PCR amplification of the Salmonella typhimurium fimY gene sequence to detect the Salmonella species.

This study evaluated the suitability of fimY gene amplification by PCR as an effective means of detecting Salmonella species. Although fimY gene of Salmonella typhimurium is involved in regulating type 1 fimbrial expression, the amino acid sequence of FimY shares very little homology with other known prokaryotic proteins in the GenBank database. Therefore, fimY is a promising target gene to detect the presence of Salmonella species.

Effects of birth season, breed, sex, and sire family on cardiac morphology determined in pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) by use of echocardiography.

Purpose: Echocardiography played an important role in the screening and diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In the study reported here, we attempted to evaluate the effects of birth season, breed, sex, and sire family on cardiac morphology determined in pigs by use of echocardiography.

Methods: A total of 411 pigs (mean body weight and age of 105.

FimZ binds the Salmonella typhimurium fimA promoter region and may regulate its own expression with FimY.

The FimZ protein, an activator of FimA production in Salmonella typhimurium, acts in conjunction with FimY to facilitate the expression of type 1 fimbriae. The predicted amino acid sequence of FimZ suggests that this protein may be a DNA-binding protein related to BvgA, a sensory regulator of virulence gene expression in Bordetella pertussis. Purification of FimZ following overexpression of the protein by a strong inducible promoter and gel mobility shift assays confirm that FimZ is a 25-kDa polypeptide that binds to the promoter region offimA.

Whole-body hyperthermia-induced thermotolerance is associated with the induction of heat shock protein 70 in mice.

Molecular mechanisms of whole-body thermotolerance (WBT) in mammals have not been investigated thoroughly. The purpose of this study was to assess the induction of the 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) and antioxidant enzyme activity in animal WBT, which was induced by whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) in mice. As a preconditioning treatment, WBH was applied to mice to induce WBT.

Isolation of an aerobic denitrifying bacterial strain NS-2 from the activated sludge of piggery wastewater treatment systems in Taiwan possessing denitrification under 92% oxygen atmosphere.

Aims: To isolate aerobic denitrifying bacteria which will be applied to piggery wastewater treatment facilities for enhanced nitrate and nitrite removal.

Methods And Results: Nitrate-supplemented basal medium in airtight, crimp-sealed serum bottles containing an atmosphere of 92% oxygen was inoculated with denitrifiers, strains NS-2 and SM-3, and incubated at 30 degrees C. After 20 h, the concentration of nitrate was decreased rapidly by both NS-2 and SM-3.

A recombinant chimera composed of repeat region RR1 of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae adhesin with Pseudomonas exotoxin: in vivo evaluation of specific IgG response in mice and pigs.

Using the binding and translocation domain of Pseudomonas exotoxin A [domain III deleted PE termed PE(DeltaIII)] as a vehicle, this study characterized and evaluated a novel application of PE toxin in Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae adhesin used as an immunogen. PCR and sequence analysis revealed that 16 copies of AAKPV(E) in tandem repeat region 1 (RR1) of M. hyopneumoniae 97kDa adhesion were successfully fused to the downstream of PE(DeltaIII) to create a subunit vaccine, i.

Release characteristics of microspheres prepared by co-spray drying Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae antigens and aqueous ethyl-cellulose dispersion.

Using formalin inactivated Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae antigens and aqueous ethylcellulose dispersions, microspheres of oral vaccines were developed by a co-spray drying process. The present study attempted to determine whether the dosage formulations of microspheres could form enteric matrices. To assess the enteric characteristics, an in vitro dissolution test was performed with the AQ6-AP microspheres; 95% of the A.

Comparison of aerobic denitrification under high oxygen atmosphere by Thiosphaera pantotropha ATCC 35512 and Pseudomonas stutzeri SU2 newly isolated from the activated sludge of a piggery wastewater treatment system.

Aims: This study compares the ability of Thiosphaera pantotropha ATCC 35512 and the newly isolated Pseudomonas stutzeri SU2 to perform aerobic denitrification.

Methods And Results: Nitrate-supplemented basal medium in airtight crimp-sealed serum bottles containing an atmosphere of 92% oxygen was inoculated with Ps. stutzeri SU2 or T.

A simple technique for the simultaneous determination of molecular weight and activity of superoxide dismutase using SDS-PAGE.

A direct and rapid SDS-PAGE staining method for in situ identification of activity and molecular weight of superoxide dismutase following denaturing treatment has been developed. This technique was based on the removal of SDS after SDS-PAGE and two-step staining procedures of the SDS-polyacrylamide gel to present the achromatic activity-zones of the enzymes. We demonstrated that the detection sensitivity of SDS-PAGE staining method was the same as the traditional xanthine oxidase-NBT solution assay.

Differential gene expression of livers from ApoE deficient mice.

