Protein trafficking to plastids: one theme, many variations

Plastids are a diverse group of essential organelles in plants that include chloroplasts. The biogenesis and maintenance of these organelles relies on the import of thousands of nucleus-encoded proteins. The complexity of plastid structure has resulted in the evolution of at least four general import pathways that target proteins into and across the double membrane of the plastid envelope. Several of these pathways can be further divided into specialty pathways that mediate and regulate the import of specific classes of proteins. The co-ordination of import by these specialized pathways with changes in gene expression is critical for plastid and plant development. Moreover, protein import is acutely regulated in response to physiological and metabolic changes within the cell. In the present review we summarize the current knowledge of the mechanism of import via these pathways and highlight the regulatory mechanisms that integrate the plastid protein-trafficking pathways with the developmental and metabolic state of the plant.     

Relationship between BMI and all-cause mortality in Japan: NIPPON DATA80

As body composition in Asian populations is largely different from Western populations, a healthy BMI could also differ between the two populations. Thus, further study is needed to determine whether a healthy BMI in Asians should be lower than Western populations, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). We investigated the relationship between BMI and mortality in a sample of 8,924 Japanese men and women without stroke or heart disease. During 19 years of follow-up, 1,718 deaths were observed. We found a U-shaped relationship between BMI and fatal events. Risk of total mortality was highest in participants with BMI <18.5 kg/m(2) and lowest in participants with BMI 23.0-24.9 kg/m(2). These findings persisted even after excluding the first 5 years of follow-up with a focus on healthy participants who never smoked, were aged <70 years, and had total cholesterol (TC) levels >or=4.1 mmol/l (N=3712). For both the full sample and healthy participants, all-cause mortality risk did not differ between BMI ranges 21.0-22.9 and 23.0-24.9 kg/m(2). Our findings do not support the recent WHO implications that BMIs <23.0 kg/m(2) is healthy for Asians. Therefore, further studies are needed to identify an optimal BMI range for Asia.     

Rapid evolution and the convergence of ecological and evolutionary time

Recent studies have documented rates of evolution of ecologically important phenotypes sufficiently fast that they have the potential to impact the outcome of ecological interactions while they are underway. Observations of this type go against accepted wisdom that ecological and evolutionary dynamics occur at very different time scales. While some authors have evaluated the rapidity of a measured evolutionary rate by comparing it to the overall distribution of measured evolutionary rates, we believe that ecologists are mainly interested in rapid evolution because of its potential to impinge on ecological processes. We therefore propose that rapid evolution be defined as a genetic change occurring rapidly enough to have a measurable impact on simultaneous ecological change. Using this definition we propose a framework for decomposing rates of ecological change into components driven by simultaneous evolutionary change and by change in a non‐evolutionary factor (e.g. density dependent population dynamics, abiotic environmental change). Evolution is judged to be rapid in this ecological context if its contribution to ecological change is large relative to the contribution of other factors. We provide a worked example of this approach based on a theoretical predator–prey interaction [ Abrams, P. & Matsuda, H. (1997) . Evolution, 51, 1740], and find that in this system the impact of prey evolution on predator per capita growth rate is 63% that of internal ecological dynamics. We then propose analytical methods for measuring these contributions in field situations, and apply them to two long‐term data sets for which suitable ecological and evolutionary data exist. For both data sets relatively high rates of evolutionary change have been found when measured as character change in standard deviations per generation (haldanes). For Darwin's finches evolving in response to fluctuating rainfall [ Grant, P.R. & Grant, B.R. (2002) . Science, 296, 707], we estimate that evolutionary change has been more rapid than ecological change by a factor of 2.2. For a population of freshwater copepods whose life history evolves in response to fluctuating fish predation [ Hairston, N.G. Jr & Dillon, T.A. (1990) . Evolution, 44, 1796], we find that evolutionary change has been about one quarter the rate of ecological change – less than in the finch example, but nevertheless substantial. These analyses support the view that in order to understand temporal dynamics in ecological processes it is critical to consider the extent to which the attributes of the system under investigation are simultaneously changing as a result of rapid evolution.     

