Тhe Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R), a G-protein coupled receptor, is implicated in mediating the effect of leptin on food intake and energy balance. A previous candidate gene study reported an association between an MC4R polymorphism (Asp298Asn) and growth and meat productive traits of pigs. The aim of this work was to determine frequencies of the MC4R/Taq I genotypes and alleles in Danish Landrace (LD), Canadian Landrace (LC) and crossbred pigs Danish Landrace × Canadian Landrace (LD × LC) in breeding Cent "Plemzavod Jubilee" (Tyumen) Russia and to estimate their associations with some growth and meat traits. The polymorphism was identified by PCR-RFLP method. The traits studied were: Number of days to 100-kg, Average Daily Gain (ADG), Backfat Thickness (BFT), average daily Feed Intake (FI) and Length of Body (LB). In the all test groups we found a higher frequency of G allele (0.71) compared with the A allele (0.29). The results of present study suggest that the MC4R gene contributes to Days to 100 kg, ADG and BF. The heterozygous genotype AG was favorable in LD breed. The significant effects of-1.43 (LD male) and-2.81(LD female) for Days to 100 kg and of+61.17 (LD male) and +26.3 (LD female) for ADG were calculated. The homozygous genotype GG was favorable in crossbred LD × LC. The significant effects of +74.2 for ADG and-1.5 for BF were calculated. Therefore, the data support a role for the MC4R Asp298Asn polymorphism in the genetic basis of economically important traits in pigs of Russia. Further research is needed to determine the effect of this gene on growth, meat and reproduction traits in pigs of different breeds and crosses.

One of the areas of biotechnology sunflower is the development and testing of DNA markers of important agronomic traits and in particular markers of resistance to downy mildew. Resistance of 16 Rf-lines of sunflower to the races 330 and 710 of Plasmopara halstedii has been studied. Genotyping of these lines was carried out using 9 STS-markers of three Pl-loci, Pl 5 , Pl 6 and Pl 8 , associated with the resistance of sunflower to downy mildew. Only two out of nine STS-markers, НаР2 and НаР3 (locus Pl 6), allowed us to identify the lines, which demonstrated resistance to the downy mildew under the conditions of artificial infection.

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The purpose of this study was to determine the frequencies of alleles and genotypes of the Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) gene (ID: 399503) in Landrace, Large White and Duroc pigs in Russia and to evaluate the impact on productive traits of pigs. Polymorphism was genotyped using PCR-RFLP method. In the course of studies we observed a different distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of different breeds. In all breeds under study all three genotypes AA, AB, BB were determined. The results of this study suggest that the LIF gene promotes the reproductive traits of pigs. The AA genotype sows compared to BB genotype analogues have better Total Number of Born (TNB) and Number Born Alive (NBA) by 1.4 and 1.3 (p<0.01) in Landrace sows, 1.3 and 0.9 (p<0.05) in Large White and 2.0 and 3.3 (p<0.001) in Duroc, respectively. The AB genotype sows exhibit intermediate values, which testifies the concentration of a favorable A allele in the pig genotype of animals contributing to the fertility. Our research revealed a positive effect of A allele and AA genotype that indicates the possibility to use this polymorphism in improving reproduction traits of sows.

A comparative analysis of full-genome sequences of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) of the original inbred line 3629 and three extranuclear mutants, which were obtained by the method of mutagenesis induced with N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU) and characterized by different level of chlorophyll insufficiency (en:chlorina-7-yellow-green leaves; chlorophyll content (a + b)-67.8% with respect to the line 3629, variegated-10-leaves with white zones; chlorophyll content (a + b)-2.9% with respect to the line 3629 and variegated-13-leaves with yellow zones; chlorophyll content (a + b)-6.1% with respect to the line 3629), has been carried out. Single-parent maternal inheritance of chlorophyll defects was confirmed by analysis of progeny obtained from reciprocal crossbreedings between the original line 3629 and mutants. Chlorophyll mutants carried modified cpDNA unique for each mutant. We anticipate that chlorophyll defect of en:chlorina-7 may control the observed non-synonymous mutations (transitions) in the genes rpoB, psaA and psbB, which encode β-subunit of RNA-polymerase, the A1 apoprotein of chlorophyll a of the photosystem I, P700 and 47 kDa protein of the photosystem II respectively. In variegated-10, it may control mutations in the genes rpoA and rpoC2, which encode α and β" subunits of RNA-polymerase and in variegated-13-two mutations in the ycf3 gene that encodes photosystem I assembly factor.