Antigenic alteration in major piroplasm surface proteins of Theileria sergenti during infection

Theileria sergenti piroplasms were purified from different parasitemia peaks of cattle infected with parasitized erythrocytes or sporozoites during persistent infection. Their activities with monoclonal antibodies 13F5 and C9, which recognize 23 kDa and 32 kDa piroplasm surface proteins, respectively, were analyzed. Antigenic differences were observed among parasites from different parasitemia peaks during persistent infection when cattle were infected with sporozoites. Results of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the 23 and 32 kDa proteins were expressed in all samples tested, regardless of their reactivities with the monoclonal antobodies. In contrast, parasites obtained from cattle inoculated with parasitized erythrocytes showed no antigenic alteration over a 2 month observation period. The results suggest that antigenic alteration of T. sergenti during persistent infection is related to whether the parasites proliferate through extraerythorocytic schizont stage in cattle or sporozoite and other sexual stages in tick vector.     

Properties of nine continuous B-cell lines established from enzootic bovine leukosis tumors.

We established 9 cell lines from 63 tumor cases of enzootic bovine leukosis and studied their properties. Cells of all lines formed small clumps and floated in culture medium, indicating growth. Four of the 9 cell lines were surface immunoglobulin (SIg)-positive, but the remaining 5 line cells were negative for SIg or, if SIg was detected, the percentage of SIg-positive cells was very low. Tests for the properties of the cells with monoclonal antibodies to lymphocytes revealed that the established line cells are B-lymphocytes. Morphological observation also revealed that they had the morphology of B-lymphoblastic cell. The results of E and EAC rosette assay were negative, but 6 of 8 cell lines were positive for EA rosetting. All the 9 cell lines reacted with MoAb C-143, which recognizes the tumor-associated antigen (TAA) of the EBL tumor cell. All 9 cell lines produced bovine leukosis virus (BLV). These results suggest that the 9 cell lines are tumor cells derived from B-lymphocytes of EBL.     

Survey of Theileria parasite infection in cattle in Cambodia and Vietnam using piroplasm surface protein gene-specific polymerase chain reaction.

A survey of Theileria parasite infection in cattle in Cambodia and Vietnam was carried out by using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. A total of 137 blood samples from draught animals in Cambodia and 40 blood samples from dairy cattle in Vietnam were analyzed. In Cambodia, 69 out of 137(50.4%) samples were PCR-positive containing mainly the Thai and the C type parasites. In Vietnam, 11 (27.5%) samples were positive and all were of the Thai type parasite.     

Relation between tacticity and fiber diameter in melt-electrospinning of polypropylene

Electrospun atactic polypropylene (PP) fibers are thicker than those obtained from isotactic PP, although the viscosity of molten PPs is almost same. Thus we focused on the effect of tacticity of PP on fiber diameters. The PP samples with various tacticity were prepared by changing the blend ratio of isotactic PP and atactic PP. Melt-electrospinning is performed by using blended samples, and then electrospun fibers were observed by scanning electron microscope to evaluate fiber diameter of obtained fibers. It is clear that the diameter of electrospun PP fibers decreases as high tacticity content of PP increases. This result suggests that tacticity of samples is an important factor to control the electrospun fiber diameter.     

Genetic diversity of benign Theileria parasites of cattle in the Okinawa Prefecture

Benign Theileria parasites of cattle distributed in the Okinawa prefecture were characterized by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis of the major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene. Using universal or allele-specific primer sets, parasite DNA was amplified in 31 out of 48 blood samples obtained from beef cattle. Among the positive cases, mixed infections involving various combinations of I-, C-, and B-type parasites were detected in 24 (77.4%) samples. Phylogenetic analysis based on the MPSP gene sequences revealed that parasites with the MPSP types 1-5 and 7, exist within the Okinawa prefecture.     

Molecular characterisation of equine group A rotavirus, Nasuno, isolated in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

In this study, equine group A rotavirus (RV-A), Nasuno, isolated from foal diarrhoea in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan was characterised genetically by sequence analysis of the genome segments encoding VP4 and VP7. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences revealed high homology with P[12] RV-As (94.0-99.3% and 94.9-99.4%) and G3 RV-As (86.9-99.5% and 91.1-99.4%). Nasuno was also classified into P[12] and G3 in the phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the genome segments encoding VP4 and VP7.     

