Comparative transcriptome analysis for immune response against fungal infection in Drosophila virilis.

The innate immune system of Drosophila is activated by ingestion of microorganisms. D. melanogaster breeds on fruits fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whereas D. virilis breeds on slime flux and decaying bark of tree housing a variety of bacteria, yeasts and molds. In this study, it is shown that D. virilis has a higher resistance to oral infection of a species of filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Penicillium compared to D. melanogaster. In response to the fungal infection, a transcriptome profile of immune-related genes was considerably different between D. melanogaster and D. virilis: the genes encoding antifungal peptides, Drosomycin and Metchnikowin, were highly expressed in D. melanogaster whereas the genes encoding Diptericin and Defensin were highly expressed in D. virilis. On the other hand, the immune-induced molecule (IM) genes showed contrary expression patterns between the two species: they were induced by the fungal infection in D. melanogaster but tended to be suppressed in D. virilis. Our transcriptome analysis also showed newly predicted immune-related genes in D. virilis. These results suggest that the innate immune system has been extensively differentiated during the evolution of these Drosophila species.首都大学東京, 2014-09-30, 博士（理学）, 甲第399号首都大学東

Photo-detrapping of solvated electrons in an ionic liquid

金沢大学理工研究域自然システム学系We studied the dynamics of photo-detrapped solvated electrons in the ionic liquid trimethyl-N-propylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TMPA-TFSI) using laser flash photolysis. The solvated electrons were produced by the electron photodetachment from iodide via a 248 nm KrF excimer laser. The solvated electron decayed by first-order kinetics with a lifetime of about 240 ns. The spectrum of the solvated electron in the ionic liquid TMPA-TFSI is very broad with a peak around 1100 nm. After the 248 nm pulse, a 532 nm pulse was used to subsequently detrap the solvated electrons. After the detrapping pulse, quasi-permanent bleaching was observed. The relative magnitude of the bleaching in the solvated electron absorbance was measured from 500 to 1000 nm. The amount of bleaching depends on the probe wavelength. The fraction of bleached absorbance was larger at 500 nm than that at 1000 nm, suggesting that there are at least two species that absorb 532 nm light. We discuss the present results from viewpoint of the heterogeneity of ionic liquids. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd

Plasma Albumin Redox State Is Responsive to the Amino Acid Balance of Dietary Proteins in Rats Fed a Low Protein Diet

We recently reported that plasma albumin redox state, which correlates with albumin synthesis rate, could be associated with the quality of dietary protein. Aiming to elucidate the association between them, plasma albumin redox state was investigated in rats fed various kinds of AIN-93G-based low protein diets. Plasma albumin redox state was shifted to a more oxidized state in rats fed 3% casein (CN) diet than those fed 3% whey protein or 3% wheat gluten diet, while supplementing 3% CN diet with cystine reversed it to a more reduced state, indicating that cystine would complement the shortage of cysteine in CN, thereby increasing albumin synthesis rate. Supplementation with glutathione, a cysteine-containing antioxidative tripeptide, normalized hepatic glutathione redox state modulated by ingestion of 3% CN diet, but it only reversed the oxidized shift of plasma albumin redox state to an extent similar to cystine alone or the constituting amino acid mixture of glutathione (i.e., glutamic acid, cystine, and glycine), indicating that glutathione would primarily serve as a source of cysteine rather than exert its antioxidative activity. Plasma albumin would thus be influenced by amino acid balance in dietary proteins, and it could be useful as a biomarker that contributes to prevention of protein under-nutriton, caused by not only insufficient protein intake but also ingestion of poor-quality protein

Preterm toddlers have low nighttime sleep quality and high daytime activity.

A number of studies have been made on the sleep characteristics of children born preterm in an attempt to develop methods to address the sleep problems commonly observed among such children. However, the reported sleep characteristics from these studies vary depending on the observation methods used, i.e., actigraphy, polysomnography and questionnaire. In the current study, to obtain reliable data on the sleep characteristics of preterm-born children, we investigated the difference in sleep properties between 97 preterm and 97 term toddlers of approximately 1.5 years of age using actigraphy. Actigraphy units were attached to the toddlers’ waists with an adjustable elastic belt for 7 consecutive days, and a child sleep diary was completed by their parents. In the study, we found that preterm toddlers had more nocturnal awakenings and more daytime activity, suggesting that preterm-born children may have a different process of sleep development in their early development

Extensive Differences in Antifungal Immune Response in Two Drosophila Species Revealed by Comparative Transcriptome Analysis

The innate immune system of Drosophila is activated by ingestion of microorganisms. D. melanogaster breeds on fruits fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whereas D. virilis breeds on slime flux and decaying bark of tree housing a variety of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. In this study, it is shown that D. virilis has a higher resistance to oral infection of a species of filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Penicillium compared to D. melanogaster. In response to the fungal infection, a transcriptome profile of immune-related genes was considerably different between D. melanogaster and D. virilis: the genes encoding antifungal peptides, Drosomycin and Metchnikowin, were highly expressed in D. melanogaster whereas, the genes encoding Diptericin and Defensin were highly expressed in D. virilis. On the other hand, the immune-induced molecule (IM) genes showed contrary expression patterns between the two species: they were induced by the fungal infection in D. melanogaster but tended to be suppressed in D. virilis. Our transcriptome analysis also showed newly predicted immune-related genes in D. virilis. These results suggest that the innate immune system has been extensively differentiated during the evolution of these Drosophila species

