Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium parvum detected in Japanese black and Holstein calves in Iwate Prefecture and Tanegashima Island,Kagoshima Prefecture,Japan

Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 43 out of 77 calves from two farms in Iwate Prefecture and nine farms on Tanegashima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The DNA fragments of 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene were amplified by a nested PCR from 43 oocyst-positive as well as one oocyst-negative samples. All of them were precisely identified as C. parvum by analyzing the nucleotide sequences of the 18S rRNA gene. C. parvum oocyst-positive calves ranged in age from 6 to 13 days old and significantly have watery diarrhea (P<0.05). Sequences of the gene encoding the 60-kDa glycoprotein (GP60) in 43 Cryptosporidium oocyst-positive samples were identical to that of the zoonotic IIaA15G2R1 subtype. We therefore suggest that calves could be potential sources of C. parvum infections in humans.     

7种番木瓜环斑病毒分离株外壳蛋白基因的克隆与序列比较

采用RT-PCR技术对我国海南、云南、广西和广东等不同番木瓜生产区的7个番木瓜环斑病毒外壳蛋白基因(PRSV-CP)进行克隆和鉴定分析。PRSV-CP编码区在864～873核苷酸之间,编码288～291氨基酸。对分离的7个PRSV-CP的核苷酸及氨基酸序列的比较结果表明大部分序列差异都处于N端,而各产区番木瓜PRSV-CP基因的3′端586～864bp区段,即278bpDNA片断的同源率最高,达到98.5%。这一同源序列的获得为利用植物基因工程培育广谱抗病性的番木瓜新品系奠定了基础。     

SEM observations on larval shell morphology of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum and their utility

Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is common and abundant on Japanese tidal flats, forming a commercially important clam fishery. However, annual catches of Manila clam have decreased drastically since 1975?C1985. To study larval recruitment processes of Manila clam, we carried out scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on larval and juvenile shells of clams reared at 20 and 24?°C. There was no significant difference in final shell length of trochophores between 20 and 24?°C. However, the larval duration was much longer and the shell length of settled size of pediveligers was much larger for clams reared at 20?°C than those reared at 24?°C. These findings suggest that larval duration and growth, as well as settlement size, may vary markedly depending on temperature (and probably on season). The larval shell morphology of Manila clam can provide essential information about larval recruitment processes.