New lactic acid bacterial strains from traditional Mongolian fermented milk products have altered adhesion to porcine gastric mucin depending on the carbon source

Attachment of lactic acid bacteria to the mucosal surface of the gastrointestinal tract is a major property of probiotics. Here, we examined the ability of 21 lactic acid bacterial strains isolated from traditional fermented milk products in Mongolia to adhere to porcine gastric mucin in vitro. Higher attachment was observed with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains 6‐8 and 8‐1 than with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (positive control). Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris strain 7‐1 adhered to mucin as effectively as did strain GG. Heat inactivation decreased the adhesive ability of strains 6‐8 and 8‐1 but did not affect strain 7‐1. The adhesion of strains 6‐8, 7‐1 and 8‐1 was significantly inhibited when the cells were pretreated with periodate and trypsin, indicating that proteinaceous and carbohydrate‐like cell surface compounds are involved in the adhesion of these strains. The adhesion of strain 7‐1 was affected by the type of carbohydrate present in the growth medium, being higher with fructose than with lactose, galactose or xylose as the carbon source. The sugar content of 7‐1 cells grown on various carbohydrates was negatively correlated with its adhesive ability. We provide new probiotic candidate strains and new information regarding carbohydrate preference that influences lactic acid bacterial adhesion to mucin.     

A comparative study of zinc protoporphyrin IX‐forming properties of animal by‐products as sources for improving the color of meat products

The objective of this study was to obtain fundamental data for improving the color of meat products by using animal by‐products. We investigated zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP)‐forming properties of various internal organs from pigs and chickens. ZnPP was formed in the liver, heart and kidney, whereas the porcine spleen and bile, which are involved in the metabolism of heme, did not have ZnPP‐forming properties. The optimum pH values were different among the internal organs and the ZnPP‐forming properties of porcine organs were better than those of chicken organs. The porcine liver showed the greatest ZnPP‐forming properties among all of the internal organs investigated in this study. The optimum pH value for ZnPP formation in the liver was lower than that of skeletal muscle. Oxygen did not inhibit the formation of ZnPP in the liver, unlike in skeletal muscle. Animal by‐products such as the liver have good ability for the formation of ZnPP and might be useful for improving the color of meat products.     

Molecular characteristics of porcine Fas-associated death domain (FADD) and procaspase-8

To reveal the intracellular signal transduction molecules involved in granulosa cell apoptosis in porcine ovarian follicles, we cloned the porcine Fas-associated death domain (FADD), an adaptor protein for the cell death receptor, and procaspase-8, an initiator caspase. Porcine FADD (pFADD) was 636 bp (211 amino acids: aa) long and showed 74.0 and 65.4% homology with human and murine FADD, respectively. Porcine procaspase-8 (pprocaspase-8) was 1,431 bp (476 aa) long and 70.6 and 63.4% homologous with human and murine procaspase-8, respectively. To confirm the apoptosis-inducing abilities, we constructed pFADD and pprocaspase-8 cDNA expression vectors with enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) and then transfected them into human uterine cervix tumor (HeLa-K), human granulosa cell-derived (KGN), murine granulosa-derived tumor (KK1), and porcine granulosa cell-derived (JC410) cells. When pFADD and pprocaspase-8 were overexpressed, cell death was induced in these transfected cells. However when caspase-inhibitor p35 was cotransfected, cell death was inhibited. The pFADD and pprocaspase-8 genes are well conserved, as are the physiological functions of their products.     

Effects of exogenous methyl jasmonate and light condition on grape berry coloration and endogenous abscisic acid content

Suitable postharvest treatment methods were investigated to improve the color of grape berries. Culture solutions containing jasmonic acid (JA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and prohydrojasmon (PDJ) enhanced the skin coloration of grape berries (‘Pione’) harvested at the initial stage of coloration. MeJA vapor treatment under sealed conditions increased anthocyanin accumulation in grape berries (‘AkiQueen’ and ‘Pione’) harvested at the early stage of skin coloration. Furthermore, promoting skin coloration by MeJA vapor treatment was as effective in mature clusters as it was in detached berries. These effects were confirmed in light conditions but not in constant darkness. Our results showed that postharvest MeJA vapor treatment improved skin coloration in grapes. In addition, postharvest treatment with MeJA was found to have no effect on the endogenous abscisic acid content of grape berry skins. Therefore, we suggest that MeJA vapor treatment can be a useful and labor-saving method for the horticultural industry.     

Overexpression of the Barley Nicotianamine Synthase Gene HvNAS1 Increases Iron and Zinc Concentrations in Rice Grains

In humans, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies result in major worldwide health problems. Transgenic technologies to produce Fe- and Zn-biofortified rice varieties offer a promising potential solution. Nicotianamine, the precursor of phytosiderophores, chelates Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺ and plays an important role in transporting these metals to both vegetative and reproductive organs within the plant. Our objective was to increase Fe and Zn contents in rice grains by overexpressing the barley nicotianamine synthase gene HvNAS1. HvNAS1-overexpressing transgenic rice showed increased HvNAS1 expression and subsequent increases in endogenous nicotianamine and phytosiderophore content in shoots, roots, and seeds. Fe and Zn concentrations in polished T₁ seeds from transgenic plants increased more than three and twofold, respectively; Fe and Zn concentrations also increased in both polished and brown T₂ seeds. These results suggest that the overproduction of nicotianamine enhances the translocation of Fe and Zn into rice grains.     

