Like other proteins of the cytokine family, bovine α-interferon activates and modulates antiviral state of the target cells and inhibits division and growth of the infected cells which makes it an excellent candidate as a new antiviral therapeutic agent.
This study is concerned with the determination of the optimal isolation, purification and refolding conditions of the recombinant bovine interferon-α (rbIFN-α) from inclusion bodies (IBs). Main methods used were UV/Visible spectroscopy, electrophoresis, liquid chromatography and refolding by dilution.
It was found that two step IBs washing with solutions containing 50 mmol/l Tris, 50 mmol/l NaCl and 3.5 mol/l urea and their subsequent solubilization in 50 mmol/l Tris-HCl, pH 9.8 mol/l Urea and 20 mmol/l β-mercaptoethanol allow us to receive the target protein in monomeric form and 53.18 ± 9.3 % purity. Further application of the anion-exchange tandem chromatography on DE 52 cellulose and toyopearl DEAE-650 M gives a possibility to remove the major impurities and obtain rbIFN-α with 80.7 ± 8.6 % purity. Refolding by dilution in the buffer containing 20 mmol/l NaPB, рН 7.4, 0.4 mol/l sucrose, 1 mmol/l L-Cys, 0.1 mmol/l L-Cystine, 1 mmol/l EDTA, 0.05 % Kolliphor EL at 10 °C followed by the protein collection allows to get the recombinant rbIFN-α in homogeneous state, with 98.43 % purity and antiviral activity about (5 ± 3.6)•106 U/mg.

The collection of the daffodils of Central Botanical Garden of the NAS of Belarus unites 413 varieties representing 10 garden groups. In order to select daffodils for industrial gardening, a method for comparative assessment of cultivars has been developed, which is presented in this article.

The system is based on the evaluation of cultivars of flower-ornamental plants. Cultivars of daffodils are evaluated in stages. In the period of mass flowering, a 5-points scale is used to assess the decorativeness of cultivars and their adaptability to local conditions. For further study, prospective varieties are distinguished, estimated at no lower than 4 points. They are grouped by garden groups, by color and size of flowers, flowering time, height of peduncles and practical use (group planting, cutting, forcing). In the selected groups and subgroups, a comparative assessment of promising varieties is made by of decorative and economic-biological qualities.

The decorativeness of the cultivars is proposed to be assessed on a 100-point scale in total by 8 features: color, flower size, heat resistance of the flower, the quality of the perianth stems, the quality of the peduncle, the duration of flowering, abundance of flowering, originality. Each attribute is evaluated on a 5-point scale and multiplied by the coefficient of its significance, respectively, the maximum score of the attributes ranges from 10 to 15 points.

The assessment of the economic and biological qualities of cultivars is carried out in total within a 50-point scale in 7 indicators: winter hardiness, spring frost damage, resistance to disease, resistance to pests, resistance to viral infection, reproductive capacity, plant condition. Coefficient of significance of all signs 1–2.

Assessment of cultivars of daffodils in total for decorative and economic-biological characteristics is a key moment in the formation of the assortment of daffodils for industrial use. It allows selection of the most decorative, stable and well-breeding varieties in local conditions, estimated at not less than 130 points.

Modern urbanization processes lead to the need to introduce new approaches to urban gardening in the practice of green building, which in turn requires the renewal and expansion of the range of ornamental plants that are used, characterized by their compactness and high resistance to environmental factors. An important role in this is given to plant introduction, designed at the first stage to assess the prospects of introductions and draw conclusions about the advisability of their further use in gardening. This article presents the results of primary introductory tests of 10 cultivars of 4 species of the genus Juniperus L., conducted in 2008–2018. It is established that the cultivars studied are characterized by a stable rhythm of shoot growth, which begins in late April and ends in the first half of September, which ensures the success of their wintering in the open ground. The evaluation of the regenerative capacity of stem cuttings made it possible to identify among the objects as hard-to-root forms (J. horizontalis ‘Emerald Spreader’ and ‘Monber’, J. sabina ‘Tam No Blight’ and J. chinensis ‘Gold Coast’) and medium- (J. horizontalis ‘Prince of Wales’, ‘Limeglow’ and ‘Glacier’, J. conferta ‘Shlager’) and easily rooted (J. horizontalis ‘Winter Blue’ and ‘Yukon Belle’). Satisfactory ability of stem cuttings to root formation allows to organize the production of planting material on the territory of the republic.

