Department of Biokinetics is engaged in the kinetic study of biological phenomena at the molecular level and in the exploration of the mechanisms defining the rate of bio-logical processes.

The laboratory of enzymatic modifi-cation of physiologically active compounds (Dr. V.K.Svedas) is dealing with kinetic and thermodynamic regularities of enzymatic hy-drolysis and synthesis of -lactam antibiotics, N-acylated amino acids and their analogues as well as with specificity and stereospecificity of different amidohydrolases. Biocatalytic methods for production of enantiomers of or-ganoelement analogues of amino acids (ami-noalkylphosphonic, aminoalkylphosphonous, fluorine-substituted amino acids) and nu-cleoaminoacids, synthesis and modification of -lactam antibiotics were elaborated. Strategy of totally enzymatic synthesis of peptides and peptidomimetics containing non-conventional amino acids was developed.

The research group of Dr. A.Mevch deals with the study of enzymes and enzy-matic systems for synthesis of prostaglandins and derivatives of polyunsaturated acids. The molecular model has been advanced to ex-plain the action of prostaglandin-H-synthase, limiting the enzymatic synthesis of prosta-glandins. A new mechanism has been re-vealed that describes the regulation of enzyme activity: that is the substrate-initiated enzyme inactivation in the course of enzymatic reac-tion.

The research group of Dr. P.V.Vrzhesch deals with the study of cell re-sponse regulation by the example of aggrega-tion of blood platelets. The researchers have examined the enzymatic systems defining the rates of blood platelet aggregation, revealed the phenomenon of supercooperativity, the sensitivity of blood platelet aggregation to the agents regulating the level of enzymatic ac-tivity in prostaglandin synthesis.

Group of Dr. G.F.Sud'ina studies the enzymes involved in modification of polyun-saturated fatty acids through the synthesis of leukotrienes and related compounds. The ki-netic model of lipooxygenase' action was de-veloped, potential inhibitors of lipoxygenases have been found.

Prof. S.D.Varfolomeyev studies the kinetic principles of growth and evolution of cell populations. By the example of some cell strains, he and co-workers explore the mechanisms of cell proliferation and their apoptosis and has advanced some computer mathematics models of the cell cycle, that adequately describe and predict the dynamics of cell responses.

1. Sergeeva M.G., Gonchar M.V., Mevkh A.T., Varfolomeyev S.D. Prostaglandin E2 biphasic control of lymphocyte proliferation: inhibition by picomolar concentration. FEBS Lett. (1997). 418, 235-238.

2. Sud'ina G.F., Galkina S.I., Margolis L.B., Ullrich V. Dependence of neutrophil activation on cell density and adhesion. Cell Adhesion Commun. . (1997) 5, 1-12.

3. Svedas V., Guranda D., van Langen L., van Rantwijk F., Sheldon R. Kinetic study of penicillin acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis. FEBS Letters (1997) 417, 414-418.

4. Elsliger M.-A., Pshezhetsky A.V., Vinogradova M.V., Svedas V.K., Potier M. Comparative Modeling of Substrate Binding in the S1' Subsite of Serine Carboxypeptidases from Yeast, Wheat, and Human. Biochemistry (1996), 35, 14899-14909.

5. Svedas V.K., Savchenko M.V., Beltser A.I., Guranda D.F. Enantioselective penicillin acylase-catalyzed reactions. Factors governing substrate and stereospecificity of the enzyme. Annals N.Y. Acad. Sci. (1996) . 799, 659-669.