Na?ve-like conversion enhances the difference in innate in vitro differentiation capacity between rabbit ES cells and iPS cells

Quality evaluation of pluripotent stem cells using appropriate animal models needs to be improved for human regenerative medicine. Previously, we demonstrated that although the in vitro neural differentiating capacity of rabbit induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be mitigated by improving their baseline level of pluripotency, i.e., by converting them into the so-called “naïve-like” state, the effect after such conversion of rabbit embryonic stem cells (ESCs) remains to be elucidated. Here we found that naïve-like conversion enhanced the differences in innate in vitro differentiation capacity between ESCs and iPSCs. Naïve-like rabbit ESCs exhibited several features indicating pluripotency, including the capacity for teratoma formation. They differentiated into mature oligodendrocytes much more effectively (3.3–7.2 times) than naïve-like iPSCs. This suggests an inherent variation in differentiation potential in vitro among PSC lines. When naïve-like ESCs were injected into preimplantation rabbit embryos, although they contributed efficiently to forming the inner cell mass of blastocysts, no chimeric pups were obtained. Thus, in vitro neural differentiation following naïve-like conversion is a promising option for determining the quality of PSCs without the need to demonstrate chimeric contribution. These results provide an opportunity to evaluate which pluripotent stem cells or treatments are best suited for therapeutic use.     

Specific detection of potentially allergenic kiwifruit in foods using polymerase chain reaction

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa and Actinidia chinensis) is allergenic to sensitive patients, and, under Japanese regulations, it is one of the food items that are recommended to be declared on food labeling as much as possible. To develop PCR-based methods for the detection of trace amounts of kiwifruit in foods, two primer pairs targeting the ITS-1 region of the Actinidia spp. were designed using PCR simulation software. On the basis of the known distribution of a major kiwifruit allergen (actinidin) within the Actinidia spp., as well as of reports on clinical and immunological cross-reactivities, one of the primer pairs was designed to detect all Actinidia spp. and the other to detect commercially grown Actinidia spp. (i.e., kiwifruit, Actinidia arguta, and their interspecific hybrids) except for Actinidia polygama. The specificity of the developed methods using the designed primer pairs was verified by performing PCR experiments on 8 Actinidia spp. and 26 other plants including fruits. The methods were considered to be specific enough to yield target-size products only from the target Actinidia spp. and to detect no target-size products from nontarget species. The methods were sensitive enough to detect 5-50 fg of Actinidia spp. DNA spiked in 50 ng of salmon testis DNA used as a carrier (1-10 ppm of kiwifruit DNA) and 1700 ppm (w/w) of fresh kiwifruit puree spiked in a commercial plain yogurt (corresponding to ca. 10 ppm of kiwifruit protein). These methods would be expected to be useful in the detection of hidden kiwifruit and its related species in processed foods.     

Microdroplet In Vitro Fertilization Can Reduce the Number of Spermatozoa Necessary for Fertilizing Oocytes

Successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) in mice has been achieved using spermatozoa at concentrations specifically optimized for the experimental conditions, such as species and source of spermatozoa. Although IVF in mice is mostly performed using about 80–500 µl drops, it is expected that the number of spermatozoa used for insemination can be reduced by decreasing the size of the IVF drops. The present study was undertaken to examine the extent to which the number of spermatozoa used for IVF could be reduced by using small droplets (1 µl). We devised the experimental parameters using frozen–thawed spermatozoa from C57BL/6 mice in anticipation of broader applications to other mouse facilities. We found that as few as 5 spermatozoa per droplet could fertilize oocytes (1 or 3 oocytes per droplet), although the fertilization rates were low (13–15%). Practical fertilization rates (> 40%) could be achieved with frozen-thawed C57BL/6J spermatozoa, which are sensitive to cryopreservation, when 20 sperm per droplet were used to inseminate 3 oocytes. Even with spermatozoa from a very poor quality suspension (10% motility), about 25% of oocytes were fertilized. Our calculations indicate that the number of inseminated spermatozoa per oocyte can be reduced to 1/96–1/240 by this method. In two separate embryo transfer experiments, 60% and 47%, respectively, of embryos developed to term. Our microdroplet IVF method may be particularly advantageous when only a limited number of motile spermatozoa are available because of inadequate freezing-thawing or genetic reasons.     

Carrier state in human acatalasemia

The heterozygous carrier state of a rare hereditary disease, acatalasemia, has been defined biochemically. Affected homozygotes have no blood catalase activity, whereas heterozygotes show activities intermediate between this inactivity and the activity of normal controls, without overlap. Pedigrees show a high frequency of consanguineous marriages.     

Differential detection of shrimp and crab for food labeling using polymerase chain reaction

Shrimp and crab are well-known as allergenic ingredients. According to Japanese food allergy labeling regulations, shrimp species (including prawns, crayfishes, and lobsters) and crab species must be differentially declared when ≥10 ppm (total protein) of an allergenic ingredient is present. However, the commercial ELISA tests for the detection of crustacean proteins cannot differentiate between shrimp and crab. Therefore, two methods were developed to discriminate shrimp and crab: a shrimp-PCR method with postamplification digestion and a crab-PCR method that specifically amplifies a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. The sensitivity and specificity of both PCR methods were verified by experiments using DNA extracted from 15 shrimp species, 13 crab species, krill, mysid, mantis shrimp, other food samples (cephalopod, shellfish, and fish), incurred foods, and commercial food products. Both PCR methods could detect 5 pg of DNA extracted from target species and 50 ng of genomic DNA extracted from incurred foods containing 10 ppm (μg/g) total protein of shrimp or crab. The two PCR methods were considered to be specific enough to separately detect species belonging to shrimp and crab. Although false-positive and false-negative results were obtained from some nontarget crustacean species, the proposed PCR methods, when used in conjunction with ELISA tests, would be a useful tool for confirmation of the validity of food allergy labeling and management of processed food safety for allergic patients.     

