Screening of Neutrophil Activating Factors from a Metagenome Library of Sponge-Associated Bacteria     

Yoshiko Okamura  Hirokazu Takahashi  Atsuyuki Shiida  Yuto Hirata  Haruko Takeyama  Katsuhiko Suzuki 《Marine drugs》2021,19(8)

Marine sponge-associated bacteria are known as bio-active compound produce. We have constructed metagenome libraries of the bacteria and developed a metagenomic screening approach. Activity-based screening successfully identified novel genes and novel enzymes; however, the efficiency was only in 1 out of 10⁴ clones. Therefore, in this study, we thought that bioinformatics could help to reduce screening efforts, and combined activity-based screening with database search. Neutrophils play an important role for the immune system to recognize excreted bacterial by-products as chemotactic factors and are recruited to infection sites to kill pathogens via phagocytosis. These excreted by-products are considered critical triggers that engage the immune system to mount a defense against infection, and identifying these factors may guide developments in medicine and diagnostics. We focused on genes encoding amino acid ligase and peptide synthetase and selected from an in-house sponge metagenome database. Cell-free culture medium of each was used in a neutrophil chemiluminescence assay in luminol reaction. The clone showing maximum activity had a genomic sequence expected to produce a molecule like a phospho-N-acetylmuramyl pentapeptide by the metagenome fragment analysis.  相似文献   

Evaluating the rumen‐protected lysine stability in forage‐based total mixed rations in vitro and determining the lysine Brix value     

Saki Ishimaru  Mabrouk Elsabagh  Seiichi Saiki  Atsushi Haruno  Maki Nakamura  Hidetada Funo  Taketo Obitsu  Izuru Shinzato  Toshihisa Sugino 《Animal Science Journal》2019,90(8):932-938

Three rumen‐protected lysine (RPL) products (AjiPro^®‐L, LysiPEARL^TM, and Feedtech Bypass Lysine^TM: A, B, and C, respectively) were tested for stability in two forage‐based total mixed rations (TMR1, 41.3% dry matter (DM), and TMR2, 49.5% DM) (experiment 1) and for Brix value (experiment 2). In experiment 1, each RPL product (2 g each) and TMR diet (200 g) were mixed and stored in plastic bags at 20°C for 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hr. In experiment 2, each RPL product (2 g) was dispensed into ion‐exchanged water (20 ml) and kept at 20°C for 0, 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hr. At each time point, free lysine (Lys) content and Brix values of extracts were measured, and Lys release (LR, %) was calculated. All RPL products LR% varied with varying diets DM and increased with increasing of time exposed to diets; it was highest in C, followed by B, and then A. Water LR% positively correlated with that from diets and with Brix values of Lys dissociated in water. Our results indicated that Lys dissociation from RPL products is affected by diet DM content. Brix value may be used as a potential marker for RPL protection efficacy.  相似文献   

Cytological and genetical studies on male sterility inCryptomeria japonica D. Don     

Maki Saito  Hideaki Taira  Yoshihiko Furuta 《Journal of Forest Research》1998,3(3):167-173

Genetic male sterility is a useful trait in plant breeding, especially in angiosperm crops such as corn, onion and carrot. We found a male sterile sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) tree in Toyama, Japan. Pollen of sugi is one of the major causes of pollinosis in Japan. We carried out this research in an attempt to make clear the characteristics and inheritance of this male sterility. Microsporogenesis of the male sterile tree proceeded meiosis, however, the microspores collapsed after they were separated from pollen tetrads in locules, resulting in complete male sterility. Most likely, ethylene evolution was responsible for male sterility expression. Full seed setting in the male sterile tree indicated normal macrosporogenesis. Seeds obtained from crossing between male sterile and normal lines showed relatively high level of germination and their seedlings grew vigorously. The somatic chromosome numbers of 241 germinated seeds, derived from the male sterile tree, were mostly 22, euploid. These results indicated that male sterile tree was different from other similar previously reported trees with low pollen fertility, resulting from triploid or trisomics. Probably, male sterility in sugi is either nuclear genetic male sterility or cytoplasmic male sterility. The study was partially supported by Program for Promotion of Basic Research Actives for Innovative Biosciences.  相似文献   

First report of sclerotinia rot of mango caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</Emphasis> in Japan     

Atsushi Ajitomi  Tetsuya Takushi  Atsushi Ooshiro  Maki Yamashiro  Satoshi Taba 《Journal of General Plant Pathology》2018,84(1):70-72

