Effects of light quality on conidiophore formation of the melon powdery mildew pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Podosphaera xanthii</Emphasis>

The lengths of conidiophores in fungal colonies of the melon powdery mildew pathogen Podosphaera xanthii Pollacci KMP-6 N cultured under greenhouse (natural) conditions differed markedly from those cultured in a growth chamber. We hypothesized that light wavelength was responsible for the differences in conidiophore length. In this study, we examined the effects of light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation (purple, blue, green, orange, and red light) and white light on colony development and conidiophore formation in KMP-6 N using a stereomicroscope and a high-fidelity digital microscope. Colonies on leaves were flat under greenhouse conditions and under red LED light irradiation but were stacked under growth chamber conditions and under purple, blue, green, and orange LED light irradiation. In addition, KMP-6 N formed catenated conidia comprising six conidia per conidiophore under greenhouse conditions and red light but more than seven conidia per conidiophore under growth chamber conditions and purple, blue, green, and orange light. Furthermore, almost none of the conidia on top of the conidiophores grown under blue light were fully constricted. Therefore, these fungi could not scatter their conidia and spread infection. This is the first report of the effects of LED lights on conidiophore formation in the melon powdery mildew fungus P. xanthii. The results provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the responses of conidiophores to light of specific wavelengths and conidial scatter from conidiophores of melon powdery mildew fungi.     

Two Akabane virus glycoprotein Gc domains induce neutralizing antibodies in mice

Akabane virus (AKAV), belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus and family Peribunyaviridae, causes reproductive and congenital abnormalities in ruminants. Its envelope glycoprotein Gc is a neutralizing antigen, on which at least five distinct antigenic regions have been identified. We attempted to identify the domains using truncated recombinant AKAV Gc proteins expressed in Escherichia coli and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with AKAV-neutralizing activity. Dot blot analysis revealed that amino acid positions 1–97 and 189–397 (Gc_1–97 and Gc_189–397) in the truncated recombinant proteins reacted with the mAbs. Additionally, AKAV was neutralized by sera from mice immunized with these recombinant proteins. The results suggested that the two domains contain neutralizing epitopes and could be potential subunit vaccines against AKAV.     

Antigenic differences between H5N1 human influenza viruses isolated in 1997 and 2003

To assess whether the antigenic properties of H5 hemagglutinin (HA) change over time due to antigenic drift, we produced a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the HA of the index H5N1 human influenza A virus, A/Hong Kong/156/97. By immunizing mice with a plasmid expressing this HA and boosting the initial immunization with cell lysates transfected with the plasmid, a total of six hybridomas producing HA-specific mAbs were established: four to the HA1 subunit with hemadsorption-inhibiting activity and two to the HA2 subunit. None of the mAbs to HA1 could bind to the HA of a recent human isolate, A/Hong Kong/213/2003, indicating that there are substantial antigenic differences between the H5N1 human influenza virus isolated in 1997 and that isolated in 2003.     

Quantitative structure—activity studies of insect growth regulators. XI. Stimulation and inhibition of N-acetylglucosamine incorporation in a cultured integument system by substituted N-tert-butyl-N,N′-dibenzoylhydrazines

The ability to stimulate N-acetylglucosamine (GluNAc) incorporation in-vitro of a number of N-tert-butyl-N,N′-dibenzoylhydrazines having various substituents on both phenyl rings was measured in cultured integument excised from the rice stem borer (Chilo suppressalis Walker). The relationship between in-vitro and larvicidal potency was approximately linear. The substituent effects on variations in the potency were similar between in-vitro and larvicidal activities. An inhibitor of oxidative detoxication, piperonyl butoxide, had no synergistic effects on the in-vitro potency. The ability of some dibenzoylhydrazines to inhibit GluNAc incorporation at exposure periods longer than the optimum for stimulation was also measured in a similar cultured integument system. The relationship between the inhibitory and stimulatory potency indices was linear, indicating that the larvicidal activity of dibenzoylhydrazines is closely related to its ability to stimulate as well as to inhibit GluNAc incorporation into the larval cuticle.     

Synthesis and insecticidal activity of benzoheterocyclic analogues of N'-benzoyl-N-(tert-butyl)benzohydrazide: Part 3. Modification of N-tert-butylhydrazine moiety

Nineteen analogues were synthesized by modifying the tert-butylhydrazine moieties of N'-tert-butyl-N'-(3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)-5-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxine-6-carbohydrazide and N'-tert-butyl-N'-(3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)-5-methylchromane-6-carbohydrazide (chromafenozide), and the synthesized analogues were evaluated for their insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura F. While all of the synthesized analogues had insecticidal activity inferior to those of the lead compounds, several of the analogues nonetheless showed high insecticidal activity. Chromafenozide has shown very high selectivity toward lepidopteran species.     