Recently, with the development of decorative gardening and landscape design, the extension of the assortment of floral and ornamental plants including perennial plants becomes relevant. chrysanthemum Korean – one of the most promising crops for flower decoration of the cities of Belarus, characterized by long flowering periods, unpretentiousness at cultivation, accessible ways of reproduction ways of plants, a wide variety of varieties.
In the article present a modified method of comprehensive assessment of chrysanthemum Korean (Chrysanthemum coreanum), recommended for use in industrial landscaping. The method is based on 11 decorative and biological qualities: stability of flower coloration, duration and stability of flowering plants, number of inflorescences, height and shape of the plant, number of leaves on the stem, winter hardiness of plants, resistance to diseases and pests, ability of plants to vegetative reproduction, preservation of decorative qualities without plant transplantation which are important for industrial cultivation of plants. Each qualities is evaluated on a 3-point scale. The sum of points determines the perspective of the variety for use in gardening. Varieties of chrysanthemum that received 27 points or more are very promising plants, 19–26 – a promising plants, below 18 points – to the unpromising plants.
The method was used on a collection of chrysanthemum Korean of the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Based on this technique, perspective plant varieties were selected for the green construction of Belarus.

Sterile crustose lichens, i. e., those species that do not form fruiting bodies on the territory of Belarus, domestic scientists started to focus only at the beginning of the 21st century, despite the fact that already in the 60–70’s in the 20th century and methods for determining lichen substances in lichens were developed.

Subjects of the study were herbarium specimens of lichenized fungi of the genus Lepraria in the amount of 68 herbarium bags from the collection of lichens MSK-L. As a result of the determination of secondary metabolites in the samples and the use of morphological features, it is established that the samples studied are represented by 9 species from the genus Lepraria: L. caesioalba, L. eburnea, L. elobata, L. finkii, L. incana, L. jackii, L., neglecta, L. rigidula и L. vouauxii. Lichen Lepraria caesioalba first time provides for the territory of the republic. The biotopes and substrate association of lichens with the genus Lepraria has been established. The qualitative composition of secondary metabolites of the studied samples is revealed. Among certain species, lichens L. incana and L. finkii are common on the territory of Belarus. The herbarium material on lichens of the genus Lepraria determined using TLC can be used in the preparation of the next volume of “Flora of lichens of Belarus”.

The results of comparative study of current increment of vegetative sphere yearling and biennial of plants of a half-highbush blueberry Northland and Denise Blue at fertilizer application NPK-compound (N16P16K16) and of some microbial specimen – a liquid product of MaKloR in concentration of 10 and 50 % in test crop on recultivated cutover peatlands in article are resulted. It is positioned that tested agricultural methods have rendered the expressed promoting effect on formation of a current increment of vegetative sphere of plants of a blueberry. In the first year of fertilization the least efficacy is positioned for a variant with N16P16K16 which conceded to a drug of MaKloR in 1.1–1.5 times. Its productivity increased with concentration augmentation in 1.2–1.4 times, depending on a varietal accessory of plants and phylum of shoots. In the absence of varietal differences in degree of positive influence of microbial fertilizing of MaKloR on development of vegetative propagules, efficacy of its action, as well as N16P16K16, on development of generative propagules, in variety Denise Blue exceeded for kind Northland in 4.2–4.8 times.
Positive influence of mineral and microbial fertilizing’s on a current increment of vegetative sphere of biennial plants of both variety of a blueberry essentially conceded to that annotinous, against conservation of its progressing magnification in process of strengthening of microbial fertilising of MaKloR. Thus productivity of action N16P16K16 on development of propagules in variety Northland, depending on their phylum, exceeded that microbial fertilising of MaKloR in 1.2–1.9 times, at variety Denise Blue – in 1.3–2.6 times. It is shown that against absence of the expressed varietal distinctions in degree of stimulating influence of fertilizings on development of vegetative shoots, efficacy of their action on development of generative shoots, unlike annual plants, at kind Denise Blue conceded that for kind Northland in 1.7–2.3 times.

Taxonomical status of the narrow-clawed crayfish species complex is remained as unclear and it is still the subject of discussion. Despite many ambiguities, uniform data related to morphological diversity are scare. Therefore, the main aim was to compare populations from the same type of waterbody and different drainage (Baltic and Black Sea) from the Polesye region with multivariate statistics in order to morphological diversity verification. The result indicates that variability of studied populations is expressed especially in abdomen and cephalothorax parameters which is comparable to other works on morphometry of the European freshwater crayfish species. Some studies showed differences on morphology have been also confirmed at the genetic level. The information obtained in this study indicates that genetic analyses are necessary for understanding the diversity of this species.

