Habitat generalization of a predatory ladybird,Harmonia yedoensis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in an allopatric area with respect to its sibling species Harmonia axyridis

In central Japan, Harmonia yedoensis is a specialist ladybird that is confined to pine tree habitats, whereas its sibling species Harmonia axyridis is a generalist that feeds on a wide range of aphid species in nature. Interestingly, H. axyridis is not distributed in the Ryukyu Archipelago, southern Japan. We hypothesized that the ecological niche of H. yedoensis should be wider in the Ryukyu Archipelago, where its competitor species in central Japan, H. axyridis, is absent. We undertook fieldwork and a survey of published works to examine habitat utilization by H. yedoensis in the Ryukyu Archipelago. We found that H. yedoensis adults in the Ryukyu Archipelago visited several kinds of deciduous trees, including wild tamarind, Chinese hibiscus, Taiwan cherry and Malayan banyan, as well as pine trees. These observations suggest that habitat generalization has occurred in H. yedoensis in the Ryukyu Archipelago, where it does not compete with H. axyridis.     

Phylogeography of Pulsatilla cernua (Ranunculaceae), a grassland species,in Japan

The genetic diversity and structure of Pulsatilla cernua, a continental‐grassland relict, were investigated using variations in chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and microsatellites of nuclear DNA. In the analyses of three cpDNA regions, 17 haplotypes were found in 24 populations of P. cernua from Japan, Korea, and Russia. Although the route and time of migration between the continent of Asia and Japan could not be well resolved, the cpDNA haplotype network suggests the existence of several ancient lineages in Japan and a recent secondary migration from Japan to the continent. Microsatellite analyses did not indicate genetic structure among the Japanese populations, indicating the existence of gene flow across the distribution area until recently. These results indicate that the present fragmentation of P. cernua in Japan may reflect a rapid, recent reduction from a previously large, continuous distribution.     

Structural analysis of an acidic, fatty acid ester-bonded extracellular polysaccharide produced by a pristane-assimilating marine bacterium, Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4

Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4 is a marine bacterium that can degrade various alkanes including pristane, a C(19) branched alkane. This strain produces a large quantity of extracellular polysaccharides, which are assumed to play an important role in the hydrocarbon tolerance of this bacterium. The strain produced two acidic extracellular polysaccharides, FR1 and FR2, and the latter showed emulsifying activity toward clove oil, whereas the former did not. FR2 was composed of D-galactose, D-glucose, D-mannose, D-glucuronic acid, and pyruvic acid at a molar ratio of 1:1:1:1:1, and contained 2.9% (w/w) stearic acid and 4.3% (w/w) palmitic acid attached via ester bonds. Therefore, we designated FR2 as a PR4 fatty acid-containing extracellular polysaccharide or FACEPS. The chemical structure of the PR4 FACEPS polysaccharide chain was determined by 1D (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopies as well as by 2D DQF-COSY, TOCSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY experiments. The sugar chain of PR4 FACEPS was shown to consist of tetrasaccharide repeating units having the following structure: [structure: see text].     

Babesia bovis: effects of cysteine protease inhibitors on in vitro growth

In the present study, we examined the effects of four kinds of cysteine protease inhibitors (E64, E64d, leupeptin, and ALLN) on the in vitro asexual growth of Babesia bovis. Of these, only the lipophilic inhibitors, E64d and ALLN, were found to effectively inhibit the growth of B. bovis. In further experiments, E64d, but not ALLN, significantly suppressed the parasite’s invasion of host erythrocytes, while both chemicals, especially ALLN, inhibited the parasite’s replication within the infected erythrocytes. These data suggested the presence of cysteine protease(s) derived from B. bovis, in which the protease(s) would play important roles in the erythrocyte invasion and/or replication processes of the parasite.     

Lower peripheral circulation in eumenorrheic young women with premenstrual symptoms

Background  

This paper reports on the modification of the Parental Nurturance Scale (PNS), translation of the modified version (PNSM) from English to Japanese, and equivalence assessment between the PNSM and the translated version (PNSM-J). The PNS was modified so as to enable its use in nurturance studies where the prime source of nurturance might vary between respondents.     

Direct interactions between NEDD8 and ubiquitin E2 conjugating enzymes upregulate cullin-based E3 ligase activity

Although cullin-1 neddylation is crucial for the activation of SCF ubiquitin E3 ligases, the underlying mechanisms for NEDD8-mediated activation of SCF remain unclear. Here we demonstrate by NMR and mutational studies that NEDD8 binds the ubiquitin E2 (UBC4), but not NEDD8 E2 (UBC12). Our data imply that NEDD8 forms an active platform on the SCF complex for selective recruitment of ubiquitin-charged E2s in collaboration with RBX1, and thereby upregulates the E3 activity.     

The retinol-retinoic acid metabolic pathway is impaired in the lumbar spine of a rat model of congenital kyphoscoliosis

Although congenital scoliosis is defined as a genetic disease characterized by a congenital and abnormal curvature of the spinal vertebrae, our knowledge of the genetic underpinnings of the disease is insufficient. We herein show that the downregulation of the retinol-retinoic acid metabolism pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of congenital scoliosis. By analyzing DNA microarray data, we found that the expression levels of genes associated with the retinol metabolism pathway were decreased in the lumbar spine of Ishibashi rats (IS), a rat model of congenital kyphoscoliosis. The expression of Adh1 and Aldh1a2 (alcohol dehydrogenase), two enzymes that convert retinol to retinoic acid in this pathway, were decreased at both the gene and protein levels. Rarα, a receptor of retinoic acid and bone morphogenetic protein 2, which play a central role in bone formation and are located downstream of this pathway, were also downregulated. Interestingly, the serum retinol levels of IS rats were higher than those of wild-type control rats. These results indicate that the adequate conversion from retinol to retinoic acid is extremely important in the regulation of normal bone formation and it may also be a key factor for understanding the pathogenesis of congenital scoliosis.     

Intraspecific variation in spring leaf phenology and duration of leaf expansion in relation to leaf habit and leaf size of temperate tree species

Plant Ecology - Spring leaf phenology has been intensively studied in temperate deciduous broad-leaved tree species, but the phenology of evergreen broad-leaved tree species has seldom been focused...