Effects of two novel Wx-A1 alleles of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on amylose and starch properties

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has three Wx proteins (Wx-A1, Wx-B1, and Wx-D1), which are granule-bound starch synthases I and are responsible for the amylose synthesis of flour starch. The effects of two novel Wx-A1 proteins identified by gel electrophoresis on amylose content and starch properties were analyzed. The variant Wx-A1 protein coded by the Wx-A1i allele was present in smaller amounts and produced less amylose (7.3%) compared to standard lines with the Wx-A1a allele (21.5%). Wx-A1i generated altered starch properties; greater swelling power (SP), glucoamylase digestibility, starch paste clarity, and gelatinization enthalpy in differential scanning calorimetry. The starch from Wx-A1i also showed an altered pasting profile on a Rapid Visco-Analyzer, greater peak viscosity, smaller final viscosity, and lower pasting temperature. The Wx-A1i allele is a novel genetic resource for reducing amylose content in wheat. The other Wx-A1 protein coded by the Wx-A1j allele showed a more basic isoelectric point compared to Wx-A1a on an electrophoretic gel. The amylose content of Wx-A1j did not differ from standard Wx-A1a. Starch SP, paste clarity, and glucoamylase digestibility also suggested that Wx-A1j produced amylose as much as Wx-A1a.     

Characteristics of bamboo tissue in relation to cooling set

To clarify the effects of tissue and structure of bamboo on its bending properties and set by cooling (bent at 90°C and cooled to 20°C with bending), the effects of set in bast-fiber-rich (B_fib) and parenchyma-cell-rich (B_par) specimens were investigated with regard to their dynamic viscoelastic properties, chemical composition, and recovery from deformation with time. The results are summarized as follows: (1) while no clear effect of the proportion of parenchyma cells and bast fibers on residual set immediately after cooling was found, the relative recovery from the deformation with time for B_fib was larger than that for B_par. (2) Slightly higher lignin content and a-cellulose were seen in B_fib than in B_par. (3) The peak temperature of loss modulus (E″) found for B_par, which was attributable to micro-Brownian motion of lignin, was obviously lower than that for B_fib. This was considered to be due to differences in the degree of condensation of lignin or higher-order structure. From these results, it was deduced that the bastfiber-rich specimen, which showed a higher peak temperature regarding thermal softening of lignin allowing the induction of insufficient thermal-softening in the range of 20° to 90°C, caused a larger recovery from deformation with time. Part of this report was presented at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society in Akita, August 2006     

Identification of novel haze-active beer proteins by proteome analysis

Colloidal haze reduces beer quality considerably. Four haze samples were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) in order to identify haze-active proteins. Several protein spots were observed in all of the four haze samples. Using mass spectrometry analysis followed by a database search identified these spots as barley dimeric alpha-amylase inhibitor (BDAI-1), CMb component of tetrameric alpha-amylase inhibitor (CMb) and trypsin inhibitor CMe precursor (CMe). These proteins were considered to be haze-active. Since haze-active proteins are adsorbed by silica gel in the beer filtration process, we eluted proteins adsorbed onto silica gel (PAS) and identified their species. These major PAS were identified as protein Z4, protein Z7 and trypsin/amylase inhibitor pUP13 (TAI), rather than BDAI-1, CMb and CMe. Furthermore, we analyzed proline compositions in the beer proteins, PAS and the haze proteins. Consequently, we found that the proline compositions of PAS were higher (ca. 20 mol%) than those in the beer proteins (ca. 10 mol%), although those of the haze-active proteins such as BDAI-1, CMb and CMe were 6.6–8.7 mol%. Our results suggest that BDAI-1, CMb and CMe are not predominant haze-active proteins, but growth factors of beer colloidal haze.     

Functional insulin‐like factor 3 (INSL3) hormone‐receptor system in the testes and spermatozoa of domestic ruminants and its potential as a predictor of sire fertility

Insulin‐like factor 3 (INSL3) is essential for fetal testis descent, and has been implicated in the testicular and sperm functions in adult males; however, similar functions in domestic ruminants remain largely unknown. This study investigated the functional INSL3 hormone‐receptor system in adult ruminant testes and spermatozoa, and explored its potential to diagnose the fertility of sires. Testes and spermatozoa were obtained from fertile bulls, rams and he‐goats, whereas subfertile testes and spermatozoa were obtained only from bulls. As expected, INSL3 was visualized in Leydig cells, while we clearly demonstrated that the functional receptor, relaxin family peptide receptor 2 (RXFP2), enabling INSL3 to bind was identified in testicular germ cells and in the sperm equatorial segment of bulls, rams and he‐goats. In comparison to fertile bulls, the percentage of INSL3‐ and RXFP2‐expressing cells and their expression levels per cell were significantly reduced in the testes of subfertile bulls. In addition, the population of INSL3‐binding spermatozoa was also significantly reduced in the semen of subfertile bulls. These results provide evidence for a functional INSL3 hormone‐receptor system operating in ruminant testes and spermatozoa, and its potential to predict subfertility in sires.     

