Signal Mediators for Phytoalexin Production in Defense Response of Oats Elicited by Victorin as a Specific Elicitor

Signals mediating phytoalexin (PA) production were analyzed in primary leaves of oats cv. Iowa X469 treated with an elicitor victorin. Production of the PA avenanthramide A was inhibited by DPI, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase/nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and the NOS inhibitors l-NMMA and 1,3-PBIT. However, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) hardly suppressed it. From the data, NO functions as a major reactive oxygen species in signal transduction leading to PA production in the defense response of oats. EGTA, verapamil and ruthenium red inhibited PA production, suggesting that Ca²⁺ influx into the cytoplasm and intracellular Ca²⁺ movement are involved in the defense response. Trifluoperazine, a calmodulin function inhibitor, and K-252a, a serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, also suppressed the accumulation, whereas okadaic acid, a serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, did not suppress it, suggesting the involvement of calmodulin and protein kinase, but not of phosphatase in PA production. Received 24 December 1999/ Accepted in revised form 4 February 2000     

Vertical behavior of juvenile yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares in the southwestern part of Japan based on archival tagging

The behavior of juvenile yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares in southwestern Japan was investigated using archival tag data from five fish (fork length 52.5–92 cm, days at liberty 26–280 days) released near the Nansei Islands (24–29°N, 122–130°E). Vertical behavior was classified into three patterns: “shallow” (≥50 % of daytime hours at depth of <50 m), “deep” (≥50 % of daytime hours at ≥100 m), and “intermediate” (other than “shallow” or “deep”). The pooled proportion of the number of days of each behavior was 29, 25 and 46 %, respectively. The proportion of “shallow” behavior increased with fish size. The proportion of time spent near the surface at nighttime increased in the colder season, when the thermal gradient was relatively small. Surface-oriented behavior (fish remained at a depth of <10 m for more than 10 min) occurred mainly during nighttime and between November and January. Dives exceeding 500 m were occasionally observed (0.02 day^?1), and one fish dived to 1230 m. The results of our study show that yellowfin tuna were typically distributed in the mixed layer or upper thermocline where the water temperature was close to the sea surface temperature and that the vertical behavior was variable.     

Mapping a diploid wheat abscisic acid 8′-hydroxylase homologue in the seed dormancy QTL region on chromosome 5A<Superscript>m</Superscript>

In Arabidopsis, two genes of abscisic acid (ABA) 8′-hydroxylase (cytochrome P450 (CYP) 707A1 and A2) have been found to play important roles in seed dormancy through the regulation of ABA content in seeds. In order to examine the role of wheat ABA 8′-hydroxylase gene in seed dormancy, a diploid wheat ABA 8′-hydroxylase gene was cloned that showed high similarity to a barley ABA8′-hydroxylase gene (HvABA8′OH-2), and the cloned gene was designated as TmABA8′OH-2. Using recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between diploid wheat Triticum boeoticum L. (Tb) and Triticum monococcum L. (Tm), TmABA8′OH-2 has been mapped to near the centromeric region of the long arm of chromosome 5A^m, where the major seed dormancy QTL has been previously found. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of TmABA8′OH-2 between Tb and Tm revealed five amino acid residue substitutions. These amino acid residues have distinctly different characteristics, and one of the substitutions occurs in the highly conserved amino acid residues in CYP707A family, indicating that these substitutions may have effects on the enzyme activities. Moreover, hexaploid wheat TmABA8′OH-2 homologue revealed that the level of its expression during seed development peaks at mid-maturation stage. This resembles the expression pattern of the Arabidopsis CYP707A1, which was shown to control seed dormancy. These results imply a possibility that TmABA8′OH-2 might be involved in seed dormancy, and associated with the QTL on chromosome 5A^m.     

Basic characterization of 90 kDa heat shock protein genes HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1, HSP90B1 and TRAP1 expressed in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

In the current study, we describe four novel members of the 90 kDa heat shock protein (HSP90) family expressed in Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica. The coding regions of the genes, CjHSP90AA1, CjHSP90AB1, CjHSP90B1 and CjTRAP1, exhibited more than 94% similarity to their related genes in chicken. The putative proteins encoded by these quail genes contained motifs considered essential for HSP90 gene function. In addition, the predicted proteins were more similar to HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1, HSP90B1 and TRAP1 proteins expressed in vertebrates than they were to other members of the HSP90 family. Exon numbers of CjHSP90AA1 (11), CjHSP90AB1 (12) or CjTRAP1 (18) are the same as the chicken and mammalian orthologs. Furthermore, gene order in the regions surrounding CjHSP90AB1 and CjTRAP1 has been preserved, providing evidence that the genomic regions were orthologous to HSP90‐containing regions in the chicken genome. The promoter regions of the genes also contained conserved motifs identified in related genes of chicken. However, the nucleotide sequences of the 5′‐flanking region of these genes were highly polymorphic. We also found that CjHSP90AA1 exhibited a robust response to heat shock treatment. Taken together, the data suggest that CjHSP90AA1, CjHSP90AB1, CjHSP90B1 and CjTRAP1 encode orthologs of HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1, HSP90B1 and TRAP1, respectively.     

