Validity of fluctuating asymmetry as a gauge of genetic stress in ayu stocks

An increasing demand for stocking of hatchery-reared ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis, has aroused concerns about their genetic status which has an effect on their post-stocking performance and the conservation of native biodiversity. Instead of costly analysis, fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was examined to test its suitability as an indirect measure of genetic diversity. Two bilateral traits, pectoral and pelvic fin rays, were targeted, and two wild and four hatchery populations of ayu were sampled for comparison. Frequency of FA in soft-rays was not similar between specimens in both pelvic and pectoral fins. The wild populations did not show FA incidences lower than the hatchery populations, suggesting a considerable degree of environmental stress operating in the wild populations. Comparison between the hatchery populations showed overall increasing FA incidence with the decrease in genetic diversity, although the correlation was not complete in detail. In conclusion, FA can be used as a convenient tool to compare genetic status, but quantified evaluation is rather limited to monitoring changes in the genetic variation within a hatchery population.     

WIPPER: an accurate and efficient field phenotyping platform for large-scale applications

More accurate, rapid, and easy phenotyping tools are required to match the recent advances in high-throughput genotyping for accelerating breeding and genetic analysis. The conventional data recording in field notebooks and then inputting data to computers for further analysis is inefficient, time-consuming, laborious, and prone to human error. Here, we report WIPPER (for Wireless Plant Phenotyper), a new phenotyping platform that combines field phenotyping and data recording with the aid of Bluetooth communication, thus saving time and labor not only for field data recoding but also for inputting data to computers. Additionally, it eliminates the risk of human error associated with phenotyping and inputting data. We applied WIPPER to 100 individuals of a rice recombinant inbred line (RIL) for measuring leaf width and relative chlorophyll content (SPAD value), and were able to record an accurate data in a significantly reduced time compared with the conventional method of data collection. We are currently using WIPPER for routine management of rice germplasm including recording and documenting information on phenotypic data, seeds, and DNA for their accelerated utilization in crop breeding.     

Detection of Human Herpesviruses (HHVs) in Semen of Human Male Infertile Patients

Recently we demonstrated an ectopic expression of the human herpesvirus 1 thymidine kinase (HHV1-TK) gene by functioning of an intrinsic endogenous promoter in the transgenic rat (TG-rat), suggesting that HHV1 infection in humans induces expression of the TK gene with the ectopic promoter in the testis and results in accumulation of HHV1-TK protein, triggering male infertility similar to that in the TG-rat. Hence, in this study, we started to investigate a relationship between infection of herpesvirus and human male infertility. Semen was donated by Chinese male infertile patients (153 men, aged 21–49 years) with informed consent, followed by DNA preparation and analysis by PCR and DNA sequencing. Semen volume, sperm number and density, and sperm motility were examined. DNAs of HHV1, HHV4, HHV5 and HHV6 were confirmed by PCR, electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. Finally, virus DNA was identified in 59 patients (39%). The number of carriers was 39 (25%) for HHV1, 6 (4%) for HHV4, 33 (22%) for HHV5 and 3 (2%) for HHV6, respectively. Moreover, double-infection was found in 22 out of 59 specimens (37%), most of which were double-infection of HHV1 and HHV5 (15 out of 22 carriers). Though slight severity was present in some of the carriers, the relationship between virus infection and sperm impairment was not conclusive. Accordingly, it is essential to examine whether the viral HHV1-TK gene is expressed in the testis of the infertile human HHV carrier.     

A novel putative tyrosine kinase receptor encoded by the eph gene

Growth factors and their receptors are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and also play a key role in oncogenesis. In this study, a novel putative kinase receptor gene, termed eph, has been identified and characterized by molecular cloning. Its primary structure is similar to that of tyrosine kinase receptors thus far cloned and includes a cysteine-rich region in the extracellular domain. However, other features of the sequence distinguish the eph gene product from known receptors with tyrosine kinase activity. Thus the eph protein may define a new class of these molecules. The eph gene is overexpressed in several human carcinomas, suggesting that this gene may be involved in the neoplastic process of some tumors.     

Inhibition of host protein synthesis in B95a cells infected with the HL strain of measles virus

The shut-off of host protein synthesis in virus-infected cells is one of the important mechanisms for viral replication. In this report, we showed that the HL strain of measles virus (MeV-HL) as well as other field isolates, which were isolated from human blood lymphocytes using B95a cells, induce the shut-off in B95a cells. Since the Edmonston strain of MeV failed to induce the shut-off in B95a cells, the ability to induce the shut-off was considered to be dependent on virus strains. Although, the modification of eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIF) including eIF4G, eIF4E, and 4E-BP1 was reported for shut-off by various viruses, the involvement of these eIFs was not observed in MeV-HL-infected B95a cells. Instead, the accumulation of phosphorylated eIF2alpha was found to coincide to the decrease of host protein synthesis, suggesting the involvement of phosphorylation of eIF2alpha in inhibition of translation as one of the mechanisms of the shut-off.     

