Том 144, № 5 (2024)

The article attempts to analyze and generalize into a single system of views the variety of hypotheses about the evolutionary significance of embryonization and desembryonization of ontogenies, as well as to evaluate the contribution of these hypotheses to the understanding of the phylogeny of living organisms. In the course of such an analysis, it is demonstrated that the initial (primary) embryonic development was not an adaptation to certain living conditions, but just one of the ways of constructing a multicellular body from the oogamete through its palintomic or syntomic divisions. Secondary embryonization repeatedly occurs on the basis of ancestral ontogenies, in which the fragmentation of the egg (or spore) leads to the appearance of an independent, but underdeveloped stage, very different from the adult organism; as a result of embryonization, such stages are partly or totally hidden under the egg and/or embryonic shells. Of all the variants of embryonization, only secondary external embryonization (under the shells of the egg, spore, seed or fruit) in most studied cases gives the impression of a direct evolutional response of a taxon to changing environmental conditions. Complete embryonization of underdeveloped stages of ontogeny (cryptometabolie) is a relatively rare phenomenon and appears to be disadvantageous from a biological diversity point of view. The reverse process — secondary desembryonization, premature (in comparison with ancestral groups) completion of embryogenesis is even less common and never leads to a complete abandonment of the embryonic mode of development and a return to the archaic protonemal or siphonoseptal modes of multicellularity formation.

The questions of the evolution of the honey bee, the formation of their relationship with humans, as well as the consequences of domestication against the background of selection are discussed. The honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) originated more than 100 million years ago on the southern supercontinent Gondwana. The relationship between humans and honeybees began to form 10 thousand years ago. Before meeting man, the bee remained unchanged in its original form for hundreds of millions of years. Today, the species has been largely modified by domestication and is widely used not only for the production of honey, wax and royal jelly, but also for pollinating crops throughout the world. The evolution of A. mellifera began in Southeast Asia, and the formation of subspecies in North Africa, which later spread north to Western Asia and Northern Europe. The meeting of the honey bee with man led to revolutionary changes. Most of the subspecies of bees, formed about 100 thousand years ago, were lost as a result of hybridization due to human fault. This process contributed to the blurring of the geographical boundaries of the subspecies’ ranges and created new threats to the conservation of the biological and genetic diversity of bees. The use of local populations of honey bees has proven their advantages in the resistance of families to environmental factors compared to introduced bees. The selection of subspecies and ecotypes adapted to the conditions that shaped them during evolution plays an important role in the management of honey bees, since genetic diversity supports their evolutionary potential for adaptation. The history of the relationship between humans and the honey bee is a key aspect in understanding their modern ecological adaptation and for forming a further strategy for mutually beneficial relations. Modern man and bee, despite their apparent independence, have become mutually beneficial partners, capable, through cooperation, of increasing their adaptation, stability and survival in the modern world.

Biobanks play an important role in population genetic studies of animals as a valuable resource for ex situ conservation of genetic diversity and research in evolution, zoology, ecology and genetics. One of the main objectives of biobanks is to preserve samples of genetic material from different animal species, thus preserving information on genetic diversity and conserving in situ populations. This is particularly important for rare and endangered species, animal breeds and plant varieties, where genetic diversity may be declining due to population loss. Biobanks enable the exchange of specimens and data, which plays an important role in the study of the evolution and origins of different species, helping scientists to investigate the processes of divergence and adaptation. They also serve as a source for work in the study of genetic diseases, behavioral traits, and species interactions in ecosystems. Biobanks provide the basis for various types of genetic research, such as genome sequencing, phylogeny, DNA variability analysis, and functional genomics, which in turn provide the opportunity to develop new methods for genetic disease detection, genomic selection, and conservation and restoration of animal populations. Biobanking thus plays an important role in animal population genetics research, providing scientists with access to a wide range of genetic information that is essential for understanding and conserving our planet’s biodiversity. The issue of environmentally sound and efficient storage of biomaterial is more relevant than ever. In this review, we consider different approaches to the organization of biomaterials and DNA bank in the field of population genetic studies of animals, peculiarities of their collection, transport, processing and storage.