Numerical assessments of the impacts of climate change on regional groundwater systems in a paddy-dominated alluvial fan

Quantitative assessment of the impacts of climate change on groundwater levels is important for sustainable groundwater use. This study examined the Tedori River alluvial fan in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, where paddy fields occupy 45 % of the total area. A regional groundwater flow model simulated future groundwater levels in response to 38 climate change projections generated for each of three GCMs, using three GHG emission scenarios with the ELPIS-JP datasets. The numerical groundwater flow model consisted of a 1-D unsaturated water flow model (HYDRUS-1D) for estimating groundwater recharge and a 3-D groundwater flow model (MODFLOW). Variable parameters consisted of daily air temperature, precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed, which influence groundwater through infiltration, evapotranspiration, snowfall, and snowmelt. Groundwater levels had both decreasing and increasing trends, depending on climate change. There were more decreasing than increasing trends, and the maximum groundwater drawdown during 2010–2090 was ~1 m. Groundwater level was most sensitive to change in rate of precipitation during the non-irrigation period. Variations of relatively low-intensity precipitation days, when daily precipitation was <10 mm, had an effect on groundwater level. These results contribute to development of adaptive and sustainable groundwater managements (e.g. land use management and pumping strategies) in the future.     

Promotion of initial swim bladder inflation and effect of initial inflation failure on skeletal malformation in cultured seven‐band grouper Hyporthodus septemfasciatus (Thunberg)

The effects of the removal of the oily surface film on initial swim bladder inflation and survival in cultured seven‐band grouper Hyporthodus septemfasciatus were investigated during the larval stage. Additionally, the relationship between swim bladder inflation failure and malformations in later stages was examined. To explore promotion conditions for inflation, duplicate experiments were conducted under three different water surface conditions: removal of the oily surface film (ROF group), covering the water surface with an oil film (COF group), and sealing the water surface with liquid paraffin (SLP group). Larval swim bladder inflation was first observed 14 days after hatching (DAH) in the ROF group; thereafter, swim bladder inflation rates increased to 11.1% and 38.7% until the end of the experiments. This indicates that initial swim bladder inflation occurs at the pre‐flexion stage in larval development. Conversely, bladder inflation was rarely observed in the COF or SLP groups, indicating the promotional effect of surface film removal on larval swim bladder inflation and suggesting that gulping atmospheric air is necessary for initial inflation. Although larval water surface death occurred frequently in the ROF group, no significant difference existed in any group between the survival rates at 10 DAH and at the end of the experiment. The incidence rate of spinal curvature and deformation of the centra was significantly higher in individuals without initial swim bladder inflation, and these malformations mainly occurred in the caudal vertebra. Therefore, the removal of the oily surface film promotes initial swim bladder inflation and reduces larval malformations.     

The dynamic state of the ionome in roots,nodules, and shoots of soybean under different nitrogen status and at different growth stages

The relative distribution of 22 mineral elements in the roots, nodules and shoots of the soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. Tsurumusume) at R1 (beginning of the flowering stage) and R7 (beginning of the mature stage) was investigated in response to ammonium and manure N treatment. Plants receiving only atmospheric nitrogen served as the negative control. The addition of ammonium sulfate to the soil caused soil acidification, induced Al and Mn toxicities, and significantly reduced the biomass production in roots and nodules. Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in shoots, and those of Mo and Co higher in nodules. The addition of manure to the soil significantly enhanced the levels of Sr, Ba, Cr, and Cd in shoots, whereas the concentration of Cs was decreased at R7. Moreover, when the soybean developed from R1 to R7, the levels of essential elements in nodules decreased, whereas those of nonessential elements increased, irrespective of the nitrogen source. Furthermore, the variation in the concentrations of many elements was not consistent for nodules and roots when soybean developed from R1 to R7. The variation of Mn, Zn, B, and Al concentrations was independent of N treatments. However, Ca, Fe, Cu, Mo, and Se levels were affected strongly by N treatments. This study is the first to document the dynamic variation of the soybean ionome in nodules, roots, and shoots from vegetative to reproductive stage of soybean.