[The molecular typing of clinical isolates Klebsiella pneumoniae producing beta-lactamases of extended specter of action.]

The carbapenem resistant isolates of K. pneumoniae (4 strains) isolated from wound discharge of patients of burn department were analyzed with the purpose of molecular typing. The whole genome sequencing was implemented using highly productive sequenator MiSeq (Illumina, USA). Belonging of three isolates K. pneumoniae to sequence-type 395-serotype K2 is established. It is demonstrated that one isolate has a unique combination of sequence-type 23-serotype K57. The genetic determinants of main factors of pathogenicity and anti-microbial resistance are established and their localization is determined. All strains were characterized by availability of genes determining manifestation of invasive characteristics (fimbriae type I and III, proteinssiderofors), conditioning fast propagation in huma tissues. The genes responsible for synthesis of invasini and toxic substances such as α-hemolysin, enterohemolysin, shiga-like enterotoxins, cytotoxic necrotic factor, and hypermucoid phenotype regulator were not detected. In the structure of chromosome genes coding synthesis of ß-lactamases of group SHV-1 and genes of resistance to quinolones and phosphomycin were detected. In the structure of mobilom a set of genes of resistance was detected including determinants of ß-lactamases of larger specter of action CTX-M-15 and serin carbapenemases OXA-48 (ST395 isolates), in strain ST23 - only CTX-M-55. Previously, producers of CTX-M-55 of cefalosporinases among Russian isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae were not detected. In all strains genes of ß-lactamases OXA-1 and TEM-1, genes of resistance to aminoglycoside, fluoroquinolone, phoenicols, sulfonamides and trimethoprim are present. Additionally, in one isolate were detected genes determining resistance to macrolid. The obtained results provide supplementary information about molecular genetic characteristic of carbapenem resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae circulating in the Russian Federation.

[Strategy of probe selection for studying mRNAs that participate in receptor-mediated apoptosis signaling].

Death receptors (DRs) and the participants of DR-mediated signaling are characterized by a large number of mRNA isoforms generated by alternative splicing. Due to their high labor intensity and high cost, conventional methods (RT-PCR and RT-PCR in real time) are ineffective when the simultaneous detection of a plurality of mRNA isoforms is needed. In this regard, the use of DNA biochips is has prospective applications in analyzing the expression of many genes simultaneously. In this paper, we suggest an optimal strategy of probes selection aimed at detecting the maximum number of mRNA splice variants generated by major participants of DR-signaling. The objects of the study were 185 genes that form 1134 mRNA isoforms. As a result, a biochip design was developed that enables the detection of 499 mRNA isoforms (44% of total mRNA splice variants). The proposed strategy combines a high degree of modularity, the use of modern high-performance computers, and broad opportunities for setting up the selection criteria in accordance with the objectives of the study.

[Scale invariance of biosystems: from embryo to community].

Abstract-Phenomena having the property of a scale invariance (that is, maintaining invariable structure in certain range of scales) are typical for biosystems of different levels. In this review, main manifestations of the scale-invariant phenomena at different levels of biological organization (including ontogenetic aspects) are stated, and the reasons of such wide distribution of fractal structures in biology are discussed. Almost all biological systems can be described in terms of synergetics as open nonequilibrium systems that exist due to substance and energy flow passing through them. The phenomenon of self-organization is typical for such dissipative systems; maintenance of energy flow requires the existence of complex structures that emerge spontaneously in the presence of the appropriate gradient. Critical systems, which form as a results of their activity scale-invariant structures (that are a kind of distribution channels), are optimal relative to the efficiency of substance and energy distribution. Thus, scale invariance of biological phenomena is a natural consequence of their dissipative nature.

[Multifractal analysis of the species structure of freshwater hydrobiocenoses].

The principles and methods of fractal analysis of the species structure of freshwater phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macrozoobenthos communities of plain water reservoirs and urban waterbodies are discussed. The theoretical foundation and experimental verification are provided for the authors' concept of self-similar (quasi-fractal) nature of the species structure of communities. According to this concept, the adequate mathematical image of species richness accumulation with growing sampling effort is quasi-monofractals, while the generalized geometric image of the species structure of the community is a multifractal spectrum.

[Fractal aspects of the taxic diversity].

Two approaches are suggested for describing taxic diversity as a fractal, or self-similar, object. One of them called "sampling approach" is based on necessity of taking into account the sampling process and on proceeding from the real ecological practice of exploration of the community structure. Verification of this approach is fulfilled using a multifractal analysis of the generic diversity of vascular plants of the National Park "Samarskaya Luka". The previously revealed regularities of multifractal spectrum of the species structure of communities are shown to be true to an extent for the generic structure, as well. The second approach called "topological" one is based on an abstract representation of the results of evolutionary process in form of phylogenetic tree characterized by a non-trivial topological structure. Approbations of this approach is fulfilled by analysis of topological structure of the taxonomic tree of the class Mammalia, our calculations indicating fractal properties of its graph. These results make it reasonable to suppose that the taxic diversity, as a replica of the real diversity of the fractally organized organic world, also possesses self-similar (fractal) structure.