Changes in levels of GnRH in the brain and pituitary and GTH in the pituitary in male masu salmon,Oncorhynchus masou,from hatching to maturation

Levels of two types of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (salmon GnRH and chicken GnRH-II) in the brain and pituitary, and content of gonadotropin (GTHIβ and IIβ) in the pituitary were measured in male masu salmon from hatching to gonadal maturation for three years in order to clarify the involvement of GnRHs in precocious maturation. Underyearling precocious males were distinguishable in summer of year 1 and were marked by an increased GSI. Spermiation was observed among these individuals thereafter every autumn. Pituitary GTHIβ content in both precocious and immature males, and GTHIIβ content in precocious males showed seasonal fluctuations — high in autumn and low in winter. Pituitary GTHIIβ content was low in immature males. Pituitary sGnRH content in precocious males increased from spring to autumn during the three-year period. sGnRH concentrations in discrete brain areas showed seasonal changes — high during autumn to winter and low in summer. Concentrations in the olfactory bulbs and hypothalamus increased significantly in association with testicular maturation during year 3. sGnRH concentrations in the hypothalamus were significantly higher in precocious males than in immature males; this was possibly due to positive feedback of steroid hormones. cGnRH-II was undetectable in the pituitary and no distinct changes were observed in its concentration in the brain in relation to maturation. The phenomenon of underyearling precocious maturation is considered to be triggered before the onset of early summer. It is suggested that males which mature precociously are larger in size and contain much sGnRH in the pituitary before the outward signs of precocity appear; sGnRH may stimulate GTH II synthesis and induce precocious maturation.     

Influence of rice-isolated bacteria on chitinase production by the biocontrol bacterium Serratia marcescens strain B2 and the genetically modified rice epiphytic bacterium

Chitinolytic activity of the biocontrol bacterium Serratia marcescens strain B2 was inhibited by bacteria isolated from rice, even though its growth was not affected. Antifungal activity of the strain against Pyricularia oryzae was also reduced under the influence of these bacteria. In contrast, the rice-epiphytic bacterium Erwinia ananas NR1, transformed with chitinase gene chiA derived from strain B2, had high chitinolytic activity regardless of the presence of the bacteria isolated from rice. Therefore, the introduction of an antagonistic factor gene with a promoter from the recipient into the epiphytic bacteria may prove useful in the development of effective biocontrol agents.     

Influence of bacteria isolated from rice plants and rhizospheres on antibiotic production by the antagonistic bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serratia marcescens</Emphasis> strain B2

Serratia marcescens strain B2 is an antagonistic bacterium that produces the red-pigmented antibiotic prodigiosin and suppresses rice sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA. Rice sheath blight disease was suppressed when plants were inoculated with this bacterium an hour before pathogen inoculation but not when plants were treated 4 weeks before pathogen inoculation. In both cases the bacteria were detected in the rice rhizosphere 4 weeks after inoculation. Bacteria isolated from the rice plant and rhizosphere inhibited biosynthesis of prodigiosin in S. marcescens strain B2. We suggest that bacteria isolated from rice plants and rhizospheres mediate the suppression of antibiotic production of biological control agents and that such suppression is common under field conditions.     

Effects of light conditions on prodigiosin stability in the biocontrol bacterium Serratia marcescens strain B2

Serratia marcescens strain B2 is a potential biocontrol agent that produces the antibiotic pigment prodigiosin. When this strain was incubated under white or blue light conditions (<100µmol m^–2s^–1), prodigiosin concentration in bacterial cells decreased, but growth did not. However, red and far-red light had no effect on prodigiosin concentration in bacterial cells. Purified prodigiosin was degraded under white or blue light conditions but was not degraded under red and far-red light. Because white and blue light appeared to affect the stability of prodigiosin itself, light conditions may affect the suppressive effects of the biocontrol agent S. marcescens strain B2.     

Distribution of estrogen receptor alpha in the dominant follicles and corpus luteum at the three stages of estrous cycle in Japanese black cows

Distribution of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) in the dominant follicle (DF) and corpus luteum (CL) at the three stages of estrous cycle in Japanese Black cows was evaluated by means of immunohistochemistry. Ovarian dynamics were observed twice daily using ultrasonography until the ovariectomy performed on Day 7 (First group, n=3), Day 10 (Second group, n=3) and Day 18 (Third group, n=3) (Day 0=estrus). Expression of ERalpha represented by immunohistological staining intensity in cells was determined using a light microscope equipped with a digital camera. A tendency toward higher expression were observed in theca interna (TI) of DF when compared with those in mural granulosa cells (mGC), antral granulosa cells (aGC) and theca externa (TE). ERalpha expression in the Third group was lower than that in the First Group in mGC, and it was also lower than that in the second group in TE (P<0.05). ERalpha expression in luteal cells was higher than those in the stromal cells in CL. No significant difference of ERalpha expression was observed within luteal or stromal cells, except in the Second group in the luteal cells, in which significantly higher expressions than that in the Third group (P<0.05) were observed. The results showed that, 1) ERalpha was present in developing DF on Day 7, early regressing DF on Day 10 and preovulatory DF on Day 18, especially in the TI, and a few were localized in the mGC, and 2) ERalpha was highly expressed in the luteal cells and the expression decreased in combination with regression of CL.     

