Use of microsatellite marker Pi26 for rapid discrimination of five Japanese genotypes of Phytophthora infestans

Microsatellite markers were tested to rapidly discriminate five Japanese genotypes (US-1, JP-1, JP-2, JP-3, and JP-4) of Phytophthora infestans. Collected from 1958 to 2007, 111 isolates of Japanese P. infestans were examined using a fluorescent-labeled primer and capillary electrophoresis. Microsatellite marker Pi26 generated specific products for each genotype without any differences in terms of isolation area or year for a particular genotype. The Pi26 marker is a powerful tool for obtaining information on the structure of Japanese populations of P. infestans.     

Reactivity of secondary hydroxyl groups in methylβ-d-xylopyranoside toward aβ-o-4-type quinone methide

Methyl-d-xylopyranoside was allowed to react with-O-4-type quinone methide without a catalyst to elucidate the reactivities of secondary hydroxyl groups at the C2, C3, and C4 positions. Benzyl ether-type lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) compounds linked at the C2 and C4 positions were predominant, at a ratio of 23. However, the reactivity of the hydroxyl group at the C3 position was quite low. These results strongly suggest that the reactivity of the C2 hydroxyl group in xylan toward quinone methide intermediate is higher than that of the C3 hydroxyl group during biosynthesis of LCCs.     

Sodium bicarbonate protects uranium-induced acute nephrotoxicity through uranium-decorporation by urinary alkalinization in rats

To evaluate the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate (SB) in removing uranium and protecting animals from uranium toxicity, we intramuscularly administered 1 mg/kg of uranyl nitrate to 8-wk-old male SD rats, and 20 min after administration of uranyl nitrate, the animals were given a single oral administration of SB at 0.1, 0.3 or 1 g/kg. The SB treatment at a dose of 0.3 g/kg or more raised the pH of the rats’ urine until 4 h after treatment, and it significantly reduced the uranium amounts in the kidneys at 1 day after treatment. In another experiment, rats were intramuscularly administered 1 mg/kg of uranyl nitrate, and 20 min later, the animals were treated with sodium bicarbonate (0.1 or 1 g/kg). The rats were autopsied at 1, 3 and 7 days after uranium treatment. High-dose SB resulted in a significant increase in urinary uranium excretion in the first 24 h and a reduction of uranium deposition in the kidneys and femurs, and it also significantly suppressed uranium-induced renal toxicity, as shown by both histopathology and clinical chemistry at 3 days after uranium treatment. Low-dose SB did not show such marked effects. Our findings demonstrated that the uranium decorporation effect of sodium bicarbonate was observed at the dosage showing urine alkalinization in rats and that decorporation effect of sodium bicarbonate might be beneficial if it is administered immediately after incorporation of soluble uranium.     

Growth of the fourspine sculpin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cottus kazika</Emphasis> in the Gonokawa River,Japan, and effects of water temperature on growth

ABSTRACT:   The fourspine sculpin Cottus kazika is indigenous to Japan and found in Honshu except for the waters facing the Seto Inland Sea, and was also found in southern Shikoku and eastern Kyushu. This species has a catadromous lifestyle and migrates as juveniles from the sea to the middle reaches of rivers to grow. The growth pattern of this fish was investigated by a mark-and-recapture method from July 1994 to December 1996, in the Nigorikawa River, a tributary of the Gonokawa River system, Shimane Prefecture. 0-year-old fish of 50–70 mm total length ( TL ) occurred in the study area from June to July, grew to 90–140 mm  TL by the following April, and attained 160–210 mm  TL by December. This fish grew rapidly in September–November and April–July, almost ceasing to grow in July–September. It seems that this stagnant growth phase in summer is a characteristic of the seasonal growth pattern of C. kazika . A rearing experiment indicated that the growth rate of C. kazika was higher at 16–22°C than at 12–14 and 24–26°C. This result supports the field evidence of a stagnant growth phase in summer in the Nigorikawa River.     

Effect of shrimp head protein hydrolysates on the state of water and denaturation of fish myofibrils during dehydration

ABSTRACT:   To utilize fisheries waste products as food materials with functional properties, shrimp head protein hydrolysates (SHPH) from three species of shrimp, that is, Northern pink shrimp ( Pandalus eous ), Endeavour shrimp ( Metapenaeus endeavouri ) and Black tiger shrimp ( Penaeus monodon ), were produced by enzymatic hydrolysis using endopeptidase derived from Bacillus subtilis and exopeptidase derived from Aspergillus oryzae at a level of 0.1% (w/w). SHPH were rich in protein (90–91%) and amino acids (71–84%) but little fat (0.01–0.02%). The average molecular weight of SHPH was 300–1400. The effect of 5% SHPH (dry basis) addition on the state of water and denaturation of lizard fish myofibrils (Mf) during the dehydration process was evaluated by the desorption isotherm and the Ca-ATPase activity, and compared with the effect of sodium glutamate (Na-Glu). SHPH decreased the water activity and the Ca-ATPase inactivation, and increased monolayer sorbed water and multilayer sorbed water of Mf, although these effects of SHPH were smaller than those of Na-Glu. These findings suggest that the SHPH suppressed dehydration-induced denaturation of myofibrillar protein by stabilizing the hydrated water surrounding myofibrils.     

Orientation and integration of the classical and molecular genetic maps of chromosome 11 in rice

Summary The classical genetic map and molecular map of rice chromosome 11 were oriented to facilitate the use of these maps for genetic studies and rice improvement. Three morphological markers (d-27, z-2, and la) were crossed to a rice breeding line, IRBB21, which has the Xa-21 gene for bacterial blight resistance. Three F₂ populations were analyzed with RFLP markers known to be located on chromosome 11. Segregation analysis of molecular markers and morphological markers was used to construct an RFLP map for each population. The recombination frequency between markers varied from population to population although the marker order on the maps was the same for all three populations. Based on a common set of markers mapped in the three populations, an integrated map was generated consisting of both RFLP and morphological markers. The genetic distance between markers on this map was determined by taking a weighted average of the data from the three populations. The oriented map serves as a bridge to understand the relationship between the classical and molecular linkage maps. Based on this information, the location of several genes on the classical map can be approximated with respect to RFLP markers without having to map them directly.     

Nondestructive measurement of cross-sectional shape of a tree trunk

To evaluate windthrow resistance with respect to stem breakage, a nondestructive method for determining the shape of trunk cross sections was developed. In this method, the coordinates of multiple gauge points set on the perimeter of a trunk are calculated by measuring the distances between them. The shape between the gauge points is generated with the use of a profile gauge placed between them. Measurement tests were conducted using profile gauges with lengths of 300 and 900 mm on model specimens with four shape patterns and four different diameters. The accuracy of the estimation was verified by comparing the section modulus calculated for the generated image and for the photograph. The average ratio of section modulus (generated/photo) for all specimens was 0.994, which indicates that the proposed method is highly accurate. The section moduli of hollow trunks can be evaluated using the profile method together with the drill resistance technique on the condition that 26% of the trunk diameter could be drilled without skew.