Bioengineering of Leuconostoc mesenteroides glucansucrases that gives selected bond formation for glucan synthesis and/or acceptor-product synthesis

The variations in glucosidic linkage specificity observed in products of different glucansucrases appear to be based on relatively small differences in amino acid sequences in their sugar-binding acceptor subsites. Various amino acid mutations near active sites of DSRBCB4 dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299CB4 were constructed. A triple amino acid mutation (S642N/E643N/V644S) immediately next to the catalytic D641 (putative transition state stabilizing residue) converted DSRBCB4 enzyme from the synthesis of mainly α-(1→6) dextran to the synthesis of α-(1→6) glucan containing branches of α-(1→3) and α-(1→4) glucosidic linkages. The subsequent introduction of mutation V532P/V535I, located next to the catalytic D530 (nucleophile), resulted in the synthesis of an α-glucan containing increased branched α-(1→4) glucosidic linkages (approximately 11%). The results indicate that mutagenesis can guide glucansucrase toward the synthesis of various oligosaccharides or novel polysaccharides with completely altered linkages without compromising high transglycosylation activity and efficiency.     

Etiologic study of upper respiratory infections of household dogs

Infectious tracheobronchitis (ITB), also known as the kennel cough, is a respiratory syndrome of dogs and usually appears to be contagious among dogs housed in groups. Etiologic agent of ITB is multiple and sometimes complex. In the present study, 68 household dogs showing clinical signs of respiratory infection were examined, and 20 dogs (29.4%) were found to be positive for either of following agents. Bordetella bronchiseptica (B.b.) was most frequently detected from nasal and oropharynx sites of 7 dogs (10.3%). Among the viruses examined, canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV) was detected with the highest frequency (7.4%). Other pathogens included in the order of frequency group 1 canine coronavirus (4.4%), canine adenovirus type 2 (2.9%), group 2 canine respiratory coronavirus (1.5%), and canine distemper virus (1.5%). Only 2 cases showed mixed infections. Neither influenza A virus nor canine bocavirus (minute virus of canines) was found in any dogs examined. These results indicate that both B.b. and CPIV are likely to be the principal etiologic agents of canine ITB in Japan, and they may be considered as the target for prophylaxis by vaccination.     

Allelic variation in high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit Loci of Glu-1 in Japanese common wheats

Seed storage proteins of 131 Japanese Norin wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties were fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to determine allelic make-up in varieties at each of three loci that control high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits. Three alleles were identified at the Glu-A1 locus, six at the Glu-B1 locus and five at the Glu-D1 locus. Twenty-four different, major glutenin HMW subunits were identified and each contained three to five subunits and seventeen different glutenin subunit patterns were observed for 19 subunits in the 131 Japanese Norin varieties. Fourteen alleles were identified by comparison of subunit mobility with that previously found in hexaploid wheat. Japanese Norin varieties showed a specific pattern of allelic variation in glutenin HMW subunits, different from that of Chinese and other country common wheats in allelic frequency at Glu-1 loci. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optimization of a protocol for cryopreservation of mouse spermatozoa using cryotubes

The rapid increase in the number of genetically modified mouse strains has produced a high demand for their frozen spermatozoa from laboratories and mouse banking facilities. Historically, plastic straws have been used preferentially as containers for frozen mammalian spermatozoa because spermatozoa frozen in plastic straws have a high survival rate after thawing. However, plastic straws are more fragile and are used less often than the cryotubes used for conventional cell freezing. In this study, we sought to develop a new protocol for sperm freezing using cryotubes as the container to increase the accessibility of mouse sperm cryopreservation. Epididymal spermatozoa were collected from mature ICR or C57BL/6J (B6) males and were suspended in 18% raffinose and 3% skim milk solution. We then optimized the following conditions using the sperm survival rate as an index: 1) distance of cryotubes from the surface of the liquid nitrogen at freezing, 2) volume of the sperm suspension in the cryotube and 3) temperature of warming sperm during thawing. The best result was obtained when cryotubes containing 10 μl of sperm suspension were immersed 1 cm below the surface of the liquid nitrogen and then thawed at 50 C. The fertilization rates using spermatozoa frozen and thawed using this method were 63.1% in ICR mice and 28.2% in B6 mice. The latter rate was increased to 62.3% by adding reduced glutathione to the fertilization medium. After embryo transfer, 68% and 62% of the fertilized oocytes developed into normal offspring in the ICR and B6 strains, respectively. These results show that cryotubes can be used for cryopreservation of mouse spermatozoa under optimized conditions. This protocol is easy and reproducible, and it may be used in laboratories that do not specialize in sperm cryopreservation.