Departments Department of Plant Virus Biochemistry

A. N. Belozersky Research Instituteof Physico-Chemical Biology MSU

  2. A. N. Belozersky Research Institute, MSU, Russia
  3. Departments and Laboratories
  4. Departments

Department of Plant Virus Biochemistry

Leader: Andrey G. Solovyev

The Department was organized in 1965, and headed until present, by Prof. Joseph G. Atabekov.
Research areas
Structure and mechanisms of genome expression of different plant visus groups. Mechanisms of regulation of viral RNA translation. Molecular mechanisms of intracellular, cell-to-cell and long distance movement of tobamo-, potex- and hordeiviruses. Mechanisms of viral pathogenesis and suppression of post transcriptional gene silencing. Construction of viral vectors based on genome of tobamoviruses, for production of target proteins in infected plants for biotechnological aims. Construction of transgenic plants resistant to viruses and viroids using new strategies of resistance induction. Development and improvement of immunochemical and molecular-genetic methods for large scale diagnostics of plant viruses and viroids.
Research results
(i) Structure and mechanisms of genome expression
(ii) Structure of viruses and properties of coat proteins
(iii) Study of molecular mechanisms of intracellular, intercellular and system transport of viruses in plants
(iv) Applied investigations
Grants and projects
Participation in research projects
In Russia, the research is carried out in collaboration with the Department of Virology of Biological Faculty as well as with the other Departments of MSU. The Department also collaborated with the Centre of Bioingeneering RAS, the Institute of Cytology of Siberian Department of RAS, the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, the Institute of Agricultural biothechnology and others. Among foreign collaborators have been Biologische Bundesantalt Inst. fur Biochemie und Pflanzenvirologie and the Inst. fur Pflanzenschitz im Obstbau, BBA Dossenheim (Germany), the Inst.Biotechnology Univ. of Helsinki and Biocentre of Turku (Finland), the Scottish Crop Research Inst. (UK), Friedrich Miescher Inst. Basel (Switzerland), New-York Univ., Stony Brook (USA).
Grant support
Department’s research has been supported by a number of grants from Russian, foreign and international organizations, among which are the following: the Programs of Russian Ministry of Science and Education, Grants from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; Grants from President of Russia for Outstanding Scientists; the Program for Support of Leading Scientific Schools, Grant from the Royal Society (UK); INTAS grants, FIRCA grants, EMBO, INTAS and FEBS Fellowships and others.
Prizes
The achievements of the department are rewarded by the State award (J.G. Atabekov, U.L. Dorokhov, M.I. Taliansky, S.I. Malishenko), D.A. Sabinin award of biological faculty of MSU (A.A. Agranovsky), European Academy award for young scientists (A.G. Solovyev, E.N. Savenkov), State award of Russian Federation for young scientists (A.G. Solovyev, O.N. Fedorkin, E.N. Savenkov), Lomonosov award of MSU (J.G. Atabekov), 1st degree diplomas of the 3rd international exhibition “Innovation 2000. Living systems technology”. The employees of the department are rewarded by the VVC medals.
Educational activities
Department actively participates in the education process of virology department of biological faculty of MSU. Several professors conduct their own lection courses: Atabekov Joseph Grigorievich (Expression of positive-RNA viral genomes), Morozov Sergey Yurievich (Particular virology. DNA-containing viruses), Solovyev Andrew Gennadievich (Particular virology. Bacteriophages; Structure of viral particles). Professor Kalinina Natalia Olegovna conducts the “Immunochemistry” part of the big laboratory course.
Laboratories Laboratory is looking for new covalent RNA-protein compounds which bind each other similar to viral ones. Methods of molecular diagnostic of viral infections  are developed, antibodies to viral RNAs are created. Inter- and intracellular transport of plant viruses is studied in the laboratory. Main research areas are (1) investigation of how triple block of genes (TBG) of gordeiviruses and potexviruses participate in viral transport and (2) studying the role of distinct organella and host-cell proteins in development of virus infection in plant. Big attention is paid to function and role in infection development of cystein-rich proteins of different kind of plant viruses.  

