Establishment of immortalized Egyptian Rousettus bat cell lines.

The Egyptian Rousettus bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) is a common fruit bat species that is distributed mainly in Africa and the Middle East. Bats serve as reservoir hosts for numerous pathogens. Human activities, such as hunting bats for food, managing vermin, and causing habitat loss, elevate the likelihood of transmission of bat pathogens to humans and other animals.

Morphological and molecular identification of Eimeria tetartooimia oocysts from a Japanese green pheasant (Galliformes; Phasianidae; Phasianus versicolor) at a zoo in Japan.

We detected Eimeria oocysts from Japanese green pheasants (Phasianus versicolor) at a zoo in Osaka, Japan. The oocyst isolates were subspherical or ovoidal shaped and measured 17.2 (range 14.

Molecular phylogeny of Blastocystis isolates from wild rodents captured in Indonesia and Japan.

Blastocystis sp. is a common intestinal protist found worldwide in a variety of animals, including humans. Currently, 17 subtypes (STs) of Blastocystis isolates from mammalian and avian host species have been reported based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA).

Gene duplication and concerted evolution of mitochondrial DNA in crane species.

The gene duplication in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been reported in diverse bird taxa so far. Although many phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of cranes were carried out based on mtDNA diversity, whether mtDNA contains duplicated regions is unknown. To address the presence or absence of gene duplication in cranes and investigate the molecular evolutionary features of crane mtDNA, we analyzed the gene organization and the molecular phylogeny of mtDNA from 13 crane species.

Blastocystis phylogeny among various isolates from humans to insects.

Blastocystis is a common unicellular eukaryotic parasite found not only in humans, but also in various kinds of animal species worldwide. Since Blastocystis isolates are morphologically indistinguishable, many molecular biological approaches have been applied to classify these isolates. The complete or partial sequences of the small subunit rRNA gene (SSU rDNA) are mainly used for comparisons and phylogenetic analyses among Blastocystis isolates.

Isolation and characterization of major histocompatibility complex class II B genes in cranes.

In this study, we isolated and characterized the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II B genes in cranes. Genomic sequences spanning exons 1 to 4 were amplified and determined in 13 crane species and three other species closely related to cranes. In all, 55 unique sequences were identified, and at least two polymorphic MHC class II B loci were found in most species.

Molecular evidence of Sarcocystis species in captive snakes in Japan.

Sarcocystis nesbitti, using snakes as the definitive host, is a causative agent of acute human muscular sarcocystosis in Malaysia. Therefore, it is important to explore the distribution and prevalence of S. nesbitti in snakes.

Comparative molecular phylogeny and evolution of sex chromosome DNA sequences in the family Canidae (Mammalia: Carnivora).

To investigate the molecular phylogeny and evolution of the family Canidae, nucleotide sequences of the zinc-finger-protein gene on the Y chromosome (ZFY, 924-1146 bp) and its homologous gene on the X chromosome (ZFX, 834-839 bp) for twelve canid species were determined. The phylogenetic relationships among species reconstructed by the paternal ZFY sequences closely agreed with those by mtDNA and autosomal DNA trees in previous reports, and strongly supported the phylogenetic affinity between the wolf-like canids clade and the South American canids clade. However, the branching order of some species differed between phylogenies of ZFY and ZFX genes: Cuon alpinus and Canis mesomelas were included in the wolf-like canid clades in the ZFY tree, whereas both species were clustered in a group of Chrysocyon brachyurus and Speothos venaticus in the ZFX tree.

Molecular characterization of crane Coccidia, Eimeria gruis and E. reichenowi, found in feces of migratory cranes.

Eimeria gruis and E. reichenowi have lethal pathogenicity to a number of species of cranes. These parasites develop at multiple organs or tissues in infected cranes, thus lacking the specificity of infection sites shown by other Eimeria spp.

First record of Cryptosporidium infection in a raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus).

Cryptosporidium species have been found in more than 150 species of mammals, but there has been no report in raccoon dogs. Here we found the Cryptosporidium organism in a raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus, and identified this isolate using PCR-based diagnostic methods. Cryptosporidium diagnostic fragments of the 18S ribosomal RNA, Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein and 70-kDa heat shock protein genes were amplified from the isolate and sequenced to reveal the phylogenetic relationships between it and other Cryptosporidium species or genotypes reported previously.

Molecular characterization of a Cryptosporidium isolate from a banded mongoose Mungos mungo.

Cryptosporidium spp. has been found in more than 150 species of mammals, but there has been no report in mongooses. In this study, we report the isolation of Cryptosporidium sp.

A survey of Blastocystis sp. in livestock, pets, and zoo animals in Japan.

The prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was examined in fecal samples collected from cattle, pigs, dogs, and a variety of zoo animals (primates, carnivores, herbivores, pheasants, and ducks) by direct observation of fresh fecal suspensions or cultured materials, using light microscopy. The cattle and pigs were randomly sampled from 11 and 12 commercial farms, respectively, located in the western region of Japan.

The primary structure of cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) goose type lysozyme.

The complete amino acid sequence of cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) goose type lysozyme was analyzed by direct protein sequencing of peptides obtained by cleavage with trypsin, V8 protease, chymotrypsin, lysyl endopeptidase, and cyanogen bromide. The N-terminal residue of the enzyme was deduced to be a pyroglutamate group by analysis with a LC/MS/MS system equipped with the oMALDI ionization source, and then confirmed by a glutamate aminopeptidase enzyme. The blocked N-terminal is the first reported in this enzyme group.