Biology subjects

Roman, I.

Publications and source records attributed to Roman, I..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

GENOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE STREPTOMYCES SP. LV42-5 ISOLATED FROM INDUSTRIAL MINE DUMPS IN SHEPTYTSKYI

Actinomycetes, particularly within the genus Streptomyces, remain the most prolific bacterial source of secondary metabolites for medical and biotechnological applications. However, contemporary drug discovery is increasingly challenged by the high rate of rediscovering known molecules and the difficulty of activating "silent" biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) under standard laboratory conditions. To address this, bioprospecting in extreme environments, such as heavy metal-contaminated mine dumps, has emerged as a strategic approach to uncover strains with unique metabolic adaptations and chemically diverse natural products. This study reports the whole-genome sequencing, assembly, and comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of Streptomyces sp. Lv42-5, an extremotolerant strain isolated from the rhizosphere of birch trees (Betula pendula) growing on an industrial mine dump in Sheptytskyi, Ukraine. Genomic sequencing utilizing the Illumina platform followed by de novo assembly yielded a high-quality draft genome of 9.84 Mbp with a G+C content of 71%. Phylogenomic analysis using the GTDB and ANI calculation revealed that strain Lv42-5 shares only 93.36% ANI with its closest relative, Streptomyces diastatochromogenes. This value falls well below the 95-96% species delineation threshold, confirming Lv42-5 as a taxonomically novel species. Functional annotation via the RAST server indicated a genome heavily dedicated to metabolic processes, particularly amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, while lacking genes for motility and photosynthesis. Crucially, the genome encodes a robust genetic arsenal for heavy metal resistance, including specific mechanisms for tolerating copper, cobalt, zinc, and cadmium, reflecting the strains successful adaptation to its metalliferous habitat. Genome mining using antiSMASH 8.1 uncovered a rich biosynthetic landscape comprising 43 putative gene clusters. These findings establish Streptomyces sp. Lv42-5 as a novel, stress-adapted species with significant dual potential for bioremediation of heavy metal pollutants and the discovery of novel therapeutic agents.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2024

An adverse rearing environment alters maternal responsiveness to infant ultrasonic vocalizations

Rodent pups use a variety of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) to facilitate maternal care. Importantly, infant USV repertoires are dependent on both the age and early life experiences of the pups. We have shown that an adverse rearing environment modeled with the maternal separation (MS) paradigm alters caregiving behavior, but little is known about how pup USVs differentially elicit maternal attention. In the present study, maternal approach towards a vocalizing pup over a non-vocalizing pup was tested in a Y-maze apparatus at two developmental time points over the course of MS. At the postnatal day (P) 10, dams engaged in longer interaction times with the vocalizing pup compared to the non-vocalizing pup. This effect was modulated by rearing environment and the sex of the pup, with only MS dams spending more time with vocalizing male pups. As expected at P20, dams did not show a preference for either the vocalizing or non-vocalizing pups regardless of rearing environment, however, MS dams spent a greater amount of time in the center of the apparatus as compared to control dams, which can be interpreted as a measure of uncertainty and indecision. These effects are important considering the sex specific effects of MS exposure across all developmental stages. Our novel findings support the hypothesis that sex-specific pup-dam interactions may drive later life outcomes following adversity.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Transsynaptic labeling and transcriptional control of zebrafish neural circuits

Deciphering the connectome, the ensemble of synaptic connections that underlie brain function, is a central goal of neuroscience research. Here, we report mapping of connections between presynaptic and postsynaptic partners in a living vertebrate nervous system, that of the zebrafish, through the successful adaptation of the trans-Tango genetic approach, first developed for anterograde transsynaptic tracing in Drosophila. Neural connections were visualized between synaptic partners in the larval retina and brain and followed over development. Results were corroborated by functional experiments in which optogenetic activation of retinal ganglion cells elicited responses in neurons of the optic tectum, as measured by trans-Tango-dependent expression of a genetically encoded calcium indicator. Transsynaptic signaling through trans-Tango reveals predicted as well as previously undescribed synaptic connections in the zebrafish brain, providing a valuable in vivo tool to monitor and interrogate neural circuits over time.

neuroscience↗