DaizuBase,an integrated soybean genome database including BAC-based physical maps

Soybean [Glycine max (L) Merrill] is one of the most important leguminous crops and ranks fourth after to rice, wheat and maize in terms of world crop production. Soybean contains abundant protein and oil, which makes it a major source of nutritious food, livestock feed and industrial products. In Japan, soybean is also an important source of traditional staples such as tofu, natto, miso and soy sauce. The soybean genome was determined in 2010. With its enormous size, physical mapping and genome sequencing are the most effective approaches towards understanding the structure and function of the soybean genome. We constructed bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries from the Japanese soybean cultivar, Enrei. The end-sequences of approximately 100,000 BAC clones were analyzed and used for construction of a BAC-based physical map of the genome. BLAST analysis between Enrei BAC-end sequences and the Williams82 genome was carried out to increase the saturation of the map. This physical map will be used to characterize the genome structure of Japanese soybean cultivars, to develop methods for the isolation of agronomically important genes and to facilitate comparative soybean genome research. The current status of physical mapping of the soybean genome and construction of database are presented.     

Endothelial projections as revealed by scanning electron microscopy

Scanning electron micrographs of the endothelium of the pulmonary artery reveal that the entire surface is covered by a meshwork of irregular projections which vastly increase the surface area. The size and density of the projections suggest that they may function to direct an eddying flow of plasma along the endothelial surface.     

Environmental temperature and dietary protein concentrations for growing turkeys

Growing turkeys were kept at one of 4 constant temperatures (14, 17, 20 or 23 degrees C) from 10 to 15 weeks of age and given a food with one of three protein concentrations (201, 229 or 294 g/kg diet). Food intakes, food conversion ratios and breast meat yields (as a proportion of body weight) were decreased at the higher temperatures but there were no significant differences in growth. At each temperature, the turkeys given the higher dietary protein concentrations had increased body weight gains but their breast meat yields were similar. Thus the poor breast meat yields which resulted from rearing at high temperatures could not be counteracted by high dietary protein concentrations.     

The use of barley in choice feeding of the Turkey

1. Two‐choice feeding of the male turkey from 50 d of age was investigated using pelleted barley and a turkey starter diet, whole barley and the starter diet, a ground barley‐based turkey finisher diet and the starter diet, pelleted barley and a series of complete diets and compared with feeding the series of complete diets alone.

2. For turkeys on the first four treatments on average 21%, 21%, 42% and 5% by weight, respectively, of food consumed was the barley alternative.

3. There were no significant differences in final body weight between turkeys on choice treatments and those receiving the series of complete diets alone.     

Improved rapid and efficient method for Staphylococcus aureus DNA extraction from milk for identification of mastitis pathogens

A rapid and efficient DNA extraction method was developed for detecting mastitis pathogens in milk. The first critical step involved cell wall disruption by bead-beating, as physical disruption using beads was more effective for DNA extraction from Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, than enzymatic disruption using proteinase K. The second critical step involves the use of acetic acid and ammonium sulfate in the purification process, as these reagents effectively and efficiently remove the lipids and proteins in milk. Using these methods, DNA suitable for loop-mediated isothermal amplification was obtained within 30 min. Also, the rapid and sensitive detection of S. aureus in milk was possible at levels as low as 200 cfu/ml.     

Rumen papillomas in sheep

Out of a sample of 200 rumens from sheep slaughtered in Edinburgh, papillomas were found in 25. They occurred as fibro-papillomas, mostly along the pillar of muscle between the dorsal and ventral rumen, and were often multiple. No inclusion bodies were seen in the lesions or papilloma virus particles on electron microscopy. Homogenisation of papillomatous tissue followed by various methods of purification did not yield identifiable virus particles, and viral DNA was not detected. Immunoperoxidase staining showed a very small number of positive cells at or on the surface of 6 out of 10 lesions examined. Thus, it seems probable that virus particles are not found in large numbers in the rumen papillomas of sheep, unlike the situation in ovine skin warts, but are present in a few epithelial cells which are rapidly shed from the surface of the mucous membrane.     

Plumage loss in medium‐bodied hybrid hens: The effect of beak trimming and cage design

1. Plumage loss was assessed by visual scoring in 288, 78‐week‐old hens, housed as groups of four in battery cages, which differed in the design of the cage front and the position of the nipple drinkers.

2. Half the hens had undergone beak trimming at 18 weeks, but in many cases regrowth had occurred.

3. Plumage damage and loss was significantly reduced in beak‐trimmed birds compared with birds with normal beaks. Tier and cage design had no effect.

4. This finding supports the idea that feather pecking is the important factor in causing plumage damage, rather than abrasion.

5. A comparison between 64 birds in which beak regrowth had occurred, and 64 in which it remained truncated, showed that both groups had similar plumage scores.

6. It appears to be the beak‐trimming procedure which is important; subsequent regrowth being irrelevant.