imagine (Institute of molecular genetics and genetic engineering)
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Characterization of self-incompatibility genotypes in 48 sweet cherry cultivars and 21 promising hybrids bred in the Balkan region
No full textSweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) exhibits gametophytic self-incompatibility, controlled by at least two multi-allelic, linked genes located at the S-locus. During bloom, pollination with compatible genotypes is essential to ensure sufficient commercial fruit production. Although numerous cultivars and landraces have been S-genotyped, limited data are available on sweet cherry material developed through breeding efforts in the Balkan countries. Therefore, this study was undertaken primarily to identify S-genotypes of 69 sweet cherries, comprising 44 released cultivars, 17 candidate cultivars or promising hybrids, and eight parental genotypes developed or utilized in breeding programmes across Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. We used PCR method for detection of S-alleles, combined with DNA fragment analysis and S-RNase sequencing to evaluate sweet cherry genotypes. We identified a novel S-RNase allele, named S39, in the Romanian sweet cherry cultivar ‘Amar Maxut’ and 10 different known S-RNase alleles (S1–S6, S9, S12, S13 and S22), which allowed classification of 69 genotypes into 21 known incompatibility groups, a ‘0’ group of universal pollen donors, and an ‘SC’ group of self-compatible genotypes. The pedigrees of released cultivars and promising hybrids were discussed based on the polymorphism of the S-locus. This study expands our knowledge of new universal pollen donors, self-compatible genotypes and S-locus combinations, while resolving uncertainties in previous S-genotyping and providing valuable insights for breeders and growers
Carotenoids in Paprika Fruits and Ajvar: Chemical Characterization and Biological Activity
No full textIn this study, carotenoids from four different paprika genotypes were analyzed at various maturation stages, as well as in Ajvar, a traditional Balkan product made from fully matured roasted paprika fruits. For this purpose, the HPTLC analytical method was used, and five dominant carotenoids were analyzed: β-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, capsanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. Additionally, total carotenoids were analyzed spectrophotometrically, antioxidant capacity was determined, and their bioavailability was assayed using in vitro digestion. Finally, Raman spectroscopy, a non-destructive analytical method, was used to estimate the total carotenoid content. The results showed that the amount of all investigated carotenoids is the highest in the final maturity stage (0.38 g/100 g DM to 1.55 g/100 g DM). On the other hand, the lowest concentration of all investigated carotenoids was detected at the first stage of maturation, ranging from 0.01 g/100 g DM to 0.25 g/100 g DM. However, the analysis of carotenoid content in Ajvar showed a tendency for a decrease in concentration compared to their quantity in fresh fruits, although this was also dependent on the genotype (1.9–66.98% according to HPTLC results and 16.14–82.36% according to spectrophotometry). Antioxidant tests indicated an increase in antioxidant capacity with the ripening of paprika fruits, confirming the role of carotenoids as compounds capable of neutralizing harmful oxygen species (DPPH ranged from 0.21 to 1.50 µmol/g TEAC, CUPRAC ranged from 0.185 to 0.297 mg AsA/g DM, FRP ranged from 9.33 to 25.66 mg AsA/g DM). Quantification of total carotenoids by Raman spectroscopy showed that results were highly correlated with those obtained by HPTLC and the spectrophotometric method, highlighting the potential of Raman spectroscopy for carotenoid quantification. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the traditional product Ajvar represents an important source of carotenoids, which are preserved after heat treatment with high biological activity relative to the final ripening stage of the paprika. Furthermore, the bioavailability of carotenoids from Ajvar is significantly higher compared to the results from fresh paprika analysis
Role of Next-Generation Sequencing in Diagnosis of Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Serbia
No full textObjectives: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disorder of lipid metabolism characterized by high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This study aimed to identify variants in the LDLR, APOB, PCSK9 and LDLRAP1 genes and to identify the genotype–phenotype correlation in Serbian FH patients. Method: This study included a total of 101 patients suspected of having FH based on clinical criteria. Genetic analysis was performed by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) method. Results: An overall mutation detection rate of 43.6% was achieved. Thirteen distinct variants were detected in the LDLR gene (93.2%). The most frequently observed variant was c.858C>A p.(Ser286Arg), which was present in 26% of the LDLR-positive patients. Additional variants were detected in the APOB gene. No pathogenic variants were detected in the PCSK9 or LDLRAP1 genes. Comparing genetically FH-positive and FH-negative patients, statistical significance was observed in terms of age (p < 0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.001), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p < 0.001) and triglyceridemia (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study represents the first insight into the genetic basis of FH in Serbia. Taking into consideration that variants were detected in more than one gene and that the variants in the LDLR gene were distributed across nearly all exons, the FH diagnostics in Serbia ought to be based on NGS methodology
Differential Proneness to Obesity in Two Rat Strains with Diverse Immune Responses
