The Russian Arctic supports wild sympatric ruminants and their data-deficient helminths. In this study, we: (1) collected fecal samples of wild and semiwild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) across Palearctic North territories: Arkhangelsk Oblast (including Novaya Zemlya archipelago), Karelia and Sakha Republics, Kola, Yamal, Taimyr, and Chukotka Peninsulas, Bering, Svalbard, and Wrangel Islands; (2) conducted a coprological survey (noninvasive life-time method preferable for protected animals) to obtain eggs and larvae of helminths inhabiting digestive, respiratory, nervous, and muscular systems; (3) identified helminths according to their morphology and DNA sequences; (4) estimated parasite load per host; (5) analyzed our findings. Varestrongylus eleguneniensis (in reindeer) was reported for the Palearctic for the first time, while Orthostrongylus sp. was reported both for R. tarandus and for the Palearctic for the first time. Capillarid-type eggs were reported for snow sheep for the first time. The question of the role of wild Arctic ruminants as vectors for rotifers was raised.

Reindeer are ruminants that have adapted to difficult arctic conditions, poor diets and low temperatures. We have analyzed the metagenomes of the microbial communities of the reindeer rumen in the Nenets and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Districts. An analysis of the complete genomes of the microbial communities of the reindeer rumen from the Nenets and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Regions revealed differences between them at the functional levels. Taxonomically, more than 96% of the sequences belonged to the Bacteria domain, 2.18% to the Eukaryota domain, 1.54% to the Archaea domain, and 0.14% of the sequences were viral. In the sample from the Nenets Autonomous District, a trend towards a higher proportion of representatives of the fungal kingdom Neocallimastigomycota was revealed. Large functional differences between rumen microbiomes were found in the analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes. In the genome of animals from the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. At this level, obvious differences in the spectrum of produced enzymes responsible for the utilization of complex polysaccharides were revealed. Perhaps this is due to the fact that in the rumen of reindeer from the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, a large proportion was occupied by representatives of the phylum Firmicutes, which include the largest number of decomposers of complex polysaccharides.

Background The key natural area of Russian reindeer (Rangifer tarandus, Nenets breed) is arctic zones, with severe climatic conditions and scarce feed resources, especially in the cold winter season. The adaptation of reindeer to these conditions is associated not only with the genetic potential of the animal itself. The rumen microbiome provides significant assistance in adapting animals to difficult conditions by participating in the fiber digestion. The aim of our study is to investigate the taxonomy and predicted metabolic pathways of the ruminal microbiota (RM) during the winter–spring (WS) and summer–autumn (SA) seasons, in calves and adult reindeer inhabiting the natural pastures of the Yamalo-Nenetsky Autonomous District of the Russian Federation. Methods The RM in reindeer was studied using the Next Generation Sequencing method with the MiSeq (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) platform. Reconstruction and prediction of functional profiles of the metagenome, gene families, and enzymes were performed using the software package PICRUSt2 (v.2.3.0). Results The nutritional value of WS and SA diets significantly differed. Crude fiber content in the WS diet was higher by 22.4% (p < 0.05), compared to SA, indicating possibly poorer digestibility and necessity of the adaptation of the RM to this seasonal change. A total of 22 bacterial superphyla and phyla were found in the rumen, superphylum Bacteroidota and phylum Firmicutes being the dominating taxa (up to 48.1% ± 4.30% and 46.1% ± 4.80%, respectively); while only two archaeal phyla presented as minor communities (no more then 0.54% ± 0.14% totally). The percentages of the dominating taxa were not affected by age or season. However, significant changes in certain minor communities were found, with seasonal changes being more significant than age-related ones. The percentage of phylum Actinobacteriota significantly increased (19.3-fold) in SA, compared to WS (p = 0.02) in adults, and the percentage of phylum Cyanobacteria increased up to seven-fold (p = 0.002) in adults and calves. Seasonal changes in RM can improve the ability of reindeer to withstand the seasons characterized by a low availability of nutrients. The PICRUSt2 results revealed 257 predicted metabolic pathways in RM: 41 pathways were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by season and/or age, including the processes of synthesis of vitamins, volatile fatty acids, and pigments; metabolism of protein, lipids, and energy; pathogenesis, methanogenesis, butanediol to pyruvate biosynthesis, cell wall biosynthesis, degradation of neurotransmitters, lactic acid fermentation, and biosynthesis of nucleic acids. A large part of these changeable pathways (13 of 41) was related to the synthesis of vitamin K homologues. Conclusion The results obtained improve our knowledge on the structure and possible metabolic pathways of the RM in reindeer, in relation to seasonal changes.

