Molecular characterization of A2 and D strains of Soybean mosaic virus, which caused a recent virus outbreak in soybean cultivar Sachiyutaka in Chugoku and Shikoku regions of Japan

Coat protein sequences of two isolates in strain A₂ and five isolates in strain D of Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), which caused a recent mosaic outbreak in soybeans (cv. Sachiyutaka) in Chugoku and Shikoku in Japan, were compared to published data on 15 other Asian-origin isolates. Sequence comparison and cluster analysis showed that SMV isolates of strain A₂ from these districts were closely related, as were those of strain D, but strains A₂ and D were not. Thus, the two strains may have different origins and be carried through seed transmission.     

Impaired female fertility in tubulointerstitial antigen-like 1-deficient mice

Tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen-like 1 (Tinagl1, also known as adrenocortical zonation factor 1 [AZ-1] or lipocalin 7) is a matricellular protein. Previously, we demonstrated that Tinagl1 expression was restricted to extraembryonic regions during the postimplantation period and detected marked expression in mouse Reichert’s membranes. In uteri, Tinagl1 is markedly expressed in the decidual endometrium during the postimplantation period, suggesting that it plays a physical and physiological role in embryo development and/or decidualization of the uterine endometrium during pregnancy. In the present study, in order to determine the role of Tinagl1 during embryonic development and pregnancy, we generated Tinagl1-deficient mice. Although Tinagl1^–/– embryos were not lethal during development to term, homologous matings of Tinagl1^–/– females and Tinagl1^–/– males showed impaired fertility during pregnancy, including failure to carry pregnancy to term and perinatal lethality. To examine ovarian function, ovulation was induced with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); the number of ovulated oocytes did not differ between Tinagl1^–/– and Tinagl1^flox/flox. In vitro fertilization followed by embryo culture also demonstrated the normal developmental potential of Tinagl1-null embryos during the preimplantation period. Our results demonstrate that Tinagl1 deficiency affects female mice and results in subfertility phenotypes, and they suggest that although the potential of Tinagl1^–/– oocytes is normal, Tinagl1 is related to fertility in adult females but is not essential for either fertilization or preimplantation development in vitro.     

Effects of diesel exhaust particles on the male reproductive system in strains of mice with different aryl hydrocarbon receptor responsiveness

Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that bind to aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhRs) and decrease sperm production. Since it is not clear if AhR mediates DEP toxicity, we investigated the effect of DEPs in four strains of mice that have different AhR responsiveness. We treated BALB/c, C57BL/6, ICR and DBA/2 mice with DEP suspensions and compared their toxicity in each strain. In both the vehicle- and DEP-treated groups, ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, as an indirect index of AhR activity, was increased in the order of BALB/c > C57BL/6 > ICR > DBA/2. Only BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice had significantly lower daily sperm production (DSP) than vehicle-treated mice. All strains exhibited increased sperm abnormalities. In particular, the C57BL/6, ICR and DBA/2 mice exhibited significantly increased abnormalities. A significant correlation was found between EROD activity and DSP or incidence of morphologically abnormal sperm. These data suggest that DEP toxicity may affect the male reproductive system in an AhR-dependent manner.     

Attaining inter-subgeneric hybrids in fragrant azalea breeding and the inheritance of organelle DNA

Inter-subgeneric hybrids were successfully obtained in reciprocal cross combinations between evergreen azaleas (Rhododendron nakaharae and its hybrids) and fragrant deciduous azaleas (R. arborescens and R. viscosum) for the purpose of fragrant evergreen azalea breeding. Nuclear and organelle DNA of these hybrids was investigated using PCR-RFLP markers. Viable hybrid seedlings have nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) inherited biparentally, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the seed parent, and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) from the deciduous azalea, regardless of cross combination. These results suggest that the chloroplast genome from deciduous azaleas and the nuclear genome from evergreen azaleas are compatible in viable hybrid progenies.     