Changes in the Expression Patterns of the Genes Involved in the Segregation and Function of Inner Cell Mass and Trophectoderm Lineages During Porcine Preimplantation Development

In mouse embryos, segregation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) lineages is regulated by genes, such as OCT-4, CDX2 and TEAD4. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate the segregation of the ICM and TE lineages in porcine embryos remain unknown. To obtain insights regarding the segregation of the ICM and TE lineages in porcine embryos, we examined the mRNA expression patterns of candidate genes, OCT-4, CDX2, TEAD4, GATA3, NANOG, FGF4, FGFR1-IIIc and FGFR2-IIIc, in blastocyst and elongated stage embryos. In blastocyst embryos, the expression levels of OCT-4, FGF4 and FGFR1-IIIc were significantly higher in the ICM than in the TE, while the CDX2, TEAD4 and GATA3 levels did not differ between the ICM and TE. The expression ratio of CDX2 to OCT-4 (CDX2/OCT-4) also did not differ between the ICM and TE at the blastocyst stage. In elongated embryos, OCT-4, NANOG, FGF4 and FGFR1-IIIc were abundantly expressed in the embryo disc (ED; ICM lineage), but their expression levels were very low in the TE. In contrast, the CDX2, TEAD4 and GATA3 levels were significantly higher in the TE than in the ED. In addition, the CDX2/OCT-4 ratio was markedly higher in the TE than in the ED. We demonstrated that differences in the expression levels of OCT-4, CDX2, TEAD4, GATA3, NANOG, FGF4, FGFR1-IIIc and FGFR2-IIIc genes between ICM and TE lineages cells become more clear during development from porcine blastocyst to elongated embryos, which indicates the possibility that in porcine embryos, functions of ICM and TE lineage cells depend on these gene expressions proceed as transition from blastocyst to elongated stage.     

Health and mineral nutrition status of yaks in southern Mustang,Nepal

Biochemical values and mineral concentrations in blood plasma were investigated to evaluate the statuses of health and mineral nutrition among yaks in Mustang District, Nepal. In total, 118 plasma samples of female yaks collected in April and September/October of 2013–2015 were offered. Seventy‐four percent of yaks showed lower plasma total‐cholesterol concentrations than the lowest limit of reference range (100 mg/dL) and the values in spring (83.41 mg/dL) were lower (P < 0.05) than those in autumn (95.05 mg/dL). All the yaks had lower plasma albumin concentrations than the lowest limit of reference range (3.0 g/dL) and 66% of yaks showed lower plasma inorganic phosphorus concentrations than the critical level of phosphorus deficiency (4.5 mg/dL). Thirty‐five percent of yaks showed lower plasma calcium concentrations than the lowest limit of normal range (8 mg/dL) and the concentrations were lower in spring than in autumn (P < 0.01). Seventy‐five percent of yaks presented lower copper concentrations than the critical level (0.65 mg/L) and the concentrations were lower in spring than in autumn (P < 0.01). Since the low plasma total‐cholesterol might have indicated shortage of dry matter and energy intake, attention should be paid to the nutritional statuses of energy, phosphorus, calcium and copper in winter and early spring.     

Origin of a pair of red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) found in Sarobetsu Wetland,northwestern Hokkaido,Japan: a possible crossbreeding between the island and the mainland population

Red-crowned cranes Grus japonensis, which are an endangered species, have two separate populations, a mainland population in the Eurasian continent and an island population in eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Island cranes showed three haplotypes (Gj1, Gj2 and Gj13), whereas ten haplotypes (Gj3–Gj12) were confirmed in captive cranes and stray cranes. We found Gj5 haplotype in feathers of two cranes as well as four new haplotypes in seven wild crane feathers collected in South Korea. We also found feathers in the nest in Sarobetsu Wetland in northwestern Hokkaido. While the haplotype of female-derived feathers was Gj2, that of male-derived feathers was Gj5. The results suggest that there has been crossbreeding between cranes in the island population and cranes in the mainland population.     

Estimation of direct and maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects for weights from birth to 356 days of age in a herd of Japanese Black cattle using random regression

A total of 11,815 weight records from 23,94 Japanese Black calves was used to estimate direct, maternal, direct permanent environmental, and maternal permanent environmental effects on growth from birth to 356 d of age. The data were collected from a herd of Japanese Black cattle in Shiroshi city, Miyagi prefecture, Japan. A random regression model, including parity of dam and year-season of calving-sex of calf as fixed effects and animal, dam, animal permanent environmental, and maternal permanent environmental as random effects, was fitted to the data using Legendre polynomials for age of calf. Direct heritability estimates increased from 0.38 at birth to 0.65 at 120 d of age, decreased to 0.38 at 300 d, and then increased again up to 0.47 at 356 d. The ratio of animal permanent environmental variance to phenotypic variance decreased from 0.41 at birth to 0.12 at 90 d, and then increased gradually up to 0.40 at 270 d and oscillated around this value up to the end of the test period. Maternal genetic heritabilities increased from 0.04 at birth to 0.09 at 120 d and then decreased to 0.06 thereafter, whereas the variance ratios due to maternal permanent environment were fairly constant across the age trajectory, fluctuating around the value of 0.03. Direct genetic, phenotypic, maternal genetic, animal permanent environmental, and maternal permanent environmental correlations between different ages were all positive, and they generally decreased as the interval between ages increased. These correlations were lower between weights from nonadjacent ages than those between weights from adjacent ages. Results suggest that selection on preweaning weights would have a positive effect on weights at later ages.