A panicle blight with sclerotia was found on mango (Mangifera indica L.) in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, in March 2016. Water-soaked lesions with white mycelia developed on panicles in the flowering stage; softening and decay of panicles was followed by formation of sclerotia. The fungus isolated from these sclerotia was identified as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum based on morphology and analysis of rDNA-ITS sequences. The isolate reproduced the symptoms on mango panicles in an inoculation test and was reisolated from flower stalks. This is the first report of sclerotinia rot (kinkaku-byo in Japanese) on mango caused by S. sclerotiorum in Japan.  相似文献   

A decision-making model for rice paddy cropping in an urbanizing area of the Lao PDR     

Keigo Noda  Masayasu Maki  Kanae Miyaoka  Koki Homma  Hiroaki Shirakawa  Kazuo Oki 《Paddy and Water Environment》2015,13(4):487-493

In Southeast Asia, economic and population growth are expected in the near future. Rapid change is anticipated especially in the Lao PDR. Concern has been expressed that population growth will lead to an increased demand for food and economic growth to changes in the use of land. For food production to keep pace with the growth of population, it is very important to understand decision-making in rice paddy cultivation in urbanizing areas; for this reason, this study with the SEM model was conducted. The original data were collected by a questionnaire survey in some Lao villages; the survey included questions on various conditions, such as the availability of water in the dry season (irrigation), the access to a city, and job opportunities other than farming. The findings of the study demonstrate that the planting of a second rice crop was related to such factors as the productivity of rain-fed rice and cash crops and, most importantly, job opportunities other than farming.  相似文献   

Direct Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in Bovine Lymph Nodes by PCR     

M. A. Cardoso  R. F. Cardoso  R. D. C. Hirata  M. H. Hirata  C. Q. F. Leite  A. C. B. Santos  V. L. D. Siqueira  W. Okano  N. S. Rocha  M. V. C. Lonardoni 《Zoonoses and public health》2009,56(8):465-470

Thirty‐five lymph node samples were taken from animals with macroscopic lesions consistent with Mycobacterium bovis infection. The animals were identified by postmortem examination in an abattoir in the northwestern region of state of Paraná, Brazil. Twenty‐two of the animals had previously been found to be tuberculin skin test positive. Tissue samples were decontaminated by Petroff’s method and processed for acid‐fast bacilli staining, culture in Stonebrink and Lowenstein‐Jensen media and DNA extraction. Lymph node DNA samples were amplified by PCR in the absence and presence (inhibitor controls) of DNA extracted from M. bovis culture. Mycobacterium bovis was identified in 14 (42.4%) lymph node samples by both PCR and by culture. The frequency of PCR‐positive results (54.5%) was similar to that of culture‐positive results (51.5%, P > 0.05). The percentage of PCR‐positive lymph nodes increased from 39.4% (13/33) to 54.5% (18/33) when samples that were initially PCR‐negative were reanalysed using 2.5 μl DNA (two samples) and 1 : 2 diluted DNA (three samples). PCR sensitivity was affected by inhibitors and by the amount of DNA in the clinical samples. Our results indicate that direct detection of M. bovis in lymph nodes by PCR may be a fast and useful tool for bovine tuberculosis epidemic management in the region.  相似文献   

Airborne laser scanning in forest management: Individual tree identification and laser pulse penetration in a stand with different levels of thinning     

Yasumasa Hirata  Naoyuki Furuya  Makoto Suzuki  Hirokazu Yamamoto 《Forest Ecology and Management》2009

This study examined the ability of an airborne laser scanner to identify individual trees in the canopy of a Chamaecyparis obtusa stand and investigated the relationship between the penetration rate of the laser pulses and stand attributes under different canopy conditions caused by different levels of thinning. Individual tree crowns were identified from a digital canopy model (DCM) derived from airborne laser scanner data by the watershed segmentation method. The identification rate of individual trees in blocks with heavy thinning (ratio of the basal area of the felled trees to the total basal area, hereinafter thinning ratio of the basal area, 38.0%), moderate thinning (30.4%), and no thinning was 95.3%, 89.2%, and 60.0%, respectively. Individual tree heights were estimated from the DCM values by local maximum filtering within identified individual crowns. Tree height in the three blocks was estimated with a root-mean-square error of 0.95, 0.65, and 0.68 m, respectively. Tree heights determined in a field survey were regressed against those estimated from the DCM, yielding coefficients of determination (r²) of 0.71, 0.87, and 0.85, respectively, for the blocks with heavy thinning, moderate thinning, and no thinning, respectively, and 0.86 overall. The respective penetration rates of the laser pulses through the canopy to the ground were 50.6%, 43.1%, and 9.2%. Regression of the laser pulse penetration rate against the thinning ratio of the basal area and against the total basal area of the remaining trees in 25 quadrats established in the blocks, yielded r² values of 0.89 and 0.74, respectively.  相似文献   

