Bacterial brown spot on Avena storigosa Schereb. caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. alisalensis

Avena storigosa Schereb. (bristle oat) is used as a green manure in crop rotations and as an antagonist of nematodes in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. In 2011, necrotic, brown, water-soaked lesions were observed on young bristle oat plants. A pathogenic bacterium was isolated from symptomatic leaves of infected plants and produced the same symptoms after inoculation. Bacteriological properties of the bacterial isolates from bristle oat matched those of Pseudomonas syringae pathovars. The host range of the bristle oat isolates was identical to that of P. syringae pv. alisalensis. This is the first report of bristle oat disease caused by P. syringae pv. alisalensis.     

Plant cell walls as suppliers of potassium and sodium ions for induced resistance in pea (Pisum sativum L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

When an elicitor is applied to plants to induce resistance, one of the first detectable events is the efflux of ions from the treated tissue. Here we are the first to demonstrate that an elicitor from Mycosphaerella pinodes evokes leakage of Na⁺ and K⁺ ions from isolated cell walls of pea and cowpea in vitro, as observed for epicotyl tissues. Pharmacological experiments showed that this elicitor-stimulated leakage was sensitive to vanadate and N-(3-methylphenyl)biphenyl-4-sulfonamide (NGXT-191), that inhibit a cell wall-associated ATPase (apyrase). Vanadate or NGXT-191 suppressed elicitor-induced superoxide generation and expression of defense genes in vivo. On the basis of these results, we assume that the leakage of these ions, probably associated with an ATP-dependent process(es) in the cell wall, is likely associated with induced defenses of pea and cowpea.     

Detection of Human Herpesviruses (HHVs) in Semen of Human Male Infertile Patients

Recently we demonstrated an ectopic expression of the human herpesvirus 1 thymidine kinase (HHV1-TK) gene by functioning of an intrinsic endogenous promoter in the transgenic rat (TG-rat), suggesting that HHV1 infection in humans induces expression of the TK gene with the ectopic promoter in the testis and results in accumulation of HHV1-TK protein, triggering male infertility similar to that in the TG-rat. Hence, in this study, we started to investigate a relationship between infection of herpesvirus and human male infertility. Semen was donated by Chinese male infertile patients (153 men, aged 21–49 years) with informed consent, followed by DNA preparation and analysis by PCR and DNA sequencing. Semen volume, sperm number and density, and sperm motility were examined. DNAs of HHV1, HHV4, HHV5 and HHV6 were confirmed by PCR, electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. Finally, virus DNA was identified in 59 patients (39%). The number of carriers was 39 (25%) for HHV1, 6 (4%) for HHV4, 33 (22%) for HHV5 and 3 (2%) for HHV6, respectively. Moreover, double-infection was found in 22 out of 59 specimens (37%), most of which were double-infection of HHV1 and HHV5 (15 out of 22 carriers). Though slight severity was present in some of the carriers, the relationship between virus infection and sperm impairment was not conclusive. Accordingly, it is essential to examine whether the viral HHV1-TK gene is expressed in the testis of the infertile human HHV carrier.     

Identification of food-derived elastin peptide, prolyl-glycine (Pro-Gly), in human blood after ingestion of elastin hydrolysate

Elastin hydrolysate has apparent beneficial effects, and the food-derived peptide prolyl-glycine (Pro-Gly) is present in human blood after oral ingestion. Following ingestion of elastin hydrolysate (10 g/60 kg body weight) by healthy human volunteers, peripheral blood was used to prepare plasma samples from which peptides were extracted by solid phase extraction and fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Peptides in the SEC fractions were derivatized with phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) and resolved by reversed phase (RP)-HPLC. Pro-Gly was the major food-derived elastin peptide, reaching a maximum (18 μM) at 30 min after ingestion, and decreasing to approximately 20% at 4 h after ingestion. Finally, in cell culture, levels of Pro-Gly in the medium above 0.1 μg/mL significantly enhanced elastin synthesis of normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) without affecting the rate of cell proliferation.     

Effects of soy protein isolate feeding on severe kidney damage in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats

This study assessed the effects of soy protein isolate (SPI) on severe kidney damage in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt-treated obese Zucker rats. These rats underwent heminephrectomy and were fed either casein or SPI diet for 12 weeks. From weeks 8 to 10 of the experiment, kidney damage was induced by biweekly injection of 25 mg/kg DOCA and administration of 0.5% NaCl (w/v) ad libitum. Urinary protein and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase excretions of SPI rats were much lower than those of casein rats at weeks 1 (p < 0.01) and 2 (p < 0.05) after DOCA treatment. Abnormal mineral excretions induced by DOCA treatment in casein rats were hardly detected in SPI rats. Severe atrophy of tubular epithelium and some flattened/detached renal tubules were also observed in casein rats, but not in SPI rats. These results indicate that consecutive treatment of SPI protects against renal dysfunction, particularly tubulointerstitial nephritis, in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats.     

