Characterization of Herpes virus vitreum isolated from hyperplastic epidermal tissue of walleye,Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchill)*

Abstract. A new virus, provisionally named Herpesvirus vitreum, was isolated from hyperplastic epidermal tissue from a walleye, Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchill), taken in Saskatchewan, Canada. The virus, which was isolated in the walleye ovarian (WO) cell line, was identified as a herpesvirus on the basis of size (190–230 nm), morphology and apparent pattern of replication. The virus, which passes polycarbonate membranes of 200 nm mean pore diameter, was ether-labile. Virus replicated in WC-1 cells at 4 and 15°C, but not at 20°C. Although walleye cell lines (WO, WC-1, We-2) were susceptible to infection at 15°C, non-period cell lines were refractory. Syncytial formation and lysis occurred in susceptible cell lines. Virus was quantified by plaque assay at 13 to 15°C for two weeks. Replication was inhibited by 10^-3.0m phosphonoacetate and by 10^-5.0m 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUDR), but addition of excess thymidine reversed the inhibition by BUDR. Viral replication in WO cells, but not in WC-1 cells, was inhibited by the antiherpetic drug acyclovir (10^-5.0m ). The relationship of the herpesvirus isolate and epithelial neoplasms was not determined.     

Effects of temperature, salinity and irradiance on the growth of the toxic dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum (Dinophyceae) isolated from Hiroshima Bay, Japan

ABSTRACT: Temperature and salinity ranges in which Gymnodinium catenatum (Hiroshima Bay strain) showed specific growth rates higher than 0.2/day were approximately 20–30°C and 20–32. The specific growth rate (μ), expressed as a polynomial equation as functions of temperature ( T ; °C) and salinity ( S ) were μ = (−6.84 × 10⁻⁴ T ² + 0.0354 T – 0.213) × (−1.03 × 10⁻³ S ² + 0.0579 S – 0.548)/0.31; the maximum growth rate (0.31/day) was obtained at 25°C and 30. From a comparison with field data recording temperature, salinity and light intensity, this species may be expected to bloom from summer to autumn in Hiroshima Bay.     

Relationship between adipose maturity and fatty acid composition in various adipose tissues of Japanese Black,Holstein and Crossbred (F1) steers

The amount of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) is intimately related to adipose softness, melting point (MP) and flavor in beef. Stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD) is a main gene involved in MUFA synthesis. Mature adipose tends to be highly saturated, whereas immature or maturing adipose is highly unsaturated when chronologically based, so the degree of non‐saturation can be an index of adipose maturity. In this study, three different adipose tissues (coelomic (CL), perirenal (PR), and subcutaneous (SC)) from three beef breeds with differing slaughter ages (Japanese Black (29.5 months), Holstein (20.1 month), and F1 crossbreed (25.6 months)) were examined to: (i) determine adipose maturity level as indexed by MUFA %; and (ii) determine SCD and other lipogenic gene messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels in relation to unsaturated fatty acid content. Fatty acid composition was significantly different between adipose tissues (P < 0.05). MUFA amount was high in the following order: SC > CL > PR. This pattern corresponded to SCD mRNA expression profile showing higher expression in SC than CL and PR. However, Japanese black cattle are an exception with CL adipose containing similar UFA % as SC adipose, yet having the lowest SCD mRNA expression level among all adipose tissues tested. Therefore, SCD mRNA expression and MUFA % appear to be directly related; however, differences in SCD mRNA expression among three adipose tissues may reflect differences in the fat development characteristics affected by chronological age of the cattle breeds.     

Molecular phylogeny and diversity of Myanmar and Bhutan mithun based on mtDNA sequences

The mithun (Bos frontalis), synonymous with mithan and gayal, is considered to be a domesticated form of gaur (B. gaurus). However, there has been a controversy concerning its origin. In an effort to address this issue, the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) genes of 20 mithun from Myanmar and 13 from Bhutan were sequenced to trace its maternal origin. Seven cytb haplotypes were found in the 33 mithun, and the phylogenetic tree for these haplotypes clearly showed three embranchments involving five gaur types, a B. indicus type, and a B. taurus type. Sixteen Myanmar and 12 Bhutan mithun had gaur haplotypes, while a B. indicus haplotype was found in three Myanmar and one Bhutan mithun. The B. taurus haplotype was detected in a single Myanmar animal. These results demonstrated that the principal maternal origin of mithun was gaur and suggested that it was directly domesticated from gaur. However, some introgression of domestic cattle existed in current mithun populations. The presence of cattle mtDNA raised the question of how many cattle nuclear genes might have been integrated into the gene pool of mithun.     

Complete nucleotide sequence of mitochondrial DNA in White Leghorn and White Plymouth Rock chickens

Among the chicken breeds, White Leghorn (WL) and White Plymouth Rock (WR) are major breeds and have different history in their establishments. Whole mitochondrial DNA of the breeds were sequenced in order to elucidate the genetic relationship between the breeds. The lengths of the two WL and two WR mitochondrial DNA were found to be 16 788 and 16 785 base pairs, respectively. When the DNA sequences were compared, the similarity was found to be 99.96% (six nucleotide differences). In addition, the present study conformed the existence of an extra nucleotide ‘C’ in NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 (ND3) of the chicken mitochondrial DNA, which has been consistently observed in Galliformes.     

Reduction of urinary nitrogen excretion and ammonia emission from slurry by feeding a low protein diet supplemented with apple pomace to growing pigs

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing a reduced crude protein (CP) diet with apple pomace on the urinary nitrogen excretion and ammonia emission from slurry in the growing pigs. Four barrows (35 kg bodyweight) were assigned to one of two diets. Each pig was placed in a metabolism cage and fed a low CP, amino acid-supplemented diet (CP 11.33%; low CP diet) or a low CP, amino acid-supplemented diet containing 23.08% dried apple pomace (CP 9.47%; apple pomace diet) for two 14-day experimental periods. After the completion of the first period, the pigs were switched to the other diet. Urine and feces were quantitatively collected daily for 5 days after a 9-day adaptation period. The daily nitrogen intake for the low CP diet and the apple pomace diet was 17.76 g/pig and 18.64 g/pig, respectively. The pigs fed the apple pomace diet excreted more fecal nitrogen (6.86 g/day) than the pigs fed the low CP diet (3.63 g/day) ( P  < 0.001), but urinary nitrogen excretion with the apple pomace diet was 3.11 g/day, which was much lower than that for the low CP diet (5.95 g/day) ( P  < 0.001). The daily ammonia emission from the mixture of urine and feces determined by an in vitro method was much lower for pigs fed the apple pomace diet (120 mg) than that for pigs fed the low CP diet (603 mg) ( P  < 0.01). The addition of apple pomace to a reduced CP, amino acid-supplemented diet reduces urinary nitrogen excretion and thereby ammonia emission.