Antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds

The antiinflammatory effects of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds were examined in vivo and in vitro. The extract of this seed (HCSE) inhibited croton oil-induced swelling of the mouse concha. HCSE inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX) -1 and -2 activities, but had no effect on 15-lipoxygenase and phospholipase A2 activities. Inhibition of COX-2 occurred at a lower concentration of HCSE than for COX-1. Japanese horse chestnut seeds contain coumarins and saponins, but these chemicals did not inhibit COX activities. These results suggest that the antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut seeds is caused, at least partly, by the inhibition of COX. The inhibitor of COX in this seed may be a chemical(s) other than coumarins and saponins.     

A plant vacuolar protease, VPE, mediates virus-induced hypersensitive cell death

Programmed cell death (PCD) in animals depends on caspase protease activity. Plants also exhibit PCD, for example as a response to pathogens, although a plant caspase remains elusive. Here we show that vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) is a protease essential for a virus-induced hypersensitive response that involves PCD. VPE deficiency prevented virus-induced hypersensitive cell death in tobacco plants. VPE is structurally unrelated to caspases, although VPE has a caspase-1 activity. Thus, plants have evolved a regulated cellular suicide strategy that, unlike PCD of animals, is mediated by VPE and the cellular vacuole.     

Artificially induced tetraploid masu salmon have the ability to form primordial germ cells

Diploid gametes generated with tetraploid animals are a stepping stone to improving chromosome manipulation techniques. However, artificially induced tetraploid individuals generally die soon after hatching. Diploid gametes could be induced by in vivo cultures of tetraploid primordial germ cells (PGCs) through germ-line chimera. In the present study, characteristics of PGCs were studied in inviable tetraploid masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou. Histological observation of tetraploid embryos revealed that the same or smaller numbers of PGCs were observed and they migrate into the genital ridges as did diploid PGCs during gonadogenesis. By whole-mount in situ hybridization using vasa messenger RNA (mRNA), 4–35 vasa-positive signals were detected in a pair of genital ridges of tetraploids. By cytological observation of genital ridge cell suspensions, several large round cells were observed, some of which extended pseudopodia. They also contained large nuclei and round granules in their cytoplasm, characteristics of PGCs. As the results suggest that inviable artificial tetraploids have PGCs, we expect to achieve diploid gamete production through surrogate propagation and tetraploid fish production.     

Parentage assignment of stocked black sea bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acanthopagrus schlegelii</Emphasis> in Hiroshima Bay using microsatellite DNA markers

The genetic contribution of 51 broodstock, comprising 29 females and 22 males, reared at Hiroshima City Marine Products Promotion Center for the production of stocked black sea bream was monitored during two consecutive years using seven microsatellite DNA loci. The high discrimination ability of these markers was reflected in the polymorphic identification content (PIC=0.831), the exclusion probability (Q≈1), and the low probability of identity index (I=3.635⁻¹⁰). The total number of breeders contributing to the mating process was estimated at 32 (62.7%) in 2000 and 30 (58.8%) in 2001. On pedigree reconstruction, 69.3% of the offspring were successfully assigned to a single broodstock pair. Loss of alleles accounted for 16.9% during seed production; nevertheless, 90.9% of males and 69.0% of females participated in the mating process. Based on microsatellite genetic tagging, 58.9% of the fish sampled during the two months after release were identified as hatchery stock, presenting no significant differences from wild conspecifics in either fork length or body weight.     

Indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aciculosporium take</Emphasis>, a causal agent of witches' broom of bamboo

 Aciculosporium take (Ascomycota; Clavicipitaceae) is a causal agent of witches' broom of bamboo plants. The symptoms of this disease are believed to be induced by plant hormones, particularly auxins. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was identified in cultures of this fungus in an l-tryptophan-supplemented liquid medium. IAA production was confirmed on 30 isolates of A. take from various hosts and locations at levels up to 1 mg/l. The biosynthetic pathway of IAA in A. take culture was examined by analyzing intermediate products and by feeding experiments. The results showed that the indole-3-pyruvic acid pathway (l-tryptophan → indole-3-pyruvic acid → indole acetaldehyde → IAA) was the dominant pathway in A. take. Received: June 3, 2002 / Accepted: July 25, 2002     

Fixation of carbon dioxide by chemoautotrophic bacteria in grassland soil under dark conditions

Grassland is one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems for carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. However, while CO₂ fixation by phototrophic bacteria is relatively well studied, little is known about microbial CO₂ fixation without light by chemoautotrophic bacteria in grassland soils. Therefore, in this study, the isotope ¹⁴C-CO₂ was used to investigate the CO₂-fixing process in grassland soils. Soil samples were collected from both fenced and adjacent continuous grazing grassland sites in Inner Mongolia and then incubated for 120 days under dark conditions. Meanwhile, the cbbL genes (red- and green-like) were analyzed to isolate chemoautotrophic bacteria, which are responsible for CO₂ fixation. After incubation, ¹⁴C was fixed into soil organic carbon (¹⁴C-SOC) and microbial biomass carbon (¹⁴C-MBC) were found in both the fenced and grazing soils, and the fixation rate of ¹⁴C-SOC in the fenced soils (48.55‰) was significantly higher than in the grazing soils (22.11‰). The fixation rate of ¹⁴C-MBC in the fenced soils (14.05‰) was higher than in the grazing soils (7.08‰), but the difference was not significant. The red-like cbbL genes could be detected in all the soil samples, but the green-like cbbL genes could not be amplified. A greater number of identified operational taxonomic units were observed in the fenced soils compared with the grazing soils. The chemoautotrophic bacteria were mainly affiliated with Alphaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. However, Chloroflexi was detected in only the fenced soils. The results suggested that CO₂ fixation by chemoautotrophic bacteria might be significant in carbon cycling in grassland.     

Genetic structure of the oak wilt vector beetle Platypus quercivorus: inferences toward the process of damaged area expansion

Background  

The ambrosia beetle, Platypus quercivorus, is the vector of oak wilt, one of the most serious forest diseases in Japan. Population genetics approaches have made great progress toward studying the population dynamics of pests, especially for estimating dispersal. Knowledge of the genetic structuring of the beetle populations should reveal their population history. Using five highly polymorphic microsatellite loci, 605 individuals from 14 sampling sites were assessed to infer the ongoing gene flow among populations as well as the processes of expansion of damaged areas.     

Characteristics of brown forest soils developed under beech forests in the kinki and the tohoku districts with special reference to their pedogenetic processes

Abstract

Properties of sesquioxides, clay mineralogical composition, and charge characteristics of Brown Forest soils developed under beech forests in the Kinki (Ohdaigahara) and the Tohoku District (Hakkoda) were studied with special reference to their pedogenetic processes.

The Brown Forest soils in the Kinki District were characterized by the translocation of free Al, formation of Al and/or Fe-humus complexes throughout the profile, and the predominance of 2:1: 1-2:1 intergrade minerals in the subsurface horizons, whereas those in the Tohoku District were characterized by the formation of allophane and no remarkable translocation of free Al oxides. This difference in the pedogenetic processes under the same vegetation was reflected on the amounts of Al released from primary minerals in relation to the amounts of organic matter accumulated. Major distinctive characteristics included the values of the Alp/Alo, the Fep/Feo, the Alo/Ald ratios, the Sio content, and the STPT-ZPC and pH(H₂O) values.

Among these the values of the Alo/Ald ratio and/or the Sio content were found to be suitable indices for the differentiation of Brown Forest soils from Andisols in Japan In addition to the criteria used to define andic soil properties.     

Amphidinolide C2, New Macrolide from Marine Dinoflagellate Amphidinium Species

A new cytotoxic 25-membered macrolide, amphidinolide C2 (1), has been isolated from marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. (Y-71 strain), and the structure 1 was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical means.