First report of ‘<Emphasis Type="Italic">Candidatus</Emphasis> Phytoplasma malaysianum’ associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Elaeocarpus</Emphasis> yellows of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Elaeocarpus zollingeri</Emphasis>

“Elaeocarpus yellows” (ELY) is a widely reported phytoplasma disease of Elaeocarpus zollingeri trees in Japan. The phytoplasma associated with ELY (ELY phytoplasma) had not been identified at the species level because its 16S rRNA sequence had yet to be reported. Here, we report the results of a sequence analysis based on 16S rRNA and secA gene sequences, which showed that the ELY phytoplasma is related to ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma malaysianum’. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the occurrence of ‘Ca. P. malaysianum’ outside Malaysia and the infection of E. zollingeri by the phytoplasma.     

Curious Oviposition Behavior in Phyllium westwoodii (Phasmatodea: Phylliidae): Preliminary Observations

We report that in a leaf insect, Phyllium westwoodii Wood-Mason (Phasmatodea: Phylliidae), two differing apertures can be used for oviposition, the color of eggs being affected by which aperture is used. Eggs which are forcibly propelled from the internal space within the valvulae of the abdomen are brown, whereas white eggs emerge slowly from the opening between the eighth sternite and the valvulae, and are deposited close to the ventral surface of the female. This unusual oviposition system does not appear to have been previously reported in phasmatids or in other insects.     

Promotion of intramuscular fat accumulation in porcine muscle by nutritional regulation

Recently, pork with marbling has received attention as good quality pork and scientists are required to develop methods to produce pork with reasonable amounts of intramuscular fat (IMF). The aim of this review is to describe studies relevant to promotion of IMF accumulation in porcine muscle by nutritional regulation. The main focus is on effect of dietary lysine levels. First, we found dietary low lysine up‐regulated glucose transporter protein 4 messenger (m)RNA expression in Longissimus dorsi (L. dorsi) and Rhomboideus muscles. In addition, the proportion of oxidative fiber of both muscles was also enhanced by dietary low lysine. Because it has been observed that higher oxidative capacity is associated with higher IMF content, we hypothesized that dietary low lysine would promote IMF accumulation. Further, higher mRNA abundance of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ, a master regulator of adipogenesis, in both muscles induced by dietary low lysine, supported this hypothesis. Indeed, IMF content of L. dorsi muscle of finishing pigs given a low lysine diet for 2 months until reaching the market weight was twice that of pigs given a control diet. Possible underlying mechanisms of IMF accumulation in porcine muscle and future perspectives are also discussed in this review.     

Taurine transporter from the giant Pacific oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis>: function and expression in response to hyper- and hypo-osmotic stress

ABSTRACT:   Taurine is the primary osmolyte in marine molluscs, whose cellular osmo-conforming process is vital for environmental adaptation because of a lack of osmotic homeostasis. Here, cDNA cloning and expression, and functional analyses of taurine transporter (TAUT) from the giant Pacific oyster are reported on. The deduced amino-acid sequence of oyster TAUT (oyTAUT) showed 47–51% identity to those of vertebrate TAUT, whereas identity among the vertebrates is 78–95%. Functional analysis of oyTAUT expressed in Xenopus oocytes revealed that oyTAUT has a lower affinity and specificity for taurine and a requirement for higher NaCl concentration, compared with vertebrate TAUT. Taken together with similar functional properties of TAUT from mussel, indicated by our previous study, it is possible that these functional features reflect the internal environment of the molluscs (i.e. higher taurine and NaCl concentrations). Oyster taurine transporter mRNA expression was induced by not only hyper-osmotic stress, similar to other TAUT, but also hypo-osmotic stress. It is speculated that the expression in response to hypo-osmotic stress was induced by a substantial decrease in tissue taurine content following the decrease in the internal osmolality.     

Apoptosis in the porcine uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle, early pregnancy and post partum

The mammalian uterus changes dramatically during the estrous cycle, pregnancy, and involution post partum. Dynamic changes in the uterine endometrium are a type of homeostasis and proceed with proliferation and exclusion of cells. Homeostasis of the uterus is closely related to apoptosis involving various hormones and cytokines. The objective of the present study was to determine the morphological features and occurrence of apoptosis in the porcine endometrium during the estrous cycle, early pregnancy, and post partum. Cyclic changes in the morphology of the surface epithelium were observed during the estrous cycle. The heights of surface epithelia were significantly high on day 4 of the estrous cycle and the early pregnancy. The heights of the surface epithelium remained low from days 1 to 31 post partum. We then used terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) of the 3'-terminal of fragmented DNA, which is effective for detection of apoptosis in various tissues. We found that apoptosis in the porcine endometrium contributed to homeostasis of the endometrium during the estrous cycle through control of cell proliferation and exclusion. Conversely, apoptosis on days 4 and 8 of gestation before the implantation window depended on the plasma estrogen and progesterone levels; however, suppressive homeostasis of apoptosis occurred at the time of implantation on days 15, 18 and 21 of gestation. Our study is the first to demonstrate apoptotic cell death in the porcine endometrium directly by TUNEL method. The results strongly suggest that uterine homeostasis is mainly controlled by apoptosis during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy.     

