Vol 5, No 4 (2015)

An ability of pathogenic bacteria to survive in different ecological niches, to successfully adapt to changing environments, to colonize different organs and tissues, and to cause numerous diseases in human and animals including severe invasive diseases is provided, in particular, by the presence of specific proteins involved in regulation of gene transcription. This review summarizes the current data on the Rgg-family (TIGR01716 family, The Institute for Genomic Research, http://www.jcvi.org) of regulatory proteins encoded by some of the low G+C gram positive bacteria such as Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus thermophilus, Streptococcus suis and Streptococcus pyogenes. Proteins of this family has helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif at N-terminus which is able to bind promoter regions of the genes and regulate their transcription. The mechanisms of Rgg-dependent transcriptional regulation and the role of certain amino acids for functioning of Rgg-like proteins are discussed. The Rgg-like regulators have evolved to regulate diverse set of genes associated with virulence, metabolism, stress response, competence, biofilm formation, etc. The Rgg-like regulators are also involved in quorum sensing. Rgg-like proteins regulate not only the genes located adjacently to rgg, but also distantly located genes. Rgg-like proteins of different bacterial species have certain sequence similarity, and it is suggested that their genes are horizontally acquired. Rgg-dependent transcriptional regulation varies in a strainand species-specific manner that supports the hypothesis of the complexity of transcriptional regulation in gram-positive bacteria. The current review also discusses the role or Rgg-like regulators in control of virulent properties of gram-positive bacteria and their interaction with human host. Given the importance of Rgg-like regulators for virulence, these proteins (their genes or transcripts) can be considered as targets for development of the novel selective agents against different bacterial infections. 

The purpose of the study was to find molecular recognition characteristics of pandemic strains of influenza A viruses and to find out whether avian strains are the probable cause of a new influenza pandemic. Computer analysis of the internal proteins (nucleoprotein, matrix protein M1 and M2 proteins polymerase complex PB1, PB2 and PA, non-structural protein NS2; because of the variability of the length the non-structural NS1 protein was excluded from the analysis) of influenza A virus pandemics in 1918 (H1N1), 1957 (H2N2), 1968 (H3N2), 1977 (H1N1) and 2009 (H1N1) strains was used for search of the invariant pattern primary structure. It was revealed that internal proteins of pandemic strains are characterized by the constancy of the number and positions of certain amino acids and the presence of extended invariant fragments. On the basis of these identified patterns of invariances in internal proteins it was possible to accurately identify pandemic strains in the control sample. Pandemic strains, divided by decades in their emergence and different composition of subtypes of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase (H1, H2, H3 and N1, N2), have strong relationship for their internal proteins, forming a special subset. This suggests that emergence of influenza A virus pandemic strains is related to convergence of their internal proteins to the detected pandemic invariants. To identify pandemic invariant patterns is enough to have the training set including strains of four pandemics (1918, 1957, 1968, 1977). Therefore the 2009–2010 pandemic influenza strain could be predicted at the earliest stage according to its genome and proteome sequencing. According to a comparative analysis, the internal proteins of avian strains H5N1 and H7N9, particularly their nucleoproteins, are not close to those of pandemic strains. This suggests that the threat of a new influenza pandemic, provoked by current circulating avian strains, is unlikely. Invariant patterns of pandemic strains can potentially be used to track pre-pandemic strains among circulating influenza A viruses and detect the formation of a possible trajectory of pandemic alert. 

The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the information content of Hematoflow method in the pathogenetic significance in determining the violations of the cellular responses of innate and adaptive immunity, as well as the decision on the appointment of immunotropic treatment of patients with onychomycosis. The study involved 42 patients with onychomycosis feet and hands/feet at the age of 20–45 years before the appointment of a systemic antifungal therapy. The diagnosis of mycosis, onychomycosis was confirmed by microscopic examination of the fragments of the damaged nail plate. The growth of the fungus culture on special media was observed in 64% of patients. 24 healthy persons were examined as controls. A study of the phenotype of white blood cells was performed on a dual-platform technology hematology analyzer and flow cytometry using a set of antibodies Cytodiff: CD36-FITC, CD2-PE, CD294(CRTH2)-PE, CD19-ECD, CD16-PC5 и CD45-PC7. The phenotypic composition evaluation of the white blood cells by the Hematoflow method allowed to establish in patients with onychomycosis the violation cellular innate and adaptive immunity. Minor changes were detected in the population composition of granule cells in the peripheral blood of patients manifested to an increase in the content of the young and segmented granulocytes. When monotsitopeniya patients with onychomycosis increases the content of the «classic» monocytes and decreases the level of «non-classical» monocytes. Changes in the composition of blood monocytes subpopulation identified in patients with the infection lasting up to 3 years and stored in the course of the disease. The most pronounced changes were found in patients with onychomycosis by the performance of adaptive immunity. Lymphopenia in these patients is realized by reducing the number of immature and mature B-cell, but by increasing the content of T-lymphocytes. Moreover, if the content of immature B-cells have decreased in patients with a duration of infection of up to 3 years, the change in the number of mature Tand B-lymphocytes detected during disease duration 3–10 and 10 years. These changes in the content of Tand B-lymphocytes reflect immunopathogenetic processes and determine the importance of Tand B-cell immunity in onychomycosis. In general, the Hematoflow method is informative in assessing violations the cell of innate and adaptive immunity. It allows to evaluate the severity of the immunopathological process mechanism and the level of damage to the immune system, can recommend its use for a personalized approach to the appointment immunotropic treatment. 