Application of α-glucosidase activity and drug susceptibility tests to epidemiological studies on the fish pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nocardia seriolae</Emphasis>

This study determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC) and erythromycin (Em), along with the α-glucosidase (α-glu) activities in 110 Nocardia seriolae strains isolated in Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures in 2008–2009. The strains were examined for the presence of the tet(K), tet(L), tet(M), tet(O), tet(S), erm(A), erm(B), mph(A), mef(A), and msr(D) genes. All the α-glu-positive strains (n = 15) were OTC resistant and Em sensitive, with MICs of 32–64 and <0.125 μg/ml, respectively. All the α-glu-negative strains (n = 95) were OTC sensitive, with MICs of 2–4 μg/ml, and most of them (93 of 95) were Em resistant, with MICs of >128 μg/ml. The MICs for Em in the remaining 2 α-glu-negative strains were <0.125 μg/ml. The 15 OTC-resistant strains possessed the tet(K) and/or tet(L) gene(s), and all of the 93 Em-resistant strains possessed both the mef(A) and msr(D) genes. The relationship between α-glu activity and drug sensitivity of the N. seriolae strains may explain the difference in prevalence of each phenotype. Nevertheless, the relationship should be further explored using N. seriolae isolates collected from more prefectures and farms.     

What sampling is needed for reliable estimations of genetic diversity in Fraxinus excelsior L. (Oleaceae)?

? Sample size is a critical issue for genetic diversity studies and conservation programs. However, sample size evaluation requires previous knowledge of allele frequencies estimated with precision and this is not often the case.

? Here, we evaluated sample size requirements for accurate genetic diversity in adult trees and family arrays in a 12 ha plot of Fraxinus excelsior L. (Oleaceae) in a community forest in central France. Data consisted of 579 adult trees and 480 offspring from 24 families genotyped at four nuclear microsatellites.

? Mean square errors (MSE) estimates performed on Monte Carlo simulations of resampled data indicated that several adult individuals (> 300) are necessary for accurate measures of allele richness. However, expected heterozygosity requires smaller samples (< 30). Seeds captured about 90% of adult allelic diversity requiring a sampling effort roughly 50% larger than that of adult trees (480 seeds vs. 300 adults) suggesting that seed sampling is heavily penalized for allele counts. Nevertheless, gene diversity of seeds was essentially identical to that of the adult population.

? Extrapolation of these results to other ash tree populations appears feasible because of similar levels of diversity reported in the literature but it is not granted for species with significant selfing or high genetic structure.

     

Central somatostatin-somatostatin receptor 2 signaling mediates lactational suppression of luteinizing hormone release via the inhibition of glutamatergic interneurons during late lactation in rats

Reproductive function is suppressed during lactation owing to the suckling-induced suppression of the kisspeptin gene (Kiss1) expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and subsequent suppression of luteinizing hormone (LH) release. Our previous study revealed that somatostatin (SST) neurons mediate suckling-induced suppression of LH release via SST receptor 2 (SSTR2) in ovariectomized lactating rats during early lactation. This study examined whether central SST-SSTR2 signaling mediates the inhibition of ARC Kiss1 expression and LH release in lactating rats during late lactation and whether the inhibition of glutamatergic neurons, stimulators of LH release, is involved in the suppression of LH release mediated by central SST-SSTR2 signaling in lactating rats. A central injection of the SSTR2 antagonist CYN154806 (CYN) significantly increased ARC Kiss1 expression in lactating rats on day 16 of lactation. Dual in situ hybridization revealed that few ARC Kiss1-positive cells co-expressed Sstr2, and some of the ARC Slc17a6 (a glutamatergic neuronal marker)-positive cells co-expressed Sstr2. Furthermore, almost all ARC Kiss1-positive cells co-expressed Grin1, a subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. The numbers of Slc17a6/Sstr2 double-labeled and Slc17a6 single-labeled cells were significantly lower in lactating dams than in non-lactating rats whose pups had been removed after parturition. A central injection of an NMDA antagonist reversed the CYN-induced increase in LH release in lactating rats. Overall, these results suggest that central SST-SSTR2 signaling, at least partly, mediates the suppression of ARC Kiss1 expression and LH release by inhibiting ARC glutamatergic interneurons in lactating rats.     

Successful treatment of feline hyperadrenocorticism with pituitary macroadenoma using radiation therapy: a case study

A 10-year-old castrated male cat showing behavioral (irritation, prowling, and tumbling) and cutaneous abnormalities such as dermal fragility was diagnosed as hyperadrenocorticism with pituitary macroadenoma, concurrent with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Pituitary enlargement (18.0 mm) was observed during magnetic resonance imaging. High endogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone levels (>2,500 pg/ml) were also observed. Although trilostane treatment (5–10 mg/head, daily) was commenced, the clinical signs did not disappear. Insulin and trilostane treatment were discontinued on day 86 after first day of radiation therapy (4 Gy/12 fractions). After radiation therapy, a decreased pituitary tumor size (10.7 mm) was observed on day 301; neurological and dermatological signs exhibited remission. Radiation therapy is the treatment of choice for feline hyperadrenocorticism with pituitary macroadenoma with neurological signs.