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We present Early Cretaceous partial melting recorded by pelitic gneiss from the Nagasaki Metamorphic Complex, western Kyushu, Japan. The existence of the partially melted rock in the complex may im...

The cDNA library prepared from Lentinula edodes, Hokken 600 (H600), primordia was screened using cDNA expressed specifically in Dictyostelium discoideum prestalk as a probe. Twenty-one clones, Le-Dd1 ~ 21, were isolated from the L. edodes primordia cDNA library. Functional analysis of each gene was carried out by transformation into protoplast cells from L. edodes Mori 252 (M252) mycelia with the overexpression vector pLG-RasF1 of each gene because M252 protoplast cells were transformed with an 11-fold higher efficiency than H600 cells. Transformants with the overexpression vector of Le-Dd10 formed a fruiting body at almost the same time as H600, a positive control, although M252, a negative control, did not form a fruiting body under culture conditions. This suggested that Le-Dd10 is involved in the formation of fruiting bodies. Single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis revealed that Le-Dd10 is located on No. 4 linkage group of L. edodes. The properties of Le-Dd10 products were investigated by Western blotting analysis using polyclonal antibodies against GST:Le-Dd10 fusion proteins. As a result, 56-kDa, 27-kDa, and 14-kDa protein bands appeared in primordial and fruiting body stages, although the expected molecular weight of the Le-Dd10 product was 50 kDa.

Mixtures of melt and residue in a high-T metamorphic complex have a lower density and viscosity than the surrounding host crust, and the mixtures should ascend due to buoyancy. The mixtures are rec...

The Higo and Manotani high- T metamorphic rocks belong to the Higo terrane, central Kyushu, Japan. This terrane has been suggested as the eastern extension of the North China–South China collision zone based mainly on the similar petrological and geochronological data to the north Dabie high-grade rocks. In this study, detrital zircon U–Pb dating for the Higo metamorphic rocks yielded a maximum depositional age of 197 Ma with a prominent component at 193–284 Ma (62–95%) and a subsidiary peak at 1847–1875 Ma (19–28%); whereas for the Manotani metamorphic rocks, the maximum depositional age is 263 Ma with a prominent component at 263–304 Ma (98%). These results suggest that the protoliths of the Higo and Manotani metamorphic rocks might be equivalent to those of the early–middle Jurassic Chizu and late Triassic Suo high- P metamorphic rocks, southwest Japan, respectively. The absence of middle Neoproterozoic detrital zircon ( c . 700–825 Ma) is incompatible with a proposition that the proto-Japan might have been located close to the South China craton, where Permian–Jurassic sedimentary rocks contain a significant amount of middle Neoproterozoic detrital zircon. The zircon provenance of the Higo terrane, as well as of the Chizu and Suo belts, could therefore be the North China craton, suggesting that the Suo metamorphic rocks, including the Manotani metamorphic rocks, have formed at the subduction plate boundary in the east, which changed into the contemporaneous North China–South China collision plate boundary in the west, likely passing through the Korean Peninsula. The transformation of the Chizu and Suo metamorphic rocks to the Higo and Manotani metamorphic rocks can be accounted for by the oceanward advance of the volcanic arc during trench retreating. The Cretaceous high- T metamorphism and related igneous intrusions of the Higo terrane would be regarded as the initial phase of the Ryoke event.

We applied interface-controlled kinetics, including interface-controlled Ostwald ripening and non-hydrostatic dissolution–precipitation, to metamorphic zircon and phengite growth in a high-pressure (high-P) metamorphic complex. This kinetic modeling yields the growth duration of metamorphic zircon, based on the assumption that dissolution and precipitation of zircon is much slower than that of phengite. The model was applied to zircon and phengite growth in the Nishisonogi unit of the high-P Nagasaki metamorphic complex, western Kyushu, Japan. Given that detrital zircons that are tens of microns in size remain after metamorphism, our model assumption is justified. Our results show that the duration of metamorphic zircon growth in an individual rock ranges from 10 to 20 Myr. In general, the duration of metamorphic zircon growth in the whole Nishisonogi unit is ca. 30 Myr. This prolonged duration implies that high-P metamorphism is sustained by continuous subduction of hydrated oceanic crust and overlying trench-fill sediments. The continuous subduction and accretion of these materials may supply the metamorphic fluid into the high-P metamorphic domain in the deeper part of the accretionary prism, thereby contributing to interface-controlled kinetics in the metamorphic complex.

