The Rurikids: The First Experience of Reconstructing the Genetic Portrait of the Ruling Family of Medieval Rus' Based on Paleogenomic Data

The Rurikids were the reigning house of Rus', its principalities and, ultimately the Tsardom of Russia, for seven centuries: from the IX to the end of the XVI century. According to the Primary Chronicle (the Tale of Bygone Years), the main chronicle of Rus', the Rurik dynasty was founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, invited to reign in Novgorod in 862, but still there is no direct genetic evidence of the origin of the early Rurikids. This research, for the first time, provides a genome-wide paleogenetic analysis of bone remains belonging to one of the Rurikids, Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich (?-1294), the son of the Grand Prince of Vladimir Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1221-1263). It has been established that his Y chromosome belongs to the N1a haplogroup. Most of the modern Rurikids, according to their genealogies, belonging to the N1a haplogroup, have the most similar variants of Y chromosomes to each other, as well as to the Y chromosome of Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich. Genome-wide data of the medieval and modern Rurikids unequivocally indicates that they belong to the N1a haplogroup of the Y chromosome, starting at least from the XI century (since the time of Prince Yaroslav the Wise). All the other alleged Rurikids, both ancient and modern, being carriers of other haplogroups (R1a, I2a), possess high heterogeneity of the sequence of Y chromosomes, meaning that we cannot confirm their common ancestry. The most probable ancestors of Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich in the male line were the men who left the burial ground Bolshoy Oleny Island on the coast of the Kola Peninsula about 3,600 years ago. The reconstruction of the genome of Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich indicates the contribution of three ancestral components to his origin: (1) the early medieval population of the east of Scandinavia from the island of Oland, (2) representatives of the steppe nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes of the Iron Age or the early medieval population of central Europe (steppe nomads from the territory of Hungary), and (3) the ancient East-Eurasian component. Reliable statistics were also obtained when the Scandinavians were replaced with the Medieval Russian Slavic populations of the XI century. Thus, for the first time, we have shown the complex nature of interethnic interactions in the formation of the nobility of medieval Rus' on the example of the ancient Rurikid.

Distortion of Population Statistics due to the Use of Different Methodological Approaches to the Construction of Genomic DNA Libraries

Several different methods of DNA library preparation for paleogenetic studies are now available. However, the chemical reactions underlying each of them can affect the primary sequence of ancient DNA (aDNA) in the libraries and taint the results of a statistical analysis. In this paper, we compare the results of a sequencing of the aDNA libraries of a Bronze Age sample from burials of the Caucasian burial ground Klady, prepared using three different approaches: (1) shotgun sequencing, (2) strategies for selecting target genomic regions, and (3) strategies for selecting target genomic regions, including DNA pre-treatment with a mixture of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) and endonuclease VIII. The impact of the studied approaches to genomic library preparation on the results of a secondary analysis of the statistical data, namely F4 statistics, ADMIXTURE, and principal component analysis (PCA), was analyzed. It was shown that preparation of genomic libraries without the use of UDG can result in distorted statistical data due to postmortem chemical modifications of the aDNA. This distortion can be alleviated by analyzing only the single nucleotide polymorphisms caused by transversions in the genome.

DNA Methylation: Genomewide Distribution, Regulatory Mechanism and Therapy Target

DNA methylation is the most important epigenetic modification involved in the regulation of transcription, imprinting, establishment of X-inactivation, and the formation of a chromatin structure. DNA methylation in the genome is often associated with transcriptional repression and the formation of closed heterochromatin. However, the results of genome-wide studies of the DNA methylation pattern and transcriptional activity of genes have nudged us toward reconsidering this paradigm, since the promoters of many genes remain active despite their methylation. The differences in the DNA methylation distribution in normal and pathological conditions allow us to consider methylation as a diagnostic marker or a therapy target. In this regard, the need to investigate the factors affecting DNA methylation and those involved in its interpretation becomes pressing. Recently, a large number of protein factors have been uncovered, whose ability to bind to DNA depends on their methylation. Many of these proteins act not only as transcriptional activators or repressors, but also affect the level of DNA methylation. These factors are considered potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of diseases resulting from either a change in DNA methylation or a change in the interpretation of its methylation level. In addition to protein factors, a secondary DNA structure can also affect its methylation and can be considered as a therapy target. In this review, the latest research into the DNA methylation landscape in the genome has been summarized to discuss why some DNA regions avoid methylation and what factors can affect its level or interpretation and, therefore, can be considered a therapy target.

