The mode of inheritance of chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in rye x triticale intergeneric hybrids has been studied with the use of specific PCR markers for loci 18S/5S and 3'rbcL in organelle DNA. In rye x triticale BC1, mtDNA copies of two types, paternal and maternal, have been found; in BC2 plants, only paternal mtDNA and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) have been detected. Mechanisms determining the inheritance and/or differential amplification of organelles of a specific type are discussed.

Storage proteins (gliadins) were employed in cultivar identification of a monosomic series obtained on the basis of a Swedish accession. The cultivar was identified as Diamant 2.

The probability to develop lung cancer before 80 years of age is 1.67 and 0.18% for the male and female populations of Kharkov, respectively; the probability to develop large-intestine cancer is 0.92 and 0.49%, respectively. The correlation coefficient (r) of the age of manifestation (AM) of cancer in parent-offspring pairs is 0.47. These correlation coefficients for the father-son, mother-daughter, mother-son, and father-daughter pairs are 0.64, 0.49, 0.44, and 0.37, respectively. If the parent has lung cancer, the correlation is stronger (r = 0.71). On average, cancer is manifested in offspring earlier than in parents (57 and 63 years, respectively); the differences in the father-daughter and mother-son pairs are 8.2 and 2.8 years, respectively. The best prognostic parameter is the AM of cancer in the father with respect to the AM in the son (byx = 0.45).

We characterized radish lines from a genetic collection on the basis of six enzyme systems, identified genes controlling these enzymes, and examined joint inheritance of some biochemical and morphological traits.

The data on the genetic studies of Iranian-speaking populations from Azerbaijan (Talyshs and Tats) are presented. In these populations gene frequency distributions for the immunological (AB0, MN, Rhesus-D, -C, -E, P, Lewis, and Kell-Chellano) and biochemical (HP, GC, C'3, TF, 6PGD, GLO1, ESD, ACP1, and PGM1) gene markers were determined. Comparison of the genetic structure of the populations examined with the other Iranian-speaking populations (Persians and Kurds from Iran, Ossetins and Tajiks) and Azerbaijanis showed that Iranian-speaking populations from Azerbaijan were more close to Azerbaijanis, than to Iranian-speaking populations inhabiting other world regions.

The structure and evolution of a satellite DNA family was examined in lizards from the genus Darevskia (family Lacertidae). Comparison of tandem units of repeated DNA (satDNA), CLsat, in all species from the genus Darevskia has shown that their variability is largely based on single-nucleotide substitutions, which constitute about 50 diagnostic positions underlying classification of the family into three subfamilies. Maximum differences between the subfamilies reached 25%. At this level of tandem unit divergence between the subfamilies, no cross-hybridization between them was observed (at 65 degrees C). The individual variability of one subfamily within the species was on average 5% while the variability between species consensuses within a subfamily was 10%. The presence of highly conserved regions in all monomers and some features of their organization show that satellites of all Darevskia species belong to one satDNA family. The organization of unit sequences of satellites CLsat and Agi also detected by us in another lizard genus, Lacerts s. str. was compared. Similarity that was found between these satellites suggests their relatedness and common origin. A possible pathway of evolution of these two satDNA families is proposed. The distribution and content of CLsat repeat subfamilies in all species of the genus was examined by Southern blotting hybridization. Seven species had mainly CLsatI (83 to 96%); three species, approximately equal amounts of CLsatI and CLsatIII (the admixture of CLsatII was 2-3%); and five species, a combination of all three subfamilies in highly varying proportions. Based on these results as well as on zoogeographic views on phylogeny and taxonomy of the Darevskia species, hypotheses on the evolution of molecular-genetic relationships within this genus are advanced.

A new method for assessing the efficiency of batteries of arbitrary numbers of tests is proposed. The posterior probability of the mutagenicity of the substances studied has been estimated using discriminant analysis. The results of tests in each test system has been presented as the probability to obtain a positive result in the given test system. This has made it possible to decrease the sample size as the number of tests in the battery increased. As a result, prognostic power may be assessed even if the matrix of results is incomplete. This approach has been used to estimate the weights of evidence for mutagenic activities of 105 chemical compounds studied by means of a battery of four tests: Ames's test, the test for chromosome aberrations in vitro, the test for cytogenetic defects in vivo, and the test for dominant lethal mutations in rodents.

ANOVA designs for estimating heritabilities of fecundity traits in Hirudo medicinalis including batch size, the number of juveniles per cocoon, and juvenile weight. Accounting for reproduction mode of this species, different types of kinship were identified, which were taken into account in the ANOVA designs: juveniles from one batch and one cocoon were considered respectively full sibs and polyzygotic twins. Variation components were analyzed in the following kinship groups: for batch size, in full sibs; for the number of juveniles per cocoon, between sibships, full sins, and replicates; and for juvenile weight, in full sibs and polyzygotic twins. Using these designs, heritabilities of basic reproductive traits of H. medicinalis were obtained: for batch size, h2 = 0.35-0.40, H2 = 0.40-0.45; for the number of juveniles per cocoon, h2 = 0.33-0.36, H2 = 0.36-0.39; and for juvenile weight, h2 = 0.40-0.44, H2 = 0.44-0.48.

Using multilocus DNA fingerprinting, we have examined variability of (TCT)n microsatellite and M13 minisatellite DNA repeats in populations, families, and tissues of Caucasian parthenogenetic rock lizards Darevskia unisexualis (Lacertidae). It has been shown for the first time that population and family DNA samples of D. unisexualis (75 samples in total) have individually specific DNA fingerprinting patterns of (TCT)n fragments. Analysis of inheritance of (TCT)n microsatellites in 46 first-generation progeny in 17 parthenogenetic D. unisexualis families revealed their extremely high instability. Mutant TCT fingerprint phenotypes were found in virtually each animal of the progeny. Moreover, varying fragments in the progeny and their original variants in the mothers were shown to simultaneously contain (TCT)n and (TCC)n polypyrimidine clusters. At the same time, no variability of (TCT)n fragments has been detected in the tissues and organs of mature parthenogenetic lizards and in the analogous tissues of the two-week-old progeny of this year. This suggests the absence of somatic mosaicism and methylation of the corresponding loci in the samples. Along with the hyperinstability of (TCT/TCC)n polypyrimidine clusters, we have shown that the population and family DNA fingerprinting patterns of M13 minisatellites were invariable and monomorphic in the same DNA samples of D. unisexualis. Our results indicate that mutations at loci containing polypyrimidine microsatellites significantly contribute to the total genomic variability of parthenogenetic lizards D. unisexualis.

The effect of indralin on frequency of mutations induced by radiation in germ cells, reciprocal translocations, and testicle weight of male mice. The level of protective effect against genetic damage varied depending on the radiation dose and spermatogenesis stage. The values of the defense coefficient ranged from 0.16 to 0.35.