Development and evaluation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid and sensitive detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays targeting the rpoD and toxR genes were developed to detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus. All 78 tested V. parahaemolyticus strains yielded positive results within 40 min, while negative results were obtained for 69 strains of other organisms even at 60 min.

Development and evaluation of a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid and high-sensitive detection of Cryptosporidium in water samples.

We describe a novel assay for simple, rapid and high-sensitive detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water samples using a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). The assay is based on the detection of 18S rRNA specific for Cryptosporidium oocysts. The detection limit of the developed RT-LAMP assay was as low as 6 x 10(-3) oocysts/test tube, which theoretically enables us to detect a Cryptosporidium oocyst and perform duplicated tests even if water samples contain only one oocyst.

Effects of environmental stress on intertidal mussels and their sea star predators.

Consumer stress models of ecological theory predict that predators are more susceptible to stress than their prey. Intertidal mussels, Mytilus californianus, span a vertical stress gradient from the low zone (lower stress) to the high zone (higher thermal and desiccation stress), while their sea star predators, Pisaster ochraceus, range from the low zone only into the lower edge of the mussel zone. In summer 2003, we tested the responses of sea stars and mussels to environmental stress in an experiment conducted on the Oregon coast.

Gene expression in the liver of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, during the stress response.

To better appreciate the mechanisms underlying the physiology of the stress response, an oligonucleotide microarray and real-time RT-PCR (QRT-PCR) were used to study gene expression in the livers of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). For increased confidence in the discovery of candidate genes responding to stress, we conducted two separate experiments using fish from different year classes. In both experiments, fish exposed to a 3 h stressor were compared to control (unstressed) fish.