Russian Journal of Biological Research

205-221

Authors: Oleg Mosin, Ignat Ignatov

Halophiles (lat. “salt-loving”) is the taxonomic group of extreme aerobic obligate Gram-negative microorganisms that live in conditions of high salinity – in the seas, salt lakes, saline soils etc. These microorganisms are known to reddish patina on products, preserved with using large quantities of salt (NaCl). Halophiles were isolated for the first time at the beginning of the XX century from the marine flora estuary mud, but their systematic study was started only at the end of the second decade of the XX century. The internal environment of the human body is not suitable for existence of halobacteria, since none of them are known to have pathogenic forms. Halobacteria have great practical potential for using in molecular bioelectronics and bio-nanotechnology due to their unique ability to convert the energy of sunlight into electrochemical energy of protons H+ due to the presence in their cells a special photo transforming retinal containing integral protein – bacteriorhodopsin, the mechanism of action of which has been currently studied in detail. The paper describes the characteristics of the metabolism and physiology of halophilic bacteria, as well as a method of biosynthesis and preparation of bacteriorhodopsin from purple membranes of cells of the extreme photoorganotrophic halobacterium Halobacterium halobium.

227-240

Authors: Alexander S. Semenov, Vladimir V. Bulat

The work considers the problems of genetics, archeology, and anthropology connected with problem of localization of R1a* Y-DNA haplotype bearers in Meso- and Neolithic Pre-Corded Ware archaeologic sites. Based on the analysis of findings of 2014-2015 years (described in other works) this paper proposes a hypothesis that the areas of Comb Ware cultures of Eastern Europe could be the possible area of archaic Y-DNA R1a1 subclades spread. The ancient R1a1 Y-haplotype (M198-, M459+) bearers could be possibly accompanied with those with J2b Y-DNA haplotype. As for pre-Mesolitic time, the situation remains unclear as more Eastern and more Southern localizations of R1a* and R1a1* bearers are possible according to modern data.