Inheritance mode of microsatellite DNA markers and their use for kinship estimation in kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus

The allelic inheritance mode of microsatellite DNA markers was examined using seven copulated wild females and their offspring. Five microsatellite loci, CSPJ002 *, CSPJ010 *, CSPJ012 *, CSPJ014 *, and CSPJ015 *, were used in the study. At almost all family/locus combinations, one sire was determined and distributions of genotypes in offspring were consistent with the Mendelian segregation ratio. Distributions of genotypes were consistent with the ratio after assuming a null allele at some loci. Consequently, the alleles of CSPJ002 * and CSPJ012 * were inherited following the Mendelian inheritance mode in every family; however, the null allele was expected in CSPJ010 *, CSPJ014 *, and CSPJ015 * in some families. Thus, these loci should be used carefully in population genetic analysis, but siblings could be detected in the dendrograms based on unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages (UPMGA).     

Spontaneous mosaicism occurred in normally fertilized and gynogenetically induced progeny of the kokanee salmon Oncorhynchus nerka

ABSTRACT:   In normally fertilized progeny of the kokanee salmon Oncorhynchus nerka , DNA content flow cytometry revealed that all the externally normal embryos were diploid, whereas abnormal embryos exhibited haplo-diploid, diplo-tetraploid and haplo-diplo-tetraploid mosaicisms, together with a few haploid and diploid individuals. When gynogenetic development was artificially induced by fertilization of eggs obtained from a female of the same kokanee brood stock with UV-irradiated sperm, haplo-diploid mosaics appeared most frequently. These mosaics were likely to happen by certain cytological events, such as meiotic or mitotic errors during the process of maturation, fertilization or early cleavage.     

Pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma concentration and urinary excretion of sulphamonomethoxine and its metabolite in Goettingen minipigs

The plasma concentration and renal excretion after a bolus intravenous injection of a low (10 mg/kg) or high (100 mg/kg) dose of sulphamonomethoxine (SMM) were studied in five Goettingen minipigs. The time data of plasma concentration after a low dose decreased rapidly and appeared to be linear on semilog graph paper. On the other hand, a decrease in the plasma concentration after a high dose was slow at first, gradually accelerated, then became rapid, showing that SMM disposition after a high dose (100 mg/kg) seemed to be non-linear with capacity-limited elimination. A large amount of the acetyl derivative of SMM (AcSMM), which was determined to be the main excretory product of SMM in urine, was detected in the plasma after SMM injection. As the ratios of the area under plasma concentration-time curve of AcSMM to that of SMM were not significantly different at either dose, the acetylation of SMM may be unsaturable by injection of 100 mg/kg of SMM. Immediately after the injection of a low dose, a rapid hyperbolic increase of the fraction of the cumulative amount of the excretory products in urine was observed. On the other hand, the fraction curve at the high dose rose slowly at first, then rapidly and hyperbolically. These results suggested that the non-linear drug disposition after a high dose (100 mg/kg) of SMM in pigs may be the result of a limited capacity for renal excretion of SMM and excretory products, especially the acetyl derivative.     

Postdispersal seed predation by Teleogryllus emma (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) reduces the seedling emergence of a non‐native grass weed,Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)

The potential impact of postdispersal seed predation by the field cricket, Teleogryllus emma (Ohmachi et Matsuura), on the seedling emergence of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), a non‐native grass weed in Japan, was determined. The relationship between cricket density and the proportion of seedling emergence was investigated by conducting manipulative experiments in duplicate, using enclosures. One‐thousand seeds of Italian ryegrass were exposed to adult crickets at different densities (zero, one, two, four and eight individuals per 2.25 m² enclosure) for 2 weeks. The proportion of seedling emergence decreased with increasing cricket density. The proportion of seedling emergence in the enclosures without the crickets was 90.9–97.2%, whereas the seedling emergence in the enclosures with eight crickets greatly decreased, to 0.5–2.5%. These results suggest that postdispersal seed predation by T. emma can substantially decrease the abundance of Italian ryegrass at an early life stage and reduce its population in environments with a high density of crickets.     

Predator–prey systems of drifting seaweed communities offthe Tohoku coast, northern Japan, as determined by feeding habitanalysis of phytal animals

ABSTRACT:   We collected phytal animals (fauna associated with drifting seaweeds)off the Tohoku coast in northern Japan in May and June 1994 to examine their feeding habits. Phytal animals were assignedto the following three feeding habit groups: (i) carnivores preyingon crustaceans: a gammarid ( Stenothoe sp.) and a decapodmegalops; (ii) omnivores feeding on crustaceans and pinnate diatoms:a cirripede ( Lepas anserifera ), three gammarids ( Calliopius sp., Jassaslatteryi and J. marmorata ), an isopod ( Idotea metallica ),a decapod crustacean ( Planes cyaneus ), a decapod megalopsand two caprellids ( Caprella penantis and Caprella mutica );and (iii) herbivores grazing on pinnate diatoms, fucoids and seaweedsother than fucoids: three gammarids ( Allorchestes angusta , Amphithoelacertosa and Perampithoe lindbergi ), an isopod ( Cymodocejaponica ) and a polychaete ( Platynereis bicanaliculata ).Pinnate diatoms in the gut contents were composed mainly of Licmophora spp., Navicula spp., Nitzschia spp.and Cocconeis spp. and seaweeds other than fucoids (i.e. Ectocarpussiliculosus and Sphacelaria furcigera ). The latter twoalgae seemed to be epiphytes on drifting seaweeds. These resultssuggest that phytal animals play an important role in drifting seaweed communitiesthrough trophic linkage with two primary producers (i.e. driftingseaweeds and the epiphytes growing on them).     