Genomic Estimated Breeding Value of Milk Performance and Fertility Traits in the Russian Black-and-White Cattle Population

A breakthrough in cattle breeding was achieved with the incorporation of animal genomic data into breeding programs. The introduction of genomic selection has a major impact on traditional genetic assessment systems and animal genetic improvement programs. Since 2010, genomic selection has been officially introduced in the evaluation of the breeding and genetic potential of cattle in Europe, the U.S., Canada, and many other developed countries. The purpose of this study is to develop a system for a genomic evaluation of the breeding value of the domestic livestock of Black-and-White and Russian Holstein cattle based on 3 milk performance traits: daily milk yield (kg), daily milk fat (%), and daily milk protein content (%) and 6 fertility traits: age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), calving to first insemination interval (CFI), interval between first and last insemination (IFL), days open (DO), and number of services (NS). We built a unified database of breeding animals from 523 breeding farms in the Russian Federation. The database included pedigree information on 2,551,529 cows and 69,131 bulls of the Russian Holstein and Black-and-White cattle breeds, as well as information on the milk performance of 1,597,426 cows with 4,771,366 completed lactations. The date of birth of the animals included in the database was between 1975 and 2017. Genotyping was performed in 672 animals using a BovineSNP50 v3 DNA Analysis BeadChip microarray (Illumina, USA). The genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) was evaluated only for 644 animals (427 bulls and 217 cows) using the single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction – animal model (ssGBLUP-AM). The mean genetic potential was +0.88 and +1.03 kg for the daily milk yield, -0.002% for the milk fat content, and –0.003 and 0.001% for the milk protein content in the cows and bulls, respectively. There was negative genetic progress in the fertility traits in the studied population between 1975 and 2017. The reliability of the estimated breeding value (EBV) for genotyped bulls ranged from 89 to 93% for the milk performance traits and 85 to 90% for the fertility traits, whereas the reliability of the genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) varied 54 to 64% for the milk traits and 23 to 60% for the fertility traits. This result shows that it is possible to use the genomic estimated breeding value with rather high reliability to evaluate the domestic livestock of Russian Holstein and Black-and-White cattle breeds for fertility and milk performance traits. This system of genomic evaluation may help bring domestic breeding in line with modern competitive practices and estimate the breeding value of cattle at birth based on information on the animal’s genome.

Kaiso Gene Knockout Promotes Somatic Cell Reprogramming

Reprogramming of somatic cells is associated with overcoming the established epigenetic barrier. Key events in this process are changes in the DNA methylation landscape and histone modifications. Studying the factors affecting epigenetic plasticity will allow not only to reveal the principles underlying cell reprogramming but also to find possible ways to influence this process. Kaiso transcription factor is one of the protein interpreters of methylated DNA. By binding to methylated DNA, Kaiso attracts corepressor complexes affecting chromatin structure. In this work, we showed that the Kaiso gene knockout contributes to more efficient somatic reprogramming by affecting both cell proliferation and DNA methylation. The proposed mechanisms for the increase in the efficiency of somatic reprogramming associated with the Kaiso gene knockout is a decrease in the methylation level of the Oct4 promoter region in mouse embryonic fibroblasts before reprogramming.

Role of the Kaiso gene in the development of inflammation in Mucin-2 defcient mice

The number of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is constantly increasing worldwide. The main factors that have effects on the etiology of the disease are genetic, environmental and immunological. However, the mechanism of disease development and effective treatment of IBD have not yet been found. Animal models help address these problems. The most popular model is considered to be transgenic models in which individual genes are knocked out. One of such models for the study of IBD are mice with a null mutation of theMuc2gene encoding the Mucin-2 protein, which is involved in the formation of a protective mucin layer in the small and large intestine. Some of transcription factors that change the expression of intestinal genes are involved in the development of IBD and colorectal cancer. One of such transcription factors is “zinc fnger” domain-containing protein Kaiso which is able to bind to methylated DNA. In this study, we assessed the role of Kaiso in the development of intestinal inflammation using the experimental model of C57BL/6Muc2-/-Kaiso-/-. We have shown that mice with impaired intestinal barrier function that develop processes similar to human IBD also develop inflammatory responses, such as increased expression ofIl1,TnfandIl17agenes. The defciency of the Kaiso transcription factor in Mucin-2 knockout mice causes a decrease in the expression level of only theCox2andTff3genes. Perhaps a decline in the expression of the gene encoding cyclooxygenase-2 can lead to a decrease in the expression of the antibacterial factor Trefoil factor 3. However, in the experimental model of IBD, Kaiso protein did not play a signifcant role in the regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines of tumor necrosis factor and interleukins 1 and 17.

