Comparison of Various Serum Protein Values in the Japanese and the Japanese-Americans Resident in the United States

Measurements were made of various types of proteins, that is α1-antitrypsin, α1-acid glycoprotein, α2-HS glycoprotein, haptoglobin, α2-macroglobulin, transferrin, C3, IgG, IgA and lgM, in the serum of the Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii and the Japanese-Americans living in Los Angeles who are assumed to be genetically almost identical to the Japanese in Hiroshima Prefecture but are known to have a higher intake of animal fats but a lower intake of complex carbohydrates. These were compared with those of the Japanese in Hiroshima Prefecture. α2-macroglobulin values in serum of the male Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii of ages 30-39 years, 40-49 years, and 50-59 years were significantly lower than those of the residents in Hiroshima Prefecture, but no significant difference in these values could be observed between the Japanese-Americans living in Los Angeles and the Japanese in Hiroshima Prefecture. No significant difference could be observed in the values of other serum proteins in all age groups. These findings indicate that the difference in intake volume of animal fats and complex carbohydrates did not affect these serum protein values

Shared and Distinct Functions of the Transcription Factors IRF4 and IRF8 in Myeloid Cell Development

Interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 8 and IRF4 are structurally-related, hematopoietic cell-specific transcription factors that cooperatively regulate the differentiation of dendritic cells and B cells. Whilst in myeloid cells IRF8 is known to modulate growth and differentiation, the role of IRF4 is poorly understood. In this study, we show that IRF4 has activities similar to IRF8 in regulating myeloid cell development. The ectopic expression of IRF4 in myeloid progenitor cells in vitro inhibits cell growth, promotes macrophages, but hinders granulocytic cell differentiation. We also show that IRF4 binds to and activates transcription through the IRF-Ets composite sequence (IECS). Furthermore, we demonstrate that Irf8-/-Irf4-/- mice exhibit a more severe chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)-like disease than Irf8-/- mice, involving a disproportionate expansion of granulocytes at the expense of monocytes/macrophages. Irf4-/- mice, however, display no obvious abnormality in myeloid cell development, presumably because IRF4 is expressed at a much lower level than IRF8 in granulocyte-macrophage progenitors. Our results also suggest that IRF8 and IRF4 have not only common but also specific activities in myeloid cells. Since the expression of both the IRF8 and IRF4 genes is downregulated in CML patients, these results may add to our understanding of CML pathogenesis

Guard Cell Chloroplasts Are Essential for Blue Light-Dependent Stomatal Opening in Arabidopsis

Blue light (BL) induces stomatal opening through the activation of H[+]-ATPases with subsequent ion accumulation in guard cells. In most plant species, red light (RL) enhances BL-dependent stomatal opening. This RL effect is attributable to the chloroplasts of guard cell, the only cells in the epidermis possessing this organelle. To clarify the role of chloroplasts in stomatal regulation, we investigated the effects of RL on BL-dependent stomatal opening in isolated epidermis, guard cell protoplasts, and intact leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. In isolated epidermal tissues and intact leaves, weak BL superimposed on RL enhanced stomatal opening while BL alone was less effective. In guard cell protoplasts, RL enhanced BL-dependent H[+]-pumping and DCMU, a photosynthetic electron transport inhibitor, eliminated this effect. RL enhanced phosphorylation levels of the H[+]-ATPase in response to BL, but this RL effect was not suppressed by DCMU. Furthermore, DCMU inhibited both RL-induced and BL-dependent stomatal opening in intact leaves. The photosynthetic rate in leaves correlated positively with BL-dependent stomatal opening in the presence of DCMU. We conclude that guard cell chloroplasts provide ATP and/or reducing equivalents that fuel BL-dependent stomatal opening, and that they indirectly monitor photosynthetic CO{2} fixation in mesophyll chloroplasts by absorbing PAR in the epidermis

Global dispersal and diversification in ground beetles of the subfamily Carabinae

The origin and diversification process of lineages of organisms that are currently widely distributed among continents is an interesting subject for exploring the evolutionary history of global species diversity. Ground beetles of the subfamily Carabinae are flightless except for one lineage, but nevertheless occur on all continents except Antarctica. Here, we used sequence data from ultraconserved elements to reconstruct the phylogeny, divergence time, biogeographical history, ancestral state of hind wings and changes in the speciation rate of Carabinae. Our results show that Carabinae originated in the Americas and diversified into four tribes during the period from the late Jurassic to the late Cretaceous, with two in South America (Celoglossini) and Australasia (Pamborini) and two in Laurasia (Cychrini and Carabini). The ancestral Carabinae were inferred to be winged; three of four tribes (Cychrini, Ceglossini and Pamborini) have completely lost their hind wings and flight capability. The remaining tribe, Carabini, diverged into the subtribes Carabina (wingless) and Calosomina (winged) in the Oligocene. Carabina originated in Europe, spread over Eurasia and diversified into approximately 1000 species, accounting for around 60% of all Carabinae species. Calosomina that were flight-capable dispersed from North America or Eurasia to South America, Australia, and Africa, and then flightless lineages evolved on oceanic islands and continental highlands. The speciation rate increased in the Cychrini and Carabini clades in Eurasia. Within Carabini, the speciation rate was higher for wingless than winged states. Our study showed that the global distribution of Carabinae resulted from ancient dispersal before the breakup of Gondwana and more recent dispersal through flight around the world. These patterns consequently illustrate the causal relationships of geographical history, evolution of flightlessness, and the global distribution and species diversity of Carabinae.DATA AVAILABILITY : The raw sequence data obtained were deposited in the DNA Read Archive of the DNA Data Base of Japan (Bioproject number, PRJDB9367).Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciencehttp://www.elsevier.com/locate/ympevhj2021Zoology and Entomolog

The origin of the giant ground beetle Aplothorax burchelli on St Helena Island

Some highly isolated oceanic islands harbour endemic ground beetles that have lost the ability to fly. Here, we investigated the origin of the possibly extinct flightless giant ground beetle Aplothorax burchelli on St Helena Island in the South Atlantic. Aplothorax burchelli was initially considered to be a member of the subtribe Calosomina (=genus Calosoma) of the subfamily Carabinae (Coleoptera: Carabidae) closely related to the genus Ctenosta (=Calosoma subgenus Ctenosta), but this proposition was questioned due to its unique external and genital morphology. We conducted a phylogenetic analysis of mitogenome sequences using historical specimens of A. burchelli and samples of representative species of Carabinae. Our analysis of 13 protein-coding gene sequences revealed that A. burchelli is definitely a member of Calosomina, most closely related to a species of Ctenosta. Further analysis using NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 gene sequences from most groups in Calosomina showed that A. burchelli formed a monophyletic group with Ctenosta species from Africa and Madagascar. Our results suggest that the ancestor of A. burchelli, which had the ability to fly, colonized St Helena from Africa after the emergence of the island 14 Mya, and has since undergone evolutionary changes in conjunction with loss of flight.https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean2021-08-01hj2021Zoology and Entomolog