For the first time in Belarus, reproduction features of 6 mass alien Amphipodae species have been established: C. curvispinum, D. villosus, O. crassus, O. obesus, E. ischnus, and D. haemobaphes. The data on the monthly changes in their density and biomass have been given, as well as the species these changes are most pronounced in. The range in temperature conditions, the reproduction processes are observed under, is determined. These conditions are mostly confined to the warm season: all species start reproduction in spring at a temperature of 7.9–11.9 °C and end it in autumn at a temperature of 9.7 °C. Based on changes in the age composition, the main parameters of the life cycle are determined. The reproduction period was established for 5 studied alien species, 2 to 3 generations were observed during a year, the sex ration is determined (the prevalence of females in the species represented indicates the populations stability). The obtained research results, in comparison with the literature data for other parts of the area with similar climatic conditions, mostly coincide, the differences are mainly determined by the temperature and environmental conditions of watercourses. Compared with populations from other parts of the species distribution that have a longer reproduction period, the same number of generations with a shorter reproductive period is observed in Belarus conditions for 5 species of Gammaridae, which indicates the wide adaptive capabilities of these species.

The regimes were grounded for enzymatic treatment of food wheat and peas grain to intensify seedling production. Optimization of grain germination process envisages application at the steeping stage of cellulolytic enzyme preparations (cellulase, xylanase, β-glucanase) and amylolytic enzymes in 0.005 % concentrations during 3 h. The highest efficiency among tested biopreparations for wheat sprouting was shown by Viscoferm (Novozymes, Denmark) and Compliferm (Institute of Microbiology, NAS Belarus), whereas Viscoferm proved the most active in terms of peas germination. Enzymatic treatment results in reduced duration of wheat grain sprouting by 2–4 h, pea seed sprouting by 4–5 h on the average, and increased seedlings yield, raising thereby profitability of the process.

reproducible method has been developed that allows for a sufficient degree of accuracy to estimate the kinetin content in various preparations. The technique can be used for research in the field of plant physiology and biochemistry, medicine, and molecular biology.

Mould resistance testing of concrete building blocks was carried out by model contamination of materials by fungal mycelium and spores. It has been established that the risk of development of mould fungi on gas silicate blocks in humid environment is higher than on claydite-concrete blocks. At the same time, the prevention of mould damage of concrete buildings should include prevention of excessive moisture and organic contamination that contribute to the development of biodestructors.

The article contains information on the presence and vital state of the natural renewal of 10 species of fir growing on the territory of the Central Botanical Garden of NAS of Belarus.
Under the conditions of introduction, the investigated species of fir give a viable self-seeding, though not always abundant and uniform. The best indices of height and diameter of the root neck of different ages are the shoots of A. nordmanniana and A. sibirica. A. alba, A. nordmanniana and A. sibirica have the largest number of self-sowing adults of the older age group. In all investigated firs, the vital state of the shoots is estimated as healthy.

The germination of seeds of invasive compaction of plant species of the genus Solidago was studied in 38 samples selected within the Minsk (17 samples) and Novogrudok (21 samples) Upland in the autumn (14 samples), winter (11 samples) and spring (13 samples) periods 2017–2018 years. Germination of seeds varies in a wide range from 0 to 95%. Also, when registering the results, they revealed the presence of undeveloped seeds, the number of which in the samples ranges from 2 to 95 %. A pronounced feedback was established between the germination of seeds and the number of undeveloped seeds (correlation coefficient –0.97). Between autumn, winter and spring samples there were no statistically significant differences in seed germination and the number of undeveloped seeds. Between the samples selected within the Minsk and Novogrudok Upland, statistically significant differences were revealed both for seed germination (р = 0.00018) and for the number of undeveloped seeds (р = 0.00032). Thus, the dependence of germinating seed germination on seasonal climatic  changes is not revealed. For seed germination, stratification is not required and they are resistant to frost. It is also necessary to conduct additional studies to identify the factors affecting the formation of seeds.

A descriptive review is provided of the various molecular Chlamydia trachomatis typing methods and the estimation of possibility of their practical use has been evaluated. The information obtained as a result of the application of these methods is the basis for the evolutionary analysis and epidemiological monitoring of the circulation of the pathogen, contributes to the development of targeted prevention, the creation of a vaccine, and the effectiveness of antichlamydia treatment.