A genomic survey for differentially expressed genes was performed to livers of ApoE deficient mice using human cDNA microarray containing approximately 9,000 human cDNA clones. Due to the homology between mouse and human, hybridization was performed at lower stringency condition, 10 degrees below the regular hybridizing temperature. Gene expression profiles of livers corresponding to high levels of blood cholesterol were generated at genomic scale.

Association of heat shock protein 70 with semen quality in boars.

This study attempted to clarify the relationship between the levels of 70kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) and semen quality in boars. Semen samples from 29 (13 Duroc, 9 Landrace, and 7 Yorkshire) boars (mean age=25.2+/-2.

Synthesis of 60- and 72 kDa heat shock proteins in early porcine embryogenesis.

Proteins of selected embryonic stages were metabolically labeled with [(35)S]-methionine and analyzed by two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) to study protein expression from 4- to 8-cell to blastocyst stage of porcine embryos. Two proteins with molecular weights of 60 and 72kDa were de novo synthesized during the 4- to 8-cell stage were the earliest that were detected. They were identified as HSP60 and HSP72 according to their locations on 2-D autoradiography and the immunoblotting result of anti-HSP 60 and HSP 72 antibodies of 1-cell stage of porcine embryos.

Serum and milk lactoferrin concentration and the correlation with some blood components in lactating sows.

An increased serum concentration of lactoferrin is associated with inflammatory disease, but there are few reported data on this aspect for lactating sows. Samples of blood and milk were collected from 17 lactating sows under minimum stress conditions and analysed for lactoferrin. Lactoferrin concentrations in serum and milk were positively correlated, being high after farrowing and steadily decreasing throughout 28 days of lactation.

Late diagnosis of Kawasaki disease is associated with haptoglobin phenotype.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness characterized by multiple clinical and biochemical features of inflammation and the most common complications of coronary artery abnormality (CAA). Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute-phase protein whose phenotype is known to be involved in coronary artery diseases. In this paper, we report the investigation of the association of Hp phenotype with the formation of CAA in KD.

Molecular epidemiological studies on foot-and-mouth disease type O Taiwan viruses from the 1997 epidemic.

Sequence diversity was assessed of the complete VP1 gene directly amplified from 49 clinical specimens during an explosive foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Taiwan. Type O Taiwan FMD viruses are genetically highly homogenous, as seen by the minute divergence of 0.2-0.

The decline of porcine sperm motility by geldanamycin, a specific inhibitor of heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90).

Sperm motility is an important parameter for fertility. The molecular mechanisms of mammalian sperm motility are still largely undefined. Our previous observations suggested that heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) may be associated with porcine sperm motility.

Identification of the copper-zinc superoxide dismutase activity in Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.

Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD), a key enzyme in defense against toxic oxygen-free radicals, is widespread in eukaryotes and several species of gram-negative bacteria. The presence of this enzyme in Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae), the primary pathogen of mycoplasmal pneumonia in pigs, was examined since the polyclonal antibody against bovine Cu/ZnSOD was dominantly cross-reactive with the M.

Substantial decrease of heat-shock protein 90 precedes the decline of sperm motility during cooling of boar spermatozoa.

The decline in boar semen quality after cryopreservation may be attributed to changes in intracellular proteins. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the change of protein profiles in boar spermatozoa during the process of cooling and after cryopreservation. A total of 9 sexually mature boars (mean age = 25.

Characterization and quantitation of extracellular collagen matrix in myocardium of pigs with spontaneously occurring hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The extracellular matrix between cardiocytes has been suggested to play an important role in maintaining the structure and function of the heart. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the morphological changes in the collagen of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the hearts of pigs with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Sixty pigs diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from 605 purebred Landrace pigs ages 6 to 9 months were used in this study.

Intracellular generation of MDA-LYS epitope in foam cells.

Oxidative stress plays a central role in atherogenesis. Antioxidants, such as probucol, inhibit oxidation of LDL, retard secretion of interleukin-1, growth factors and chemoattractants, and thus inhibit progression of atherosclerosis. Other antioxidants with an ability to inhibit LDL oxidation, however, could not prevent progression of atherosclerosis.

Complete nucleotide sequence of pig (Sus scrofa) mitochondrial genome and dating evolutionary divergence within Artiodactyla.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the pig (Sus scrofa) mitochondrial genome, containing 16613bp, is presented in this report. The genome is not a specific length because of the presence of the variable numbers of tandem repeats, 5'-CGTGCGTACA in the displacement loop (D-loop). Genes responsible for 12S and 16S rRNAs, 22 tRNAs, and 13 protein-coding regions are found.

Generation of HLA-DP transgenic pigs for the study of xenotransplantation.

The shortage of human organs has prompted scientists to seek xenogeneic sources of donors. To date, DAF, MCP, and CD59 transgenic pigs have been generated to inhibit hyperacute rejection. However, besides hyperacute rejection, acute and chronic rejection must also be considered in the use of porcine organs for xenotransplantation.