Synthesis and structure-activity study of fungicidal anilinopyrimidines leading to mepanipyrim (KIF-3535) as an anti-Botrytis agent

A series of 2-anilinopyrimidines was prepared and their fungicidal activities against Botrytis cinerea Pers were examined. The activity fell sharply with any substitution on the anilinobenzene ring. Substituents at the 5-position of the pyrimidine ring greatly reduced the activity. Substituents such as chloro, methoxy, methylamino, methyl or 1-propynyl were well tolerated at the 4- and 6-positions of the pyrimidine ring. Among these substituents, the combination of methyl and 1-propynyl groups was the most favourable. 2-Anilino-4-methyl-6-(1-propynyl)pyrimidine (KIF-3535), which showed excellent activity and no significant phytotoxicity, was finally selected for development and has been given the common name mepanipyrim.     

GnRH treatment at CIDR insertion influences ovarian follicular dynamics in Japanese black cows

Ovarian follicular dynamics and estrous synchronization after Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) treatment at Controlled Internal Drug Releasing device (CIDR) insertion were investigated in Japanese Black cows. CIDR was inserted for eight cows at 7 days after estrus. Cows were allocated to either Group A: 8-day CIDR insertion with GnRH treatment on d 0 (n=4, d 0=CIDR insertion) or Group B: 8-day CIDR insertion (n=4). Both groups were injected with prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) on d 7. Ultrasonography and blood sampling were performed twice daily. Intensive sampling was performed every 15 min for 8 hr to determine the pulsatile release of LH on d -1, d 5 and d 10. Three of four cows showed intermediate ovulation within 2 days after GnRH treatment during CIDR insertion in Group A, whereas no ovulation was found in Group B. Three of four cows in Group A and all four cows in Group B ovulated after CIDR removal. Plasma progesterone concentrations from d 3 to d 7 in three intermediate ovulatory cows in Group A (8.4 +/- 1.6 ng/ml) was significantly higher than those in Group B (4.1 +/- 1.2 ng/ml; 4 cows) during CIDR insertion (P<0.01). Interval to estrus and ovulation after CIDR removal was observed at 60.0 +/- 12.0 hr and 76.0 +/- 6.9 hr in three cows in Group A, and 75.0 +/- 15.1 hr and 93.0 +/- 20.5 hr in Group B, respectively. There was a significant increase in LH pulse frequency on d 10 compared on d -1 or d 5 in both groups (P<0.05), in addition those on d 10 in Group A tended to be higher than in Group B. As a result, GnRH treatment at CIDR insertion at 7 days after estrus induced intermediate ovulation with formation of corpus luteum (CL) and rather synchronized emergence of ovulatory follicle during CIDR insertion. These induced CL increased plasma progesterone concentrations and contributed to precise synchronization.     

Genetic characteristics of Japanese Holstein cows based on multiple-lactation random regression test-day animal models

The first three lactation curves of the Japanese Holstein cows were analyzed using a random regression (RR) test-day model with a cubic Legendre polynomial fitted to each of the three parities. The first three eigenvectors of the additive genetic RR covariance matrix explained 77.8, 10.9, and 4.2% of the total variance of the three parities and are associated mainly with the level of milk yield, the linear increase, and the concave curve, respectively. On a lactational basis, as the parity increases, the contribution of the first eigenvector to a lactational variation decreases whereas the contribution of the second eigenvector increases sharply. This means that the impact of the first eigenvector on the level of milk production decreases across parity whereas the effect of the second eigenvector on the shape of the lactation curve increases across parity. The first lactation curve was the most persistent, followed by the second and the third lactation. Persistency and days to reach peak yield decrease as the parity increases (45, 40, and 36 days for the first three parities). Daily heritabilities within lactation were lower for the first parity than for the second or the third parity. The first three lactation curves possess distinctive genetic characteristics that merit consideration when combining the proofs of the first three lactations to select for lifetime production. Within- and between-parity genetic correlations between the constant and the linear RR coefficients were all positive, suggesting that raising the level of milk production in one parity would increase the linear slope in all parities, thus improving persistency. Within- and between-parity genetic correlations between the constant and the quadratic RR coefficients were all negative, implying that increasing the level of production in one parity would deepen and/or widen the concave curve in all parities, thus decreasing persistency. The linear and quadratic RR coefficients were negatively correlated within or between parities and thus have antagonistic effects on persistency.     

A new liquid-type diet for leptocephali in mass production of artificial glass eels

Fisheries Science - Development of artificial production of glass eels still presents many problems to be solved. What and how to feed larvae is one of the most crucial problems for commercial mass...