Relatedness structure estimated by microsatellites DNA and mitochondrial DNA polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphisms analyses in the wild population of kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus

ABSTRACT: The genetic structure and variability of four wild populations of kuruma prawn in Japan were examined by estimating relatedness among individuals. The relatedness was estimated by five microsatellites (MS) DNA markers. Examination of relatedness showed that individuals were related significantly in Kumamoto and Kagoshima. In Kagoshima, some individuals showed full-sib level of relatedness. The analysis of mitochondrial (mt)DNA polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) was also performed, showing that the closely related individuals in Kagoshima tended to share a common haplotype. It is, therefore, supposed that there are many kins in Kumamoto and Kagoshima. However, the heterozygosities and allelic and genotypic frequencies in MS-DNA analysis were not significantly different among the localities. Moreover, the haplotype distributions of mtDNA in Kumamoto and Kagoshima were significantly different from other localities. Thus, it is suggested that no spatial differentiations occurred due to the geographic or historical effects between the localities and that there is the possibility of a mixture of hatchery populations in Kumamoto and Kagoshima.     

Environmental effects on recruitment and productivity of Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus and chub mackerel Scomber japonicus with recommendations for management

We compared a wide range of environmental data with measures of recruitment and stock production for Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus and chub mackerel Scomber japonicus to examine factors potentially responsible for fishery regimes (periods of high or low recruitment and productivity). Environmental factors fall into two groups based on principal component analyses. The first principal component group was determined by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation Index and was dominated by variables associated with the Southern Oscillation Index and Kuroshio Sverdrup transport. The second was led by the Arctic Oscillation and dominated by variables associated with Kuroshio geostrophic transport. Instantaneous surplus production rates (ISPR) and log recruitment residuals (LNRR) changed within several years of environmental regime shifts and then stabilized due, we hypothesize, to rapid changes in carrying capacity and relaxation of density dependent effects. Like ISPR, LNRR appears more useful than fluctuation in commercial catch data for identifying the onset of fishery regime shifts. The extended Ricker models indicate spawning stock biomass and sea surface temperatures (SST) affect recruitment of sardine while spawning stock biomass, SST and sardine biomass affect recruitment of chub mackerel. Environmental conditions were favorable for sardine during 1969–87 and unfavorable during 1951–67 and after 1988. There were apparent shifts from favorable to unfavorable conditions for chub mackerel during 1976–77 and 1985–88, and from unfavorable to favorable during 1969–70 and 1988–92. Environmental effects on recruitment and surplus production are important but fishing effects are also influential. For example, chub mackerel may have shifted into a new favorable fishery regime in 1992 if fishing mortality had been lower. We suggest that managers consider to shift fishing effort in response to the changing stock productivity, and protect strong year classes by which we may detect new favorable regimes.     

Three compartment model for pyrimethamine disposition in the pig

Plasma concentration and urine excretion of pyrimethamine (Py) after intravenous (i.v.) administration (10 mg/kg) were determined in four pigs, using NP-FID gas chromatography. A three-compartment model system adequately fitted the observed plasma data. Py may undergo an extensive extravascular distribution, because of the ratio of total volume of distribution to volume of the central compartment was extremely large (about 10). From the calculation of theoretical distribution, only 30% of the dose appears to remain in the central compartment 15 min after administration. Within 2 h of administration the proportion of drug within the two identified peripheral compartments exceeded the proportion remaining in the central compartment. Calculation of cumulative drug excretion showed that up to 90% of an administered dose is excreted within 24 h of administration, although only about 3% of the dose could be detected in urine in an unchanged form during the 24 h period.     

Adsorption of minerals on the isolated mantle of Patinopecten yessoensis

The isolated mantle of scallop ( Patinopecten yessoensis ) was shown to adsorb minerals (Zn, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Ni and Co) to more than 1% upon treatment with mineral solution. The amounts of adsorbed Zn, Ca and Mg were 44.3, 47.4 and 15.5 mg/g dry weight, when the mantle was treated with 5% ZnSO₄, CaCl₂ and MgSO₄ solutions at room temperature, respectively. The amounts of adsorbed Zn, Ca and Mg were dependent on the concentration of mineral solution used. This is the first report showing that the isolated mantle adsorbs nutritionally important minerals such as Ca, Mg and Fe. This finding may lead to the development of new mineral-enriched food supplements.     

Horizontal current field, ADCP backscatter, and plankton distribution in Sagami Bay, Japan

The dry mass of zooplankton and backscatter from an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) used in Sagami Bay, Japan, from 9 to 13 April 2005 were well correlated (correlation coefficient = 0.72, root mean square dry weight = 2.5 mg m⁻³). The horizontal current field and zooplankton distribution were estimated from shipboard ADCP data. Although sea surface temperature and chlorophyll a concentration observed by satellite were consistent with the current field, a counterclockwise circulation associated with the Kuroshio meander, zooplankton were mainly distributed downstream of the phytoplankton population by horizontal current advection.