 

Articles

  • Samarskaya V.O., Koblova S., Suprunova T., Rogozhin E.A., Spechenkova N., Yakunina S., Love A.J., Kalinina N.O., Taliansky M.(2025) Poly ADP-Ribosylation in a Plant Pathogenic Oomycete Phytophthora infestans: A Key Controller of Growth and Host Plant Colonisation.Journal of Fungi, MDPI, 2025, 11, 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11010029. Journal of Fungi, >>
  • Ershova Natalia M., Kamarova Kamila A., Sheshukova Ekaterina V., Komarova Tatiana V.(2025) Cellular Partners of Tobamoviral Movement Proteins. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Lezzhov Alexander A., Atabekova Anastasia K., Chergintsev Denis A., Lazareva Ekaterina A., Solovyev Andrey G., Morozov Sergey Y.(2025) Viroids and Retrozymes: Plant Circular RNAs Capable of Autonomous Replication. Plants, >>
  • Lezzhov Alexander A., Atabekova Anastasia K., Chergintsev Denis A., Solovyev Andrey G., Morozov Sergey Y.(2025) Expression of the Nicotiana benthamiana Retrozyme 1 (NbRZ1) Genomic Locus. Plants, >>
  • Popova Ekaterina V., Tikhomirova Victoria E., Akhmetova Assel I., Ilina Irina Yu, Kalinina Natalia O., Taliansky Michael E., Kost Olga A.(2024) Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles as Carriers of Low and High Molecular Weight Compounds. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Komarova Tatiana, Shipounova Irina, Kalinina Natalia, Taliansky Michael(2024) Application of Chitosan and Its Derivatives Against Plant Viruses. Polymers, >>
  • Stakheev A.A., Taliansky M., Kalinina N.O., Zavriev S.K.(2024) RNAi-Based Approaches to Control Mycotoxin Producers: Challenges and Perspectives. Journal of Fungi, >>
  • Gryzunov Nikita, Morozov Sergey Yu, Suprunova Tatiana, Samarskaya Viktoriya, Spechenkova Nadezhda, Yakunina Sofiya, Kalinina Natalia O., Taliansky Michael(2024) Genomes of Alphanucleorhabdovirus Physostegiae Isolates from Two Different Cultivar Groups of Solanum melongena. Viruses-Basel, >>
  • Kalinina Natalia O., Spechenkova Nadezhda, Ilina Irina, Samarskaya Viktoriya O., Bagdasarova Polina, Zavriev Sergey K., Love Andrew J., Taliansky Michael(2024) Disruption ofPoly(ADP-ribosyl)ation Improves Plant Tolerance to Methyl Viologen-Mediated Oxidative Stress via Induction of ROS Scavenging Enzymes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Samarskaya Viktoriya, Kuznetsova Maria, Gryzunov Nikita, Spechenkova Nadezhda, Bagdasarova Polina, Ryabov Eugene, Taliansky Michael, Kalinina Natalia O.(2024) Identification of Two Novel Recombinant Types of Potato Virus Y from Solanum tuberosum Plants in Southern Region of Russia. Plant Disease, >>
  • Sheshukova Ekaterina V., Kamarova Kamila A., Ershova Natalia M., Komarova Tatiana V.(2024) Nicotiana benthamiana Methanol-Inducible Gene (MIG) 21 Encodes a Nucleolus-Localized Protein That Stimulates Viral Intercellular Transport and Downregulates Nuclear Import. Plants, >>
  • Atabekova Anastasia K., Lazareva Ekaterina A., Lezzhov Alexander A., Golyshev Sergei A., Skulachev Boris I., Morozov Sergey Y., Solovyev Andrey G.(2024) Defense Responses Induced by Viral Movement Protein and Its Nuclear Localization Modulate Virus Cell-to-Cell Transport. Plants, >>
  • Morozov Sergey Y., Solovyev Andrey G.(2024) Mechanisms of plant virus cell-to-cell transport: new lessons from complementation studies. Frontiers in plant science, >>
  • Задымова Н.М., Александров Ю.Д., Калинина Н.О., Тальянский М.Э., Скворцова З.Н.(2023) ВОДНЫЕ СУБМИКРОННЫЕ ДИСПЕРСИИ ПОВЕРХНОСТНО-АКТИВНЫХ ВЕЩЕСТВ КАК СМАЧИВАТЕЛИ И УСИЛИТЕЛИ ПРОНИЦАЕМОСТИ ЛИСТЬЕВ КАРТОФЕЛЯ. Журнал общей химии, >>
