Characterization of fast skeletal myosin from white croaker in comparison with that from walleye pollack

ABSTRACT:   Enzymatic and structural properties of white croaker fast skeletal muscle myosin were determined and compared with those of walleye pollack counterpart. Ca²⁺-ATPase activity of white croaker myosin was decreased to approximately 70% of the original activity during 1 day of storage at 0°C and pH 7.0 in 0.5 M KCl and 0.1 mM dithiothreitol, whereas that of walleye pollack was decreased to approximately 20% under the same condition. The activation energy ( E _a) for inactivation of white croaker myosin calculated by the Arrhenius plot for inactivation rate constant (K_D) was 1.2-fold higher than that of walleye pollack. While Ca²⁺-ATPase showed a similar KCl-dependency for the two species, the maximal activity was observed at pH 6.2 and 6.3 for white croaker and walleye pollack, respectively. Actin-activated myosin Mg²⁺-ATPase activity of white croaker was approximately half that of walleye pollack at 0.05 M KCl and pH 7.0, although the two myosins showed a similar affinity to F-actin with K _m of 1.7 and 1.4, respectively. Limited proteolysis with α-chymotrypsin cleaved heat-denatured white croaker myosin mainly at heavy meromyosin/light meromyosin (HMM/LMM) junction, whereas walleye pollack myosin was cleaved at several sites in LMM as well as at the HMM/LMM junction.     

Rapid identification of eels <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anguilla japonica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anguilla anguilla</Emphasis> by polymerase chain reaction with single nucleotide polymorphism-based specific probes

ABSTRACT:   Standard molecular techniques, such as sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification are relatively complicated, and species identification can take a long time when using such techniques. We established a quick method, using PCR with species-specific TaqMan Minor Groove Binder (MGB) probes based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to distinguish the two eel species Anguilla japonica and Anguilla anguilla . This method can be used in processed products. Partial sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene were compared between A. japonica and A. anguilla to design a primer pair common to both A. japonica and A. anguilla and probes specific to A. japonica and A. anguilla . Different fluorescence intensities were produced in two PCR microtubes each containing A. japonica - and A. anguilla -specific probes for one target sample. We observed the fluorescence intensity of PCR products in microtubes under ultraviolet transillumination, with similar results to those obtained by real-time PCR. Therefore, SNP-based PCR is a powerful tool for identifying materials of processed foods from either A. japonica or A. anguilla .     

Transgenic Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) over-expressing growth hormone show reduced ammonia excretion

The growth of aquaculture has negatively affected the environment due to the high levels of nitrogen excreted by farmed fish. Here we propose that modifying the nitrogen metabolism of the fish themselves using transgenic technology might solve the pollution problem. Growth hormone (GH) is known to increase protein retention and absorption, and is thought to reduce ammonia excretion. Thus, we produced transgenic Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) that over-expressed the GH gene throughout their bodies. Our findings showed that the food-conversion efficiency of the transgenic fish was 35% higher than that of their non-transgenic siblings. The rearing period required for the transgenic fish to reach a body weight of 20 g was about 75% of that required for non-transgenic fish that were fed the same type and quantity of food. The total amount of ammonium-nitrogen excreted by the transgenic fish was about 69% of that excreted by the wild-type fish over their lifetime. These results suggest that our transgenic approach has the potential to reduce the amount of nitrogen pollution caused by farmed fish. This strategy is a promising option for making aquaculture more ‘eco-friendly’.     

Pharmacokinetics of nicorandil in dogs with mild mitral regurgitation

The aim of this study was to examine the pharmacokinetics of nicorandil, a hybrid of an adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel opener and a nitrate, and to estimate its clinical doses in dogs with mild mitral valve regurgitation (MR). Nicorandil (0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 mg/kg) was administered orally to normal dogs and those with experimentally-induced MR, and its plasma concentrations were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma concentrations increased dose-dependently after the administration of nicorandil, and were not different between normal dogs and those with MR. Similar to the effective plasma values obtained in cardiac disease in humans, the findings of this pharmacokinetic study may indicate that a dose of 0.3-1.0 mg/kg has the same effectiveness in dogs with cardiac dysfunction.     