Reindeer are animals adapted to live in a poor diet and low temperatures in the Arctic regions. The aim of this research was to study the biodiversity of ruminal microorganisms of Rangifer tarandus inhabiting the Murmansk region, Russian Federation. Samples of the ruminal contents from 11 individuals, incl. young (YA, n = 3), mature (MA, n = 4) and old (OA, n = 4) animals were used for the research. The ruminal bacterial community of reindeer was studied using the T-RFLP (Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. A significant number of DNA sequences in the rumen of Rangifer tarandus were classified as uncultured bacteria (up to 69.88%), the largest share of which was found in groups YA and OA. The representation of several taxa had age differences: in individuals of the MA group, the share of Lachnospiraceae, Eubacteriaceae, Thermoanaerobacteriaceae, Ruminococcaceae increased and in the AO group the share of Clostridiaceae increased. It was important to note in the rumen of reindeer the presence of various diseases pathogens and their association with a certain age of animals: Campylobacteraceae was noted in the YA group; Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Pasteurellaceae in the MA group; Staphylococcus sp., Tenericutes, Fusobacteria, Actinobacteria in the OA group. In general, according to the alpha-diversity index values of ruminal microorganisms (taxonomic units, Shannon's index), a tendency toward a decrease in biodiversity and an increase in its homogeneity was revealed increasing age in reindeer.

The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) is a unique animal inhabitant of arctic regions. Low ambient temperatures and scant diets (primarily, lichens) have resulted in different evolutional adaptations, including the composition of the ruminal microbiota. In the study presented here, the effects of seasonal and regional aspects of the composition of the ruminal microbiota in reindeer (Nenets breed, 38 animals) were studied (wooded tundra from the Yamalo-Nenetski Autonomous District (YNAD) vs. from the Nenetski Autonomous District (NAD)). The ruminal content of calves (n = 12) and adult animals (n = 26, 15 males and 11 females) was sampled in the summer (n = 16) and winter seasons (n = 22). The composition of the ruminal microbial population was determined by the V3–V4 16S rRNA gene region sequencing. It was found that the population was dominated by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla, followed by Spirochaetes and Verrucomicrobia. An analysis of the community using non-metric multidimensional scaling and Bray–Curtis similarity metrics provided evidence that the most influential factors affecting the composition of ruminal microbiota are the region (p = 0.001) and season (p = 0.001); heat map analysis revealed several communities that are strongly affected by these two factors. In the summer season, the following communities were significantly larger compared to in the winter season: Coriobactriaceae, Erysipelothrihaceae, and Mycoplasmataceae. The following communities were significantly larger in the winter season compared to in summer: Paraprevotellaceae, Butyrivibrio spp., Succiniclasticum spp., Coprococcus spp., Ruminococcus spp., and Pseudobutyrivibrio spp. In NAD (tundra), the following communities were significantly larger in comparison to YNAD (wooded tundra): Verrucomicrobia (Verruco-5), Anaerolinaceae, PeHg47 Planctomycetes, cellulolytic Lachnospiraceae, and Succiniclasticum spp. The following bacterial groups were significantly larger in YNAD in comparison to NAD: cellulolytic Ruminococaceae, Dehalobacteriaceae, Veillionelaceae, and Oscilospira spp. The significant differences in the ruminal microbial population were primarily related to the ingredients of diets, affected by region and season. The summer-related increases in the communities of certain pathogens (Mycoplasmataceae, Fusobacterium spp., Porphyromonas endodentalis) were found. Regional differences were primarily related to the ratio of the species involved in ruminal cellulose degradation and ruminal fatty acids metabolism; these differences reflect the regional dissimilarities in botanical diet ingredients.