Effect of ensiling process of total mixed ration on fermentation profile,nutrient loss and in situ ruminal degradation characteristics of diet

This experiment aimed to determine the changes in chemical composition, fermentation profile, in situ disappearance characteristics, and nutrient losses of ensiled total mixed ration (TMR) containing steam‐flaked corn or brown rice (BR) during storage. TMRs for dairy cows, containing either steam‐flaked corn or BR at 31.9% with 15.2% rye silage, 40.5% alfalfa silage, 5.0% beet pulp and 7.0% soybean meal, were prepared (dry matter (DM) basis). Each TMR was placed in a plastic drum silo, stored at 23°C in an air‐conditioned room and sampled 0, 7, 14, 30, 90 and 210 days after preparation. In both grain sources, the fermentation products increased, while DM and starch storage losses increased and starch content greatly decreased during storage. The rapidly degradable fraction and effective ruminal degradability of DM, crude protein and starch increased during storage. These changes of dietary characteristics were large during 30 days of storage, but small after 90 days of storage. Replacing corn with BR led to increased fermentation products, starch loss and effective ruminal degradability of the ensiled TMR. These results indicate that the ensiling process of TMR changes the dietary characteristics and replacing corn with BR in TMR had a large impact on these dietary characteristics.     

Symptoms and molecular characterization of apple dimple fruit viroid isolates from apples in Japan

Apple dimple fruit viroid was detected from an apple tree (‘Jonagold’) bearing apples with mild dapple apple symptom. The isolates in Japan were distinct from those in apples in Italy and China and in fig in Italy. Graft-inoculation experiments showed that the symptoms were variable depending on the cultivar, and the symptom on ‘Starking Delicious’ was virtually similar to those reported in Italy. Symptoms induced by apple dimple fruit viroid were similar in part to those by apple fruit crinkle viroid or apple scar skin viroid, indicating that they cannot be discriminated by symptoms on any specific variety.     

Diversity and community structure of wood-inhabiting fungi found in Japanese wooden houses analyzed by the next-generation sequencing

The diversity and community structures of wood-inhabiting fungi in 16 decayed wood samples from ten wooden houses in Japan were analyzed using a next-generation sequencing (NGS) to determine the fungi responsible for wood decay. DNA of fungi in decayed wood was extracted directly, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region in ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and then, sequences of tagged ITS fragments were analyzed by NGS. Results of sequencing indicated that 68 species of ascomycetes, 37 species of basidiomycetes, and one fungus each from Mortierellales and Mucoromycetes were detected. The fungal community structures showed diversity and included various species of ascomycetes. A microscopic examination of cell wall structure in decayed wood samples suggested that some ascomycetes were soft-rot fungi. Heat map analysis indicated that the similarity in the structures of fungal communities was influenced to a greater extent by the wood species of samples than where they were used as a component.     

Rinsing of Saline Water from Road Salt in a Sandy Soil by Infiltrating Rainfall: Experiments,Simulations, and Implications

Saline melt water from road salt applications that has percolated into a fine sandy soil in winter is rinsed out of the soil by infiltrating rainwater in the following warmer seasons. This sequence of saturated and unsaturated flow processes associated with saline water transport in a fine sandy soil was studied by simulation and exploratory laboratory experiments. Experiments in soil columns of 300-μm sand revealed that two rinses of pure water, each of one pore volume, were sufficient to reduce the salt concentration by 99% of its original value in the soil column. Simulated time variations of salt concentration in the effluent from the column agreed with experimental results. Based on simulated and experimental results, a sandy soil must become saturated to experience pore water flow in order to efficiently rinse saline snowmelt water. Depending on the saturated hydraulic conductivity and the soil depth, days, weeks, or months of freshwater infiltration in summer are needed to rinse saline melt water from an unsaturated sandy soil after road salt applications in winter. This explains findings of significant salt concentrations in surface and shallow groundwater during summer months, long after road salt application and infiltration has ceased.     

Discovery of a spawning area of the common Japanese conger <Emphasis Type="Italic">Conger myriaster</Emphasis> along the Kyushu-Palau Ridge in the western North Pacific

The common Japanese conger Conger myriaster is an important commercial coastal fisheries species in East Asia, but its spawning area has not been determined. A larval sampling survey was conducted in September 2008 along 136°E between 13°N and 22°N, which roughly followed the Kyushu-Palau Ridge in the western North Pacific. Twenty larval specimens were confirmed to be C. myriaster using DNA analysis. Two were newly hatched larvae (preleptocephali) 5.8 and 7.8 mm in total length (TL), which were caught at 17°N. The 5.8 mm TL larva was estimated to be 3–4 days after hatching, the youngest preleptocephalus (i.e., the earliest stage) of this species ever collected. Eighteen other leptocephali were caught at 18°N and 21°N, and these ranged from 18.6 to 40.0 mm TL. Based on these collections, we discerned that there is a spawning area of C. myriaster in the area along the Kyushu-Palau Ridge approximately 380 km south of Okinotorishima Island. Similar to the Japanese eel spawning area along the West Mariana Ridge, the Kyushu-Palau Ridge may play an important role as a landmark of the spawning area. The discovery of this offshore spawning area should lead us to a better understanding of the recruitment mechanisms of C. myriaster, and help to facilitate future international management efforts.