Analysis of QTL for Seed Dormancy and Their Response to Dry Heat Treatment in Rice(Oryza sativa L.)

Quantitative trait loci(QTL)controlling seed dormancy in rice were identified using recombinant inbred lines(RILs)population derived from the cross between a japonica variety Kinmaze and an indica variety DV85. Seeds of two parental cultivars and each RIL were harvested in 35d after heading.. The germination percentage of these seeds at 30℃for 7 days were measured as the degree of seed dormancy.. QTL analysis was performed with Windows QTL Cartographer 1.13a program by composite interval mapping.. A total of four QTL for seed dormancy were detected on chromosome 2(two regions),5 and 11,respectively.Phenotypic variation explained by each QTL ranged from 8.37 to 17.40%.. Responses of such loci to a dormancy-breaking treatment with dry heat were further detected. The results showed that two alleles of qDOR-2-1 and qDOR-5 from DV85 as well as the allele of qDOR11 from Kinmaze increased the seed dormancy,which seemed to be easily broken by dry heat treatment. Such loci of seed dormancy may be applied to rice genetic improvement.The allele of qDOR-2-2 from DV85 increased the seed dormancy,which could not be broken by dry heat treatment.     

自溶法回收鱼类加工废弃物中蛋白质成分(英文)

鱼头和鱼内脏为鱼类在加工过程中废弃的主要组织,其中含有丰富的蛋白质和脂肪等有益成分,有必要进行回收利用。双鳍舵鲣鱼的头部和内脏约占其鱼体重量的30％,富含蛋白质(14.4％-22.6％)。为了将这些废弃物中的蛋白质进行回收,分别采用双鳍舵鲣鱼内脏本身含有的内源性蛋白酶(自溶)和四种外源性的商业蛋白酶Papain W-40(E1),Pancidase NP-2(E2),Sumichiimu FP(E3)和Protease M(E4)对废弃物中的蛋白质进行水解(50℃,1～4h),考察自溶和不同酶解方法对蛋白质的回收率以及对回收液氨基酸组成的影响。结果显示,自溶法对废弃物中蛋白质的回收效果最好。当水解温度为50℃,水解时间为2h时,自溶法的蛋白质回收率最高,达到76％;其次为E2酶解法,回收率达到70％;E3酶解法效果最差,回收率为63％。进一步研究表明,自溶回收液(AE)的氨基酸总量也最高,达到11756 mg/100g,而采用E1、E2、E3和E4水解方法得到的酶解回收液(EE1、EE2、EE3和EE4)中氨基酸含量分别仅为10294、10642、8750、10121 mg/100g。感观评定结果表明,自溶回...     

Binding profiles and cytokine-inducing effects of fish rhamnose-binding lectins on Burkitt’s lymphoma Raji cells

Rhamnose-binding lectin (RBL) is one of the animal lectin categories which take part in the innate immune responses of fish. Osmerus lanceolatus lectin (OLL) from shishamo smelt eggs is an RBL composed of two tandem-repeated domains, both of which are considered to be a carbohydrate-recognition domain. SAL, catfish (Silurus asotus) egg RBL composed of three domains, binds to Burkitt’s lymphoma Raji cells through globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) carbohydrate chain and to reduce cell size and growth by altering membrane composition without causing cell death. In this experiment, we tried to compare the binding effects of these two RBLs on Raji cells. Flow cytometric and fluorescence microscopic analyses revealed that OLL also directly bound to and shrunk Raji cells with ten times less reactivity than SAL but reduced cell growth with decreasing cell viability. Anti-Gb3 antibody completely blocked the binding of SAL to Raji cells but not that of OLL. In addition, the direct bindings of OLL and SAL to Raji cells were comparably inhibited by melibiose, but lactose was more effective inhibitor for the binding of OLL than that of SAL. These results suggest that OLL has slightly different cell-binding property compared with SAL and binds not only to Gb3 but also to the other carbohydrate receptor-bearing β-galactoside chains. The quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that SAL induced the expression of TNF-α but not of IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-10. Thus, SAL-induced cytostatic effect on Raji cells might be partially caused by TNF-α-mediated signaling pathway.     

Effect of the squid viscera hydrolysate on growth performance and digestion in the red sea bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pagrus major</Emphasis>

The improvement in feed efficiency is one of the most important subjects in fish culture. The development of feed, in terms of good intake, high growth performance, and high feed efficiency is needed. Squid viscera are one of the candidates for alternative material in improving feed efficiency in fish culture. In the present study, we described the dietary effect of the squid viscera hydrolysate (SVH) on the growth performance of the red sea bream. The addition of SVH to feed caused significant increases in feed intake, fork length, and body weight and produced a marked improvement in feed conversion after 4 weeks of feeding. Furthermore, the results of this feeding revealed that low dietary levels of SVH promote growth performance in the red sea bream. We physiologically analyzed digestion and appetite in fish fed diet containing SVH. SVH promoted the activity of hepatic trypsin and lipase, gene expression of stomach pepsin, hepatic lipase, and pyloric caeca trypsin, thereby improving the nutrient availability in red sea bream. Moreover, the mRNA expression of appetite regulating factor, such as brain NPY and stomach ghrelin was significantly improved by dietary SVH. Our current results indicate that dietary SVH as alternative material produced excellent effects on growth performance, which is dependent on the promoting effect on digestion and appetite in red sea bream.     