Reindeer digestion is impossible without the symbiotic microorganisms that live in its rumen. The composition of plant fibers present in the diet of reindeer is characterized by an increased content of plant fiber, hemicellulose, lignin, and secondary lichen metabolites. The Arctic is characterized by extremely scarce food resources even in summer. In winter the nutritional value of the diet is further reduced. The digestion of such feeds is provided only by the enzyme systems of microorganisms that live in the rumen of ruminants. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine the changes occurring in the composition of the reindeer’ rumen bacterial community inhabiting the Nenets region of the Russian Arctic. Rumen contents were collected from 20 reindeer in winter and summer 2017. To identify the bacterial community, 16S rRNA sequencing was used on the MiSeq (Illumina). Statistical processing of the results of NGS using the PERMANOVA analysis showed that the rumen bacterial communities in winter and summer have significant differences (P = 0.001). Taxonomic analysis using the GreenGenes database showed that, in general, at the phylum level in the community, representatives of Firmicutes (29.98–52.67%) and Bacteroidetes (33.55–51.87%) dominated. Significant differences were shown for microorganisms associated with the fermentation of plant polysaccharides. In winter, a significant increase in bacteria of the genera Succiniclasticum (P < 0.001), Paraprevotellaceae (P < 0.001), Coprococcus (P < 0.001), Butyrivibrio (P < 0.001), Prevotella (P < 0.001), Ruminococcus (P < 0.001). Thus, there is a succession of the bacterial community of the reindeer rumen associated with the change of seasons, affecting minor groups of microorganisms. In turn, it is associated with the availability of various components of the diet and the predominance of more or less easily digestible substances in it. The study was supported by a grant of Russian Science Foundation Project No. 17-76-20026.

The properties of brucella isolated from domestic and wild reindeer, as well as other animal species in the natural focus of brucellosis in Taimyr, were studied. It was established that the brucella cultures isolated from domestic and wild reindeer, as well as carnivorous animals, were identical in morphological characteristics and tinctorial properties, and grew well on dense nutrient media. The vast majority of cultures 246 (91.5%) had no signs of dissociation, only 23 (8.5%)—were in varying degrees of dissociation. In the body of laboratory animals, reindeer and carnivores, the administration of brucellosis antigen causes the formation of specific anti-brucellosis antibodies, which react with both homologous and standard (heterologous) antigens. In foci of deer brucellosis in Taimyr, cultures with high, medium and low virulence were identified. Moreover, the majority (40 out of 45) of brucella cultures isolated from the main hosts (domestic and wild deer) are highly virulent. All deer species brucella cultures, regardless of the source of isolation, represent a homogeneous group and have high-urease activity. Brucella cultures isolated from domestic, wild reindeer and carnivores are significantly different from reference strains. Studying the properties of the causative agent of brucellosis isolated in the natural focus of infection from domestic and wild animals, it can be stated that the obtained strains are identical to each other and can be distinguished into a separate group.

В данной статье рассматривается необходимость перехода к инновационному развитию российской экономики, раскрываются основные положения инновационного сценария развития социально-экономического потенциала страны до 2030 года с приведением некоторых прогнозных значений макроэкономических показателей.

The reindeer's rumen microbiota plays an important role in the digestion of feed with enzymes produced by rumen microsymbiotes. In this regard, the study of reindeer adaptations, the possibility of effective use plant feed resources of the Arctic are of wide interest. This study presents for the first time the results of the assessment of the population structure of the microbial communities of the Rangifer tarandus rumen in the winter period according to high-throughput sequencing data. A special feature of the reindeer ration in the winter-spring period is the high proportion of lichens in the diet (up to 70%) as compared with the summer-autumn (no more than 10-15%). Samples of the rumen content were collected in the winter-spring period in 2018 in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District from calves (6-8 months, n = 3), young (1-2 years, n = 3) and adults (3-6 years, n = 6) reindeer of the Nenets breed. The composition of the bacterial community of the reindeer rumen was analyzed in the laboratory of the company BIOTROF + by the method of NGS sequencing (next-generation sequencing). The results showed that representatives of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes occupied a dominant position in microbial communities like in other ruminants. The total content of this bacteria in animals of different age groups was not significantly different. The composition of the microbiota in calves was presented with a higher content of cellulolytic microorganisms of the genera Ruminococcus, Buturivibrio, Coprococcus compared with young and adults (p <0.05). The share of acid-utilizing bacteria of the genera Succiniclasticum and Selenomonas in calves was lower compared with young and adult individuals (p <0.05). The taxonomic analysis for the composition of microbial communities is confirmed by the results of biodiversity assessment using environmental indices. According to the results of assessment of α and β-diversity of the microbial communities of the rumen, the greatest uniqueness was found for the microbiomes of adults in comparison with calves and young. In general, the obtained results confirm the opinion of researchers that the microbial community can reflect the physiological state of animals.