Metatexite and diatexite migmatites are widely distributed within the upper amphibolite and granulite-facies zones of the Higo low-P/high-T metamorphic terrane. Here we report Nd–Sr isotopic and whole rock composition data from an outcrop in the highest-grade part of the granulite-facies zone, in which diatexite occurs as a 3 m-thick layer between 2 m-thick layers of stromatic-structured metatexite within pelitic gneiss. The metatexite has Nd–Sr isotopes and whole rock compositions similar to those of the gneiss, but the diatexite shows the reverse. The diatexite has a higher eNd(t) and 147Sm/144Nd ratio (eNd(t) = −0.5; 147Sm/144Nd = 0.1636) than the gneiss (eNd(t) = −2.1; 147Sm/144Nd = 0.1287) and metatexite (eNd(t) = −3.1; 147Sm/144Nd = 0.1188). The (87Sr/86Sr)initial and 87Rb/86Sr of the diatexite ((87Sr/86Sr)initial = 0.70568; 87Rb/86Sr = 0.416) are lower than those of the gneiss ((87Sr/86Sr)initial = 0.70857; 87Rb/86Sr = 1.13) and metatexite ((87Sr/86Sr)initial = 0.70792; 87Rb/86Sr = 1.11). T...

A high-temperature (T) metamorphic complex occurs in the Omuta district, northern Kyushu, Japan. Three metamorphic zones are defined based on pelitic mineral assemblage, i.e. chlorite–biotite zone, muscovite–andalusite zone and sillimanite–K-feldspar zone with ascending metamorphic grade from north to south. Two isograds trend approximately east–west, which is oblique to the boundary between the metamorphic complex and the Tamana Granodiorite located on the southeast. The metamorphic condition of two pelitic rocks that occur in the muscovite–andalusite zone and sillimanite–K-feldspar zone are estimated as 510 ±30 °C, 300 ±60 MPa and 720 ±30 °C, 620 ±60 MPa, respectively. Thermodynamic consideration reveals that use of the same geothermobarometer enables precise determination of the difference in pressure between the samples as 320 ±10 MPa. This indicates that the pelitic samples were metamorphosed at different depth by 11–12 km that is significantly larger than the geographic distance of 6.8 km between the sample localities. This also suggests that crustal thinning took place after the high-T metamorphism. The high-T metamorphic complex is, therefore, not of static contact metamorphism but of dynamic regional metamorphism. The present result combined with petrological and chronological similarities implies that this complex suffered the regional Ryoke metamorphism.

New U–Pb ages of zircons from migmatitic pelitic gneisses in the Omuta district, northern Kyushu, southwest Japan are presented. Metamorphic zonation from the Suo metamorphic complex to the gneisses suggests that the protolith of the gneisses was the Suo metamorphic complex. The zircon ages reveal the following: (i) a transformation took place from the high-P Suo metamorphic complex to a high-T metamorphic complex that includes the migmatitic pelitic gneisses; (ii) the detrital zircon cores in the Suo pelitic rocks have two main age components (ca 1900–1800 Ma and 250 Ma), with some of the detrital zircon cores being supplied (being reworked) from a high-grade metamorphic source; and (iii) one metamorphic zircon rim yields 105.1 ±5.3 Ma concordant age that represents the age of the high-T metamorphism. The high-P to high-T transformation of metamorphic complexes implies the seaward shift of a volcanic arc or a landward shift of the metamorphic complex from a trench to the sides of a volcanic arc in an arc–trench system during the Early Cretaceous. The Omuta district is located on the same geographical trend as the Ryoke plutono-metamorphic complex, and our estimated age of the high-T metamorphism is similar to that of the Ryoke plutono-metamorphism in the Yanai district of western Chugoku. Therefore, the high-T metamorphic complex possibly represents the western extension of the Ryoke plutono-metamorphic complex. The protolith of the metamorphic rocks of the Ryoke plutono-metamorphic complex was the Jurassic accretionary complex of the inner zone of southwest Japan. The high-P to high-T transformation in the Omuta district also suggests that the geographic trend of the Jurassic accretionary complex was oblique to that of the mid-Cretaceous high-T metamorphic field.