Recent advances in ecological stoichiometry: insights for population and community ecology

Conventional theories of population and community dynamics are based on a single currency such as number of individuals, biomass, carbon or energy. However, organisms are constructed of multiple elements and often require them (in particular carbon, phosphorus and nitrogen) in different ratios than provided by their resources; this mismatch may constrain the net transfer of energy and elements through trophic levels. Ecological stoichiometry, the study of the balance of elements in ecological processes, offers a framework for exploring ecological effects of such constraints. We review recent theoretical and empirical studies that have considered how stoichiometry may affect population and community dynamics. These studies show that stoichiometric constraints can affect several properties of populations (e.g. stability, oscillations, consumer extinction) and communities (e.g. coexistence of competitors, competitive interactions between different guilds). We highlight gaps in general knowledge and focus on areas of population and community ecology where incorporation of stoichiometric constraints may be particularly fruitful, such as studies of demographic bottlenecks, spatial processes, and multi-species interactions. Finally, we suggest promising directions for new research by recommending potential study systems (terrestrial insects, detritivory-based webs, soil communities) to improve our understanding of populations and communities. Our conclusion is that a better integration of stoichiometric principles and other theoretical approaches in ecology may allow for a richer understanding of both population and community structure and dynamics.     

Linkage mapping of the locus responsible for congenital multiple ocular defects in cattle on bovine Chromosome 18

Congenital multiple ocular defects (MOD) in Japanese black cattle is a hereditary ocular disorder with an autosomal recessive manner of inheritance, showing developmental defects of the lens, retina, and iris, persistent embryonic eye vascularization, and microphthalmia. In the present study, we mapped the locus responsible for the disorder by linkage analysis using 240 microsatellite markers covering the entire bovine genome and an inbred pedigree obtained from commercial herds. The linkage analysis demonstrated a significant linkage between the disorder locus and markers on the proximal region of bovine Chromosome (BTA) 18 with the maximum LOD score of 5.1. Homozygosity mapping using the haplotype of the linked markers further refined the critical region. The results revealed the localization of the locus responsible for MOD in an approximately 6.6-cM region of BTA18. Comparison of published linkage and radiation hybrid (RH) maps of BTA18 with its evolutionary ortholog, human Chromosome (HSA) 16, revealed several potential candidate genes for the disorder including the MAF and FOXC2 genes.     

Comparing the effects of rapid evolution and phenotypic plasticity on predator-prey dynamics

Ecologists have increasingly focused on how rapid adaptive trait changes can affect population dynamics. Rapid adaptation can result from either rapid evolution or phenotypic plasticity, but their effects on population dynamics are seldom compared directly. Here we examine theoretically the effects of rapid evolution and phenotypic plasticity of antipredatory defense on predator-prey dynamics. Our analyses reveal that phenotypic plasticity tends to stabilize population dynamics more strongly than rapid evolution. It is therefore important to know the mechanism by which phenotypic variation is generated for predicting the dynamics of rapidly adapting populations. We next examine an advantage of a phenotypically plastic prey genotype over the polymorphism of specialist prey genotypes. Numerical analyses reveal that the plastic genotype, if there is a small cost for maintaining it, cannot coexist with the pairs of specialist counterparts unless the system has a limit cycle. Furthermore, for the plastic genotype to replace specialist genotypes, a forced environmental fluctuation is critical in a broad parameter range. When these results are combined, the plastic genotype enjoys an advantage with population oscillations, but plasticity tends to lose its advantage by stabilizing the oscillations. This dilemma leads to an interesting intermittent limit cycle with the changing frequency of phenotypic plasticity.     

Sperm Preservation by Freeze-Drying for the Conservation of Wild Animals

Sperm preservation is a useful technique for the maintenance of biological resources in experimental and domestic animals, and in wild animals. A new preservation method has been developed that enables sperm to be stored for a long time in a refrigerator at 4°C. Sperm are freeze-dried in a solution containing 10 mM Tris and 1 mM EDTA. Using this method, liquid nitrogen is not required for the storage and transportation of sperm. We demonstrate that chimpanzee, giraffe, jaguar, weasel and the long-haired rat sperm remain viable after freeze-drying. In all species, pronuclei were formed after the injection of freeze-dried sperm into the mouse oocytes. Although preliminary, these results may be useful for the future establishment of “freeze-drying zoo” to conserve wild animals.     

