Evolutionary and developmental biology are among the most dynamically developing areas of modern biology. Both have a long and turbulent history, especially in Russia (USSR). However, any science develops thanks to the breakthrough research of individual scientists and scientific teams. In this paper, we briefly analyzed the main theoretical works of Leningrad State University professor G. P. Korotkova (1924–2009), who made a significant contribution to general biology at the end of the twentieth century. G. P. Korotkova is known for her pioneering work in the field of regeneration of invertebrate animals and, first of all, sponges, evolutionary and philosophical aspects of biology. In particular, her contribution to the theoretical aspects of regenerative biology, to the development of philosophical aspects of the problems of wholenessis considered. The principles of her original hypothesis of the origin and phase evolution of ontogenesis are briefly outlined, as well as her ideas regarding the theoretical aspects of the biology and organization of sponges (Porifera).
The blue king crab Paralithodes platypus (Brandt, 1851) is a widespread and abundant member of the family Lithodidae in the Pacific Ocean. However, its population size in the Sea of Japan is subject to strong fluctuations. Due to the low abundance of blue crab, its commercial fishery in the Sea of Japan has been prohibited since 2022. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the growth characteristics and growth potential of the blue king crab in the Sea of Japan relative to other aggregations of this species in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea. The growth was studied according to the literature and our own data, which were collected on counting-trap surveys in the coastal regions of the Sea of Japan in 2011–2014. According to the Bertalanffy equation, male blue king crab in the Sea of Japan reach the carapace width CWinf = 193.5 mm, females – 162.1 mm. Comparison results of growth rate of the aggregation in the Sea of Japan showed significant differences with crabs off the Shantar Islands and eastern Sakhalin and did not note statistically significant differences in growth relative to aggregations in Shelikhov Bay and in the Bering Sea. Probably, first of all, such differences are the result of the complex influence of hydrological habitat conditions, food productivity of water areas, as well as competition, both interspecific and intraspecific.
The germes gene is a marker of germ plasm and primordial germ cells (PGC). It is described for the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis . Overexpression of its mutant form negatively affects the formation and migration of PGC. However, it was unknown until now how widely this gene is represented in animals of different phylogenetic groups. For this work, the authors performed bioinformatic analysis of genomic and transcriptome sequences of animals with germ plasm. We found out that the germes homologs are present only in representatives of the genera Xenopus and Hymenochirus of the family Pipidae (order Anura). The obtained results were confirmed by RT-PCR analysis of the expression of the germes orthologs in the ovaries of six representatives of different Anura families. Phylogenetic analysis of cloned sequences of the germes homologs suggests the appearance of this gene in the ancestors of Pipidae and its secondary loss in the genus Pseudohymenochirus . It is also shown that the amino acid sequences of the functional domains of the Germes protein are rather conservative.
The maternal effects that increase the adaptability of offspring are often caused by stressful conditions that persist in the environment. However, it is not clear where the threshold lies at which maternal effects cease to be adaptive for offspring and lead to developmental instability. One of the known environmental stressors is the unpredictable changes in environmental conditions. We aimed to test whether instability of the maternal environment lead to a decrease in developmental robustness in the offspring of the gastropod mollusk Lymnaea stagnalis . The laboratory population of snails was split into two groups. For the first group, conditions were maintained as stable as possible, with constant water exchange and excessive feeding. The second group was kept under unstable (stressful) conditions, with episodic feeding and water exchange. The unstable conditions alone did not affect the frequency of developmental anomalies in the offspring. Since serotonin is thought to play the role of the signaling molecule mediating the maternal effect in L. stagnalis , we exposed the embryos of both groups to the biochemical precursor of serotonin (5-HTP). After incubation in 5-HTP, the proportion of embryos with developmental anomalies was significantly higher for the offspring of mothers living in unstable conditions. We also demonstrated rich serotoninergic innervation of the hermaphroditic gland (ovotestis) and accumulation of serotonin in the cytoplasm of the forming oocytes, supporting the role of serotonin in the maternal signaling. Our experiments suggest that, accumulation of serotonin in the oocyte/zygote may exceed the adaptive level and increase the risk of malformations during embryonic development.
The subfornical organ (SFO) is one of the circumventricular organs (CVOs) of the mammalian nervous system responsible for maintaining the energy and water and sodium balance. Despite notable interest in the SFO and its physiological functions, the organization of individual populations of SFO cells, as well as their interactions, remain unclearly established. In this study, GABA and nitroxidergic systems of SFO using immunohistochemical (IHC) methods were examined. The brain of male Wistar rats at different stages of postnatal development—postnatal day 7 (P7), 14 (P14), and adult (4–6 months)—was examined. The obtained data allowed the authors to characterize changes in the activity of the GABA- and nitroxidergic systems of the SFO during development. In adult rats, three subpopulations of nitroxidergic cells, differing in the intensity of the reaction and tissue localization, can be distinguished. The revealed morphological heterogeneity of nitroxidergic cells in SFO may reflect their diverse functional status.
