Department of Biochemical Genetics

Head Ljudmyla Strokovska, Dr.Sci. (mol.biol) Phone: (380-44) 526-07-09; Fax: (380-44) 526-07-59; E-mail: solomko@imbg.org.ua

Scientific research is conducted in the following directions:

Molecular biology of eukaryotic viruses.

Study on regulatory mechanisms, operating at the preimplantation stage of mammalian development.

Current research projects:

• Investigation on baculoviral envelope proteins, required for viral penetration into a cell, is under way. Structural and functional properties of baculoviral structural protein pif, one of the key factors of the above-stated process, are being studied. On the basis of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus and insect cell culture, an expression vector system, providing the commercial quantities of biologically active eukaryotic and viral proteins, was developed in the Department. Biologically active human recombinant prolactin and a number of other recombinant proteins have been synthesized. In close collaboration with scientists from France and Poland we are studying the role of viral genome-linked protein VPg of potato virus (PVY) with eukaryotic factor 4E(eLF4E) of translation initiation. Also, we explore structural and functional aspects of these proteins interplay and the effect it has on the host cells.
• Influence of different genotypes interaction on the development potential of mice chimeric embryos at pre- and postimplantation stages is currently studied. The understanding of molecular mechanism of asynchronous or genetically different blastomeres interaction will provide a clear picture of regulatory processes of preimplantation development that occur on the intercellular level. The scientists of the Department were the first to discover experimentally the phenomenon of "chimeric heterosis" at the preimplantation stages of the chimeric mice development.

Selected publications:

1. A.V.Evsikov and A.P.Solomko. The Levels and Patterns of Translation in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos with Repressed Cytokinesis./Ontogenez, Vol.30, № 2:103-109, 1999.
2. A.V.Evsikov, A.P.Solomko.Changes in the cavitation start time in chimeric CB6F1-BALB/c embryos.//Tsitol.Genet.-32/-№3.-P.84-87.-1998.
3. Strokovskaya L.,Bartoszewicz Z., Kikhno I.,Solomko A.,Michailik J. Expression and one-step purification of intracellular human prolactin in insect cells. // Protein Expr.Purif.-22.-№ 2.-P.242-248.- 2001.
4. L. I. Strokovskaya, R.A. Meleshko, I.M. Kikhno, A.P. Solomko Comparative investigation of the effectiveness of expression of human recombinant prolactin in two baculoviral models. Biolpolymers and cell. 2002- 18, № 5, 423-428.
5. I.N. Vagina, A.V. Evsikov, A.P.Solomko. Genetic control of early embryogenesis of mammals. Biopolimers and cell 2003 - 19. № 1, 3-10.
6. I.P. Kok, L.I. Strokovskaya, E.A. Kozlov, A.P. Solomko. Stages of development in Ukraine molecular genetics of Baculoviruses // Visnik Ukr.tov-va genetikiv I selectioneriv.-2006.-4,N 1.- P.101-110.
7. R. Grzela, L. Strokovska, JP. Andricu, B. Dublet, W. Zagorski, J. Chroboczek. Potyvirus terminal protein VPg, effector of host eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E. // Biochimie.-2006.-31.-P.887-896.
8. E.A. Kozlov, N. Nijazova, M.T. Bobrovskaja, T.V. Shirina. Investigation of structure-function interaction of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus polyhedron with polyhedra protease and RNA. Effect of protease on polyhedron dissotiation during Sepharose 6B gel-filtration.//Biopolymers and cell.-2006.-22, N3.-P192-199.
9. E.A. Kozlov, M.I. Vudmaska, M.T. Bobrovskaja, T.V. Shirina. Investigation of polyhedron of Bombyx mori Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) with polyhedra protease and RNA. 3. Polyhedras contain small RNA.// Biopolymers and cell. -2007.-23,N4.- P301-306.
10. L.I. Strokovskaya, R. Grzela, J. Chroboczek, I.M. Kikhno, L.i. Chaschina, A.P. Solomko. Complex formation between recombinant Potato virus Y protein VPg and heterologous eukaryotic translation initiation factors eIF4E.// Ukr.Biochemical J.-2007.-79, N1.- P.85-93.
11. O.Yu. Reviakina, I.M. Kikhno. A role of Spodoptera littoralis nuclear polyhedrosis virus envelope protein pif 1 in the process of primary infection of insect midgut.// Biopolymers and cell.-2007.-23,N 5.- P.425-432.
12. T.V. Shirina, M.T. Bobrovskaya, E.A. Kozlov. MicroRNA: from fundamental research to their application.// Biopolymers and cell.-2007.-23, N6.- P.467-477.
13. I.N. Vagina, O.V. Anoprienko, O.A. Zaharuk, V.F. Gorchev, L.I. Strokovskaya, A.P. Solomko. Efficient gene delivery into mammalian cells by baculovirus vector in vitro.// Biopolymers and cell.-2008.- 24, N6.- P.508-512.