Distribution of mecA-harboring staphylococci in healthy mares

The prevalence of staphylococci that harbor the mecA gene responsible for methicillin resistance was examined in healthy breeding mares. Staphylococci often cause diseases of horses such as metritis, keratitis, and abscess. Methicillin-resistant staphylococci would make antibiotic treatments ineffective, so it may be significant to know the distribution of mecA-harboring staphylococci in mares. Isolation of mecA-harboring staphylococci was achieved from nares and pasterns of 100 mares in Hokkaido, Japan. From 13% of the mares, mecA-harboring staphylococci, including 15 isolates of Staphylococcus sciuri and 3 of Staphylococcus lentus, were isolated. Isolates of S. sciuri were found to be genetically polyclonal by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. These isolates produced no PCase and showed low or no resistance to beta-lactam and other classes of antibiotics. Distribution of staphylococcal species and levels of antibiotic resistance were found to be different between isolates from the present mares and those previously reported from riding-horses. Antibiotic pressure may lead to these differences. In addition, it appears that mecA-harboring S. sciuri may be native to horses.     

Diversity of seed cesium accumulation in soybean mini-core collections

Radiocesium is an extremely harmful radionuclide because of its long half-life; it is important to reduce its transfer from contaminated soil into crops. Here we surveyed genetic variation for seed cesium (Cs) concentration in soybean mini-core collections representing large genetic diversity. The collections grown over 3 years in rotational paddy fields exhibited varying seed Cs concentrations with significant year-to-year correlations, although the phenotypic stability of Cs concentration was lower than that of the congeners potassium (K) and rubidium (Rb). Although Cs is supposedly accumulated in plants via the K transport system, there was no apparent relationship between Cs and K concentrations, whereas a clear positive correlation was observed between Cs and Rb concentrations. Cs and K concentrations in seed showed slightly positive and negative correlations, respectively, with days to flowering. We selected several high or low Cs accumulator candidates on the basis of the 3 years of seed concentration data. These two groups showed significantly different seed Cs concentrations in another field. The differences could not be explained by flowering time alone. These results suggest that genetic variation for seed Cs concentration is present in soybean germplasm and would be useful for breeding low Cs-accumulating varieties.     

A comparison of regression methods for estimating soil-atmosphere diffusion gas fluxes by a closed-chamber technique

Continuous changes in methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations inside a closed chamber were measured on the forest floor at three sites: a deciduous forest and a coniferous forest in Hokkaido, Japan, and a birch forest in West Siberia, Russian Federation. Flux estimations by three types of regression methods, exponential, nonlinear, and linear, were examined using field-collected concentration data. The pattern of change with time of the gas concentration in the headspace differed, mainly according to site but also, to a lesser extent, according to the gas. This was a function of both the chamber height and surface soil property relating to soil gas diffusion and the gas concentration profile. Flux estimations did not differ statistically between the exponential and nonlinear methods for either gas at any site, because both of those regression methods were based on diffusion theory. However, the flux values estimated by linear regression were significantly different from those estimated by the other two methods for both CH₄ and CO₂ at the deciduous forest site and for CO₂ at the coniferous forest site. Shortening the chamber deployment period improved the linearity of the curve, but did not completely eliminate the error. Our results suggest that linear regression is not a good model of the change in headspace concentration with time.     

8S globulin of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]: cloning and characterization of its cDNA isoforms, expression in Escherichia coli, purification, and crystallization of the major recombinant 8S isoform