According to WHO data about 3% of population are infected by hepatitic C virus (HCV) worldwide. Chronic hepatitis C is the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, thus it becoming one of the global public health problems. Clinical manifestations are varied and depend mainly of the virus biological properties and its interaction with the host immune system. Determination of virus genotype and subtype is important for a better understanding of the epidemiological and virological features of the disease. The prevalence genotypes hepatitis C virus is varies in different geographical regions of the world. The data about HCV genotypes distribution in some Russian Federation regions are very limited, especially about HCV genotypes prevalence in Siberia, Far East and some rural regions. One of such regions is Yakutia. In our study we identified genetic variants of HCV in chronic hepatitis C patients with moderate and high viral load from Yakutia by direct sequencing of HCV RNA NS5B region. Based on phylogenetic analysis we found the prevalent genotype 1 (88.3%), than genotype 2 (6.7%) and 3 (3.2%) among HCV patients with moderate and high viral load. Our results on the prevalence of subtype 1b are consistent with the data on the connection between this subtype with high levels of viremia, greater duration and severity of liver disease, as well as the development of chronic hepatits C in patients infected by HCV subtype 1b, compared with those infected with other subtypes of hepatitis virus C. The similarity of some Yakutian isolates with isolates from the United States, Brazil and Ireland was found. We discuss HCV subtype 2a isolates identified origin from isolates found in China. First in the territory of the Russian Federation HCV subtype 3g was identified, presumably imported from South Asia. Interconnected use of molecular, virological, demographic and epidemiological methods and information to monitor the infections will contribute to the understanding of the current HCV epidemiology in Russia. 

The article acknowledges the formation of bacterial biofilms in strains of bacteria species Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella pneumoniae when grown in liquid media under the influence of negative factors (chemical factor) — containing agents. Biofilms, as a community of microorganisms cause many chronic infections (meningitis, inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, urogenital infections) and create problems in the industry (fouling of processing equipment, ship hulls, oil platforms, biocorrosion metal products). Ordinary disinfectants, such as chlorine and sodium chlorite, can not remove the biofilm, so finding an effective means of dealing with them is enough actual problem. Various antibacterial agents are ineffective in combating biofilms, since bacteria produce large amounts of polysaccharides — substances that help the colony stay without disintegration. Polysaccharide serves as a barrier layer for substances in water, including for biocides. This is the main reason for the survival of microorganisms even in the heavily chlorinated water. In the study the latest data took into account on the subject, especially concerning adverse effects of oxygen on the growth of bacterial cells and directs action as a factor in the formation of biofilms. In our study we analyzed the latest generation disinfectant as an influencing factor. Working concentrations were shown in three embodiments. The number of strains studied was 6 (3 strains of each species). All strains were obtained from the Department of Museum MVE and VSE Ulyanovsk State Agricultural Academy n.a. P.A. Stolypin. In our research the biofilm community formation phenomenon has been confirmed, marked differences in biofilm formation, depending on the intensity (in this case, concentration) of the promoter and bacteria species. In vivo biofilm is easily destroyed by mechanical action (shaking test tubes with the medium). Biofilm recovery after this manipulation was not observed. The results of further studies on solid medium (meatpeptone agar) and the color smear simple dye (Gram) into the death of the bacterial cells have not been confirmed. In all cases, bacterial growth was observed, characteristic of these types of bacteria. The studies were conducted in 2015 on the basis of the Research Innovation Center of Microbiology and Biotechnology (Ulyanovsk) and with the financial support of the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises in the scientific and technical sphere.