Effect of substituting soybean meal with euglena (Euglena gracilis) on methane emission and nitrogen efficiency in sheep

This study evaluated methane (CH₄) emission, intake, digestibility, and nitrogen efficiency in sheep fed diets containing replacement levels (0%, 33%, 50%, and 67% of soybean meal with euglena). In this experiment, four Corriedale wether sheep with an initial body weight of 53.8 ± 4.6 were arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. This experiment lasted 84 days, divided into four experimental periods. Each period lasted 21 days, which consists of 14 days of adaptation to the diets, 5 days to collect samples, and 2 days to collect gas emission from sheep. Methane emission expressed as L/kg DM intake or g/kg DM intake reduced by up to 37% and the energy loss via CH₄ (% of GE intake) reduced by up to 34%. No differences (p > 0.05) were observed in DM and OM intake and whole tract apparent DM digestibility due to substitution of soybean meal with euglena. The total CP loss reduced significantly (linear, p < 0.001) and CP efficiency increased linearly (p = 0.03) with increasing concentration of euglena. As a result, nitrogen balance and average daily weight gain remained unchanged despite higher nitrogen concentration in soybean supplemented group. In conclusion, substitution of soybean meal with euglena reduced methane emission without affecting the performance of animals.     

A simplified PCR assay for fast and easy mycoplasma mastitis screening in dairy cattle

A simplified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for fast and easy screening of mycoplasma mastitis in dairy cattle. Species of major mycoplasma strains [Mycoplasma (M.) bovis, M. arginini, M. bovigenitalium, M. californicum, M. bovirhinis, M. alkalescens and M. canadense] in cultured milk samples were detected by this simplified PCR-based method as well as a standard PCR technique. The minimum concentration limit for detecting mycoplasma by the simplified PCR was estimated to be about 2.5 × 10³ cfu/mL and was similar to that of the standard PCR. We compared the specificity and sensitivity of the simplified PCR to those of a culture method. Out of 1,685 milk samples cultured in mycoplasma broth, the simplified PCR detected Mycoplasma DNA in 152 that were also positive according to the culture assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the simplified PCR were 98.7% and 99.7%, respectively, for detecting mycoplasma in those cultures. The results obtained by the simplified PCR were consistent with ones from standard PCR. This newly developed simplified PCR, which does not require DNA purification, can analyze about 300 cultured samples within 3 h. The results from our study suggest that the simplified PCR can be used for mycoplasma mastitis screening in large-scale dairy farms.     

Effects of trichostatin A on in vitro development and transgene function in somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos derived from transgenic Clawn miniature pig cells

The present study was carried out to examine the effects of post‐activation treatment of trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, on in vitro development and transgene function of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos derived from Clawn miniature pig embryonic fibroblast (PEF) transfected with a bacterial endo‐β‐galactosidase C gene (removal of the α‐galactosyl (Gal) epitope). SCNT embryos were incubated with or without TSA (50 or 100 nmol/L) after activation, cultured in vitro and assessed for cleavage, blastocyst formation and transgene function. The rate of blastocyst formation was significantly higher in SCNT embryos treated with 50 nmol/L TSA than that in control (P < 0.05), whereas the rate of cleavage and cell number of blastocyst did not differ. Following labelling with fluorescein isothiocyanate‐labelled BS‐I‐B₄ isolectin, the intensity of fluorescence observed on cell‐surface was dramatically reduced in transgenic SCNT blastocyst in comparison with non‐transgenic SCNT blastocyst. However, the reduction of α‐Gal epitope expression in transgenic SCNT blastocyst was not affected by TSA treatment. The results of this study showed that post‐activation treatment with 50 nmol/L TSA is effective to improve in vitro developmental capacity of transgenic SCNT miniature pig embryos without the modification of transgene function.     

Characterization of Grapevine Algerian latent virus isolated from nipplefruit (Solanum mammosum) in Japan

Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Potato virus Y (PVY), Tomato bushy stunt virus nipplefruit strain (TBSV-Nf), and an unknown spherical virus were isolated from nipplefruit (Solanum mammosum) cultivated in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The spherical virus was identified as Grapevine Algerian latent virus nipplefruit strain (GALV-Nf) from the genus Tombusvirus, based on its physical properties, serological relationships, and analysis of genomic RNA. The genomic RNA of GALV-Nf is 4731 nucleotides long and encodes five open reading frames as well as those of other tombusviruses. Nipplefruit infected with GALV-Nf had severe stunting, leaf deformation, and clear mosaic symptoms. This is the first report of an isolation of GALV in Japan. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Simple and sensitive BIO-PCR detection of potato blackleg pathogens from stem,tuber, and soil samples

Journal of General Plant Pathology - A BIO-PCR was developed for the detection of potato blackleg pathogens, including Pectobacterium wasabiae (Pw), P. atrosepticum (Pa), P. carotovorum subsp....     

First report of Moroccan pepper virus on lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) in Japan

In sap from plants of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) with necrotic stunt symptoms in Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan, spherical particles with a diameter of about 30 nm were observed with transmission electron microscopy. We sequenced the complete genome of an isolate using the tombusvirus-specific primers and found that it shared about 96 % nucleotide identities with Moroccan pepper virus (MPV) in the genus Tombusvirus. The isolate reproduced necrotic stunt symptoms on lisianthus plants after mechanical inoculation. This is the first report of MPV on lisianthus in Japan.