Genome Profiling (GP) Method Based Classification of Insects: Congruence with That of Classical Phenotype-Based One

Ribosomal RNAs have been widely used for identification and classification of species, and have produced data giving new insights into phylogenetic relationships. Recently, multilocus genotyping and even whole genome sequencing-based technologies have been adopted in ambitious comparative biology studies. However, such technologies are still far from routine-use in species classification studies due to their high costs in terms of labor, equipment and consumables.Here, we describe a simple and powerful approach for species classification called genome profiling (GP). The GP method composed of random PCR, temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) and computer-aided gel image processing is highly informative and less laborious. For demonstration, we classified 26 species of insects using GP and 18S rDNA-sequencing approaches. The GP method was found to give a better correspondence to the classical phenotype-based approach than did 18S rDNA sequencing employing a congruence value. To our surprise, use of a single probe in GP was sufficient to identify the relationships between the insect species, making this approach more straightforward.The data gathered here, together with those of previous studies show that GP is a simple and powerful method that can be applied for actually universally identifying and classifying species. The current success supported our previous proposal that GP-based web database can be constructible and effective for the global identification/classification of species

Molecular analysis of B-cell differentiation in selective or partial IgA deficiency

Selective IgA deficiency is the most common form of primary immunodeficiency, the molecular basis of which is unknown. To investigate the cause of selective IgA deficiency, we examined what stage of B-cell differentiation was blocked. DNA and RNA were extracted from three Japanese patients with selective IgA deficiency and three with a partial IgA deficiency. In selective IgA deficiency patients, Iα germline transcript expression levels decreased and α circle transcripts were not detected. Stimulation with PMA and TGF-β1 up-regulated Iα germline and α circle transcripts. In some patients, IgA secretion was induced by stimulation with anti-CD40, IL-4 and IL-10. In partial IgA deficiency patients, Iα germline, α circle transcripts and Cα mature transcripts were detected in the absence of stimulation. Our findings suggest that the decreased expression level of Iα germline transcripts before a class switch might be critical for the pathogenesis of some patients with selective IgA deficiency. However, in patients with a partial IgA deficiency, B-cell differentiation might be disturbed after a class switch

Quadrupole collectivity of 28Ne and the boundary of the island of inversion

AbstractThe 0g.s.+→21+ excitation of the neutron-rich nucleus 28Ne has been investigated via heavy-ion inelastic scattering in reversed kinematics. The B(E2;0g.s.+→21+) value was determined to be 132(23)e2fm4, which is smaller than expected from the low excitation energy of the first 21+ state. A comparison with theoretical predictions suggests that the suppressed collectivity in 28Ne is characteristic of nuclei lying on the boundary of the ‘island of inversion’

Study of the

The Coulomb dissociation of 27P was studied experimentally using 27P beams at 57MeV/nucleon with a lead target. The E2 gamma decay width of the first excited state in 27P was determined to be (2.8±0.5)×10-5eV. The total (M1 + E2) gamma decay width of the state, which is of astrophysical interest, is estimated by combining the experimental result and a shell model calculation. The reaction rate of 26Si(p,γ)27P is deduced from the estimated total gamma decay width. The astrophysical implication derived from estimated gamma decay width is discussed