Bacteria involved in the cellulose decomposition are dominant in the community of microorganisms of the rumen of various ruminants, including reindeer.Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is a unique ruminant adapted to live in adverse conditions of meager diet of the Far North.As a result of the study, it was shown that the proportion of bacteria phyla of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, which includes the overwhelming majority of cellulolytic bacteria, comprised from 84.3% to 86.9% of the rumen bacterial community: not more than 4% of Proteobacteria; Cyanobacteria, Spirochaetes, Verrucomicrobia and Actinobacterianot more than 5.6%, the restin a minor amount.Phylum Bacteroidetes was dominant among representatives of other phyla; their share ranged from 45.6% to 52.1%.The largest proportion of cellulolytic bacteria was detected in young deers at the age of 0.5 years (52.5%).Animals showed a tendency to decrease in the share of these bacteria with age.The smallest relative abundance of cellulolytic bacteria was detected in animals at the age of 9 years (44.7%).Bacteria of the genus Prevotella dominated among cellulolytic rumen bacteria.Bacteroides sp., Ruminococcus sp., Blautia sp., Clostridium sp., Butyrivibrio sp. and Paraprevotella sp.ranked next in relative abundance among rumen bacteria.Their share averaged from 3% to 6%.Our analysis showed the presence of two clusters uniting the microbial communities of the reindeer rumen into groups by the age characteristics.The first cluster included individuals under the age of 5 years, and the second group was older than 6 years.This is consistent with the data of biodiversity indices, which showed that bacterial diversity in the reindeer rumen increases with the age.

Modern high-performance molecular genetic and genomic technologies are currently widely used in applied research on poultry. In the present molecular genetic study, the effects of infection of laying hens with Salmonella and the feed additive Intebio, an phytobiotic based on essential oils, were studied. Both the inhibitory and the activating influence of these factors on the level of expression of a number of genes associated with immunity, transport of molecules and ions in the intestine, and productivity were shown both in 1 day and 7 days post infection. The feed additive can promote the formation of the mobilizing status of the immune system tension by activating key genes. Современные высокопроизводительные молекулярногенетические и геномные технологии находят в настоящее время самое широкое применение в прикладных исследованиях на сельскохозяйственной птице. В предлагаемой молекулярно-генетической работе были изучены эффекты заражения кур-несушек сальмонеллой и добавления в корм фитобиотика Интебио на основе эфирных масел. Показано как угнетающее, так и активирующее влияние этих факторов на уровень экспрессии ряда генов, связанных с иммунитетом, транспортом молекул и ионов в кишечнике и продуктивностью как через сутки, так и через 7 суток после заражения. Кормовая добавка может содействовать формированию мобилизующего статуса напряженности иммунной системы за счет активации ключевых генов.

C urrently, in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, much attention is paid to the rational use of natural resources and the creation of their food base.Therefore, the region is actively developing the branches of traditional nature management (domestic reindeer farming, hunting, and fishing, gathering wild plants), which can become an integral part of the food security of the territory (Laishev et al., 2015).Under natural conditions, reindeer brucellosis in Taimyr diagnosed by serological and allergic methods by I.M.Golosov in 1948, and in 1955 V.A. Zabrodin was the first to isolate Brucella strains from deer.Subsequently, the presence of brucellosis infection in reindeer diagnosed in all regions of the north of the Asian part of Russia, from the Yamal-Nenets, Dolgan-Nenets, and Evenki autonomous

A mathematical evaluation of the effects of Salmonella infection and use of a feed additive (phytobiotic Intebio) on the performance of laying hens was carried out. Significant differences were found between the experiment subgroups in terms of egg productivity, with a negative effect of infecting hens with Salmonella and with a positive one of supplementing the chicken diet with the phytobiotic. Проводили математическую оценку влияния сальмонеллезной инфекции и применения кормовой добавки (фитобиотика Интебио) на продуктивность кур-несушек. Обнаружены достоверные отличия между опытными подгруппами по признакам яичной продуктивности, при отрицательном эффекте заражения кур сальмонеллой и положительном — при добавлении в рацион кур фитобиотика.