Three isoforms of the cDNA of the major 8S globulin of mungbean, 8Salpha, 8Salpha', and 8Sbeta, were isolated, cloned, and characterized. The cDNA sequences of 8Salpha, 8Salpha', and 8Sbeta had open reading frames of 1362, 1359 or 1362, and 1359 bp, respectively, which code for 454, 453 or 454, and 453 amino acids corresponding to molecular weights of 51 973, 51 627 or 51 758, and 51 779, respectively. Homology in terms of cDNA and amino acid sequences was 91-92% between 8Salpha and 8Salpha', 87% between 8Salpha and 8Sbeta, and 86-88% between 8Salpha' and 8Sbeta. The signal peptide was found to be 1-25, 1-24 or 25, and 1-23 for 8Salpha, 8Salpha', and 8Sbeta, respectively, using the signalP website (Nielsen, H.; Engelbrecht, J.; Brunak, S.; von Heijne, G. Protein Eng. 1997, 10, 1-6). The propeptide was determined to be IVHREN. A single site for glycosylation (N-X-S/T) was observed about 90 amino acids from the C terminus. Homology between mungbean 8S isoforms and other 7-8S proteins ranged from 45 to 68% within members of the legume family and 29 to 34% for crops of different species. The major isoform 8Salpha was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by successive ammonium sulfate fractionation, hydrophobic interaction, and Mono Q column chromatography. The recombinant 8Salpha, but not the native form, was successfully crystallized producing rhombohedral crystals.     

Molecular identification of a taste receptor gene for trehalose in Drosophila

The molecular nature of sweet taste receptors has not been fully explored. Employing a differential screening strategy, we identified a taste receptor gene, Tre1, that controls the taste sensitivity to trehalose in Drosophila melanogaster. The Tre1 gene encodes a novel protein with similarity to G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane receptors. Disruption of the Tre1 gene lowered the taste sensitivity to trehalose, whereas sensitivities to other sugars were unaltered. Overexpression of the Tre1 gene restored the taste sensitivity to trehalose in the Tre1 deletion mutant. The Tre1 gene is expressed in taste sensory cells. These results provide direct evidence that Tre1 encodes a putative taste receptor for trehalose in Drosophila.     

Effects on flowering and seed yield of dominant alleles at maturity loci E2 and E3 in a Japanese cultivar,Enrei

‘Enrei’ is the second leading variety of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in Japan. Its cultivation area is mainly restricted to the Hokuriku region. In order to expand the adaptability of ‘Enrei’, we developed two near-isogenic lines (NILs) of ‘Enrei’ for the dominant alleles controlling late flowering at the maturity loci, E2 and E3, by backcrossing with marker-assisted selection. The resultant NILs and the original variety were evaluated for flowering, maturity, seed productivity and other agronomic traits in five different locations. Expectedly, NILs with E2 or E3 alleles flowered later than the original variety in most locations. These NILs produced comparatively larger plants in all locations. Seed yields were improved by E2 and E3 in the southern location or in late-sowing conditions, whereas the NIL for E2 exhibited almost the same or lower productivity in the northern locations due to higher degrees of lodging. Seed quality-related traits, such as 100-seed weight and protein content, were not significantly different between the original variety and its NILs. These results suggest that the modification of genotypes at maturity loci provides new varieties that are adaptive to environments of different latitudes while retaining almost the same seed quality as that of the original.     

Dimensional stability and strength properties of particleboard produced by a closed-press system

The purpose of this study was to reveal the effects of various levels of mat-moisture content (m.m.c.) and the closed-press system for making single- or three-layer particleboard on the density profile, thickness swelling, specific moduli of elasticity (MOE) and rupture (MOR) and internal bond strength. Internal gas pressure was measured in an enclosed frame; and the larger the m.m.c., the higher the internal gas pressure became. When rising water vapor (steam) struck particles, it plasticized them and cured the adhesive, resulting in improved interparticle contact. The vertical density gradient in the three-layer board was larger than that in the single-layer board. As for thickness swelling by cold-water soaking, the single-layer boards were less affected than the three-layer boards and showed good dimensional stability with increased m.m.c. The open-system boards swelled more than the closed-system boards. The closed-system single-layer board made at high m.m.c. returned nearly to the prime thickness by air-drying after cold-water soaking. Specific MOE and MOR were larger at 15% or 10% m.m.c. than those at other m.m.c. Considerable reductions of specific MOR and MOE of the closed-system three-layer board were observed at 20% or 25% m.m.c.Part of this report was presented at the 45th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tokyo, April 1995 and at the 48th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Shizuoka, April 1998