Diversity, Phylogeny and Expression Patterns of Pou and Six Homeodomain Transcription Factors in Hydrozoan Jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbyi

Formation of all metazoan bodies is controlled by a group of selector genes including homeobox genes, highly conserved across the entire animal kingdom. The homeobox genes from Pou and Six classes are key members of the regulation cascades determining development of sensory organs, nervous system, gonads and muscles. Besides using common bilaterian models, more attention has recently been targeted at the identification and characterization of these genes within the basal metazoan phyla. Cnidaria as a diploblastic sister group to bilateria with simple and yet specialized organs are suitable models for studies on the sensory organ origin and the associated role of homeobox genes. In this work, Pou and Six homeobox genes, together with a broad range of other sensory-specific transcription factors, were identified in the transcriptome of hydrozoan jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbyi. Phylogenetic analyses of Pou and Six proteins revealed cnidarian-specific sequence motifs and contributed to the classification of individual factors. The majority of the Craspedacusta sowerbyi Pou and Six homeobox genes are predominantly expressed in statocysts, manubrium and nerve ring, the tissues with sensory and nervous activities. The described diversity and expression patterns of Pou and Six factors in hydrozoan jellyfish highlight their evolutionarily conserved functions. This study extends the knowledge of the cnidarian genome complexity and shows that the transcriptome of hydrozoan jellyfish is generally rich in homeodomain transcription factors employed in the regulation of sensory and nervous functions

Prominent reflector beneath around the segmentation boundary between Tonankai-Nankai earthquake area

In the Nankai Trough subduction seismogenic zone, the Nankai and Tonankai earthquakes had often occurred simultaneously, and caused a great event. In most cases, first break of such large events of Nankai Trough usually begins from southwest off the Kii Peninsula so far. The idea of split Philippine Sea plate between the Kii Peninsula and the Shikoku Island, which explains seismicity, tectonic background, receiver function image and historical plate motion, was previously suggested. Moreover, between the Kii Peninsula and the Shikoku Island, there is a gap of deep low-frequency events observed in the belt-like zone along the strike of the subducting Philippine Sea plate. In 2010 and 2011, we conducted the large-scale high-resolution wide-angle and reflection (MCS) seismic study, and long-term observation from off Shikoku and Kii Peninsula. Marine active source seismic data have been acquired along grid two-dimensional profiles having the total length of ~800km/year. A three-dimensional seismic tomography using active and passive seismic data observed both land and ocean bottom stations have been also performed. From those data, we found a possible prominent reflector imaged in the offshore side in the Kii channel at the depth of ~18km. The velocity just beneath the reflector cannot be determined due to the lack of ray paths. Based of the amplitude information, we interpret the reflector as the forearc Moho based on the velocity gap (from ~6.4km/s to ~7.4km/s). However, the reflector is shallower than the forearc Moho of other area along the Nankai Trough. Similar reflectors are recognized along other seismic profiles around the Kii channel. In this presentation, we will show the result of structure analysis to understand the peculiar structure including the prominent reflector around the Kii channel. Relation between the structure and the existence of the segmentation of the Nankai megathrust earthquake or seismic gap of the deep low-frequency events will be also discussed. This study is part of 'Research concerning Interaction Between the Tokai, Tonankai and Nankai Earthquakes' funded by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.Poster abstract T43C-2670 presented at 2013 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, Calif., 9-13 Dec

Application of “Boomerang” Linear Polystyrene-Stabilized Pd Nanoparticles to a Series of C-C Coupling Reactions in Water

The application of a catch-and-release system for soluble Pd species between water (reaction medium) and polystyrene (polymer support) was examined in the Suzuki coupling reaction with 2-bromothiophene and the Heck reaction with styrene or bromobenzene. Although a slight increase in particle size was observed by TEM after re-stabilization of the Pd species on linear polystyrene, no agglomeration was observed

In-situ Observations of Symbionts on Medusae Occurring in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia <Article>

During an ecological investigation on symbionts of medusae in Eastern and Southeastern Asian waters, seven species of hydro- and scypho-medusae were found to harbor a wide variety of invertebrates and fishes: the isopod Idotea metallica and the nudibranch Fiona pinnata on the chondrophoran Vellela vellela; the actiniarian Peachia quinquecapitata on the leptomedusa Aequorea coerulescens; the butterfish Psenopsis anomala and the hyperiid amphipod Hyperia galba associated with the semaestome Chrysaora melanaster; H. galba on the semaestome Aurelia limbata; metacercariae of three species found in the mesogloea of a semaestome, Aurelia sp.; the ophiuroid Ophiocnemis marmorata, the caridean shrimp Latreutes spp., and the shrimp scad Alepes djedaba on the rhizostome Rhopilema hispidum; the swimming crab Charybdis feriata and A. djedaba on the rhizostome Versuriga anadyomene. Juveniles of benthic organisms such as crabs and ophiuroids seem to become hitchhikers for dispersal, while juvenile fish utilize medusae as refugia against predation. Since the previous and present studies have shown that edible rhizostomes are associated with many kinds of symbionts, fisheries for these jellyfishes possibly hinder the recruitment of symbionts such as decapods, ophiuroids and fish

PCR-Based Screening of Spinal Muscular Atrophy for Newborn Infants in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common devastating neuromuscular disorder, usually involving homozygous deletion of the SMN1 gene. Newly developed drugs can improve the motor functions of infants with SMA when treated in the early stage. To ensure early diagnosis, newborn screening for SMA (SMA-NBS) via PCR-based genetic testing with dried blood spots (DBSs) has been spreading throughout Japan. In Hyogo Prefecture, we performed a pilot study of SMA-NBS to assess newborn infants who underwent routine newborn metabolic screening between February 2021 and August 2022. Hyogo Prefecture has ~40,000 live births per year and the estimated incidence of SMA is 1 in 20,000–25,000 based on genetic testing of symptomatic patients with SMA. Here, we screened 8336 newborns and 12 screen-positive cases were detected by real-time PCR assay. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay excluded ten false positives and identified two patients. These false positives might be related to the use of heparinized and/or diluted blood in the DBS sample. Both patients carried two copies of SMN2, one was asymptomatic and the other was symptomatic at the time of diagnosis. SMA-NBS enables us to prevent delayed diagnosis of SMA, even if it does not always allow treatment in the pre-symptomatic stage. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland