Current Issue

DOI:10.55841/1728-791X-2026.1.45-4

Pages 4-8

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by synaptic dysfunction, in which disturbances of calcium homeostasis regulated by TRP family ion channels play a pivotal role. Previously, it has been demonstrated that the piperazine derivative cmp2 exhibits potential synaptoprotective properties through the activation of hTRPC6. However, the unavailability of a complete tetrameric structure for the homologous hTRPC7 channel in existing databases precluded the in silico assessment of this agent's binding selectivity. In the present study, a complete tetrameric molecular model of hTRPC7 was reconstructed using the AlphaFold-Multimer v.2 deep learning algorithm (pTM ≈ 0.83, pLDDT ≈ 0.85). To evaluate the interaction features and thermodynamic characteristics of cmp2 binding to the tetrameric forms of hTRPC6 and hTRPC7, 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations were conducted using the GROMACS package with the CHARM 36 force field. Trajectory analysis demonstrated that the cmp2–hTRPC6 complex possesses high spatial stability (average RMSD ≈ 0.741±0.03 Å) and is characterized by pronounced electrostatic, primarily van der Waals, interactions. In contrast, the interaction of cmp2 with hTRPC7 proved to be relatively unstable, accompanied by significant spatial fluctuations of the ligand within the binding site and higher RMSD variations. The obtained spatial-energy characteristics confirm that cmp2 exhibits high selectivity and stable interactions with hTRPC6 compared to hTRPC7. The results of this study substantiate the potential of cmp2 as a selective modulator of TRPC channels for the further development of therapies targeting synaptic deficiencies in AD.

DOI:10.55841/1728-791X-2026.1.45-9

Pages 9-12

This study presents karyotaxonomical investigations of representatives of the family Malvaceae in the flora of Armenia, focusing on taxa of the subfamily Malvoideae. Recent taxonomic revisions according to APG IV recognize three tribes: Malveae, Hibisceae, and Gossypieae. Several species of the genus Alcea and one species of Malva are newly recorded for Armenia. Cytogenetic analysis revealed that all examined Alcea species possess a hexaploid chromosome number (2n = 42, x = 7), while Althaea armeniaca exhibits a dodecaploid level (2n = 84). These chromosome numbers are reported for the first time for the flora of Armenia. The results highlight the dominant role of polyploidy in the evolution and diversification of Malvaceae and provide important cytotaxonomic data contributing to floristic and evolutionary studies in the region.

DOI:10.55841/1728-791X-2026.1.45-13

Pages 13-17

At present, there are a number of threats that lead to the weakening of soil microflora and reduced crop yields. Halophilic rhizobacteria, adapted to unfavorable environmental conditions, have all the necessary properties for optimal growth in degraded soils. The objective of this study was to obtain osmotolerant and antibiotic-resistant rhizobacteria strains to stimulate plant growth in saline soils. In accordance with the principles of pleiotropy, antibiotic-resistant mutants with increased osmotolerance were obtained from the Rhizobium sp. M-1 and Agrobacterium sp. Y-2 strains. Subsequently, five mutants were selected whose osmotolerance exceeded that of the parental strains by 2.1–2.8 times. These results demonstrate that pleiotropic mutations can effectively enhance the adaptive properties of rhizobacteria without the use of genetic engineering technologies. Furthermore, the obtained mutants can be used as an environmentally friendly means for stimulating plant growth in degraded soils.