversity of the eubacterial component of the microbial community inhabiting the sediments (0-20 cm) in the inshore zone of Lake Gorchina-3.