The Spatial Distribution of mtDNA and Phylogeographic Analysis of the Ant Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Japan

In this study, we investigated the geographical distribution of haplotypes of Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi Terayama in Japan using COI/II mitochondrial DNA. We also examined their genealogy with C. kagutsuchi in other areas and their close relative species. Four haplotypes were found. While two of them were found in a limited area (Ishigaki and Okinawa Islands) separately, the others were distributed widely across Honsyu, Shikoku, and Kyusyu areas in Japan. The newly invaded area by C. kagutsuchi in Japan was Shizuoka prefecture. Their haplotype of Shizuoka were the same as the two haplotypes of the Honsyu, Shikoku, and Kyusyu areas. The haplotype network showed that the two haplotypes were distant from each other. The distance between them was 33, even though the two haplotypes are distributed in the same area. From the phylogenetic tree that we constructed, we found that C. strigifrons was in the same clade as C. kagutsuchi

Sulfonylurea-resistant biotypes of Monochoria vaginalis generate higher ultraweak photon emissions than the susceptible ones

All living organisms spontaneously generate ultraweak photon emissions, which originate from biochemical reactions in cells. Current research uses the ultraweak photon emission from organisms as a novel indicator in nondestructive analyses of an organisms living state. This study indicates that ultraweak photon emissions from Monochoria vaginalis are different between resistant biotypes (R) to sulfonylurea (SU) and susceptible biotypes (S). In SU-R biotypes, distinct increases in photon emissions were observed, but there was little increase in SU-S biotypes. In addition, photon emissions from the resistant biotypes of M. vaginalis were suppressed by treatment with P450 inhibitors. This suggests that cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, which plays a crucial role in the metabolic detoxification of SUs, could be associated with the generation of ultraweak photon emissions. Ultraweak photon emissions have a potential use in a novel diagnosis system as an indicator in a nondestructive testing of weeds resistant to SUs

Identification of CDC42BPG as a novel susceptibility locus for hyperuricemia in a Japanese population

Chronic kidney disease and hyperuricemia are serious global health problems. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified various genetic variants related to these disorders. However, most studies have been conducted in a cross-sectional manner. To identify novel susceptibility loci for chronic kidney disease or hyperuricemia, we performed longitudinal exome-wide association studies (EWASs), using ~ 244,000 genetic variants and clinical data of Japanese individuals who had undergone annual health checkups for several years. After establishing quality controls, the association of renal function-related traits in 5648 subjects (excluding patients with dialysis and population outliers) with 24,579 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) for three genetic models (P < 3.39 × 10− 7) was tested using generalized estimating equation models. The longitudinal EWASs revealed novel relations of five SNVs to renal function-related traits. Cross-sectional data for renal function-related traits in 7699 Japanese subjects were examined in a replication study. Among the five SNVs, rs55975541 in CDC42BPG was significantly (P < 4.90 × 10− 4) related to the serum concentration of uric acid in the replication cohort. We also examined the SNVs detected in our longitudinal EWASs with the information on P values in GKDGEN meta-analysis data. Four SNVs in SLC15A2 were significantly associated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate in European ancestry populations, although these SNVs were related to the serum concentration of uric acid with borderline significance in our longitudinal EWASs. Our findings indicate that CDC42BPG may be a novel susceptibility locus for hyperuricemia

Longitudinal exome-wide association study to identify genetic susceptibility loci for hypertension in a Japanese population

Genome-wide association studies have identified various genetic variants associated with complex disorders. However, these studies have commonly been conducted in a cross-sectional manner. Therefore, we performed a longitudinal exome-wide association study (EWAS) in a Japanese cohort. We aimed to identify genetic variants that confer susceptibility to hypertension using ~244 000 single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and physiological data from 6026 Japanese individuals who underwent annual health check-ups for several years. After quality control, the association of hypertension with SNVs was tested using a generalized estimating equation model. Finally, our longitudinal EWAS detected seven hypertension-related SNVs that passed strict criteria. Among these variants, six SNVs were densely located at 12q24.1, and an East Asian-specific motif (haplotype) ‘CAAAA’ comprising five derived alleles was identified. Statistical analyses showed that the prevalence of hypertension in individuals with the East Asian-specific haplotype was significantly lower than that in individuals with the common haplotype ‘TGGGT’. Furthermore, individuals with the East Asian haplotype may be less susceptible to the adverse effects of smoking on hypertension. The longitudinal EWAS for the recessive model showed that a novel SNV, rs11917356 of COL6A5, was significantly associated with systolic blood pressure, and the derived allele at the SNV may have spread throughout East Asia in recent evolutionary time