Japanese Strains (japanese + strain)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


NS5A mutations predict biochemical but not virological response to interferon-, treatment of sporadic hepatitis C virus infection in European patients

JOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, Issue 4 2001
I. Stratidaki
The NS5A region of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome has been reported by Japanese but not European investigators to be a significant factor in predicting interferon (IFN) response patients with HCV of genotype 1. We correlated the NS5A region with treatment outcome in patients with sporadic HCV infection. Twenty-eight patients (10 men, 18 women, mean age 60 ± 2 years) with histologically proven HCV chronic hepatitis, genotype 1b, were treated with 6 MU IFN-, for 6 months. The 6954,7073 area of the NS5A region was directly sequenced for nucleotide and amino acids mutations and the results were related to biochemical and virological response. None of the patients had a strain with nucleotide sequence identical to the Japanese HCV-J. However, in five strains the nucleotide mutations led to synonymous amino acids and the amino acid sequences were identical to the prototype Japanese strain. Only 2/28 patients had four or more amino acid mutations (mutant strains) while 21 demonstrated an intermediate type and five belonged to the wild-type. The most frequent non-synonymous substitution was at position 6982 (A,G) corresponding to an amino acid change at codon 2218 (His,Arg). All patients with the wild-type were biochemical nonresponders while the two patients with the mutant strains had a sustained biochemical response. Twenty-three percent of the intermediate type had a sustained biochemical response. NS5A mutations predict the biochemical but not the virological response of patients. Virological response was poor and unrelated to the type of HCV strain. Biochemical responders had significantly lower amino acid mutations (1.14 ± 0.19) compared with nonresponders (2.57 ± 1.4, P < 0.003) as well as lower aminotransferase values (P < 0.01). Hence, mutational analysis of the NS5A region showed that our patients have a mutational profile similar to the European studies with a wild-type that is slightly different from the Japanese HCV-J sequence. The biochemical, but not the virological response to IFN-, is similar to the Japanese studies, with no response of the patients with wild-type sequence, a good response in the limited number of patients with mutant strains and 23% response rate in the patients with intermediate type sequences. [source]


Microsatellite markers application on domesticated silkworm and wild silkworm

INSECT SCIENCE, Issue 6 2005
LIE ZHANG
Abstract Twenty-seven sets of simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers were developed through hybridizing of (CA)n, (CT)n and (GT)n and sequencing the positive clones in libraries constructed by using p50 silkworm strain. Of those primer pairs, 26 sets of SSR primers amplified well in two regional wild silkworm strains. Ten domesticated silkworm strains and two regional wild silkworm strains were used for comparing the polymorphisms and for constructing a phylogenetic tree employing the UPGAM method. The result showed that the genetic distances within Japanese strains are closer than those of Chinese strains. And this result also implies that Japanese strains diverged from domesticated silkworm later than Chinese strains. According to the clustering result, the domesticated silkworm is firstly clustered in one class, but could be classified into two groups. Within a strain, the individual polymorphism of wild silkworm was significantly higher in abundance than those of domesticated silkworm. The S SR primers of domesticated silkworm could be used in genetic studies for wild silkworm. [source]


A phylogenetic study of human respiratory syncytial viruses group A and B strains isolated in two cities in Japan from 1980,2002

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 2 2005
Yuki Kuroiwa
Abstract The circulation pattern and genetic evolution of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Japan were examined based on 109 RSV field strains isolated over 20 seasons (1980,2002) in two cities, Sapporo and Tokyo. The second hypervariable region of the large glycoprotein (G) gene was amplified by RT-PCR and the products sequenced directly. The nucleotide sequences were compared to those representatives of RSV genotypes identified previously. Japanese group A and B isolates clustered into five and four genotypes defined previously, respectively. Another one group A and one group B genotypes, which could not be assigned to previous genotypes, were also identified. Although different genotypes usually co-circulated in each season, the isolates in proximate seasons from two communities were usually located in the same branches. Moreover, the strains with genotypes defined previously were usually isolated at the same time as each reference strain of Western countries. Several mutant group B strains with 1,20 longer amino acid G proteins were newly identified in Sapporo. These findings suggest that Japanese RSV strains underwent geographical and also temporal clustering while participating in RSV genetic evolution in a global setting. In addition, Japanese strains, especially group B, might have evolved individually in each community, sometimes changing the length of the G protein. J. Med. Virol. 76:241,247, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Characteristics of Ralstonia solanacearum Biovar N2 Strains in Asia

JOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
M. Horita
Abstract Ralstonia solanacearum biovar N2 strains isolated in Asia were compared by biochemical tests with biovar N2 strains from South America and biovar 2 (race 3) strains from Africa, America, Asia and Europe. Distinct differences were found between Asian and South American strains of biovar N2, and between Asian biovar N2 and biovar 2 strains with respect to their ability to utilize several carbon sources. Using cluster analysis based on repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) genomic fingerprints, the Asian biovar N2 strains were divided into two groups, group 1 containing Japanese strains and group 2 containing Indonesian and Philippine strains. The fingerprints showed the genetic diversity of biovar N2 strains in Asia. [source]


Molecular epidemiology of measles virus in Japan

PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2004
Tetsuo Nakayama
AbstractBackground:,Measles virus has been classified into 22 genotypes. The present report examines the molecular epidemiology of measles virus in Japan from 1984 to 2002, and the epidemiological link between imported cases in several foreign countries and Japanese strains was elucidated from the literature. Methods:,B95a or Vero cells was used to isolate the measles virus. The measles virus genome was amplified in the N and H genes by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and were partially sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of a partial sequence of the N gene, from position 1230 to 1685, of the recent measles strains was performed in comparison with the World Health Organization reference strains. Results:,There were large outbreaks of measles in Japan in 1984, 1987,1988, 1991,1993, and 2001,2002 and each outbreak was caused by a different genotype. Genotype C1 was an indigenous strain for a long period before 1985, while D3 was isolated in 1987,1988 and D5 in 1991,1993 outbreaks. In addition, the Chicago-type D3 caused sporadic regional outbreaks from 1998 to 1999. After 2000, H1 became the dominant circulating strain. It should be noted that the Japanese strains were detected as imported cases by epidemiological linkage in several countries. Conclusion:,Among the recent circulating strain of measles virus in Japan the genotype H1 was dominant after 2000 and the Japanese strains D3, D5, and H1 were exported to several countries. It is recommended that Japan should adopt a more extensive and active vaccination strategy for measles elimination in line with other countries in the world. [source]