  • Samarskaya Viktoriya O., Spechenkova Nadezhda, Ilina Irina, Suprunova Tatiana P., Kalinina Natalia O., Love Andrew J., Taliansky Michael E.(2023) A Non-Canonical Pathway Induced by Externally Applied Virus-Specific dsRNA in Potato Plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Samarskaya Viktoriya O., Ryabov Eugene V., Gryzunov Nikita, Spechenkova Nadezhda, Kuznetsova Maria, Ilina Irina, Suprunova Tatiana, Taliansky Michael E., Ivanov Peter A., Kalinina Natalia O.(2023) The Temporal and Geographical Dynamics of Potato Virus Y Diversity in Russia. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Spechenkova N., Samarskaya V.O., Kalinina N.O., Zavriev S.K., MacFarlane S., Love А.J., Taliansky M.(2023) Plant Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 Is a Potential Mediator of Cross-Talk between the Cajal Body Protein Coilin and Salicylic Acid-Mediated Antiviral Defence. Viruses-Basel, >>
  • Spechenkova N., Kalinina N.O., Zavriev S.K., Love A.J., Taliansky M.(2023) ADP-Ribosylation and Antiviral Resistance in Plants. Viruses-Basel, >>
  • Kamarova Kamila A., Ershova Natalia M., Sheshukova Ekaterina V., Arifulin Eugene A., Ovsiannikova Natalia L., Antimonova Alexandra A., Kudriashov Andrei A., Komarova Tatiana V.(2023) Nicotiana benthamiana Class 1 Reversibly Glycosylated Polypeptides Suppress Tobacco Mosaic Virus Infection. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Komarova Tatiana, Ilina Irina, Taliansky Michael, Ershova Natalia(2023) Nanoplatforms for the Delivery of Nucleic Acids into Plant Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Ershova Natalia, Kamarova Kamila, Sheshukova Ekaterina, Antimonova Alexandra, Komarova Tatiana(2023) A novel cellular factor of Nicotiana benthamiana susceptibility to tobamovirus infection. Frontiers in plant science, >>
  • Atabekova Anastasia K., Golyshev Sergei A., Lezzhov Alexander A., Skulachev Boris I., Moiseenko Andrey V., Yastrebova Daria M., Andrianova Nadezda V., Solovyev Ilya D., Savitsky Alexander P., Morozov Sergey Y., Solovyev Andrey G.(2023) Fine Structure of Plasmodesmata-Associated Membrane Bodies Formed by Viral Movement Protein. Plants, >>
  • Chergintsev Denis A., Solovieva Anna D., Atabekova Anastasia K., Lezzhov Alexander A., Golyshev Sergei A., Morozov Sergey Y., Solovyev Andrey G.(2023) Properties of Plant Virus Protein Encoded by the 5′-Proximal Gene of Tetra-Cistron Movement Block. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Atabekova Anastasia K., Solovieva Anna D., Chergintsev Denis A., Solovyev Andrey G., Morozov Sergey Y.(2023) Role of Plant Virus Movement Proteins in Suppression of Host RNAi Defense. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Morozov Sergey Y., Lezzhov Alexander A., Solovyev Andrey G.(2023) Predicted Membrane-Associated Domains in Proteins Encoded by Novel Monopartite Plant RNA Viruses Related to Members of the Family Benyviridae. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Erokhina Tatiana N., Ryazantsev Dmitriy Y., Zavriev Sergey K., Morozov Sergey Y.(2023) Regulatory miPEP Open Reading Frames Contained in the Primary Transcripts of microRNAs. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Samarskaya Viktoriya O., Spechenkova Nadezhda, Markin Nikolay, Suprunova Tatyana P., Zavriev Sergey K., Love Andrew J., Kalinina Natalia O., Taliansky Michael(2022) Impact of Exogenous Application of Potato Virus Y-Specific dsRNA on RNA Interference, Pattern-Triggered Immunity and Poly(ADP-ribose) Metabolism. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Glushkevich Anna, Spechenkova Nadezhda, Fesenko Igor, Knyazev Andrey, Samarskaya Viktoriya, Kalinina Natalia O., Taliansky Michael, Love Andrew J.(2022) Transcriptomic Reprogramming, Alternative Splicing and RNA Methylation in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Plants in Response to Potato Virus Y Infection. Plants, >>
  • Ershova Natalia, Sheshukova Ekaterina, Kamarova Kamila, Arifulin Evgenii, Tashlitsky Vadim, Serebryakova Marina, Komarova Tatiana(2022) Nicotiana benthamiana Kunitz peptidase inhibitor-like protein involved in chloroplast-to-nucleus regulatory pathway in plant-virus interaction. Frontiers in plant science, >>
  • Ершова Н.М., Шешукова Е.В., Камарова К.А., Комарова Т.В.(2022) Подавление экспрессии гена KPILP повышает устойчивость табака к вирусной инфекции. Актуальная биотехнология, >>