The recent prevalence of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection among Japanese cattle

A seroepidemiological survey of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection was conducted in Japan in 2007 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test. A total of 5420 cattle (dairy, 3966; breeding beef, 797; fattening beef, 657) from 209 farms in seven prefectures in Japan were tested. The overall prevalence of BLV infection was 28.6%. The prevalence of BLV infection in dairy cattle (34.7%) was higher than for both fattening beef cattle (7.9%) and breeding beef cattle (16.3%). Age-specific prevalence showed that BLV prevalence increased with age in all types of cattle and was notably different between dairy and beef cattle under 1 year of age. Among 207 farms, 141 herds (68.1%) had one or more positive animals. The proportion of these positive farms was significantly higher among dairy farms (79.1%) than among beef breeding farms (39.5%) and beef fattening farms (51.9%) (P < 0.001). Dairy farms (40.5%) also showed a significantly higher within-herd prevalence than beef breeding (27.4%) and fattening (14.9%) farms (P = 0.001). This study indicated that BLV is more widely spread in dairy cattle than in beef breeding cattle in Japan. Given the prevalence of BLV infection in dairy and beef cattle was 8- and 1.7-fold higher, respectively, than rates previously found in 1980–1982, BLV appears to be spreading particularly among the dairy cattle population during the last two decades. Further investigation is required to determine the risk factors necessary to control BLV infection that take into account the different farming practices that exist between dairy and beef sectors.     

Postnatal development of hypoplastic thymus in semi-lethal dwarf pet/pet males

The petit rat (pet/pet) is a new semi-lethal dwarf mutant with anomalies in the thymus and testes, defects inherited as a single autosomal recessive trait. At birth, these pet/pet rats show low birth weight and extremely small thymuses; at 140 days of age, their thymuses show abnormal involution. In the present study, we examined early postnatal development of hypoplastic pet/pet thymuses. In addition to being hypoplastic at birth, pet/pet thymus growth was almost completely impaired during the early postnatal period. As shown by cellular incorporation of BrdU, the mitotic activity was lower in pet/pet than in normal thymuses, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assays showed that apoptosis occurred more often in pet/pet than in normal thymus cells during the first few days after birth. These results indicate that postnatal development of the hypoplastic pet/pet thymus is defective due to the reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis of thymic cells.     

Histopathology and distribution of cells harboring bovine leukemia virus (BLV) proviral sequences in ovine lymphosarcoma induced by BLV inoculation.

Six sheep with lymphosarcoma induced by hypodermic inoculation of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) materials were examined to elucidate the relation between pathologic lesions and integration of BLV provirus in cellular DNAs. Antibodies to BLV gp-antigens had been detected since the 3rd week after the inoculation, and BLV was positive when checked 3 months later. Lymphosarcomas followed the leukemic phase in 4 sheep. The other 2 sheep showed initial lesions of lymphosarcoma and were aleukemic clinically. Five animals were killed by enthanasia and autopsied at 2.5 to 3.5 years postinoculation (pi) because of their diseased condition. One animal died 10 years pi following the 4th leukemic episode. Sarcomatous lesions were confirmed grossly and histologically, and the proliferating neoplastic cells were classified into lymphocytic, prolymphocytic, lymphoblastic and histiocytic types. Integration of BLV provirus in cellular DNAs of the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and neoplastic cells of sarcomatous lesions was examined by Southern blotting technique. BLV provirus was demonstrated in the PBL of all infected animals and in most of the sarcomatous lesions of the spleen, kidney and lymph nodes except 4 lymph nodes showing slight neoplastic infiltration. The results indicated that ovine lymphosarcoma could be caused by BLV and the cells carrying proviral information seemed to be disseminated and proliferate in the lesions.     

Isolation and characterization of a novel 45 kDa calponin-like protein from anterior byssus retractor muscle of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

SUMMARY: A calponin-like protein of 45 kDa was isolated from mussel anterior byssus retractor muscle (ABRM) and its inhibitory effects on actomyosin Mg²⁺-ATPase was demonstrated. The 2-D electrophoresis for ABRM myofibrils gave a spot of 45 kDa protein in addition to myofibrillar proteins such as myosin and actin. The 45 kDa protein, which was more basic and showed a slightly higher molecular weight than actin, was isolated by ion-exchange chromatography and subjected to chymotryptic digestion. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of polypeptide fragments produced gave two sequences, ASQKGMTSFGAVRHH and GMDRALISKMGSKYDSGL, both of which showed a high homology to those of vertebrate calponins and invertebrate calponin-related proteins. Furthermore, the 45 kDa protein strongly reacted with commercially available antibody raised against chicken smooth muscle calponin, demonstrating that the mussel ABRM 45 kDa protein is a new member of the calponin family. Then, actomyosin Mg²⁺-ATPase activity of ABRM was measured in the presence and absence of the 45 kDa protein. The 45 kDa protein clearly inhibited actomyosin Mg²⁺-ATPase activity in a dose-dependent manner as in the case of other vertebrate calponins. These results indicate that the 45 kDa calponin-like protein is involved in the thin filament-associated regulation of molluscan smooth muscle contraction, possibly of a unique contraction called catch.