The expression of the rbp genes, which encode small RNA-binding proteins with a single RNA-recognition motif, is known to increase at low temperature in Anabaena variabilis M3. The 5P-untranslated region (UTR) of the rbpA1 gene is involved in the cold-regulation. We compared the regulation of the rbp genes in three strains of cyanobacteria having different temperature optima, namely, a mesophilic strain Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, a thermophilic strain Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1, and a psychrophilic Antarctic strain Oscillatoria sp. SU1. In Anabaena 7120 and T. elongatus, all the rbp gene sequences are known, and the 5P-UTR sequences of some rbp genes have a high similarity to the 5P-UTR of rbpA1. We found that transcripts as well as protein products of these rbp genes accumulated at low temperature. In addition, the expression of rbp genes increased at low temperature in the Oscillatoria sp. SU1. This suggests that a mechanism of cold-regulation of rbp genes is common among various species of cyanobacteria that belong to different taxa and have different temperature optima. ß
Data from 18 β-carotene-deficient Japanese Black cows were collected to clarify the effects of feeding β-carotene-enriched dry carrots on β-carotene status and colostral immunoglobulin (Ig) in cows. Cows were assigned to control or carrot groups from 3 weeks before the expected calving date to parturition, and supplemental β-carotene from dry carrots was 138 mg/day in the carrot group. Plasma β-carotene concentrations in the control and carrot groups at parturition were 95 and 120 μg/dL, and feeding dry carrots slightly improved plasma β-carotene at parturition. Feeding dry carrots increased colostral IgA concentrations in cows and tended to increase colostral IgG , but colostral IgM, IgG , β-carotene and vitamin A were not affected by the treatment. Feeding dry carrots had no effects on plasma IgG , IgA and IgM concentrations in cows, but plasma IgG concentrations decreased rapidly from 3 weeks before the expected calving date to parturition. These results indicate that feeding β-carotene-enriched dry carrots is effective to enhance colostral IgA and IgG concentrations in β-carotene-deficient cows.
Bovine interferon (bIFN) τ plays a crucial role in maternal-fetal recognition
and was expressed using a Bombyx mori (Bm) nuclear polyhedrosis virus
(silkworm baculovirus) gene expression system. The biological effects of Bm-recombinant
bIFNτ (rbIFNτ) on prostaglandin (PG) F2α synthesis were investigated in
cultured bovine endometrial epithelial cells with oxytocin (OT, 100 nM) and on the
in vitro development of bovine embryos. Bm-rbIFNτ and OT were shown to
suppress PGF2α production in a dose-dependent manner. When in
vitro produced morula stage embryos were cultured for 72 hr in modified CR1aa
medium supplemented with or without rbIFNτ, Bm-rbIFNτ (10
ng/ml) significantly promoted development to the
expanded blastocyst stage. In conclusion, Bm-rbIFNτ was suggested to have the same
bioactivity as native IFNτ.
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