Insect
immunity
Mechanisms of formation of cell immunity, intercellular communication, generation
of reactive oxygen species in hemolymph and hemocytes, synthesis of hemokinins
and cytolitic proteins, agglutinins and phenoloxidase systems are studied.
Changes in structure of insect population of hemocytes during various pathogenesis
are examined.
The role of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutation-S-transpherase,
peroxidase, ascorbatperoxidase and non-enzymatice antioxidants) and detoxication
compounds (eaterase, glutation-S-transpherase) in resistance reactions of
Galleria mellonella, Gryllus bimaculatus and Lymantria dispar during the
diseases are investigated.
The role of free radicals in immune response of insects is
studied with Slepneva I.A. from Biophysical Group (Biophysical Group of
the Institute
of Chemical Kinetics & Combustion of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy
of Sciences, www.kinetics.nsc.ru/bio/).
Bacterial
diseases
The entomopathogenic bacteria of Bacillus thuringiensis and B. sphaericus are only studied. The basic researches are the selection of microorganisms,
the study of secondary metabolites (protein crystals and bacteriocines) and
their effect on insect organism. The development of biological control methods
of forest and agriculture pest and mosquitoes, the isolation and the study
of different origin strains are conducted.
Viral
diseases
The structure, morphology
and morphogenesis of entomopathogenic viruses, cyto- and histopathology,
epizootology and persistence in the forest biocenoses are studied. These
viruses included the virus of nuclear polyhedrosis and granulosis are
a base of biopesticides against forest pests such as Neodiprion sertifer,
Lymantria dispar, L. monacha and Dendrolimus sibiricus. New methods of
biocontrol also are developed including aerosol technology.
Three-trophic level system: host plant (birch, Betula pendula) - insect
(gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar) - entomopathogens is studied. The influence
of defoliation induced alterations in the host plants on the sensitivity
of gypsy moth to nuclear polyhedrosis virus and entomopathogenic bacteria
Bacillus thuringiensis are researched.
Microsporidian
diseases
Effect of microsporidia on detoxication enzymes and antioxidant system of
insects is studied. Two parasite-host models are used for investigations,
such as Vairimorpha ephestiae (microsporidia) – Galleria mellonella (insect)
and Nosema grylli (microsporidia) – Gryllus bimaculatus (insect).
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