Environmental characteristics of spawning and nursery grounds of Japanese sardine and mackerels in the Kuroshio and Kuroshio Extension area

The sustainable use of marine resources requires understanding the surrounding ecosystem and elucidating mechanisms of variation. However, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of environmental variation in the spawning and nursery grounds of important fisheries species Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) and mackerels (Scomber japonicus and Scomber australasicus) in the northwest Pacific. Here, we investigate detailed physical, chemical, and biological environment variations in the spawning and nursery grounds along the Kuroshio and Kuroshio Extension area from intensive investigation in spawning season (April) of 2013. We found similar water mass property and copepod community in the egg‐rich Kuroshio area and the larvae‐rich downstream Kuroshio Extension area, indicating environmental variability is small during transportation and development processes. The egg‐rich northern Izu Islands region showed high copepod abundance, although low nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations were observed. Eggs were scarce or absent in the second survey 10 days after abundant eggs were observed in the region, along with differences in water property and copepod community. This indicates that not only the location but also the specific water characteristic and copepod community are a determining factor for spawning. Indicator communities of copepod found in our study (indicator community of transportation process from spawning ground, of non‐spawning ground, and of reproductive area in the Kuroshio Extension area) would be a key factor for recruitment prediction.     

Anthracnose of salt-wort (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salsola komarovii</Emphasis>) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum truncatum</Emphasis>

In July 2006, black rot was observed on the leaves of 4-leaf-stage seedlings of salt-wort (Salsola komarovii) in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. We isolated two single-conidial isolates from the diseased leaves. Although colony appearance of the isolates was different from that of each other, both isolates were identified as Colletotrichum truncatum by morphology and molecular similarity. After inoculation of healthy salt-wort plants with the isolates, the isolates were reisolated from symptomatic plants. We thus propose a new disease, anthracnose of salt-wort.     

Diagnostic value of recombinant nanoluciferase fused Toxoplasma gondii antigens in Luciferase-linked Antibody Capture Assay (LACA) for Toxoplasma infection in pigs

Toxoplasmosis is a widespread protozoan zoonosis. Since ingesting undercooked meat harboring Toxoplasma gondii cyst is considered one of the major transmission routes to humans, the screening of T. gondii in meat-producing animals can reduce the risk of food-borne toxoplasmosis in humans. Among serological diagnostic methods, Luciferase-linked Antibody Capture Assay (LACA) has been found to be a promising platform with high sensitivity and specificity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate recombinant nanoluciferase fused-T. gondii antigens (rNluc-GRA6, rNluc-GRA7, rNluc-GRA8 and rNluc-BAG1) for their potential use in LACA for pigs. As a result, the sensitivity of GRA6-, GRA7-, GRA8- and BAG1-LACA were 70.0%, 80.0%, 80.0% and 30.0% with specificity 87.0%, 81.5%, 74.1% and 50.0%, respectively. The cocktail LACA using a mixture of rNluc-GRA6, rNluc-GRA7 and rNluc-GRA8 indicated higher sensitivity (90.0%) and a similar specificity (96.3%) in comparison with the commercial ELISA kit. Compared to the Dye-Test as a reference test, cocktail LACA showed strong agreement (kappa value=0.811) when we assessed pig sera collected at the slaughterhouse. In addition, we also successfully established the rapid LACA format for the detection of Toxoplasma infection in pigs (called Rapid-LACA) in which the test could be performed within 30 min. In Rapid-LACA, the protein A pre-coated/blocked plates could be preserved at −30°C, 4°C or room temperature conditions for at least two months without compromising on the quality of assay.     

Quantitative trait loci analysis for growth and carcass traits in a half-sib family of purebred Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle

We used a half-sib family of purebred Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle to locate economically important quantitative trait loci. The family was composed of 348 fattened steers, 236 of which were genotyped for 342 microsatellite markers spanning 2,664 cM of 29 bovine autosomes. The genome scan revealed evidence of 15 significant QTL (<5% chromosome-wise level) affecting growth and carcass traits. Of the 15 QTL, six QTL were significant at the 5% experiment-wise level and were located in bovine chromosomes (BTA) 4, 5, and 14. We analyzed these three chromosomes in more detail in the 348 steers, with an average marker interval of 1.2 cM. The second scan revealed that the same haplotype of the BTA 4 region (52 to 67 cM) positively affected LM area and marbling. We confirmed the QTL for carcass yield estimate on BTA 5 in the region of 45 to 54 cM. Five growth-related QTL located on BTA 14, including slaughter and carcass weights, were positively affected by the same region of the haplotype of BTA 14 (29-51 cM). These data should provide a useful reference for further marker-assisted selection in the family and positional cloning research. The research indicates that progeny design with moderate genotyping efforts is a powerful method for detecting QTL in a purebred half-sib family.     