Changes in muscle fiber type and expression of mRNA of myosin heavy chain isoforms in porcine muscle during pre‐ and postnatal development

The purpose of this study is to elucidate developmental changes in muscle fiber type in the pig during pre‐ and postnatal development. For this purpose, we performed a histochemical analysis for myosin adenosine triphosphatase activity to assess muscle fiber type and determined abundances of messenger RNA (mRNA) of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. Samples of Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were taken from fetuses on day 90 of the fetal stage. Further, samples of LD, Rhomboideus and Biceps femoris (B. femoris) muscles were taken from pigs when they were 1, 12, 26, 45 or 75 days old. Expression of MHC 2b mRNA in the LD and the B. femoris muscles rapidly and considerably increased from the late fetal stage to the early postnatal stage and this increase was associated with the development of type 2b fibers at least in the LD muscle. As shown by the rapid and considerable changes in expression of MHC 2b mRNA, it seems that a certain plasticity of muscle fiber type still remains in this developmental stage.     

Reduced dietary lysine enhances proportion of oxidative fibers in porcine skeletal muscle

The present study was conducted to elucidate the effects of dietary lysine levels on the proportion of oxidative muscle fibers in porcine muscle. Two 6-week-old barrows from each of five litters were used. Each littermate was assigned to one of two diets, control (lysine content: 1.16%) or low lysine (LL) diet (lysine content: 0.73%). The diets were iso-energetic and iso-protein, and contained all essential amino acids (apart from lysine) in the recommended amounts. The pigs were fed these diets for 3 weeks. Citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.4) activity in longissimus dorsi and rhomboideus muscles was higher in the LL group ( P  < 0.05). In both muscles, pigs fed the LL diet had a higher proportion of muscle fiber with activities of reduced nicotinic amide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase (EC 1.6.5.3, P  < 0.01). The abundance of mRNA of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α in rhomboideus muscle was higher in the LL group ( P  < 0.05), and those of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2 were higher in both longissimus dorsi and rhomboideus muscles in the LL group ( P  < 0.05). We conclude that reduced intake of dietary lysine enhances proportion of oxidative muscle fiber, and hence oxidative capacity of porcine muscle.     

Randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of enrofloxacin as a second‐line antibiotic for treatment of acute Escherichia coli mastitis

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of enrofloxacin (ERFX) as a second‐line antibiotic for treatment of acute Escherichia coli (E. coli) mastitis. Forty‐two cows with naturally occurring acute E. coli mastitis were enrolled. On the first day of treatment (day 0), empirically selected antibiotics (oxytetracycline: n = 32, kanamycin: n = 10) were administered. Although systemic signs improved in 10 cows (first‐line group), the signs remained unchanged or worsened in 32 cows on day 1, including two cows that were found dead. The 30 surviving cows were randomly assigned to second‐line groups constituting an ERFX group (n = 19) or a control group (n = 11) that was treated with other antibiotics. Response to each treatment was evaluated by measuring clinical signs from day 0 to day 3, subsequent quarter milk recovery, and the 60‐day survival rate. Appetite on day 3 was significantly better in the ERFX group compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in the 60‐day survival rate or the subsequent milk recovery between the ERFX group and the control group. Thus, the use of ERFX as a second‐line antibiotic for the treatment of acute E. coli mastitis could induce a rapid appetite recovery.     

Evidence of a local spawning site of marine eels along northeastern Japan, based on the distribution of small leptocephali

Evidence of recent spawning by several species of marine eels of the families Congridae, Ophichthidae, and Nettastomatidae was found over the continental shelf along the coast of northeastern Japan in October 2003. Sixty‐three leptocephali of at least three taxa that ranged from 3.8 to 12.3 mm total length were collected in a relatively small area, just to the south of Cape Shioya, primarily over the 100‐and 200‐m‐depth contours. The leptocephali of Gnathophis nystromi nystromi were the most abundant, followed by those of G. nystromi ginanago. This spawning area is located in an area that appeared to include water originating from the Tsugaru Warm Current and is further south than the typical latitude of the cold water of the Oyashio First Intrusion. These findings suggest that some species of marine eels may not migrate past the slope to spawn, and that the oceanographic features of the region may provide favorable conditions for the growth and retention of leptocephali in the area to the south of Cape Shioya.     

Serum level of apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage in dogs with histiocytic sarcoma and its association with the disease

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare neoplasm of macrophages or dendritic cells with a poor prognosis in dogs. As the apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage (AIM) is characteristically expressed in canine macrophages, we hypothesised that AIM is involved in the development or progression of HS in dogs. In this study, AIM expression in the tumour region and serum AIM levels in dogs with HS was assessed. Additionally, the effects of AIM overexpression on HS cell viability were investigated using a HS cell line that was selected from five validated HS cell lines. Immunohistochemistry showed that AIM expression was observed in the cytoplasm of the HS cells. CD36, a candidate AIM receptor, was also observed on the cell membrane of HS cells. When the serum AIM level was detected in 36 dogs with HS and 10 healthy dogs via western blot analysis, the AIM levels in the HS dogs were significantly higher than those in the controls. AIM mRNA expression in the 5 HS cell lines varied but was higher than that in the other tumour-derived lines. Among the five HS cell lines, DH82 originally had lower AIM and the highest CD36 expression. When AIM was overexpressed in DH82, therein cell growth speed and invasion, apoptosis inhibition and phagocytic activity were strongly upregulated. These data suggest that elevated intra-tumour expression of AIM could induce the progression of HS cells in dogs. Moreover, elevated serum AIM levels in dogs with HS could serve as a biomarker of HS.