[Analysis of genetic variability of strains of tick-borne encephalitis virus by primary structure of a fragment of the membrane protein E gene]. / Analiz geneticheskoi éntsefalita po pervichnoi strukture fragmenta gena belka obolochki E.

Primary structures of gene fragments of E protein (160 n.b.) have been determined for 29 tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) strains isolated from different parts of a territory. Analysis of homology of nucleotide sequences of these strains and data on 6 TBE strains published by other authors showed that they can be divided into 6 groups (genotypes) by the following gene typing criteria: strain structure within the genotypes differing by no more than 9%, differences between strains of different genotypes are at least 12%. Based on these criteria, the prototype strains of the Far Eastern antigenic variant (Sofyin), Central European antigenic variant (Neudoerfle), and Vergina strain form different genotypes 1, 2, and 6, respectively. East Siberian strain Aina and Ural Siberian strain Lesopark-II belong to the same TBE virus genotype 3; two-thirds of analyzed strains belong to this genotype. Genotype 4 is represented by one strain 178-79, and genotype 5 by strain 886-84, both isolated in East Siberia.

Canine distemper virus in Lake Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica).

The virus epizootic which resulted in significant mortality in Siberian seals (Phoca sibirica) in Lake Baikal during 1987/88 was caused by canine distemper virus. Sequence analysis of the virus glycoprotein genes revealed that it was most closely related to recent European field isolates of canine distemper virus. This paper presents evidence that the same virus continued to circulate in seals in Lake Baikal after the initial epizootic. Three out of 45 brain tissue samples collected from seals culled in the spring of 1992 were positive for canine distemper virus-specific nucleic acid by the reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction and the sequences were closely related to that of the original virus isolated in 1988.

Characterisation of morbilliviruses isolated from Lake Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica).

Sequence analysis of the haemagglutinin protein (H) gene of the morbillivirus (PDV-2) isolated from a Siberian seal (Phoca sibirica) during the 1987/1988 epizootic in Lake Baikal revealed that it was most closely related to two recent isolates of canine distemper virus (CDV) from Germany and different from CDV vaccines currently in use in that region. The virus continued to circulate in seals in Lake Baikal after the 1987/1988 epizootic since sera collected from culled seals in the spring of 1992 were positive in morbillivirus ELISA tests, reacting most strongly with the CDV antigen.

Molecular and serological studies on the recent seal virus epizootics in Europe and Siberia.

The virus epizootics which occurred in seals in both Europe and Siberia during 1987/1988 were caused by two different morbilliviruses, referred to as phocid distemper virus (PDV) 1 and 2, respectively. Molecular and serological studies have shown that the European virus is quite distinct from canine distemper virus (CDV), its closest relative in the morbillivirus group. Analysis of tissues obtained from infected seals from a wide geographical distribution over Northern Europe showed that the infectious agent (PDV 1) was identical in all cases. Nucleotide sequence analysis of one of the virus genes suggested that this virus has evolved away from CDV over a long time period and is most probably an enzootic virus of marine mammals. In contrast, the virus (PDV 2) which caused the deaths of many Siberian seals was indistinguishable, both serologically and at the molecular level, from CDV and must have originated from a land source.

[In vitro processing of the artificial analog of beta-lipotropin]. / Issledovanie protsessinga in vitro iskusstvennogo analoga beta-lipotropina.

The processing of the recombinant analogue of beta-lipotropin (beta-LHP) having 11 additional N-terminal amino acid residues and separated from the hormone by the processing signal, was investigated using rat adrenal secretory granule lysate as a test system of processing "in vitro". It was found that incubation of the beta-LPH analogue with secretory granule enzymes leads to its limited specific degradation with a release of native beta-endorphin. It is concluded that the additional N-terminal amino acids induced no qualitative changes in beta-LPH processing.

[Primary structure of the gene encoding the PB2 protein in influenza virus A/FPB Weybridge]. / Pervichnaia struktura gena belka PB2 virusa grippa A/FPV Veibridzh.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the cloned full-length DNA copy of the avian influenza virus A/FPV Weybridge PB2 gene has been determined.

[Primary structure of the full-length DNA copy of the neuraminidase gene in the avian influenza virus of the N7 antigenic subtype]. / Pervichnaia struktura polnorazmernoi DNK-kopii gena neiraminidazy antigennogo podtipa N7 virusa grippa ptits.

