Varietal differences in the chlorogenic acid,anthocyanin, soluble sugar,organic acid,and amino acid concentrations of eggplant fruit

Summary

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an important crop in Japan, with a long history of cultivation. Although many eggplant cultivars and lines have been developed, their nutrient concentrations, including phenolic compounds, have not been investigated in detail. In the present study, we investigated varietal differences in the concentrations of taste (e.g., soluble sugars, organic acids, and amino acids) and functional (e.g., chlorogenic acid, anthocyanins, and amino acids) compounds in eggplant fruit using 34 cultivars and lines with diverse growth habits, fruit shapes, sizes, and colours. The concentrations of taste and functional compounds differed among cultivars and lines. Variations in chlorogenic acid [0.1 – 2.5 mg g^–1 fresh weight (FW)] and anthocyanin (0.0 – 0.4 A₅₃₂ units g^–1 FW) concentrations were greater than those of soluble sugars (e.g., sucrose, 0.5 – 1.7 mg g^–1 FW; glucose, 7.6 – 13.7 mg g^–1 FW; fructose, 6.2 – 15.0 mg g^–1 FW) and organic acids (e.g., citric acid, 0.07 – 0.21 mg g^–1 FW; malic acid, 0.9 – 1.9 mg g^–1 FW). We also found that the coefficient of variation in amino acid concentrations varied with amino acid. Glutamine (27.4 – 135.8 mg 100 g^–1 FW) and arginine (4.5 – 23.1 mg 100 g^–1 FW) had the largest variation between varieties. These results indicate the importance of cultivar selection to optimise the concentrations of ingredients and will contribute to improvements in the functionality of eggplant through breeding.     

Delayed osteon formation in long-bone diaphysis of an 11-year-old giant cow with dermal dysplasia

The transverse sections of radius diaphysis in an 11-year-old giant Holstein cow with dermal dysplasia of a collagen disorder-related skin fragility (Cow 1), probably based on increasing turnover of the dermal collagen as reported previously, were morphologically and physico-chemically investigated. Cow 1 had about one and a half times as much as the body weight of normal Holstein cows, aged 5 to 6.5 years with stabilized growth. The bone samples were compared with those of a 12-year-old Holstein cow as controls (Cow 2). It has been reported that the long-bone diaphysis of young calves and some herbivorous dinosaurs are occupied with laminar bone showing a concentric appositional formation, and that such a laminar bone is characteristically seen during the growing period of some farm animals and large dogs that show very rapid growth rates. Cow 1 had a smaller number of osteons than Cow 2 in the outer-half layer of the diaphysis, and showed an intermediate type between Cow 2 and a 1-year-old Holstein ox in the entire layers, although their bone volumes were similar among them. There were no significant differences in Ca and P concentrations and the Vickers microhardness values between the bone matrix of Cow 1 and Cow 2. The bone-collagen fibrils of Cow 1 showed uneven diameters and a disordered arrangement. Thus, there may be some relation in collagen formation between the bone matrix of Cow 1 and the dermis. From the remaining volume of laminar bone, Cow 1, aged 11 years, had probably shown growth until quite recently, so that we consider that Cow 1 became a giant animal, in the same way as some herbivorous dinosaurs.     

Ventilatory failure and successful management for a dog with severe cervical meningioma

A 12-year-old intact male mongrel dog with a weight of 22 kg was referred with a complaint of progressive tetraparesis. Cervical myelography revealed an intradural-extramedullary mass at the second cervical vertebra. After computed tomography (CT) under general anesthesia, the patient showed dyspnea and cyanosis caused by insufficient movement of the chest wall. Positive pressure ventilation was therefore initiated. Hemilaminectomy and partial mass removal were performed 12 hr after the CT. The mass was histopathologically diagnosed as meningioma. Gradual weaning from the mechanical ventilation lasted for 80 hr after the operation. The patient eventually recovered from the ventilatory failure and the tetraparesis at approximately 6 and 14 days after the operation, respectively.     

Cloning,expression, and tissue distribution of bovine interleukin-21

Bovine interleukin-21 (IL-21) cDNA was cloned and sequenced from bovine peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) stimulated with 10 microg/ml concanavalin A (ConA), 10 microg/ml phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and 50 ng/ml phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 48 h. The open reading frame of the bovine IL-21 cDNA is 459 bp in length and encodes 152 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence is 78.2 and 58.5% homologous to the human and murine IL-21 amino acid sequences, respectively. Recombinant bovine IL-21 was expressed by a baculovirus expression system. The bovine IL-21 was processed to the mature form in insect cells and secreted to the supernatant confirmed by N-terminal amino acid sequencing. The recombinant bovine mature IL-21 induced the proliferation of human IL-2-dependent cells, ILT-MAT. The mRNA expression for bovine IL-21 was observed in the spleen, but not in the brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney. The bovine IL-21 identified in this study may provide new methods for the enhancement of innate immunity in cows.     

Large-scale production of porcine mature interleukin-18 (IL-18) in silkworms using a hybrid baculovirus expression system

In this report, a hybrid baculovirus expression system, which means a hybrid virus of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus and the Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus, was used for the large-scale production of porcine mature interleukin-18 (IL-18) in silkworms. Two recombinant hybrid baculoviruses containing cDNA of the porcine precursor IL-18 and the porcine caspase-1 were constructed and were used to infect silkworm larvae. After the co-infection of the two viruses, porcine mature IL-18 was efficiently produced in the haemolymph. The concentration of IL-18 in the haemolymph was 80-100 microg/ml, as determined by porcine IL-18 specific ELISA. This yield was twenty-times more than that of the insect cell expression system described previously. The porcine mature IL-18 produced by the silkworms strongly induced interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production from porcine PBMC. An insect factory system for the large-scale production of useful cytokines for livestock animals will be available in the near future.     