  • Шешукова Е.В., Липскеров Ф.А., Комарова Т.В.(2022) Система продукции антител в растении Nicotiana benthamiana, основанная на использовании вирусного вектора, кодирующего процессируемый in planta полипротеин. Актуальная биотехнология, >>
  • Lipskerov F.A., Sheshukova E.V., Komarova T.V.(2022) Approaches to Formaldehyde Measurement: From Liquid Biological Samples to Cells and Organisms. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Sheshukova E.V., Ershova N.M., Lipskerov F.A., Komarova T.V.(2022) Enhanced Synthesis of Foreign Nuclear Protein Stimulates Viral Reproduction via the Induction of γ-Thionin Expression. Plants, >>
  • Sheshukova E., Ershova N., Lipskerov F., Komarova T.(2022) Nicotiana benthamiana γ-Thionin Synthesis Is Induced in Response to Foreign Nucleus-Targeted Proteins. Biology and Life Sciences Forum, >>
  • Atabekova Anastasia K., Lazareva Ekaterina A., Lezzhov Alexander A., Solovieva Anna D., Golyshev Sergei A., Skulachev Boris I., Solovyev Ilya D., Savitsky Alexander P., Heinlein Manfred, Morozov Sergey Y., Solovyev Andrey G.(2022) Interaction between Movement Proteins of Hibiscus green spot virus. Viruses-Basel, >>
  • Lezzhov Alexander A., Morozov Sergey Y., Tolstyko Eugene A., Atabekova Anastasia K., Chergintsev Denis A., Solovyev Andrey G.(2022) In-Plant Persistence and Systemic Transport of Nicotiana benthamiana Retrozyme RNA. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, >>
  • Solovyev Andrey G., Atabekova Anastasia K., Lezzhov Alexander A., Solovieva Anna D., Chergintsev Denis A., Morozov Sergey Y.(2022) Distinct Mechanisms of Endomembrane Reorganization Determine Dissimilar Transport Pathways in Plant RNA Viruses. Plants, >>
  • Lazareva Ekaterina A., Atabekova Anastasia K., Lezzhov Alexander A., Morozov Sergey Y., Heinlein Manfred, Solovyev Andrey G.(2022) Virus Genome-Based Reporter for Analyzing Viral Movement Proteins and Plasmodesmata Permeability. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), >>
  • Solovyev Andrey G., Morozov Sergey Y.(2022) Uncovering Plant Virus Species Forming Novel Provisional Taxonomic Units Related to the Family Benyviridae. Viruses-Basel, >>
  • Morozov Sergey Y., Solovyev Andrey G.(2022) Bioinformatic Analysis Predicts a Novel Genetic Module Related to Triple Gene and Binary Movement Blocks of Plant Viruses: Tetra-Cistron Movement Block. Biomolecules, >>
  • Ramos-González PL, Kondo H., Morozov S., Vasilakis N., Varsani A., Cao M., Freitas-Astúa J.(2022) Editorial: The Border Between Kitavirids and Nege-Like Viruses: Tracking the Evolutionary Pace of Plant- and Arthropod-Infecting Viruses. Frontiers in plant science, >>
  • Сорокин И.И., Василенко К.С., Теренин И.М., Калинина Н.О., Агол В.И., Дмитриев С.Е.(2021) Неканонические механизмы инициации трансляции мРНК вирусов эукариот. Биохимия, >>
  • Sorokin Ivan I., Vassilenko Konstantin S., Terenin Ilya M., Kalinina Natalia O., Agol Vadim I., Dmitriev Sergey E.(2021) Non-Canonical Translation Initiation Mechanisms Employed by Eukaryotic Viral mRNAs. Biochemistry (Moscow), >>
  • Spechenkova Nadezhda, Fesenko Igor A., Mamaeva Anna, Suprunova Tatyana P., Kalinina Natalia O., Love Andrew J., Taliansky Michael(2021) The Resistance Responses of Potato Plants to Potato Virus Y Are Associated with an Increased Cellular Methionine Content and an Altered SAM:SAH Methylation Index. Viruses-Basel, >>
  • Taliansky Michael, Samarskaya Viktoria, Zavriev Sergey K., Fesenko Igor, Kalinina Natalia O., Love Andrew J.(2021) RNA-Based Technologies for Engineering Plant Virus Resistance. Plants, >>
  • Lezzhov A.A., Morozov S.Y., Solovyev A.G.(2021) Phloem exit as a possible control point in selective systemic transport of RNA. Frontiers in plant science, >>
  • Толстыко Е.А., Чергинцев Д.А., Толичева О.А., Виноградова Д.С., Коневега А.Л., Морозов С.Ю., Соловьев А.Г.(2021) Связывание РНК in vitro серпинами растений. Биохимия, >>

Laboratories

Staff