No full textAlthough obesity and metabolic syndrome (comprising at least three of the following traits—abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, triglycerides and glucose/insulin resistance, and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum) are known to impact immune system activity, these conditions are often not considered when immune response characteristics are investigated in various rodent strains. In this work, metabolic syndrome indices are compared in 3 month-old (young) and 6 month-old (adult) rats of Dark Agouti (DA) and Albino Oxford (AO) strains, while parameters of coagulation, inflammation and oxidative stress were determined in young animals. Study reveals that both young and adult AO rats are obese, intolerant to glucose with higher levels of triglycerides and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol when compared to age-matched DA rats. Parameters of coagulation, inflammation and oxidative stress that may contribute to the worsening of metabolic syndrome during aging are also higher in young AO rats. Metabolic syndrome observed in young and intensified in adult AO rats should be taken into consideration when analyzing alterations in immune reactivity during aging in this rat strain
Degradation of terephthalic acid using microorganisms isolated from polluted environment
No full textPlastic, ubiquitous in everyday life, excessive use leads to
accumulation and pollution of the environment. Numerous techniques have been
tested in order to reduce pollution. The use of microorganisms capable to
degrading plastic substrates is increasingly in the focus of research. Apart from
being able to depolymerize plastics, it is important to assess their ability to utilize
released monomers as carbon source. In this work, five microorganisms from
polluted environment were tested for utilization of terephthalic acid (TPA), major
monomer of polyethylenetherephtalate (PET). It was shown with certainty that
TPA is not inert to the action of the used microorganisms by HPLC analysis. Also,
these microbes reduced its concentration in a short period of time and
transformed it into new intermediates.3rd INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON BIOTECHNOLOGY
XXX Savetovanje o biotehnologiji sa međunarodnim učešćem, 13–14 March 202
Total synthesis of a sorrentanone ester library and evaluation of its antimicrobial potential
No full textSorrentanone belongs to the class of monomeric sorbicillinoids and displays bioactivities against various Gram-positive bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus as well as Staphylococcus species. Within this work, we present the optimization of the synthetic access towards the sorrentanone scaffold, facilitating the formation of a focused library of structural analogs with ester side chains. Exploration of the bioactivities of this compound library displayed the improvement of antibacterial properties and the presence of additional antifungal activities. Initial mode of action analyses showed the influence of the compounds on fungal filament propagation and biofilm production. Overall, this work reveals the pharmaceutical relevance of less studied monomeric sorbicillinoids
Phenolicsandcellwallremodellingin fruits of tomatooverexpressing GGP1gene
No full textTomato fruit ripening involves complex physiological processes, including the biosynthesis and degradation of cell wall components such as polysaccharides, phenolics, and proteoglycans, leading to fruit softening. In this study, we investigated how the overexpression of GDP-Lgalactose phosphorylase (GGP1)– a key gene in the Lgalactose-dependent ascorbate (Asc) biosynthesis pathway- under the control of two fruit-specific promoters, namely PPC- phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and PG– polygalacturonase, influences cell wall properties and phenolic profile. It was shown that GGP1 overexpression increases Asc content in ripening tomato fruit and upregulates genes associated with cell wall remodelling [1]. Here, we demonstrated that PPC-GGP1 and PG-GGP1 transgenic lines exhibited significant structural alterations in the fruit parenchyma compared to wild-type fruits, particularly a disruption of cell wall composition and organisation [2]. These included modifications in spatial distribution and chemical composition of homogalacturonans and arabinogalactans, as well as changes in the pectin methylation degree. Alongside with reduced content of free chalconaringenin, p-coumaric and protocatechuic acids, the amount of cell wall-bound p-coumaric acid and the corresponding monolignol, p-coumaryl alcohol, was higher in the transgenic fruits. These findings highlight a metabolic interplay between Asc biosynthesis and cell wall remodelling, with potential implications for postharvest fruit quality and storage.Book of abstract: 25-28 JUNE
2025,
BUDAPEST CONGRESS CENTER
BUDAPEST, HUNGAR
Diversity and Distribution of Metal and Biocide Resistance Genes in Airborne Metagenomes Across Urban Locations in Belgrade, Serbia
No full textBackground and objectives: Air as a medium for the transmission of resistance genes remains an
understudied environment. While antibiotic resistance is currently the most discussed topic,
investigating resistance to other pollutants, such as metals and biocides, can provide deeper insights
into the reservoirs and dissemination of resistance genes, as well as their connection to environmental
pollution. Additionally, mobile genetic elements often carry not only antibiotic resistance genes but also
genes conferring resistance to metals (MRG) and biocides (BRG). Here, we present an analysis of the
presence and diversity of MRG and BRG in airborne metagenomes collected from seven locations
within the city of Belgrade, Serbia, during the summer of 2024.
Methods: Air samples were collected using hydrophobic polypropylene membrane filters during the
summer period at seven locations: Barajevo (BA), Borča (BO), Despota Stefana (DS), Leštane (LE),
Veliki Crljeni (VC), Zeleno Brdo (ZB), and Zemun (ZU). Total DNA was isolated using the classical
phenol-chloroform method. The isolated DNA was sequenced on the Illumina NovaSeq X Plus
platform, and bioinformatic analysis was conducted at Novogene, UK. Subsequent in silico analysis
was performed using the AMR++ v3.0 pipeline with the MEGARes database.