Identifying novel polymorphisms in the canine tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene

Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) serves as the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of serotonin, and two forms of TPH genes, TPH1 and TPH2, have been reported with specific nucleotide sequences and expression patterns. We determined the sequences of these two genes and identified polymorphisms within their coding regions. We identified five novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in the TPH2 gene, one of which resulted in a non-synonymous mutation and the remaining four in synonymous mutations. Comparison of the genotype frequencies of the polymorphisms among five popular breeds with different behavioral traits revealed statistically significant interbreed differences for three polymorphisms. These results suggest that these polymorphisms would be useful genetic markers when performing behavior studies in dogs.     

Sequences of canine glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) 1 and GAD2 genes, and variation of their genetic polymorphisms among five dog breeds

Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) is the primary enzyme in the brain that catalyzes the synthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the main inhibitory neurotransmitter. There are two isoforms named according to their molecular weights, GAD67 and GAD65, which are encoded by GAD1 and GAD2, respectively. To investigate the association between GAD genes and temperament in domestic dogs, Canis familiaris, we sequenced the full lengths of the coding regions of these genes and identified three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GAD1 and one in GAD2. When comparing genotype and allele frequencies of SNPs among five breeds with different behavioral traits, statistically significant interbreed differences were observed for three SNPs in GAD1. These results suggest that GAD1 SNPs may be useful for behavioral genetic studies in dogs.     

Regulation of biosynthesis,perception, and functions of strigolactones for promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and managing root parasitic weeds

Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid‐derived plant secondary metabolites that play important roles in various aspects of plant growth and development as plant hormones, and in rhizosphere communications with symbiotic microbes and also root parasitic weeds. Therefore, sophisticated regulation of the biosynthesis, perception and functions of SLs is expected to promote symbiosis of beneficial microbes including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and also to retard parasitism by devastating root parasitic weeds. We have developed SL mimics with different skeletons, SL biosynthesis inhibitors acting at different biosynthetic steps, SL perception inhibitors that covalently bind to the SL receptor D14, and SL function inhibitors that bind to the serine residue at the catalytic site. In greenhouse pot tests, TIS108, an azole‐type SL biosynthesis inhibitor effectively reduced numbers of attached root parasites Orobanche minor and Striga hermonthica without affecting their host plants; tomato and rice, respectively. AM colonization resulted in weak but distinctly enhanced plant resistance to pathogens. SL mimics can be used to promote AM symbiosis and to reduce the application rate of systemic‐acquired resistance inducers which are generally phytotoxic to horticultural crops. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Supplementing transglucosidase with a high-fiber diet for prevention of postprandial hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic dogs

Indigestible oligosaccharides have been shown to normalize blood glucose and insulin concentration thereby promoting good health and preventing diseases, such as diabetes. Transglucosidase (TG, α-glucosidase, enzyme code (EC) 3.2.1.20) is an enzyme capable of converting starch to oligosaccharides, such as iso-malto-oligosaccharides from maltose, via the action of amylase. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether oral administration of TG with maltose or dextrin is capable of reducing post-prandial serum glucose concentration in experimentally streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic dogs fed on a high-fiber diet. Five healthy and five STZ-induced diabetic dogs were employed in this study. TG supplementation with dextrin or maltose had no detrimental effect in healthy dogs. In fact, TG and dextrin exhibited a flatlined serum glucose pattern, while reducing mean post-prandial serum insulin and glucose concentration as compared to control diet alone. When TG supplementation was tested in STZ-induced diabetic dogs under the context of a high fiber diet, a 13.8% and 23.9% reduction in mean glucose concentration for TG with maltose and dextrin, respectively was observed. Moreover, TG with dextrin resulted in a 13% lower mean post-prandial glucose concentration than TG with maltose, suggesting that dextrin may be a more efficient substrate than maltose when used at the same concentration (1 g/kg). Our results indicate that TG supplementation with diet can lead to lower postprandial glucose levels versus diet alone. However, the efficacy of TG supplementation may depend on the type of diet it is supplemented with. As such, TG administration may be useful for preventing the progression of diabetes mellitus and in its management in dogs.     

Detection of a simplex RAPD marker linked to resistance to potato virus Y in a tetraploid potato

Extreme resistance to potato virus Y, derived from a wild diploid speciesSolanum chacoense, was found in Japanese cultivar Konafubuki. The segregation ratio of resistant vs susceptible in the tetraploid population from Kita-akari (susceptible) x Konafubuki (resistant) indicated that the resistance gene followed a monogenic dominant fashion. Bulked DNA samples of resistant and of susceptible clones were screened with 306 decamer primers by PCR to find RAPD markers linked to the resistance. The RAPD marker 38-530 was reproducibly detected in the resistant clones with a recombination frequency of 16.3%. Except for Konafubuki the marker band was found only in a few limited parental lines and cultivars where the resistance is not involved. Thus, using Konafubuki as a resistance gene source, the RAPD marker 38-530 would be practically and widely useful in tetraploid breeding programs.