Antioxidative compounds from the outer scales of onion

Antioxidative compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of dry outer scales of onion (Allium cepa L.). Nine phenolic compounds (1-9) were finally obtained by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by NMR and mass spectrometry analyses. They were the six known compounds, protocatechuic acid (1), 2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-2,4,6-trihydroxy-3(2H)-benzofuranone (2), quercetin 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin (5), 4'-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside of quercetin dimer (7), and quercetin dimer (8), and three novel compounds, condensation products of quercetin with protocatechuic acid (4), adduct of quercetin with quercetin 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), and quercetin trimer (9). These phenolic compounds were tested for their antioxidant properties using autoxidation of methyl linoleate in bulk phase or free radical initiated peroxidation of soybean phosphatidylcholine in liposomes. The flavonoid compounds having o-dihydroxy substituent in the B-ring were shown to be effective antioxidants against nonenzymic lipid peroxidation.     

Populations, Community Composition and Biomass of Aquatic Organisms in the Floodwater of Rice Fields and Effects of Field Management

As rice fields are managed for improved rice production, many studies on aquatic organisms in the floodwater have been restricted to agronomically important members such as blue-green algae (BGA) and Azolla , and ecological studies on common aquatic organisms were relatively limited to specific group members. In the present paper, studies on all the aquatic organisms in the floodwater, from protozoa to insects and fishes, were reviewed worldwide from the viewpoint of rice field ecology, paying attention to their populations, seasonal variations, antagonistic relations and biomass, and the effect of field management. Most studies conducted in India and in the Southeast Asian countries dealt with the BGA and green algal populations. In contrast, protozoa and aquatic animals were extensively studied in rice fields in Europe. Japanese studies in the past were intermediate between the previously cited studies. They generally described specific groups depending on the authors' interests, and surprisingly few studies dealt with the community level and prey-predator relationships. Field management such as fertilizer and pesticide application, water management and plowing was found to play a major role in determining the populations of aquatic organisms. Overview of research on aquatic organisms in the floodwater of rice fields suggests several directions for future studies.     

CTLA-4 control over Foxp3+ regulatory T cell function

Naturally occurring Foxp3+CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for maintaining immunological self-tolerance and immune homeostasis. Here, we show that a specific deficiency of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) in Tregs results in spontaneous development of systemic lymphoproliferation, fatal T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, and hyperproduction of immunoglobulin E in mice, and it also produces potent tumor immunity. Treg-specific CTLA-4 deficiency impairs in vivo and in vitro suppressive function of Tregs-in particular, Treg-mediated down-regulation of CD80 and CD86 expression on dendritic cells. Thus, natural Tregs may critically require CTLA-4 to suppress immune responses by affecting the potency of antigen-presenting cells to activate other T cells.     

Cytokinin oxidase regulates rice grain production

Most agriculturally important traits are regulated by genes known as quantitative trait loci (QTLs) derived from natural allelic variations. We here show that a QTL that increases grain productivity in rice, Gn1a, is a gene for cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (OsCKX2), an enzyme that degrades the phytohormone cytokinin. Reduced expression of OsCKX2 causes cytokinin accumulation in inflorescence meristems and increases the number of reproductive organs, resulting in enhanced grain yield. QTL pyramiding to combine loci for grain number and plant height in the same genetic background generated lines exhibiting both beneficial traits. These results provide a strategy for tailormade crop improvement.     

6─氨基己酸二聚体水解酶基因在异源宿主中的表达

将起源于黄色菌（Ｆｌａｖｏｂａｃｔｅｒｉｕｍｓｐ．ＫＩ７２）的６─氨基己酸二聚体水解酶（ＥⅡ）基因以质粒ｐＴＳ１２０９为载体，转入假单孢菌ＰｓｅｕｄｏｍｏｎａｓｐｕｔｉｄａＮＴ１１２６中，得到具有ＥⅡ高表达活性转基因株，表明以假单胞菌为宿主进行ＥⅡ酶分子育种的可行性，并为ＥⅡ酶尚处于进化中的推论提供了旁证。     

Quantitative nested real-time PCR detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium longisporum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">V. dahliae</Emphasis> in the soil of cabbage fields

Verticillium longisporum and V. dahliae, causal agents of Verticillium wilt, are spreading through the cabbage fields of Gunma Prefecture. Using the V. longisporum-specific intron within the 18S rDNA and differences between ITS 5.8S rDNA sequences in Japanese isolates of V. longisporum and V. dahliae, we developed three quantitative nested real-time (QNRT) PCR assays. The QNRT-PCR quantification of V. longisporum or V. dahliae in cabbage field soil was consistent with the severity of Verticillium wilt disease in those fields. In field trials of resistant cultivar YR Ranpo grown for three seasons in soil infested with the pathogen, disease severity and pathogen density in the soil were significantly reduced in a field moderately contaminated by V. dahliae, but only slightly reduced in a highly contaminated field. These results suggest that continuous cultivation of a resistant cultivar is an effective way to reduce the pathogen population. QNRT-PCR assays provide a powerful analytical tool to evaluate the soil population dynamics of V. longisporum and V. dahliae for disease management.     

Comparison of Bacterial Communities Associated with Microcrustaceans from the Floodwater of a Paddy Field Microcosm: Estimation Based on DGGE Pattern and Sequence Analyses

Bacterial communities associated with five kinds of microcrustaceans ( Tanycypris sp., Moina sp., Mesocyclops sp., Cypretta sp. and Heterocypris sp.) from the floodwater of a paddy field microcosm were examined by the application of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to PCR-amplified 16S rDNA products with universal bacterial primers and by sequencing of characteristic DGGE bands. The number of DGGE bands of the associated bacteria was small, indicating the association of specific bacterial members with the microcrustaceans studied, among which Tanycypris sp. showed the smallest number of bands. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that the community structure of the associated bacteria could be divided into three groups: Podocopida ( Tanycypris sp., Cypretta sp. and Heterocypris sp.), Moina sp. and Mesocyclops sp., and further analysis separated Tanycypris sp. and Heterocypris sp. into different clusters. The duration of the incubation period affected the bacteria associated with Tanycypris sp., Moina sp. and Cypretta sp. only. Nearly all of the associated bacteria belonged to Gram-negative bacteria, especially the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB) group. Closest relatives of the DGGE bands common to three Podocopida and Mesocyclops sp. belonged to an invertebrate endosymbiont.