A population genetics-based approach reveals candidate gene regions important in the determination of resistance specificity for the Pik family of rice blast resistance genes

Allelic resistance (R) genes at the Pik locus for rice blast resistance consist of two genes, designated as the first gene and the second gene, which each have a nucleotide-binding site and a leucine-rich repeat. We investigated allelic nucleotide sequence diversity at this locus in 36 rice lines and searched for gene regions showing high rates of nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions. We detected such regions within and near the coiled-coil domain of the first gene but detected only a few nucleotide substitutions in the second gene, suggesting the importance of the N-terminal part of the first protein in the determination of R specificity.     

Suppressive effect of ATP on autoxidation of tuna oxymyoglobin to metmyoglobin

The discoloration of tuna meat proceeds during frozen storage at around ?20 °C. On the other hand, the discoloration of highly fresh tuna meat could effectively be suppressed even if stored at ?20 °C. However, the suppressive mechanism of the discoloration is not well understood. Here the effects of ATP on the autoxidation rate and molecular structure of tuna myoglobin are reported. The autoxidation rate of southern bluefin tuna Thunnus maccoyii myoglobin at 25 °C was suppressed in the presence of ATP especially in acidic pH range. Mixing ATP with myoglobin induced a spectral perturbation in the soret region of myoglobin. This spectral perturbation was observed as a function of the ATP concentration. Quenching of myoglobin fluorescence was also caused by ATP, saturating at around 0.5 mM ATP. According to dynamic light-scattering measurements, the molecular weights of tuna Mb changed from 15.5 to 11.3 kDa with ATP and zeta-potential measurements gave also a negative surface charge without ATP and a positive one with ATP, respectively. The above results indicate that ATP-induces changes in the conformational structure of myoglobin. The effects of ATP on myoglobin could thus provide a possible mechanism to regulate the autoxidation of myoglobin.     

章古台地区樟子松年轮宽度和管胞长度的径向变异

对章古台地区不同密度樟子人工林松年轮宽度和管胞长度进行测定,结果表明：章古台地区胸径年轮数30a的樟子松林,已出现生长衰退现象,生长衰退期开始林龄与林分密度有关,降低林分密度可延缓衰退期出现林龄。樟子松管胞长度与距离髓心的年轮数之间存在Y=alnx＋b（Y：管胞长度;X：距离髓心的年轮数．b：第1年轮的管胞长度）关系。不同密度樟子松年轮宽度不同,但管胞长度与未成熟材范围无显著变化,未成熟材范围距离髓心的年轮数均为21～23a。     

Cryopreservation of male and female gonial cells by vitrification in the critically endangered cyprinid honmoroko <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gnathopogon caerulescens</Emphasis>

We investigated the feasibility of cryopreservation of spermatogonia and oogonia in the critically endangered cyprinid honmoroko Gnathopogon caerulescens using slow-cooling (freezing) and rapid-cooling (vitrification) methods. Initially, we examined the testicular cell toxicities and glass-forming properties of the five cryoprotectants: ethylene glycol (EG), glycerol (GC), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), propylene glycol (PG), and 1,3-butylene glycol (BG), and we determined cryoprotectant concentrations that are suitable for freezing and vitrification solutions, respectively. Subsequently, we prepared the freezing solutions of EG, GC, DMSO, PG, and BG at 3, 2, 3, 2, and 2 M and vitrification solutions at 7, 6, 5, 5, and 4 M, respectively. Following the cryopreservation of the testicular cells mainly containing early-stage spermatogenic cells (e.g., spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes), cells were cultured for 7 days and immunochemically stained against germ cell marker protein Vasa. Areas occupied by Vasa-positive cells indicated that vitrification led to better survival of germ cells than the freezing method, and the best result was obtained with 5 M PG, about 50% recovery of germ cells following vitrification. In the case of ovarian cells containing oogonia and stage I, II, and IIIa oocytes, vitrification with 5 M DMSO resulted the best survival of oogonia, with equivalent cell numbers to those cultured without vitrification. The present data suggest that male and female gonial cells of the endangered species G. caerulescens can be efficiently cryopreserved using suitable cryoprotectants for spermatogonia and oogonia, respectively.     

Control of Pseudomonas mastitis on a large dairy farm by using slightly acidic electrolyzed water

The disinfection effect of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) use in a farm where Pseudomonas mastitis has spread was evaluated. Despite the application of antibiotic therapy and complete cessation of milking infected quarters, numerous new and recurrent Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical mastitis infections (5.8–7.1% of clinical mastitis cases) occurred on the farm from 2003 to 2005. Procedural changes and equipment modifications did not improve environmental contamination or the incidence of Pseudomonas mastitis. To more thoroughly decontaminate the milking parlor, an SAEW system was installed in 2006. All milking equipment and the parlor environment were sterilized with SAEW (pH 5–6.5, available chlorine 12 parts per million) before and during milking time. After adopting the SAEW system, the incidence of clinical and subclinical Pseudomonas mastitis cases decreased significantly (P < 0.0001) and disappeared. These findings suggest that SAEW effectively reduced the incidence of mastitis in a herd contaminated by Pseudomonas species. This is the first report to demonstrate the effectiveness of disinfection by SAEW against mastitis pathogens in the environment.     