Characterization and taxonomical note about Thai Erianthus germplasm collection: the morphology, flowering phenology and biogeography among E. procerus and three types of E. arundinaceus

Erianthus, one of the genus in Saccharum complex, is important genetic resources for sugarcane improvement. The morphology and flowering phenology of 108 accessions belonging to Erianthus procerus and three types of E. arundinaceus collected from throughout Thailand were compared. PCA analysis based on 22 characteristics clearly supported the separation of Type II and Type III of E. arundinaceus from E. procerus and Type I of E. arundinaceus according to their morphological characteristics, particularly their bud size, and the development of root primordia, which greatly affected axis I of the PCA analysis. E. procerus and Type I showed overlapping in many of their characteristics including their flowering periods. Flower characteristics such as rachis joint length, which were used for previous taxonomic classifications, were not available for the classification of the Thai samples because of the wide variation and overlapping among them. Most of these phenotype similarities and differences are considered to have developed convergently as a result of niche adaptation. Type II and III inhabit riverbanks and streambeds where floods occur frequently, while E. procerus and Type I mainly grow in non-flooding areas such as mountainous grassland, the edge of forests, and beside fields. All Thai Erianthus show unique geographic distributions in Thailand. In particular, the biogeographic boundary between Type II and Type III appeared to be located at the Isthmus of Kra. Although some types showed morphological similarities, reproductive isolation among the four groups seemed to be maintained by differentiation in geographic distribution, habitat preference, and flowering timing.     

Structures and antioxidant activity of anthocyanins in many accessions of eggplant and its related species

Anthocyanins were detected in extracts from the peels of 123 accessions of eggplant (Solanum melongena) and its related species. Their anthocyanin profiles were classified into four types, including known Japanese eggplant type (type 1) and non-Japanese eggplant type (type 2). Although most of the eggplant accessions had one of the two known profiles, one accession had a novel profile (type 3). Two accessions of related species showed another novel profile (type 4). The major anthocyanins were identified as delphinidin 3-(p-coumaroylrutinoside)-5-glucoside (nasunin) (type 1), delphinidin 3-rutinoside (type 2), delphinidin 3-glucoside (type 3), and petunidin 3-(p-coumaroylrutinoside)-5-glucoside (petunidin 3RGc5G) (type 4). Delphinidin 3-caffeoylrutinoside-5-glucoside (delphinidin 3RGcaf5G) was isolated from the hybrid (F1) plants of a type 1 cultivar and a type 3 germplasm. Among the five purified anthocyanins, delphinidin 3RGcaf5G showed the highest radical-scavenging activities toward both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and linoleic acid radical, followed in order by nasunin and petunidin 3RGc5G.     

Efficiency of spherosome for removal of chloroform from water

Spherosomes were elucidated to be a key for removal of chloroform by rice bran (Adachi, A.; Okano, T. Chemosphere 2002, 46, 87-92). On the basis of the above findings, a large amount of spherosomes was separated from rice bran using an industrial scale machine in order to investigate direct removal of chloroform by spherosome from tap water. The efficiency of removal of chloroform from water by rice bran spherosome was evaluated. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms conformed to the Freundlich isotherm (log-log linear). Adsorption of this compound by spherosome was observed in the pH range of 1-12. At equilibrium, the adsorption efficiency of spherosome for chloroform was higher than that of rice bran or activated carbon in the high chloroform concentration range (concentration>0.1 g/L). In the low chloroform concentration range (concentration<0.08 g/L), activated carbon adsorbs more chloroform than spherosome, but the adsorbed amount by spherosome is of the same order as that by activated carbon, which is several orders higher than that by rice bran. Chloroform was removed from tap water with an average removal efficiency of 90% after 90 min when spherosome (2 g/L) was added to tap water containing 0.105 mg/L of chloroform.     

Pathogenic diversity of Phytophthora sojae and breeding strategies to develop Phytophthora-resistant soybeans

Phytophthora stem and root rot, caused by Phytophthora sojae, is one of the most destructive diseases of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and the incidence of this disease has been increasing in several soybean-producing areas around the world. This presents serious limitations for soybean production, with yield losses from 4 to 100%. The most effective method to reduce damage would be to grow Phytophthora-resistant soybean cultivars, and two types of host resistance have been described. Race-specific resistance conditioned by single dominant Rps (“resistance to Phytophthora sojae”) genes and quantitatively inherited partial resistance conferred by multiple genes could both provide protection from the pathogen. Molecular markers linked to Rps genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying partial resistance have been identified on several molecular linkage groups corresponding to chromosomes. These markers can be used to screen for Phytophthora-resistant plants rapidly and efficiently, and to combine multiple resistance genes in the same background. This paper reviews what is currently known about pathogenic races of P. sojae in the USA and Japan, selection of sources of Rps genes or minor genes providing partial resistance, and the current state and future scope of breeding Phytophthora-resistant soybean cultivars.