PCR detection of Porcine circovirus type 2 DNA in whole blood,serum, oropharyngeal swab,nasal swab,and feces from experimentally infected pigs and field cases

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) shedding patterns were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of PCV2 DNA, and the diagnostic suitability of a sample for the PCR was examined by using different types of samples. In the experimental infection, sixteen pigs were inoculated intranasally with PCV2. The samples, including oropharyngeal and nasal swabs, feces, whole blood and serum became positive for PCV2 DNA by PCR immediately after the inoculation, and almost all samples remained positive during the observation period, post-inoculation-day 70. Field samples were collected from 313 pigs in five different age groups. The overall percentages of positive samples in the whole blood, nasal swabs, and feces detected by PCR were 30.4%, 19.2%, and 20.4%, respectively. The frequency of positive samples increased after the nursery stages and reached a peak in the 3 to 4-month-old pigs. These results indicate that PCV2 infection may occur after weaning, that PCV2 DNA may be present in whole blood for a long period after infection, and that whole blood and serum are the most suitable sample types for the PCR analysis of PCV2.     

Effects of salivary gland extract from Rhipicephalus sanguineus on IgG subclass production and cytokine mRNA expression in mononuclear cells of canine peripheral blood

The effects of salivary gland extract (SGE) from R. sanguineus were examined on the production of IgG1 and IgG2 and the mRNA expression of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 in the mononuclear cells from canine peripheral blood, treated with concanavalin A (ConA) in vitro. SGE suppressed the ConA-induced production of IgG2. It also inhibited the expression of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-5 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. No dose-dependent suppression was observed of IL-10 mRNA expression although a significant effect was observed at a SGE protein concentration of 25 microg/ml. SGE had no effect on the mRNA expression of IL-4. These results suggest that the suppression of IgG2 production by SGE from R. sanguineus was caused by the suppression of IFN-gamma production.     

Nutritional characteristics of the leaves of native plants growing in adverse soils of humid tropical lowlands

Acid sulfate, peat, sandy podzolic, and saline soils are widely distributed inthe lowlands of Thailand and Malaysia. The nutrient concentrations in theleaves of plants grown in these type of soils were studied with the aim ofdeveloping a nutritional strategy for adapting to such problem soils. In sagoand oil palms that were well-adapted to peat soil, the N, P, and Kconcentrations were the same in the mature leaves, while the Ca, Mg, Na,and Fe concentrations were higher in the mature leaves of the oil palm thanof the sago palm. Melastoma malabathricum and Melaleuca cajuputi plantsthat were well-adapted to low pH soils, peat, and acid sulfate soils were alsostudied. It was observed that a high amount of Al accumulated in the M.marabathricum leaves, while Al did not accumulate in M. cajuputi leaves.M. cajuputi plants accumulated large amounts of Na in their leaves or stemsregardless of the exchangeable Na concentration in the soil, while M.malabathricum that was growing in saline-affected soils excluded Na.Positive relationships between macronutrients were recognized between Pand N, between K and N, and between P and K. Al showed antagonisticrelationships with P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Na. Na also showedantagonistic relationships with P, K, Zn, Mn, Cu, and Al. Fe showed weakantagonistic relationships with Zn, Mn, Cu, and Al.     

Numbers of nitrate-reducing bacteria in the rumen as estimated by competitive polymerase chain reaction

Cell numbers of known species of nitrate- and nitrite-reducing bacteria, Selenomonas ruminantium, Veillonella parvula and Wollinella succinogenes , in the rumen of goats (25–30 kg) were estimated by competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The number of S. ruminantium was the largest of the three species examined, and tended to be greater in goats fed a high-concentrate diet (5.6 × 10⁷ cells/mL rumen fluid) than in goats fed a high-roughage diet (1.3 × 10⁷ cells/mL). The number of V. parvula tended to be greater when goats were fed a high-roughage diet (6.7 × 10³/mL) than when fed a high-concentrate diet (3.2 × 10³/mL). The number of W. succinogenes was below the detectable level (< 1.0 × 10²/mL) when a high-concentrate diet was fed, but was significantly increased by feeding a high-roughage diet (1.6 × 10³/mL). Addition of potassium nitrate (6 g/day) to the high-concentrate diet tended to increase V. parvula , and significantly increased W. succinogenes , indicating that these two bacteria can be increased by feeding a diet containing nitrate.