Vol. 60 No. 3 (270) (2026): In process

Biology

• Biology

  COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE INTERACTION OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS DOPAMINE AND SEROTONIN WITH DNA

  Anna V. Vardanyan

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  Abstract

  Comparative study of the interaction of neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin with DNA has been carried out, using the methods of ultraviolet melting, as well as absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. The obtained results reveal that both ligands immediately bind to DNA, meanwhile serotonin stabilizes the double-stranded structure of the latter stronger, than dopamine. At the binding to DNA the similar fluorescence quenching of both neurotransmitters is observed. On the other hand, the absorption properties of the complexes dopamine–DNA and serotonin–DNA significantly differ: at the formation of dopamine complexes with DNA, hypochromic effect occurs, at the formation of serotonin – hyperchromic effect.

  References

  Álvarez-Martos I., Ferapontova E.E. A DNA Sequence Obtained by Replacement of the Dopamine RNA Aptamer Bases is not an Aptamer. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 489 (2017), 381−385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.05.134

  Sarkar S., Chowdhury A., Singh P.Ch. Multimodal Interactions of Dopamine Hydrochloride with the Groove Region of DNA: A Key Factor in the Enhanced Stability of DNA. J. Phys. Chem. B 123 (2019), 10700−10708. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b09254

  Lissek T. Interfacing Neural Network Components and Nucleic Acids. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 5 (2017), 751–755. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2017.00053

  Marsden C.A. Dopamine: the Rewarding Years. Br. J. Pharmacol. 147 (2006), 136−S144. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjp.0706473

  Zheng Y., Wang Y., Yang X. Aptamer-Based Colorimetric Biosensing of Dopamine Using Unmodified Gold Nanoparticles. Sens. Actuators B 156 (2011), 95−99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2011.03.077

  Naeem M., Chadeayne A.R., et al. Crystal Structure of Serotonin. Acta Crystallographica. Section E: Crystallographic Communications 78 (2022), 365–368. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989022002559

  Dragoi C.M., Morosan E., et al. Insights into Chrononutrition: The Innermost Interplay Amongst Nutrition, Metabolism and the Circadian Clock, in the Context of Epigenetic Reprogramming. Farmacia 67 (2019), 557–571. https://doi.org/10.31925/farmacia.2019.4.2

  Moncrieff J., Cooper R.E., et al. The Serotonin Theory of Depression: A Systematic Umbrella Review of the Evidence. Mol. Psychiatry 28 (2022), 3243–3256. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0

  Klaessens S., Stroobant V., et al. Systemic Tryptophan Homeostasis. Front. Mol. Biosci. 9 (2022), 897929. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2022.897929

  Farrelly L.A., Thompson R.E., et al. Histone Serotonylation is a Permissive Modification That Enhances TFIID Binding to H3K4me3. Nature 567 (2019), 535–539. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1024-7

  Rehmani N., Farhan M., Hadi S.M. DNA Binding and its Degradation by the Neurotransmitter Serotonin and its Structural Analogues Melatonin and Tryptophan: Putative Neurotoxic Mechanism. J. Mol. Genet. Med. 10 (2016), 1000223. https://doi.org/10.4172/1747-0862.1000223

  Drăgoi C.M., Zanfirescu A., et al. An Experimental Dynamic Investigation of the Influence of Melatonin, Serotonin and Tryptophan on the Stability of the DNA Structure. Chemistry 6 (2024), 922–940. https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry6050054

  Vardevanyan P.O., Kocharyan G.H., et al. Study of Neurotransmitter Dopamine Interaction with DNA by Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Methods. Biophysical Chemistry 329 (2026), 107552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpc.2025.107552

  Parsadanyan M.A., Antonyan A.P., et al. To the Mechanisms of Interaction of the Neurotransmitter Serotonin with DNA. Journal of Contemporary Physics (Armenian Academy of Sciences) 60 (2024), 590–598. https://doi.org/10.1134/S106833722670012X

  Avanesyan H., Parsadanyan M., et al. Dopamine and Serotonin: Overview of the Functions and Function Disorders, Leading to Neurodegeneration. Neurophysiology 58 (2026), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11062-026-10001-9

  Vardevanyan P., Antonyan A., et al. Joint interaction of Ethidium Bromide and Methylene Blue with DNA. The Effect of Ionic Strength on Binding Thermodynamic Parameters. J. of Biomol. Struct. and Dyn. 34 (2016), 1377–1382. https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2015.1079557

  Tavadyan L.A., Minasyan S.H., et al. Exploring the Interaction of Ethidium Bromide and Hoechst 33258 with DNA by Means of Electrochemical Approach. Biophys. Reviews and Letters 12 (2017), 151–161.

  Vardevanyan P.O., Arakelyan V.B., et al. Analysis of Experimental Binding Curves of EtBr with Single- and Double-Stranded DNA at Small Fillings. Modern Phys. Lett. B 28 (2014), 1450178. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217984914501784

  Vardevanyan P.O., Antonyan A.P., et al. Study of the Influence of the Ionic Strength on Complex-Formation of Ethidium Bromide with poly(rA)-poly(rU). Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics 38 (2019), 2493–2498. https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2019.1630006