Effects of patch cutting on leaf nitrogen nutrition in hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher) at different elevations along a slope in Japan     

Asami Nakanishi  Yoshiyuki Inagaki  Naoya Osawa  Shozo Shibata  Kei’ichi Hirata 《Journal of Forest Research》2009,14(6):388-393

Leaf nitrogen nutrition of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher) was investigated at three positions along a slope over a period of 3 years. At each slope position, nitrogen properties were compared in patch-cut plots (0.06–0.09 ha) and uncut control plots (0.04 ha). Nitrogen cycling at the lower slope was characterized by a higher rate of soil nitrogen mineralization, and higher nitrogen concentration in fresh leaves and leaf-litter. The soil nitrogen mineralization rate and fresh-leaf nitrogen concentration in the patch-cut plots were higher than those in the control plots. However, leaf-litter nitrogen concentration did not differ between the patch-cut and control plots. The results suggest that slope position strongly affects leaf nitrogen nutrition of hinoki cypress and soil nitrogen availability. By contrast, patch cutting does not affect leaf-litter nitrogen concentration. These findings indicated that hinoki cypress would not enhance forest nitrogen cycling through changes in leaf-litter nitrogen concentration after patch cutting.  相似文献   

Actions of quinolizidine alkaloids on Periplaneta americana nicotinic acetylcholine receptors     

Liu L  Alam MS  Hirata K  Matsuda K  Ozoe Y 《Pest management science》2008,64(12):1222-1228

BACKGROUND: Botanical insecticides do not play a major role as crop protectants, but they are beneficial in some applications. The authors investigated the actions of naturally occurring alkaloids on insect nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (nAChRs) by evaluating their abilities to inhibit specific binding of [³H]imidacloprid (IMI) to nerve‐cord membranes from Periplaneta americana L. Two alkaloids were also tested for their actions on nAChRs expressed by cockroach neurons using patch‐clamp electrophysiology. RESULTS: Four natural quinolizidine alkaloids (matrine, sophocarpine, cytisine and aloperine) exhibited more than 50% inhibition of [³H]IMI binding at 10 µM , although other compounds were found to have no or low inhibitory activity. The rank order of potency based on concentration–inhibition curves was cytisine > sophocarpine ≥ aloperine ≥ matrine. Patch‐clamp analysis indicated that sophocarpine and aloperine were not agonists of nAChRs expressed in P. americana neurons, yet, at 10 µM , aloperine, but not sophocarpine, suppressed ACh‐induced inward currents significantly. CONCLUSION: Three of the four natural alkaloids tested possess structural moieties that are necessary for interaction with P. americana nAChRs. Aloperine, which possesses a unique structure and showed a distinctive dose–response curve, was found to act as an antagonist. Appropriate modifications of these alkaloids might result in novel insecticidal nAChR ligands. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry  相似文献   

Impact of Rabies Vaccination History on Attainment of an Adequate Antibody Titre Among Dogs Tested for International Travel Certification,Israel – 2010–2014          下载免费PDF全文

B. Yakobson  N. Taylor  N. Dveres  S. Rotblat  Ż. Spero  E. W. Lankau  J. Maki 《Zoonoses and public health》2017,64(4):281-289

Rabies is endemic in wildlife or domestic carnivore populations globally. Infection of domestic dogs is of particular concern in many areas. In regions where domestic animals are at risk of exposure to rabies virus, dogs should be routinely vaccinated against rabies to protect both pet and human populations. Many countries require demonstration of an adequate level of serum rabies neutralizing antibodies to permit entry of dogs during international travel. We analysed rabies titres of dogs seeking travel certification in Israel to assess demographic and vaccine history factors associated with antibody titres below the acceptable threshold for travel certification. Having received only one previous rabies vaccination and a longer duration since the most recent vaccination was received were primary risk factors for not achieving an adequate rabies virus neutralizing antibody titre for travel certification. These risk factors had stronger effects in younger animals, but were consistent for dogs of all ages. In particular, these findings reiterate the importance of administering at least two rabies vaccinations (the primo vaccination and subsequent booster) to ensure population‐level protection against rabies in dogs globally.  相似文献