Vol 61, No 6 (2025)

The increasing proportion of the older age group population is an Irreversible global trend. There is an increasing number of studies that support the hypotheses that age-associated diseases and geriatric conditions share a common set of basic biological mechanisms. Numerous endogenous molecules counteract cellular senescence mechanisms. Several anti-aging molecules have been identified to date and their role has been evaluated in the pathophysiology of various diseases. NAD-dependent protein deacetylases and ADP-ribosyl transferases from the sirtuin family are considered as potential factors affecting cellular senescence processes. Sirtuins are involved in antioxidant and oxidative stress responses, regulation of mitochondrial function, DNA damage repair, and metabolism. Sirtuins and associated signaling pathways of the cellular senescence regulatory network have a significant impact on the development of age-associated diseases. Review presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of the results of fundamental and clinical studies in order to actualize the role of sirtuins in cellular senescence and the development of age-associated diseases. Data on the mechanisms of cellular senescence, the function of sirtuins (SIRT1-7), their interaction with key regulators of cellular senescence signaling pathways, and the association of polymorphic variants of sirtuin genes with multifactorial diseases and longevity are presented.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a fundamental process in the evolution of prokaryotic and, potentially, eukaryotic organisms. It facilitates the exchange of genetic material across diverse species and groups, bypassing traditional inheritance pathways. Research conducted at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries has demonstrated that HGT not only drives the diversification and adaptation of prokaryotes but also plays a significant role in the evolution of complex eukaryotic life forms. This mini-review explores the various mechanisms of HGT, including transformation, transduction, and conjugation in prokaryotes, as well as specific instances of HGT in eukaryotes. It also discusses modern methods for detecting HGT, such as molecular approaches based on genome sequencing and the analysis of evolutionary history. The review highlights the structure of HGT networks and the role of microbial hubs in facilitating gene transfer. Additionally, it addresses potential applications of HGT in biotechnology and raises important questions regarding its potential risks to human health. This work emphasizes the need for further research into HGT mechanisms and their impact on genome evolution, including the opportunities and constraints they impose on the adaptation of organisms to environmental changes.

The best-known kitchen modules of the Apidae are the honey bees Apis mellifera and the wax bee Apis cerana. Compared to the honey bee, A. cerana is somewhat smaller in size, although it lives with it. The wax bee is native to temperate and tropical Asia, ranging from Afghanistan to Korea and Japan, north to the Himalayan foothills, as well as eastern Russia and south through Indonesia. The learning of bees to a changing environment is a fundamental question in evolutionary biology and is critical to protecting species in the face of climate change. In this method, five exons (from 3 to 7) of the vitellogenin gene vtg were sequenced to study the taxonomic relationships of individual populations and subspecies of A. cerana. Our detailed studies of the defensin 1 and 2 genes (def1 and def2) revealed the peculiarity of the structure of A. cerana in Vietnam, probably due to the geographical location of this direction. Currently, we confirm this assumption based on the analysis of the polymorphism of the vtg gene , which encodes a protein that implements the genetic control of immunity, oogenesis and lifespan. conservation within the protein may have selective significance for local populations. The vtg gene also contributes to the adaptation of bees to a cold climate. It is believed that the survival of long-lived representatives of various bee species, among other things, is associated with the development of the ability to accumulate vitellogenin, which can determine the differences in the stages of proteins in bees living in different conditions.

Old (Staraya) Ryazan has a special place in the history of Rus' cities. Following its destruction by Batu's troops in December 1237, the city declined and was ultimately abandoned in the 14th century. The new city was built in a different place. Studies of the population of Old Ryazan based on anthropological museum collections, allow us to assess the genetic structure of the urban population mainly of the pre-Mongol period. The article discusses the results of the analysis of one sample from the materials obtained during the excavations of A.V. Selivanov. The results of anthropological and whole-genome analysis showed that the sample under study belonged to a woman. Reconstruction and analysis of the complete sequence of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) indicated its belonging to the Western European haplogroup HV4a1a. This study is the first finding of this mitochondrial haplogroup among the medieval population of Rus'. The discovered mtDNA maternal lineage is currently rare and predominantly distributed among the European population of the Franco-Cantabrian region (the territory of northern Spain and south France). The closest matches in the complete mtDNA sequence (a difference of one nucleotide position) with the studied sample were found in modern representatives of the Basques and one individual from Denmark. The results obtained may indicate the Western European maternal ancestry of the studied woman from medieval Old Ryazan and the existence of possible common relatives with the modern population of Western Europe. Our study is an example of the use of modern genomic methods to reconstruct the individual history of people whose anthropological materials are presented in museum collections. In addition, the obtained results contribute to understanding the peculiarities of the formation of the genetic structure of the urban population of Rus'.

Female fertility is dependent on the successful maturation of oocytes, a complex and meticulously regulated cellular process that prepares oocytes for fertilization and subsequent embryonic development. However, with advancing age and the onset of reproductive senescence, the probability of errors in this process increases significantly. These age-related alterations are associated with the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic abnormalities, mitochondrial dysfunction, and modifications in cytoskeletal function, all of which elevate the risk of oocyte maturation defects, embryonic developmental anomalies, and infertility. In this study, we conducted a genetic analysis of a patient experiencing female infertility due to oocyte maturation arrest and identified a heterozygous variant, c.527C>T (p.Ser176Leu), in the TUBB8 gene. This variant disrupts microtubule formation, leading to defects in meiotic spindle formation and subsequent oocyte arrest. Variants in the TUBB8 gene, which encodes a crucial component of microtubules, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of oocyte maturation arrest, abnormal fertilization, and other related disorders. Such changes may be particularly pronounced in women exhibiting characteristics of reproductive senescence.