[CRISPR/Cas9-editing-based modeling of hypoxia in renal cancer cells]

Uncontrolled growth in the cell mass of malignant tumors induces intensive angiogenesis. However, the demands of the cancer cells for nutrients and oxygen remain only partially met. Hypoxia is a process that accompanies malignant transformation and evokes changes in the DNA methylation profile in solid tumors. To a certain extent, these changes, including the hypermethylation of tumor suppressor gene promoters, are related to the decrease in the activity of Tet proteins under the conditions of oxygen and free radical deficit. Stabilization, accumulation, and nuclear translocation of the transcription factor HIF1α are the key molecular events in hypoxia. We modified the clear-cell renal cancer cell line Caki1 to stabilize the HIF1α protein and characterized a model cell line that will enable the studies of the mechanisms of changes of the DNA methylation level at a constant activity of Tet proteins and a gene transcription profile characteristic of hypoxia. The CRISPR/Cas9 DNA editing system was used to edit the VHL gene. The mutant VHL protein contained a disrupted alpha-helix at the C-terminus and could not participate in the molecular pathway of proteasomal degradation of the HIF1α factor; therefore, the latter accumulated in the nucleus and activated the specific target genes. An analysis of gene transcription revealed the induction of hypoxia-associated genes in the modified cell line. The developed Сaki-1/VHLmut model can be used to discriminate between the effects evoked by oxygen-suppressed hydroxylases of the Tet family and other hypoxia-associated mechanisms of DNA methylation/demethylation.

Gene Expression in the Three-Spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) of Marine and Freshwater Ecotypes

Three-spine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a well-known model organism that is routinely used to explore microevolution processes and speciation, and the number of studies related to this fish has been growing recently. The main reason for the increased interest is the processes of freshwater adaptation taking place in natural populations of this species. Freshwater three-spined stickleback populations form when marine water three-spined sticklebacks fish start spending their entire lifecycle in freshwater lakes and streams. To boot, these freshwater populations acquire novel biological traits during their adaptation to a freshwater environment. The processes taking place in these populations are of great interest to evolutionary biologists. Here, we present differential gene expression profiling in G. aculeatus gills, which was performed in marine and freshwater populations of sticklebacks. In total, 2,982 differentially expressed genes between marine and freshwater populations were discovered. We assumed that differentially expressed genes were distributed not randomly along stickleback chromosomes and that they are regularly observed in the divergence islands that are responsible for stickleback freshwater adaptation.

Metagenomic analysis of microbial community of a parasitoid wasp Megaphragma amalphitanum

The vast majority of multicellular organisms coexist with bacterial symbionts that may play various roles during their life cycle. Parasitoid wasp Megaphragma amalphitanum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) belongs to the smallest known insects whose size is comparable with some bacteria. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), we described microbiota diversity for this arthropod and its potential impact on their lifecycle. Metagenomic sequences were deposited to SRA database which is available at NCBI with accession number SRX2363723 and SRX2363724. We found that small body size and limited lifespan do not lead to a significant reduction of bacterial symbionts diversity. At the same time, we show here a specific feature of microbiota composition in M. amalphitanum – the absence of the Rickettsiaceae family representatives that are known to cause sex-ratio distortion in arthropods and well represented in other populations of parasitoid wasps.

Epigenetics of Ancient DNA

Initially, the study of DNA isolated from ancient specimens had been based on the analysis of the primary nucleotide sequence. This approach has allowed researchers to study the evolutionary changes that occur in different populations and determine the influence of the environment on genetic selection. However, the improvement of methodological approaches to genome-wide analysis has opened up new possibilities in the search for the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of gene expression. It was discovered recently that the methylation status of the regulatory elements of the HOXD cluster and MEIS1 gene changed during human evolution. Epigenetic changes in these genes played a key role in the evolution of the limbs of modern humans. Recent works have demonstrated that it is possible to determine the transcriptional activity of genes in ancient DNA samples by combining information on DNA methylation and the DNAaseI hypersensitive sequences located at the transcription start sites of genes. In the nearest future, if a preserved fossils brain is found, it will be possible to identify the evolutionary changes in the higher nervous system associated with epigenetic differences.