Results: The seven locations (BA, BO, DS, LE, VC, ZB, ZU) exhibited relative abundances of MRG at
14.34%, 7.62%, 15.27%, 10.25%, 8.31%, 4.73%, and 24.49%, respectively. For BRG, the relative
abundances were 4.92%, 2.21%, 5.32%, 0.68%, 1.07%, 1.81%, and 9.41%, respectively. Variations in
the abundance of specific genes were observed; for instance, the iron resistance gene (acn) was
detected at locations DS and VC but was absent at other sites. Additionally, genes conferring
resistance to tellurium (klab and klac) were found in high abundance (62%) at location LE
Conclusions: This study demonstrates the presence of MRG, and BRG in airborne environments,
with significant spatial variations across different locations in Belgrade. The detection of specific
genes, such as those for iron and tellurium resistance, at higher abundances in certain areas suggests
localized sources or environmental factors influencing their distribution. These findings underscore the
potential role of air as a reservoir and transmission route for resistance genes and highlight the need
for further research into the dynamics of airborne environments in the spread of antimicrobial
resistance.Abstract book: 10th Symposium on
Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals and the Environment (ARAE), 30 June –2 July 2025
Berlin, German
Harnessing the power of bacteria to fight recalcitrant postconsumer PET-waste burden
No full textIntroduction: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most widely used
petrochemical-based thermoplastics, has significant harmful environmental and health
impacts due to its improper disposal given its recalcitrancy to degradation under
environmental conditions. Despite the available recycling technologies, many wasted
PET products comprise impurities of different nature (e.g., oils, pigments, etc.), additives
or other polymers, that impair their recycling. Therefore, novel approaches are still
required to complement the existing ones.
Objectives: This work aimed at the valorisation of post-consumer PET waste into valueadded
bacterial biomass.
Method: Post-consumer PET waste, comprising 95% PET, 5% polyethylene and traces of
carbon black additives, was depolymerized via reactive extrusion, resulting in a material
named REX-PET. This material was processed into an aqueous solution containing
sodium terephthalate (TPA) that was used as the sole carbon source for the cultivation of
Glutamicibacter nicotianae strain 24A, isolated from soil contaminated with plastic
waste collected at a municipal solid waste management facility.
Findings: The 62-h fed-batch bioreactor (3 L) cultivation of G. nicotianae strain 24A,
under a controlled temperature of 30 ºC and a pH value of 7.0, yielded 9.4 g/L of dry
biomass, with a protein content of 48wt%. A TPA consumption rate of 20 g/(L.day) was
displayed by the culture that reached a TPA removal efficiency of 89% and a biomass
yield of 0.4 g/g. Additionally, the biomass presented a bright yellow coloration indicative
of the presence of a pigment that was extracted and characterized.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated the potential of the newly isolated G. nicotianae
strain 24A for the upcycling of post-consumer PET waste into bacterial biomass and
pigments of high value, thus contributing for tackling the problems associated with the
management of wastes containing this recalcitrant petrochemical-derived plastic contaminated with other chemicals, whose current recycling through other technologies
in impracticable.Book of abstract: FEMS MICRO 2025: Congress & Exhibition, taking place in Milan, Italy, from 14-17 July 2025
24 Correlation between the expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes and immunomodulatory microRNAs miR-27a, miR-222 and miR-340 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of women with gestational diabetes
No full textContinuous low-level inflammation (IFM) is a major contributory factor to development of severe
pregnancy complications associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Presence of IFM
throughout the hyperglycemic pregnancy associates with disturbances in microRNA-related
mechanisms, while inflammatory pathway-related genes are known targets of microRNAs
dysregulated in GDM. Our aim was to evaluate the correlation between the expression of GDMrelated
microRNAs (miR-27a, miR-222 and miR-340) and mRNA encoding proinflammatory
cytokines IL-1β, IL-8, TNFα and IL6 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from
women with GDM and healthy controls. PBMCs were isolated from blood samples during
pregnancy weeks 24-30 (n=50 per group). Relative quantification of relevant microRNAs and
mRNAs was conducted by quantitative real-time PCR, while Pearson correlation test was used for
statistical evaluation of the obtained results. The expression of all three selected microRNAs
showed negative correlation with the level of IL-8 and TNFα mRNA in PBMCs of GDM patients
(negative r ranging 0.318–0.375), while such findings lacked for the control group. Additionally,
miR-340 demonstrated correlation with the expression of IL-1β (r=-0.333). None of the
microRNAs correlated with the expression of IL-6, which was the only mRNA with a statistically
significant upregulation in GDM, compared to controls. The presented results illustrate the relation
between the dysregulation of GDM-associated microRNAs and the expression of immune system
modulators in GDM. The direction of correlation was negative and in accordance with the
hypothesised regulatory mechanisms. Additional findings on circulatory levels of
proinflammatory cytokines are required for further interpretation of IFM-related properties of
selected microRNAs.BeCELS 2025: Belgrade Conference for Early-Career Life Scientists, taking place on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering (IMGGE) in Belgrad