Complete nucleotide sequence of the cloned full-length DNA copy of the influenza virus A/FPV Weybridge (H7N7) neuraminidase gene has been determined.

[Comparative analysis of primary structure of M-genes in remantadine-resistant and remantadine-sensitive strains of influenza virus A/FPV/Weybridge (H7N7) strains]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz pervichnykh struktur M-genov remantadinustoichivogo i remantadinchuvstvitel'nogo shtammov virusa grippa A/FPV/Weybridge (H7N7).

Full-length DNA copies of M-gene of remantadine-sensitive and remantadine-resistant variants of the influenza virus strain A/FPV/Weybridge (H7N7) have been synthesised and cloned. Complete nucleotide sequences of both cDNAs were determined by the Maxam-Gilbert method. There are three nucleotide substitutions, two of which lead to amino acid changes in M1 and M2 proteins. The existence of M3 protein, a polypeptide 68 amino acids long, encoded by the negative strand of RNA, is suggested. Amino acid changes in M2 and M3 proteins and their relation to the remantadine resistance are discussed.

[Expression in Escherichia coli cells of the nucleotide sequence of DNA coding for the bovine lipotropic hormone]. / Ekspressiia v kletkakh Escherichia coli nukleotidnoi posledovatel'nosti DNK, kodiruiushchei lipotropnyi gormon byka.

A cDNA fragment of bovine proopiomelanocortin coding for beta-lipotropic hormone was joined with a promoter and ribosome binding site of B. amyloliquefaciens and cloned in E. coli in pBR 327 plasmid. The level of beta-lipotropin synthesis in bacterial cells transformed by the obtained plasmid was estimated immunochemically. The level of beta-lipotropin production was shown to be 5 mg per liter of bacterial culture.

[Primary structure of the full-size DNA copy of the influenza virus A/Kiev/59/79 (H1N1) PB1 gene protein]. / Pervichnaia struktura polnorazmernoi DNK-kopii gena belka PB1 virusa grippa A/Kiev/59/79 (H1N1).

Nucleotide sequence of the A/Kiev/59/79 influenza virus PB1 gene is reported, thus completing the full-genome primary structure of the recombinant between the virus and laboratory strain A/PR/8/34. The parental strain A/Kiev/59/79 (H1N1) is, in turn, shown to be a natural reassortant inheriting its genes of polymerase complex (PB1, PB2, NP and, in all probability, PA) from contemporary H3N2 influenza virus strains.

[Primary structure of the full-length DNA copy of the influenza virus A/Kiev/59/79 (H1N1) PB2 gene]. / Pervichnaia struktura polnorazmernoi DNK-kopii gena belka PB2 virusa grippa A/Kiev/59/79 (H1N1).

The complete nucleotide sequence of a cloned full-length DNA copy of the A/Kiev/59/79 (H1N1) influenza virus PB2 gene has been determined. This strain is shown to be the natural reassortant which inherited its NP and PB2 genes from the contemporary H3N2 influenza strains.

[Cloning of DNA complementary to mRNA for proopiomelanocortin from the bovine, rat and human hypophysis. Hormonal regulation of proopiomelanocortin mRNA in the rat hypophysis]. / Klonirovanie DNK, komplementarnoi mRNK proopiomelanokortina gipofiza byka, krysy i cheloveka. Gormonal'naia reguliatsiia soderzhaniia mRNK proopiomelanokortina v gipofize krysy.

Cloning of DNA and complementary mRNA of bovine, rat and human proopiomelanocortin (POMC) was carried out. A structural analysis of the cloned cDNA of POMC was performed. Using restriction fragments of bovine, rat and human POMC cloned cDNA, probes for molecular hybridization based on one-chain bacteriophage M13 were made. Using the dot-hybridization technique with labeled [32P] POMC cDNA, the effect of 17 beta-estradiol and adrenalectomy on the POMC mRNA level in rat hypophysis was studied. The hormone was shown to significantly decrease the POMC mRNA content at a concentration of 4 and 8 micrograms per 100 g of body weight 4 hours after injection. Adrenalectomy caused a 2-3-fold increase in the POMC mRNA level in rat hypophysis after a period of 5-7 days. The possibility of polyhormonal control of POMC genome transcription is discussed.