Identification of novel microRNA genes in freshwater and marine ecotypes of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) is an important model organism for studying the molecular mechanisms of speciation and adaptation to salinity. Despite increased interest to microRNA discovery and recent publication on microRNA prediction in the three-spined stickleback using bioinformatics approaches, there is still a lack of experimental support for these data. In this paper, high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to identify microRNA genes in gills of the three-spined stickleback. In total, 595 miRNA genes were discovered; half of them were predicted in previous computational studies and were confirmed here as microRNAs expressed in gill tissue. Moreover, 298 novel microRNA genes were identified. The presence of miRNA genes in selected 'divergence islands' was analysed and 10 miRNA genes were identified as not randomly located in 'divergence islands'. Regulatory regions of miRNA genes were found enriched with selective SNPs that may play a role in freshwater adaptation.

Analysis of the Mitochondrial Genome of a Novosvobodnaya Culture Representative using Next-Generation Sequencing and Its Relation to the Funnel Beaker Culture

The Novosvobodnaya culture is known as a Bronze Age archaeological culture in the North Caucasus region of Southern Russia. It dates back to the middle of the 4th millennium B.C. and seems to have occurred during the time of the Maikop culture. There are now two hypotheses about the emergence of the Novosvobodnaya culture. One hypothesis suggests that the Novosvobodnaya culture was a phase of the Maikop culture, whereas the other one classifies it as an independent event based on the material culture items found in graves. Comparison between Novosvobodnaya pottery and Funnelbeaker (TRB) pottery from Germany has allowed researchers to suggest that the Novosvobodnaya culture developed under the influence of Indo-European culture. Nevertheless, the origin of the Novosvobodnaya culture remains a matter of debate. We applied next-generation sequencing to study ~5000-year-old human remains from the Klady kurgan grave in Novosvobodnaya stanitsa (now the Republic of Adygea, Russia). A total of 58,771,105 reads were generated using Illumina GAIIx with a coverage depth of 13.4х over the mitochondrial (mt) DNA genome. The mtDNA haplogroup affiliation was determined as V7, suggesting a role of the TRB culture in the development of the Novosvobodnaya culture and supporting the model of sharing between Novosvobodnaya and early Indo-European cultures.

Analysis of the Mitochondrial Genome of a Novosvobodnaya Culture Representative using Next-Generation Sequencing and Its Relation to the Funnel Beaker Culture

The Novosvobodnaya culture is known as a Bronze Age archaeological culture in the North Caucasus region of Southern Russia. It dates back to the middle of the 4th millennium B.C. and seems to have occurred during the time of the Maikop culture. There are now two hypotheses about the emergence of the Novosvobodnaya culture. One hypothesis suggests that the Novosvobodnaya culture was a phase of the Maikop culture, whereas the other one classifies it as an independent event based on the material culture items found in graves. Comparison between Novosvobodnaya pottery and Funnelbeaker (TRB) pottery from Germany has allowed researchers to suggest that the Novosvobodnaya culture developed under the influence of Indo-European culture. Nevertheless, the origin of the Novosvobodnaya culture remains a matter of debate. We applied next-generation sequencing to study ~5000-year-old human remains from the Klady kurgan grave in Novosvobodnaya stanitsa (now the Republic of Adygea, Russia). A total of 58,771,105 reads were generated using Illumina GAIIx with a coverage depth of 13.4x over the mitochondrial (mt) DNA genome. The mtDNA haplogroup affiliation was determined as V7, suggesting a role of the TRB culture in the development of the Novosvobodnaya culture and supporting the model of sharing between Novosvobodnaya and early Indo-European cultures.

