l-fucoside localization in the gills of the genus Takifugu and its possible implication in the parasitism of Heterobothrium okamotoi (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae).

Background: The monogenean parasite Heterobothrium okamotoi only parasitizes the gills of Takifugu rubripes. In this study, we hypothesized that the carbohydrates contribute to high host specificity of H. okamotoi.

Dynamics of a fish-killing dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi red-tide captured by composite data sources.

Bloom dynamics of K. mikimotoi during summer 2015 in the Yatsushiro Sea, Japan, which caused fish mortality was studied using field survey data and satellite data. The bloom initially formed in the western area, subsequently appeared in the southern area, and finally expanded to the central area.

Easy detection of multiple Alexandrium species using DNA chromatography chip.

In this study, the Kaneka DNA chromatography chip (KDCC) for the Alexandrium species was successfully developed for simultaneous detection of five Alexandrium species. This method utilizes a DNA-DNA hybridization technology. In the PCR process, specifically designed tagged-primers are used, i.

Influences of diurnal sampling bias on fixed-point monitoring of plankton biodiversity determined using a massively parallel sequencing-based technique.

In this study, we investigated the influence of diurnal sampling bias on the community structure of plankton by comparing the biodiversity among seawater samples (n=9) obtained every 3h for 24h by using massively parallel sequencing (MPS)-based plankton monitoring at a fixed point conducted at Himedo seaport in Yatsushiro Sea, Japan. The number of raw operational taxonomy units (OTUs) and OTUs after re-sampling was 507-658 (558 ± 104, mean ± standard deviation) and 448-544 (467 ± 81), respectively, indicating high plankton biodiversity at the sampling location. The relative abundance of the top 20 OTUs in the samples from Himedo seaport was 48.

Variability of factors driving spatial and temporal dispersion in river plume and Chattonella antiqua bloom in the Yatsushiro Sea, Japan.

The dynamics of river plume in relation to harmful blooms of the raphidophycean flagellate, Chattonella antiqua in summer 2008-2010 in the Yatsushiro Sea, Japan were studied using a hydrodynamic model and monitoring data. In the southern area, the bloom formed in the waters stratified by a halocline caused by the southward expansion of riverine water from the Kuma River after the bloom initially forming in the northern area. The timing of the southward riverine water advection can be explained by the balance between the wind stress term and the pressure gradient term calculated from the horizontal density difference between the northern and southern areas.

Fermentation properties of low-quality red alga Susabinori Porphyra yezoensis by intestinal bacteria.

Susabinori (Porphyra yezoensis), a red alga, is cultured and processed into a sheet-style dried food, nori, in Japan. But significant amounts of cultured susabinori, which has a low protein content is discarded because of its low quality. The protein content of nori has been reported to be correlated inversely with the carbohydrate content.

Bactericidal activity of phlorotannins from the brown alga Ecklonia kurome.

The bactericidal activity of phlorotannins from brown algae against food-borne pathogenic bacteria (25 strains), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (nine strains) and Streptococcus pyogenes (one strain) was examined and compared with that of catechins. In addition, the effect of the oral administration of phlorotannins on mice was investigated. Phlorotannins, which are oligomers of phloroglucinol, were extracted from thalli of the brown alga Ecklonia kurome and prepared by silicic acid chromatography.

Aromatase inhibitor and 17alpha-methyltestosterone cause sex-reversal from genetical females to phenotypic males and suppression of P450 aromatase gene expression in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus).

The sex of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is easily altered by water temperature or sex steroid hormone treatment during the period of sex determination. We have previously shown that rearing the genetically female larvae at high water temperature caused the suppression of P450 aromatase (P450arom) gene expression in the gonad and phenotypic sex-reversal of the individuals to males (Kitano et al. 1999.

Suppression of P450 aromatase gene expression in sex-reversed males produced by rearing genetically female larvae at a high water temperature during a period of sex differentiation in the Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus).

The phenotypic sex of many teleost fishes including flounders can be experimentally altered by treating embryos or larvae with varied temperatures or sex-steroid hormones. To analyse the sex determination mechanism, especially the role of cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom), an enzyme that catalyses the conversion of androgens to estrogens, in temperature-dependent gonadal sex differentiation in the Japanese flounder, we generated two populations of larvae, both having XX (genetic females) but each growing up to display all phenotypic females or males, by rearing the larvae at normal (18 degrees C) or high (27 degrees C) water temperatures from days 30 to 100 after hatching respectively. The larvae (XX) were produced artificially by mating normal females (XX) with gynogenetic diploid males (XX) which had been sex-reversed to phenotypic males by 17alpha-methyltestosterone.