• Biology

  MYCOBIOTA OF THE WRITTEN HERITAGE OF THE MATENADARAN: FUNGAL BIODIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS

  Armine E. Paronikyan

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  Abstract

  Documentary heritage preserved in libraries and manuscript repositories is susceptible to fungal colonization and biodeterioration, which may threaten the physical integrity and long-term preservation of historical materials. This study presents the results of mycological investigations of the written heritage conducted from 2011 to 2026 at the M․ Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran), Armenia. A total of 689 documentary objects were examined, including paper and parchment manuscripts, early printed books, and other documentary materials, with the aim of detecting culturable fungi. Fungal isolates were identified primarily on the basis of cultural and morphological characteristics using established mycological identification keys; the nomenclature and taxonomic status of the identified species were verified using the Index Fungorum database. The occurrence of individual species was assessed at the level of individual documentary objects, while fungal diversity was evaluated using the Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou indices. The study revealed considerable fungal diversity: following taxonomic standardization, 95 species of microfungi were recorded, and differences in species composition, frequency of occurrence, and community structure were identified among the examined categories of materials. Several species were repeatedly detected across different categories of documentary materials, whereas others showed more restricted distributions. The highest species diversity was recorded in paper manuscripts, whereas the fungal community of parchment manuscripts was characterized by comparatively lower species diversity and the highest evenness. The findings demonstrate the value of mycological examination as a complement to visual assessment and provide a basis for preventive environmental monitoring, microclimate control, and the development of safer and scientifically grounded approaches to preventing and controlling fungal biodeterioration of written heritage.

  References

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  Sterflinger K. Fungi: Their role in Deterioration of Cultural Heritage. Fungal Biology Reviews 24 2010), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbr.2010.03.003

  Gadd G.M., Fomina M., Pinzari F. Fungal Biodeterioration and Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Artwork, and Historical Artifacts: Extremophily and Adaptation. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 88 (2024), e00200–e00222. https://doi.org/10.1128/mmbr.00200-22

  Sterflinger K., Piñar G. Microbial Deterioration of Cultural Heritage and Works of Art-Tilting at Windmills? Appl. Microbiol. Biotech. 97 (2013), 9637–9646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-5283-1

  Pinzari F. Microbial Processes Involved in the Deterioration of Paper and Parchment. In: Biodeterioration and Preservation in Art, Archaeology and Architecture (eds. R. Mitchell, J. Clifford). London, Archetype Publications (2018), 33–56.

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  Paronikyan A.E., Eliazyan G.A., Sahakyan A. Preservation of the Matenadaran Manuscript Holdings from Biodeterioration by Means of Plant-Based Biocidal Agents. In: Faces of Memory 2026. Yerevan, Matenadaran (2026). https://doi.org/10.57155/OHOV6091179

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  Barnett H.L., Hunter B.B. Illustrated Genera of Imperfect Fungi. 4th ed. St. Paul, Minnesota, APS Press (1998), xxii + 218.

  Mirchink T.G. Pochvennaya Mikologiya [Soil Mycology]. Moscow, Moscow State University Press (1976), 205 (in Russian).

  Shannon C.E. (1948). A Mathematical Theory of Communication. Bell System Technical Journal 27 (1948), 379–423. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1538-7305.1948.tb01338.x

  Simpson E.H. Measurement of Diversity. Nature 163 (1949), 688. https://doi.org/10.1038/163688a0

  Pielou E.C. The Measurement of Diversity in Different Types of Biological Collections. Journal of Theoretical Biology 13 (1966), 131–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-5193(66)90013-0

• Biology

  THE EFFECT OF NORMOBARIC AND HYPOBARIC HYPOXIA ON THE ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF THE BRAIN AND CARDIORESPIRATORY RESPONSE

  Marietta A. Karapetyan, Nona Yu. Adamyan, Emma S. Gevorgyan

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  Abstract

  The subject of study is the comparative assessment of electrical activity of the brain and cardiorespiratory response during normobaric and hypobaric hypoxia. For the normal functioning of the mechanisms for maintaining the body's energy balance, it is necessary to preserve the parameters that characterize the functional abilities of oxygen transport systems. The experimental results show that atmospheric pressure is not the main factor influencing the electrical activity of brain cells and the autonomic functions of the body. It turns out that in both hypobaric and normobaric hypoxia, the cause of the observed changes in indicators is a decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂) in the environment, which leads to a decrease in oxygen tension in the blood (PaO₂).

  References

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  Millet G.P., Faiss R., Pialoux V. Point: Hypobaric Hypoxia Induces Different Responses from Normobaric Hypoxia. J. Appl. Physiol. 112 (2012), 1783–1784. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00067.2012

  Millet G.P., Debevec T. CrossTalk Proposal: Barometric Pressure, Independent of PO2, is the Forgotten Parameter in Altitude Physiology and Mountain Medicine. J. Physiol. 598 (2020), 893–896. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP278673

  Mounier R., Brugniaux J.V. Counterpoint: Hypobaric Hypoxia does not Induce Different Responses from Normobaric Hypoxia. J. Appl. Physiol. 112 (2012), 1784–1786. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00067.2012

  Richalet J. CrossTalk Opposing View: Barometric Pressure, Independent of PO2, is not the Forgotten Parameter in Altitude Physiology and Mountain Medicine. J. Physiol. 598 (2020), 897–899. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP279160

  Angeli C.N., Shute R.J., Slivka D.R. Higher Muscle Tissue Oxygenation when Exposed to Hypobaric Hypoxia than Normobaric Hypoxia. J. Hum. Perf. Extrem. Environ 15 (2019). https://doi.org/10.7771/2327-2937.1117

  Basualto-Alarcón C., Rodas G., et al. Cardiorespiratory Parameters during Submaximal Exercise under Acute Exposure to Normobaric and Hypobaric Hypoxia. Apunts. Med. de L'esport 47 (2012), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apunts.2011.11.005

  Beidleman B.A., Fulco C.S., et al. Cycling Performance Decrement is Greater in Hypobaric Versus Normobaric Hypoxia. Extrem. Physiol. Med. 3 (2014), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-7648-3-8

  Faiss R., Pialoux V., et al. Ventilation, Oxidative Stress, and Nitric Oxide in Hypobaric Versus Normobaric Hypoxia. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 45 (2013), 253–260. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31826d5aa2

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