Structure Elucidation of Calyxoside B,a Bipolar Sphingolipid from a Marine Sponge Cladocroce sp. through the Use of Beckmann Rearrangement

Marine sponges are an excellent source of biologically active secondary metabolites. We focus on deep-sea sponges for our discovery study. A marine sponge Cladocroce sp. exhibited cytotoxic activity in the bioactivity screening. From this sponge a previously unreported cytotoxic glycosphingolipid, calyxoside B, was isolated and the structure of this compound was elucidated by analyses of MS and NMR spectra and chemical derivatization. We converted the ketone in the middle of a long aliphatic chain into an oxime to which was applied Beckmann rearrangement to afford two positional isomers of amides. The products were subjected to acidic hydrolysis followed by LC-MS analysis, permitting us to assign unequivocally the position of the ketone. Calyxoside B shows cytotoxicity against HeLa cells with an IC₅₀ value of 31 µM and also weakly stimulated the production of cytokines in mice.     

Prophylactic treatment with sulphonated immunoglobulin G attenuates development of mechanical allodynia-like response in mice with neuropathic pain

Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrates are immune-modulating,anti-inflammatory plasma-derived products. Clinical studies in recent years have suggestedthat IgG attenuates neuropathic pain. In this study, effects of sulphonated IgG on thedevelopment and maintenance of a mechanical allodynia-like response were examined in micewith neuropathic pain induced by a partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL). When sulphonatedIgG (400 or 1,000 mg/kg/day, i.p.) was administered for 5 days, from 1 day before surgeryto post-operative day (POD) 3, the development of a mechanical allodynia-like response wasattenuated. On the other hand, sulphonated IgG had little effect on the maintenance of amechanical allodynia-like response when administered for 5 days, from POD 11 to POD 15, atwhich time a mechanical allodynia-like response had already been developed. To explore themechanism of sulphonated IgG, the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines was evaluatedin the injured sciatic nerve. Sulphonated IgG (1,000 mg/kg/day, i.p.) that wasadministered for 3 days, from 1 day before surgery to POD 1, significantly attenuated theup-regulation of tumor necrosis factor-α and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 mRNAs on POD1. These results suggest that prophylactic treatment with sulphonated IgG attenuates thedevelopment of mechanical allodynia-like response by inhibition of inflammatory cytokineexpression in mice with PSL.     

Rhizobium Proliferation-Supporting Substances in Seed Exudates of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Seed exudates collected from three cultivars (cv. Hokkaikintoki, Himetebou, and Kurodane-kinugasa) of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were fractionated based on several physicochemical properties, and the nutrient substances in the fractions effective for Rhizobium proliferation were determined. Regardless of the common bean cultivars, the low molecular weight and high polarity fraction showed the most beneficial effect on Rhizobium proliferation. After further separation of the low molecular weight and high polarity fraction, the promoting effect was detected in the non-ionic and the cationic plus ampho-teric subtractions. Although the amount of sugars or amino acids exuded from a seed was, respectively, similar in all the cultivars except for the sugars in Kurodanekinugasa, the content of these compounds per seed-weight was inversely proportional to the seed size. Ten sugars and twenty-one amino acids were, respectively, identified in the non-ionic and cat-ionic plus amphoteric subtractions, and there were some differences in the composition of these substances between common bean cultivars.     

Annual changes in testicular size and serum and fecal testosterone concentrations in male bharals, Pseudois nayaur

The serum and fecal testosterone (T) concentrations and testicular sizes of two male bharals (Pseudois nayaur) were determined for approximately one year. The profiles of the fecal T concentrations showed a similar tendency as the profiles of serum T concentrations, and there was a significant correlation between serum and fecal T concentrations (r=0.72). T concentrations rose drastically in October and decreased gradually until January. The maximum testicular size was observed between November and January. Semen collected between December and January was excellent in quality and comparable to domestic sheep and goats. The active periods of the testes were synchronized with the early breeding season of females.