Changes in above- and belowground biomass in early successional tropical secondary forests after shifting cultivation in Sarawak,Malaysia

Uncertainties in the rate of biomass variation with forest ageing in tropical secondary forests, particularly in belowground components, limit the accuracy of carbon pool estimates in tropical regions. We monitored changes in above- and belowground biomass, leaf area index (LAI), and biomass allocation to the leaf component to determine the variation in carbon accumulation rate with forest age after shifting cultivation in Sarawak, Malaysia. Nine plots in a 4-year-old forest and fourteen plots in a 10-year-old forest were monitored for 5 and 7 years, respectively. Forest and plant part biomass were calculated from an allometric equation obtained from the same forest stands. Both above- and belowground biomass increased rapidly during the initial decade after abandonment. In contrast, a much slower rate of biomass accumulation was observed after the initial decade. LAI also increased by approximately double from the 4-year-old to 10-year-old forest, and then gently increased to the 17-year-old forest. We also found that allocation variation in leaf biomass and nitrogen was closely related to the rate of biomass accumulation as a forest aged. During the first decade after abandonment, a high biomass and nitrogen allocation to the leaf component may have allowed for a high rate of biomass accumulation. However, reduction in those allocations to leaf component after the initial decade may have helped to suppress the biomass accumulation rate in older secondary forests. Roots accounted for 14.0–16.1% of total biomass in the 4–17-year-old abandoned secondary forests. We also verified the model predicted values for belowground biomass by Cairns et al. (1997) and Mokany et al. (2006), although both models overestimated the values throughout our data sets by 45–50% in the 10-year-old forest. The low root:shoot ratio in the secondary forests may have caused this overestimation. Therefore, our results suggest that we should modify the models to estimate belowground biomass considering the low root:shoot ratio in tropical secondary forests.     

Ploidy variation of hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta) resources and geographic distribution in Japan

Survey on the wild genetic resources of hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta) in Japan was conducted to determine the ploidy variation and its geographic distribution. Among the 127 wild plants collected from different geographic locations, 15 plants were diploid, 87 were tetraploid, and 22 were hexaploid. Additionally, 2 plants were heptaploid and one plant was octaploid. The tetraploid plants were distributed all over the country, whereas the diploid and hexaploid plants were geographically localized, in the warm Pacific hill areas of the south western part and in the deep-snow region of the mid-northern part of Honshu, respectively. The diploid plants could be clearly distinguished from other plants with ploidy variation by the morphological characteristics of the leaf and fruit. Hexaploid plants showed a relatively larger L/D ratio of the leaf blade, a greenish petiole, and pubescence on the petiole and lower leaf vein, whereas the tetraploid plants exhibited a reddish petiole and callose hairs on the vein of the lower leaf surface. Fruit shape of the tetraploid plants varied largely, from round to ellipsoidal, whereas that of the hexaploid plants was mostly ellipsoidal. These results indicate that the hexaploid plants of A. arguta as well as the diploid and tetraploid ones, naturally grow in a certain size of population in the restricted region of Japan.     

Suppressing effect of neocarrabiose 4-O-sulfate on thermal and freeze denaturation of myosin subfragment-1 and myofibrils

Suppressive effects of neocarrabiose 4-O-sulfate on the thermal and freeze denaturation of myosin subfragment-1 (S-1) and on myofibrils were investigated. The compound strongly suppressed the thermal denaturation of S-1. Its suppressive effect was greater than that of sorbitol and similar to that of maltose. However, it tended to accelerate the denaturation of myofibrils, suggesting a loss of protection by F-actin upon its addition. The compound suppressed the freeze denaturation of myofibrils and S-1. The effect was similar to that of sorbitol or maltose, and completely different from that of Na-sulfate. The compound solubilized myofibrils at concentrations similar to KCl. Therefore, it was concluded that neocarrabiose 4-O-sulfate behaved as an ionic salt in the thermal treatment process, whereas it behaved as a sugar in the frozen storage process.     

Influence of puddling procedures on the quality of rice paddy drainage water

Drainage water quality in rice paddies was strongly influenced by the puddling of soil in the paddy fields by tractors and in response to opening of drainage gates. The concentrations of contaminants in drainage water increased rapidly when the puddling process began and were maintained at high concentrations throughout the puddling period. Moreover, the high concentrations did not decrease immediately after the puddling procedures ceased. Additionally, the ratio of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorous to total nitrogen and total phosphorous increased daily during the last half of the puddling period, due to discharge of chemical fertilizers with the drainage water. Also, the loads of particulate nitrogen and phosphorus discharged during the puddling period were larger than the loads discharge during irrigation. The discharge from paddy fields during puddling also increased the total annual contaminant load.