Seasonal Changes in Rigor Development and Flesh Texture of Wild Japanese Sea Bass (Lateolabrax japonicus)

The season for finding the firmest sashimi made from wild Japanese sea bass was investigated. Flesh rigor tension and contraction were measured by a “new” device with isometric (muscle length kept constant) and isotonic (balance beam moves freely) transducers. Both flesh rigor tension and contraction peaks appeared at the same postmortem times, with attainment of ultimate pH and adenosine triphosphate/inosine monophosphate ratio in four seasons. Seasonal seawater temperature correlated negatively to seasonal maximum rigor contraction and positively to seasonal flesh breaking strength at 72 h postmortem. After rigor peak tension attainment, the tension relaxation was much lower than that of other wild fish species, especially in summer. The sea bass muscle resisted structure disruption in rigor isometric tension generation. Wild sea bass sashimi was firmest in breaking strength in summer.     

Effects of Calcium Lactate on the Development of Chicken Embryos in a Shell-less Culture System up to Day Seventeen of Incubation

This study examined the effects of calcium lactate on the development of chicken embryos in a shell-less culture system (cSLCS) up to the seventeenth day of incubation. In the presence of calcium lactate, a significant reduction in embryo viability was observed during the first week of incubation in cSLCS. On day 17 of embryo development, no significant difference was observed in the blood plasma calcium concentration or tibia bone density between cSLCS and intact control embryos, whereas the tibia length was significantly shorter in cSLCS embryos than in the intact control. These results suggest that calcium lactate supplementation in cSLCS supports bone formation in developing chicken embryos, but has adverse effects on the viability of embryos, particularly during the first week of embryo development.     

Time-dependent changes in protein phosphorylation patterns in rat brain synaptosomes caused by deltamethrin

Effects of deltamethrin, a powerful pyrethroid insecticide, on the protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation processes during depolarization in rat brain synaptosomes were studied by using [³²P]phosphoric acid as a starting radiotracer and high external concentration of potassium ions or veratridine (10^?-5 M) as depolarizing agents. At the onset of depolarization there was a quick rise in phosphorylation in various synaptic proteins for about 15–30 s followed by a gradual decline in levels of phosphorylation. The effect of deltamethrin (10^?-7 M) on this system was found to be dependent on the length of preincubation of the synaptosome with the pesticide prior to depolarization. At an early stage (0–3 min preincubation period) it caused a modest suppression of protein phosphorylation activities. When the period of deltamethrin preincubation was extended to 5–20 min, however, it caused a significant increase in protein phosphorylation throughout the depolarization period. At the later stage of the action of deltamethrin (e.g. preincubation period of 30–40 min), deltamethrin-treated synaptosomes no longer responded to the depolarization signal to raise the level of phosphorylation on many proteins. These results indicate that deltamethrin's actions on the synaptic process are complex. Depending on the length of exposure, its effects on protein phosphorylation responses in intact synaptosomes could be either stimulatory or inhibitory. To study the cause of deltamethrin-induced synaptic block at the later stage, effects of deltamethrin on protein kinases were studied by using lysed synaptic membranes with [gamma-³²P]ATP. Deltamethrin was shown to inhibit calcium–calmodulin-dependent protein phosphorylation activities at 10^?-7 M when given directly to the enzyme source 10 min prior to the addition of [³²P]ATP. Such an observation helps to explain the inhibitory action of deltamethrin on protein phosphorylation which occurs at the late stage of its action (i.e. preincubation time > 20 min).     

Polymorphisms and the antiviral property of porcine Mx1 protein

We determined the cDNA sequences of the type I interferon-inducible proteins, pig Mx1 from PK(15) and LLC-PK1 cells, and compared the antiviral activities of both Mx proteins, including Mx1 polymorphisms against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Mx1 cDNA derived from PK(15) cells had an 11 bp-deletion in the 3' end of the coding region, and was estimated to encode 8 amino acid substitutions and a 23 amino acid extension compared to that from LLC-PK1 cells. VSV replication was inhibited in the 3T3 cells expressing Mx1 mRNA after the cDNA was transfected. However, the efficiency of this inhibition was not different between the cells expressing Mx1 mRNA from both PK and LLC. These results indicate that pig Mx1 protein confers resistance to VSV.     

Steroid hormones do not reactivate Neospora caninum in ovariectomized mice

The direct effects of three steroid hormones (progesterone, estradiol-17beta and corticosterone) on the growth of Neospora caninum (N. caninum) tachyzoite were examined in Vero cells. Subsequently, ovariectomized BALB/c mice infected with N. caninum were treated with physiological concentrations of the steroid hormones for 1 or 2 weeks. These hormones had no direct effect on the parasite growth in vitro. In the infected mice, there was no significant difference in the parasite distribution and histopathological changes between the hormone-injected and control groups. No mice showed parasitemia at the time of autopsy. These results suggest that physiological levels of steroid hormones (progesterone, estradiol-17beta and corticosterone) do not reactivate N. caninum in mice.     

Effect of low temperature on breaking dormancy and flowering of Arisaema sikokianum (Araceae)

Arisaema sikokianum (Araceae) native to Japan is classified as a vulnerable species in the Red Data Book of Japan. Control of dormancy is essential for efficient corm production and forcing culture. Sprouting of both vegetative and reproductive corms was enhanced by exposure to low temperature. Vegetative corms exposed to low temperatures at 5 °C longer sprouted faster when grown at 20 °C. Effective temperatures for breaking dormancy was 5 °C. Reproductive corms treated at 5 °C longer showed shorter days to flower. Successful forcing culture was achieved; corms treated at 5 °C from November for 30 days flowered on 5th February.