Molecular cloning of canine Mcl-1 gene and its expression in tumor cell lines

The canine Mcl-1 gene was cloned and sequenced. Canine Mcl-1 clone was 2694 base pairs in length and encoded 350 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence was 87.7%, 77.1% and 75.7% homologous to predicted human, mouse and rat Mcl-1, respectively. RT-PCR analysis revealed that canine Mcl-1 mRNA was expressed in PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells), bone marrow cells, MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney) and GL-1 (canine B cell leukemia) whereas undetectable in CL-1 (canine T cell lymphoma) cell line.     

Construction of a high-density reference linkage map of tea (Camellia sinensis)

A few linkage maps of tea have been constructed using pseudo-testcross theory based on dominant marker systems. However, dominant markers are not suitable as landmark markers across a wide range of materials. Therefore, we developed co-dominant SSR markers from genomic DNA and ESTs and constructed a reference map using these co-dominant markers as landmarks. A population of 54 F₁ clones derived from reciprocal crosses between ‘Sayamakaori’ and ‘Kana-Ck17’ was used for the linkage analysis. Maps of both parents were constructed from the F₁ population that was taken for BC₁ population. The order of most of the dominant markers in the parental maps was consistent. We constructed a core map by merging the linkage data for markers that detected polymorphisms in both parents. The core map contains 15 linkage groups, which corresponds to the basic chromosome number of tea. The total length of the core map is 1218 cM. Here, we present the reference map as a central core map sandwiched between the parental maps for each linkage group; the combined maps contain 441 SSRs, 7 CAPS, 2 STS and 674 RAPDs. This newly constructed linkage map can be used as a basic reference linkage map of tea.     

Evaluation of iron bioavailability from bonito dark muscle using anemic rats

The bioavailability of iron from ferrous sulfate (FeII-S), heme iron prepared from hemoglobin (HIP), and bonito dark muscle (BDM) was assessed in anemic rats using a hemoglobin regeneration efficiency (HRE) method. Freeze-dried BDM (FD), boiled and freeze-dried BDM (B/FD), and boiled and smoke-dried BDM (B/SD) were used as BDM source. Rats were made anemic by feeding on an iron-deficient diet for 28 days. To replete their iron levels, anemic rats were then fed on a diet containing iron at a level of 17 ppm for 14 days. Rats receiving FeII-S gained significantly more weight and had greater food intake and higher HRE compared to the other four groups. The bioavailability of iron from HIP was poor compared with that from FeII-S and BDM. When the HRE of rats fed FeII-S was 100, that of rats fed BDF was approximately 80. These results suggest that BMD is an effective dietary source of iron.     

Studies on defatted seed removal efficiency for organochlorine compounds

Defatted seeds were evaluated for effective adsorption of organochlorine compounds such as chloroform, dichloromethane, and trichloroethylene. The amounts of these compounds adsorbed were plotted against the equilibrium concentration of substances in solution on a logarithmic scale. A linear relationship was obtained, indicating that the adsorption reactions were of the Freundlich type. The removal of these organochlorine compounds by defatted seed was attributed to the uptake by intracellular particles called spherosomes.     

干,湿谷混合贮藏干燥的试验研究

本文介绍在日本国寺泉干燥中心测得的干湿谷混合干燥试验结果,分析混合干燥设施的能量消耗、干燥效率、物料品质等项技术指标。获得了混合干燥新技术开发的基础性数据。     

Immunohistochemical and histoplanimetrical study on the spatial relationship between the settlement of indigenous bacteria and the secretion of bactericidal peptides in rat alimentary tract

To clarify the regulatory mechanism by bactericidal peptides secretion, the secretion of bactericidal peptides was immunohistochemically and histoplanimetrically compared with the degree of Gram-positive/negative bacterial colonization throughout the rat alimentary tract. In the associated exocrine glands from the oral cavity to the stomach, no comparable differences were observed under the changes of development of indigenous bacterial colonies. In the small intestine, immunopositive granules for lysozyme and secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) were markedly decreased, whereas immunopositive vacuoles in the Paneth cells were more increased at sites with hyper-development of indigenous bacterial colonies in the intervillous spaces than at sites with no or less development. No changes in exocrine glands were observed in the large intestine because of the constant existence of large quantities of bacteria. Gram-positive bacterial colonies on the mucosal surfaces were dominant from the oral cavity to the stomach. Gram-negative bacteria were dominant in the large intestine, and the distributions of both Gram-positive and negative bacteria were intermediate in the small intestine. These findings suggest that lysozyme and sPLA2 secreted from the Paneth cells contribute to the regulation of the proliferation of indigenous bacteria in the intervillous spaces of the small intestine, and that the inversion of distributions of Gram-positive and -negative bacteria in the alimentary tract might be caused by the secretion of lysozyme and sPLA2 in the small intestine.     

Background Data for General Toxicology Parameters in RccHan:WIST Rats at 8, 10, 19 and 32 Weeks of Age

Recently, RccHan(TM):WIST (Wistar Hannover) rats were introduced to toxicity studies in Japan. The present study was performed to obtain control data for general toxicological parameters as an aid for interpretation of results in toxicity studies using this strain of rats. Four test groups comprising of 25 male and 25 female RccHan(TM):WIST rats were housed for 2, 4, 13 or 26 weeks from 6 weeks of age and observed and examined for clinical observation, body weight, food consumption, urinalysis, hematology, blood chemistry, organ weight, necropsy and/or histopathology. Ophthalmological examination was not conducted in this study, and the data in this report were obtained from an ongoing 104-week background study in RccHan(TM):WIST rats. These data were compared with the historical control data of CD(SD) (Sprague-Dawley) and/or F344 (Fischer) rats. The body weights of RccHan(TM):WIST rats were lower than those of CD(SD) rats and higher than those of F344 rats. The ophthalmological examination revealed a greater incidence of focal corneal opacity. Histopathology revealed focal mineralization of the cornea and Berlin blue-positive pigmentation in the epididymal interstitium as well as hepatocytes. Other than the above, some minor differences were found in urinalysis, hematology, blood chemistry and organ weights as compared with CD(SD) rats.