Metagenomic Analysis of the Dynamic Changes in the Gut Microbiome of the Participants of the MARS-500 Experiment, Simulating Long Term Space Flight

A metagenomic analysis of the dynamic changes of the composition of the intestinal microbiome of five participants of the MARS-500 experiment was performed. DNA samples were isolated from the feces of the participants taken just before the experiment, upon 14, 30, 210, 363 and 510 days of isolation in the experimental module, and two weeks upon completion of the experiment. The taxonomic composition of the microbiome was analyzed by pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments. Both the taxonomic and functional gene content of the microbiome of one participant were analyzed by whole metagenome sequencing using the SOLiD technique. Each participant had a specific microbiome that could be assigned to one of three recognized enterotypes. Two participants had enterotype I microbiomes characterized by the prevalence of Bacteroides, while the microbiomes of two others, assigned to type II, were dominated by Prevotella. One participant had a microbiome of mixed type. It was found that (1) changes in the taxonimic composition of the microbiomes occurred in the course of the experiment, but the enterotypes remained the same; (2) significant changes in the compositions of the microbiomes occurred just 14-30 days after the beginning of the experiment, presumably indicating the influence of stress factors in the first stage of the experiment; (3) a tendency toward a reversion of the microbiomes to their initial composition was observed two weeks after the end of the experiment, but complete recovery was not achieved. The metagenomic analysis of the microbiome of one of the participants showed that in spite of variations in the taxonomic compositions of microbiomes, the functional genetic composition was much more stable for most of the functional gene categories. Probably in the course of the experiment the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiome was adaptively changed to reflect the individual response to the experimental conditions. A new, balanced taxonomic composition of the microbiome was formed to ensure a stable gene content of the community as a whole without negative consequences for the health of the participants.

High constitutive level of NF-kappaB is crucial for viability of adenocarcinoma cells

Most of cells exhibit low nuclear level of NF-kappaB. However, in some cell lines and tissues aberrantly activated NF-kappaB is playing an important role in cell motility, growth control and survival. Here we describe the result of decrease of constitutive NF-kappaB level in different adenocarcinoma cell lines. Treatment of mouse adenocarcinoma cell line CSML-100 with both synthetic (TPCK or PDTC) or natural (I(kappaB)-alpha) NF-kappaB inhibitors caused apoptotic death. Low doses of TPCK were harmless for CSML100 cells but sensitized them to TNF-induced apoptosis. Death of CSML100 cells in the presence of high concentration TPCK was not accompanied with significant changes in c-myc activity but strongly correlated with rapid decrease in p53 level. Thus, mutual behavior p53 and NF-kappaB represented a unique feature of TPCK-induced apoptosis in CSML-100 adenocarcinoma cells.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the mouse tag7 gene encoding a novel cytokine

Cloning of the mouse tag7 gene encoding a novel cytokine is described. The Tag7 protein consists of 182 amino acids. Genomic organization of the tag7 gene and its promoter region remind those of the genes of the tumor necrosis factor locus, although the tag7 gene is not linked to this locus. The gene is located on chromosome 7 at the area that corresponds to band 7A3, which has genetic linkage with lupus-like disease in mouse models. tag7 transcription is essential for lymphoid organs. It is also detected in certain areas of lungs, brain, and intestine and in some tumors. Tag7 protein is detectable in both cell-associated and soluble forms. The soluble form of Tag7 triggers apoptosis in mouse L929 cells in vitro and does not involve NF-kappaB activation. The relationship between Tag7 and tumor necrosis factor family of ligands is discussed.

A minisatellite "core" element constitutes a novel, chromatin-specific activator of mts1 gene transcription

Expression of the mts1 gene is often associated with malignant transformation of tumor cells. Transcription of the gene is controlled by a number of positive and negative regulatory elements, all of them being localized in the first intron (+38 to +1215) of the mts1 gene. Through analysis of the distribution of DNase I hypersensitive sites in the first intron of the gene we revealed a structurally conserved region that consisted of a non-canonical NFkB binding site and a minisatellite "core" element. Deletion of the minisatellite core DNA in the context of the first intron had no effect on its regulatory capacity when assayed in transient transfections, while a fivefold decrease was observed in a pool of stably transfected cells. The minisatellite core sequence CTGGGCAGGCAG is involved in DNA-protein interactions in vivo, and is similar to a binding site for the previously identified minisatellite DNA sequence binding protein (Msbp-1). The core DNA interacted in vitro with a protein that had an apparent molecular mass of 40 kDa. These data indicate that the minisatellite DNA represents the novel, chromatin-specific element in the mts1 complex enhancer.