An association analysis between mitochondrial DNA A10398G polymorphism and temperament in Japanese young adults.

The mitochondrial (mt) DNA C5178A and A10398G polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with mental disorders such as bipolar disorder. However, the effects of these polymorphisms on temperament in healthy people are poorly understood. Evaluating healthy subjects can have the advantage of providing new strategies for maintaining psychological health and preventing mental illness.

Aspergillus oryzae strains with a large deletion of the aflatoxin biosynthetic homologous gene cluster differentiated by chromosomal breakage.

Recently we divided Aspergillus oryzae RIB strains into group 1, having seven aflatoxin biosynthesis homologous genes (aflT, nor-1, aflR, norA, avnA, verB, and vbs), and group 2, having three homologues (avnA, verB, and vbs). Here, partial aflatoxin homologous gene cluster of RIB62 from group 2 was sequenced and compared with that of RIB40 from group 1. RIB62 showed a large deletion upstream of ver-1 with more than half of the aflatoxin homologous gene cluster missing including aflR, a positive transcriptional regulatory gene.

Molecular analysis of an inactive aflatoxin biosynthesis gene cluster in Aspergillus oryzae RIB strains.

To help assess the potential for aflatoxin production by Aspergillus oryzae, the structure of an aflatoxin biosynthesis gene homolog cluster in A. oryzae RIB 40 was analyzed. Although most genes in the corresponding cluster exhibited from 97 to 99% similarity to those of Aspergillus flavus, three genes shared 93% similarity or less.

dffA gene from Aspergillus oryzae encodes L-ornithine N5-oxygenase and is indispensable for deferriferrichrysin biosynthesis.

We identified and analyzed the dffA gene from Aspergillus oryzae which encodes L-ornithine N5-oxygenase involved in the biosynthesis of deferriferrichrysin, a type of siderophore which is a low-molecular-weight iron chelating compound. From among more than 20,000 clones in an A. oryzae EST (expressed sequence tag) library, we found only one clone encoding a protein that exhibited homology to theUstilago maydis sid1 protein (Sid1) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa pvdA protein (PvdA), both known as the only examples of L-ornithine N5-oxygenase.

Cloning and heterologous expression of the antibiotic peptide (ABP) genes from Rhizopus oligosporus NBRC 8631.

We carried out protein sequencing of purified Antibiotic Peptide (ABP), and cloned two genes encoding this peptide as abp1 and abp2, from Rhizopus oligosporus NBRC 8631. Both genes contain an almost identical 231-bp segment, with only 3 nucleotide substitutions, encoding a 77 amino acid peptide. The abp gene product comprises a 28 amino acid signal sequence and a 49 amino acid mature peptide.

Uptake of iron by a vegetable; kaiware daikon (Japanese radish sprout).

Uptake of iron and several other minerals into kaiware daikon (Japanese radish sprout) was investigated by changing their supplementary conditions. The supplementation of calcium sulfate (0.1% (w/v), 230 ppm as calcium ion) and iron (III) chloride (0.