Modeling to assess growth respiration of stems inPinus densiflora trees

Multiple regression analyses were applied to the respiration data obtained by an excision method to distinguish between maintenance and growth respiration in stems ofPinus densiflora. Among several types of regression models, a few models showed marked stability of coefficient of growth related respiration that are independent of degrees of correlation between predictors and any combinations of predictors. These models predicted growth respiration as 0.45 g CO₂ g (dry weight)⁻¹. At 15°C, sapwood maintenance respiration rate was estimated to 0.72 mg CO₂ g⁻¹ day⁻¹. These estimates were not different from the results obtained with standing trees.     

Antioxidant constituents in distillation residue of Awamori spirits

Constituents in a distillation residue of Awamori (millet spirits) and their antioxidant activity are investigated in this study. The supernatant of the distillation residue obtained by centrifugation was partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol against water to afford the corresponding solubles. Among them, n-hexane and chloroform solubles showed higher antioxidant potency than l-ascorbic acid by the bleomycin-Fe method. In chloroform solubles, seven cyclic dipeptides were identified along with ethyl 2-pyrrolidione-5-carboxylate, tyrosol, and ethyl p-hydoroxyphenyllactate. Antioxidant activity of ethyl p-hydoroxyphenyllactate was 4.2 times that of l-ascorbic acid, whereas cyclic dipeptides showed activity 0.89-1.29 times as strong as that of l-ascorbic acid. On the other hand, scavenging effect of cyclic dipeptides against O(2)(-.) and OH(.) by using electron spin resonance was also investigated. In the results, cyclo(l-Ile-l-Pro) showed significantly strong inhibitory effect against OH(.) (95.4% at 2.5 x 10-3 M) and cyclo(l-Phe-l-Pro), cyclo(l-Pro-l-Val), and cyclo(l-Leu-l-Pro) inhibited OH(.) 64.9, 54.1, and 51.0%, respectively, whereas alpha-tocopherol showed 37.7% inhibition, though only a few cyclic dipeptides weakly inhibited O(2)(-.).     

Properties of scallop mantle collagen: its content,tissue distribution and thermal behavior

ABSTRACT:   To obtain fundamental information for the effective use of scallop Patinopecten yessoensis mantle, which is one of the underutilized marine resources. Some properties of collagen contained in the mantle were examined by chemical and histochemical techniques. Collagen content in the mantle varied annually, ranging from 0.98 to 1.72% of wet tissue, 7.7 to 12.6% of dry tissue and 13.5 to 26.5% of total protein, being relatively in high level of collagen content of invertebrate muscles. Collagen fiber was densely distributed in the inner connective tissue matrix of the mantle pallial, in contrast to the inner fold part which was rich in muscle fibers. The collagen contained in the crude collagen fraction (residue after alkali extraction), prepared from the mantle, was revealed to have considerably low solubility on hot-water extraction, constantly less than 20% of the total collagen at the temperatures in the range of 20–90°C.     

Microscopic detection of reactive oxygen species generation in the compatible and incompatible interactions of Alternaria alternata Japanese pear pathotype and host plants

 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was examined in the interaction of Alternaria alternata Japanese pear pathotype and host plants using three methods: nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) method for microscopic detection of O₂ ⁻, diaminobenzidine (DAB) methods for microscopic detection of H₂O₂, and cerium chloride methods for ultrastructural detection of H₂O₂. ROS generation was detected by NBT and DAB methods at appressoria on leaves of susceptible cultivars and heat-shocked leaves of resistant cultivars but not in leaves of resistant cultivars. Ultrastructural detection by the cerium chloride method identified ROS generation at cell walls of appressoria and penetration pegs in susceptible, resistant leaves and heat-shocked leaves. These differences in the ultrastructural and microscopic data in resistant areas were due to the restriction of ROS generation in limited areas, the side facing the plant surface, of appressoria and penetration pegs. Therefore, ROS generation was apparently induced regardless of the resistance or susceptibility of the cultivar with the difference being in the volumes generated. After evaluating the pathological role of ROS generation in fungal structures, such generation was found to be associated with early penetration of cell walls in pear plants. Additionally, ROS generation in plants was also found in degrading pectin layers near infected hyphae and in plasma membrane modification sites in susceptible leaves but not in resistant leaves. ROS generation in susceptible leaves might be accompanied with plasma membrane damage, although the role of ROS generation in the pectin layers is not clear. ROS generation in both fungal and plant cells during their interaction was likely associated with the expression of susceptibility. Received: June 3, 2002 / Accepted: July 31, 2002