The aim of the work was to compare the taxonomic composition of the rumen procariotic community in young and adult individuals of Nenets breed reindeer (Rangifer tarandus ) from the central part of the Yamal region by using the NGS method (next generation sequencing) and compare the microbiome composition of reindeer with the microbiome of their initial vegetation food material. The obtained data showed that the dominant position in microbial communities, like that of other ruminants, was occupied by representatives of phylum Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, whose total share between observed groups did not differ significantly. The composition of the microbiome of the rumen of the investigated group of animals was completely different from the microbiome structure of the initial vegetation cover. Digestion of vegetation by reindeers resulted in complex transformation in the initial plant microbiome and an increase of biological diversity which was expressed in operational taxonomic unit (OTU) numbers increasing and changes in indexes of alpha-diversity parameters. According to the results of alpha- and beta- diversity of the rumen microbial communities, the greatest uniqueness was revealed for the microbiomes of the adults in comparison with calves and young. The presence of changes in the biodiversity indexes of the rumen microbiota in the reindeer, examined by us, confirm the opinion of the researchers that the microbial community may also reflect the physiological state of the animals. It has also been demonstrated that the presence of the phylum Verrucomicrobia, and the genera Stenotrophomonas, Pseudomonas, etc., may be specific to Nenets breed reindeer and have a pattern with their presence on various plants and lichens that are part of the reindeer diet. This is partially confirmed by data on plants microbiome taxonomy.

The feature of the microorganisms of rumen microbiocenosis is the ability to form a number of digestive enzymes, including cellulases, which allows ruminants use the energy of feeds rich in fiber. Microorganisms that are promising as a source of cellulases, biodestructors of toxins having antagonistic properties against pathogens for creating probiotic feed additives, both for reindeer and for other livestock, were isolated from the reindeer rumen. The aim of the study was to create a collection of microorganisms that are promising for creating a biopreparation. As a result, collections of 63 associations of microorganisms decomposing cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose were created, their morphology and cultural properties were described. It was found that the amount of cellulose degradation was 44 - 62% in the 4 most active isolates (No 14, 15, 21 and 26). The obtained data allowed to make a conclusion about the ability of bacterial strains isolated from the rumen to synthesize cellulolytic enzymes carrying out cellulose biodegradation, which allows them to gain a competitive advantage in the rumen of the reindeer diets with an abundance of cellulose. Isolates No 14 and 15 showed high antagonistic activity to Fusarium sporotrichioides, and isolate No 15 and 16 showed high antagonistic activity to Fusarium oxysporum. Isolate No 15 showed a wider antifungal activity compared to other isolates. Among all isolated strains, this bacterial isolate is represented as having a large spectrum of activities, including both high cellulolytic and high antifingal activity.

Improving the foundations of poultry nutrition is the basis for the dynamic development of agriculture in our country. In this regard, there is no doubt about the importance of studying the microbiota inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of birds, as well as the mechanisms of activation/inactivation of gene expression, in order to improve methods for assessing metabolism and their health status. Thanks to modern methods, it is possible to assess the effectiveness of the additives on the body, develop schemes for the prevention of diseases and produce high quality poultry products without the use of feed antibiotics, which is the basis for a healthy diet for people. The recommendations are intended for specialists and managers of poultry farms, farmers, researchers, teachers and students of agricultural universities as well as students of the advanced training system. Совершенствование основ питания птиц является базой динамичного развития сельского хозяйства в нашей стране. В связи с этим не вызывает сомнений важность изучения микробиоты, населяющей ЖКТ птиц, а также механизмов активации/инактивации экспрессии генов, с целью совершенствования методов для оценки обмена веществ и состояния их здоровья. Благодаря современным методам удается оценить эффективность действия добавок на организм, разработать схемы профилактики заболеваний и производить птицеводческую продукцию высокого качества без применения кормовых антибиотиков, что является основой здорового питания людей. Рекомендации предназначены для специалистов и руководителей птицеводческих хозяйств, фермеров, научных работников, преподавателей и студентов сельскохозяйственных вузов, слушателей системы повышения квалификации.