Distinct localization of two closely related Ypt3/Rab11 proteins on the trafficking pathway in higher plants.

Ypt/Rab proteins are Ras-related small GTPases that act on the intracellular membrane through the trafficking pathway, and their function depends on their localization. Approximately 25 genes encoding Ypt3/Rab11-related proteins exist in Arabidopsis, but the reason for the presence of many genes in plants remains unclear. Pea Pra2 and Pra3, members of Ypt3/Rab11, are closely related proteins. Because possible orthologs are conserved among dicots, they can be studied to determine their possible localization. Biochemical analysis revealed that these proteins were localized on distinct membranes in pea. Furthermore, using green fluorescent protein-Pra2 and green fluorescent protein-Pra3 fusion proteins, we demonstrated that these proteins are distinctively localized on the trafficking pathway in tobacco Bright Yellow 2 cells. Pra2 was predominantly localized on Golgi stacks and endosomes, which did not support the localization of Pra2 on the endoplasmic reticulum (Kang, J. G., Yun, J., Kim, D. H., Chung, K. S., Fujioka, S., Kim, J. I., Dae, H. W., Yoshida, S., Takatsuto, S., Song, P. S., and Park, C. M. (2001) Cell 105, 625--636). In contrast, Pra3 was likely to be localized on the trans-Golgi network and/or the prevacuolar compartment. We concluded that Pra2 and Pra3 proteins are distinctively localized on the trafficking pathway. This finding suggests that functional diversification takes place in the plant Ypt3/Rab11 family.     

Cha-Koji,comprising green tea leaves fermented with Aspergillus luchuensis var kawachii kitahara,increases regulatory T cell production in mice and humans

Green tea leaves fermented with Aspergillus luchuensis var kawachii kitahara (Cha-Koji) are a health food containing live A. luchuensis. In this study, we examined the effects of Cha-Koji on the immune system and the enteric environment. First, we designed a clinical trial; after ingesting Cha-Koji daily for 28 days, blood parameters and the fecal composition of the participants were analyzed. Similarly, mice were administered (oral administration) with Cha-Koji suspension or its vehicle for 14 days. Thereafter, both humans and mice were examined by analyzing their immune cell phenotypes and intestinal microbiota. Regulatory T cell (Treg) numbers were significantly increased after administering Cha-Koji. An increase of Clostridium subcluster XIVa, that were known to be rich in butyrate-producing bacterium, was observed in human feces, but not in mice. These results suggest that Cha-Koji has the ability to increase Treg production in both humans and mice, irrespective of the presence of enteric butyrate.     

Differentiation of rat adipose tissue-derived stem cells into neuron-like cells by valproic acid,a histone deacetylase inhibitor

Valproic acid (VPA) is a widely used antiepileptic drug, which has recently been reported to modulate the neuronal differentiation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) in humans and dogs. However, controversy exists as to whether VPA really acts as an inducer of neuronal differentiation of ASCs. The present study aimed to elucidate the effect of VPA in neuronal differentiation of rat ASCs. One or three days of pretreatment with VPA (2 mM) followed by neuronal induction enhanced the ratio of immature neuron marker βIII-tubulin-positive cells in a time-dependent manner, where the majority of cells also had a positive signal for neurofilament medium polypeptide (NEFM), a mature neuron marker. RT-PCR analysis revealed increases in the mRNA expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and NEFM mature neuron markers, even without neuronal induction. Three-days pretreatment of VPA increased acetylation of histone H3 of ASCs as revealed by immunofluorescence staining. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay also showed that the status of histone acetylation at H3K9 correlated with the gene expression of TUBB3 in ASCs by VPA. These results indicate that VPA significantly promotes the differentiation of rat ASCs into neuron-like cells through acetylation of histone H3, which suggests that VPA may serve as a useful tool for producing transplantable cells for future applications in clinical treatments.