First report of Phytophthora blight of celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) caused by Phytophthora tentaculata in Japan

Journal of General Plant Pathology - A new disease on celery discovered in Japan caused extreme stunting, dwarfed and yellowed leaves, black rot of the celery “heart”, and root rot. A...     

Genotyping‐by‐sequencing for construction of a new genetic linkage map and QTL analysis of growth‐related traits in Pacific bluefin tuna

Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) has high market value, but its wild populations have decreased in recent years. The broodstock of Pacific bluefin tuna that were hatched artificially and reared under aquaculture conditions is beginning to be used for production. The creation of broodstock with commercially valuable traits, such as rapid growth, is therefore of great interest. Genetic linkage map‐based identification of markers associated with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) facilitates marker‐assisted selection (MAS) breeding and allows efficient genetic improvement of broodstock. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐based genetic linkage map construction using the genotyping‐by‐sequencing method can expand the number of mapped markers and help identify growth‐related QTLs. In this study, we constructed sex‐specific maps for 24 linkage groups consisting of 677 SNP and 651 microsatellite markers. The total lengths of 93 progenies in the mapping population followed normal distribution, with an average length of 9.4 mm. We performed composite interval mapping in the mapping population. QTL analysis revealed one significant QTL in LG10 on the female linkage map. The genetic linkage map—the second such map generated for Pacific bluefin tuna—and the growth‐related QTLs detected in this study will be useful for tuna aquaculture MAS programs.     

Mercury levels of small fishes: influence of size and catch area

In the present study, we assessed small fishes as potential feed fishes with the lowest mercury levels. The mercury levels of four small pelagic fishes and a benthic fish from the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, i.e., spotted chub mackerel Scomber australasicus, chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus, round scad Decapterus punctatus, and bastard halibut Paralichthys olivaceus, were determined. Total mercury levels in fish muscle were measured using a reduction vaporizing atomic absorption method. There were no significant correlations between body weight and mercury levels for these species. However, significant differences were observed in the mercury levels of these species between the two catch locations, with fish caught in the Pacific Ocean having higher mercury levels. This difference may be due to the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically and volcanically active zone, which is located in the Pacific Ocean. Preference for these fishes for use in aquaculture should refer to the area where they are caught in addition to the species.     

Seasonal characteristics of surface water quality in the wastewater catchment system of an urbanizing basin

Vientiane, Lao PDR, has been subject to extensive and ongoing urbanization plans, including development of natural marshes and residentialization of paddy fields into suburban areas, despite natural marshes playing a vital role in treating wastewater from urban areas. Therefore, it is important to understand the current situation regarding the nutrient balance in these natural wastewater treatment systems to predict future conditions and design appropriate measures against water quality deterioration. However, limited data are available in Vientiane on the hydrological characteristics of water and nutrient runoff that flow into marshes through drainage canals. In this study, we conducted a periodic survey of drainage canals and Mak Hiao River in the wastewater catchment system surrounding Vientiane during the rainy and dry seasons. We monitored the discharge of surface water at 21 observation sites and analyzed water quality of nitrogen, phosphorus, and total organic carbon. These observations revealed that the concentrations of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus were significantly higher at sites in urban areas, followed by sites in the main river basin and those in agricultural areas. Dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations varied with runoff discharge, especially in urban and river basin sites, with lower concentrations in the rainy season and higher concentrations in the dry season. On the other hand, we found no significant differences between the rainy and dry seasons in nutrient concentrations in the agricultural basin. Finally, we proposed measures to counteract the deterioration of water quality during dry seasons and simulated the impact of these measures.     

Assessment of long-term changes in nitrogen pollution load potential from sewage treatment water in the Tedori River Alluvial Fan Area, Japan

Long-term changes (1974–2007) in the nitrogen pollution load potential (NPLP) arising from sewage treatment water were assessed in the Tedori River Alluvial Fan Area of Japan. The total NPLP from sewage treatment systems (STS) during the 34 year period was 439 t (10³ kg) year⁻¹ from about 260,000 users in 1974 increasing to a peak of 793 t year⁻¹ in 1992 from about 363,000 users, and then decreasing to 676 t year⁻¹ from about 400,000 users in 2007. The NPLP outflow into the area increased from 356 t year⁻¹ in 1974 to a peak of 596 t year⁻¹ in 1985 followed by a rapid decrease to 98 t year⁻¹ in 2007. The NPLP outflow from the public STS to the Japan Sea began in 1979 and rapidly increased to 575 t year⁻¹ in 2007 from about 362,000 users. This represents 85.5% of the total NPLP. The NPLP from septic tanks in the area was 356 t year⁻¹ from about 107,000 users in 1974 gradually increasing to a peak of 587 t year⁻¹ from about 177,000 users in 1985 before rapidly decreasing to 60 t year⁻¹ from about 15,000 users in 2007. Although the current NPLP is about 98 t year⁻¹ in the study area, the average NPLP during 34 years was very different at 424 t year⁻¹. NPLP assessments affecting groundwater and closed water bodies should consider long-term processes of nitrogen pollution from STS over time periods compatible with the residence time of the receiving waters.