The Wide Distribution and Change of Target Specificity of R2 Non-LTR Retrotransposons in Animals

<div><p>Transposons, or transposable elements, are the major components of genomes in most eukaryotes. Some groups of transposons have developed target specificity that limits the integration sites to a specific nonessential sequence or a genomic region to avoid gene disruption caused by insertion into an essential gene. R2 is one of the most intensively investigated groups of sequence-specific non-LTR retrotransposons and is inserted at a specific site inside of 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. R2 is known to be distributed among at least six animal phyla even though its occurrence is reported to be patchy. Here, in order to obtain a more detailed picture of the distribution of R2, we surveyed R2 using both <i>in silico</i> screening and degenerate PCR, particularly focusing on actinopterygian fish. We found two families of the R2C lineage from vertebrates, although it has previously only been found in platyhelminthes. We also revealed the apparent movement of insertion sites of a lineage of actinopterygian R2, which was likely concurrent with the acquisition of a 28S rRNA-derived sequence in their 3′ UTR. Outside of actinopterygian fish, we revealed the maintenance of a single R2 lineage in birds; the co-existence of four lineages of R2 in the leafcutter bee <i>Megachile rotundata</i>; the first examples of R2 in Ctenophora, Mollusca, and Hemichordata; and two families of R2 showing no target specificity. These findings indicate that R2 is relatively stable and universal, while differences in the distribution and maintenance of R2 lineages probably reflect characteristics of some combination of both R2 lineages and host organisms.</p></div

Junction sequences of R2 elements.

<p>R2 family name, flanking 28S rRNA gene sequences (28S rDNA) with terminal sequences of R2, common name of the origin, and classification are shown from left to right. 28S rRNA gene sequences are in bold and shaded. (A) Both 5′ and 3′ junctions of non-avian R2 copies. (B) 3′ junctions of R2 copies detected by PCR. Scientific names and common English names of the origins of R2 elements are as follows: R2-1_MLe, <i>Mnemiopsis leidyi</i> (sea walnut); R2-1_SK, <i>Saccoglossus kowalevskii</i> (acorn worm); R2NS-1_CGi, <i>Crassostrea gigas</i> (Pacific oyster); R2-2_SMed, <i>Schimidtea mediterranea</i> (planarian); R2-1_SP, <i>Strongylocentrotus purpuratus</i> (purple sea urchin); R2-1_LV, <i>Lythechinus variegatus</i> (green sea urchin); R2-1_GA, <i>Gasterosteus aculeatus</i> (three-spined stickleback); R2-1_SSa, <i>Salmo salar</i> (Atlantic salmon); R2-1_AMi, <i>Alligator mississippiensis</i> (American alligator); R2-1_Crp, <i>Crocodilus porosus</i> (saltwater crocodile); R2-1_Gav, <i>Gavialis gangeticus</i> (gharial); R2Pp, <i>Pungitius pungitius pungitius</i> (nine-spined stickleback); R2Ao, <i>Anarhichas orientalis</i> (Bering wolffish); R2Cm, <i>Crystallichthys matsushimae</i> (snailfish); R2Om, <i>Oryzias melastigma</i> (marine medaka); R2Tcc, <i>Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus</i> (houndfish); R2Tch, <i>Theragra chalcogramma</i> (Alaska pollock); R2Tla-B, <i>Tanakia lanceolata</i> (bitterling); R2Raa, <i>Rhodeus atremius atremius</i> (Kyushu bitterling); R2Ac, <i>Amia calva</i> (bowfin); R2Ar, <i>Acipenser ruthenus</i> (sterlet); R2Em, <i>Eublepharis macularius</i> (leopard gecko); R2Ec, <i>Elaphe climacophora</i> (Japanese rat snake); R2Sqj, <i>Squatina japonica</i> (Japanese angel shark).</p

The phylogenetic distributions of R2 in vertebrates and birds.

<p>(A) The R2 distribution in vertebrates focusing on actinopterygian fish. (B) R2 distribution in birds. Orders are shown with common names in parentheses. Asterisks indicate the presence of R2 in at least one species. Order names in blue indicate groups that we analyzed by PCR. Perciformes is not monophyletic and thus shown divided. Fish phylogeny is based on [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163496#pone.0163496.ref031" target="_blank">31</a>–<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163496#pone.0163496.ref033" target="_blank">33</a>][<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163496#pone.0163496.ref034" target="_blank">34</a>,<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163496#pone.0163496.ref035" target="_blank">35</a>] while avian phylogeny is based on [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163496#pone.0163496.ref036" target="_blank">36</a>].</p