Lentinula edodes is a popular, cultivated edible and medicinal mushroom. Lentinula edodes is susceptible to postharvest problems, such as gill browning, fruiting body softening, and lentinan degradation. We constructed a de novo assembly draft genome sequence and performed gene prediction for Lentinula edodes . De novo assembly was carried out using short reads from paired-end and mate-paired libraries and by using long reads by PacBio, resulting in a contig number of 1,951 and an N 50 of 1 Mb. Furthermore, we predicted genes by Augustus using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) data from the whole life cycle of Lentinula edodes , resulting in 12,959 predicted genes. This analysis revealed that Lentinula edodes lacks lignin peroxidase. To reveal genes involved in the loss of quality of Lentinula edodes postharvest fruiting bodies, transcriptome analysis was carried out using serial analysis of gene expression (SuperSAGE). This analysis revealed that many cell wall-related enzymes are upregulated after harvest, such as β-1,3-1,6-glucan-degrading enzymes in glycoside hydrolase (GH) families GH5, GH16, GH30, GH55, and GH128, and thaumatin-like proteins. In addition, we found that several chitin-related genes are upregulated, such as putative chitinases in GH family 18, exochitinases in GH20, and a putative chitosanase in GH family 75. The results suggest that cell wall-degrading enzymes synergistically cooperate for rapid fruiting body autolysis. Many putative transcription factor genes were upregulated postharvest, such as genes containing high-mobility-group (HMG) domains and zinc finger domains. Several cell death-related proteins were also upregulated postharvest. IMPORTANCE Our data collectively suggest that there is a rapid fruiting body autolysis system in Lentinula edodes . The genes for the loss of postharvest quality newly found in this research will be targets for the future breeding of strains that keep fresh longer than present strains. De novo Lentinula edodes genome assembly data will be used for the construction of a complete Lentinula edodes chromosome map for future breeding.

The Longibrachiatum Clade of the genus Trichoderma in Japan was examined, among which two new species and three new records are herewith reported. The new species, T. tsugarense and T. kunigamense were isolated from a bed log (cultivation of Lentinula edodes ) and volcanic ash soil, respectively. These species are distinguished from closely related species by growth and morphological characteristics and in phylogenetic analysis. Additional species new to Japan were T. ghanense , T. parareesei and T. sinense . The significance of their distribution is discussed. Most species of the Longibrachiatum Clade are tropical rather than temperate in distribution. Their in vitro optimum growth tends to be >35 °C but the optimum temperature for some Japanese species was lower. Some species are endophytes of temperate plant species, some of which are endemic in Japan.

Metatexite and diatexite migmatites are widely distributed within the upper amphibolite and granulite facies zones of the Higo low-P/high-T metamorphic terrane. Here, we report data from an outcrop in the highest grade part of the granulite facies zone, in which diatexite occurs as a 3 m thick layer between 2 m thick layers of stromatic-structured metatexite within pelitic gneiss. The migmatites and gneiss contain the same peak mineral assemblage of biotite + plagioclase + quartz + garnet + K-feldspar with retrograde chlorite ± muscovite and some accessory minerals of ilmenite ± rutile ± titanite + apatite + zircon + monazite ± pyrite ± zinc sulphide ± calcite. Calculated metamorphic P–T conditions are 800–900 °C and 9–12 kbar. Zircon in the diatexite forms elongate euhedral crystals with oscillatory zoning, but no core–rim structure. Zircon from the gneiss and metatexite forms euhedral–subhedral grains comprising inherited cores overgrown by thin rims. The overgrowth rims in the metatexite have lower Th/U ratios than zircon in the diatexite and yield a 206Pb/238U age of 116.0 ± 1.6 Ma, which is older than the 110.1 ± 0.6 Ma 206Pb/238U age derived from zircon in the diatexite. Zircon from the diatexite has variable REE contents with convex upward patterns and flat normalized HREE, whereas the overgrowth rims in the metatexite and gneiss have steep HREE-enriched patterns; however, both types have similar positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies. 176Hf/177Hf ratios in the overgrowth rims from the metatexite are more variable and generally lower than values from zircon in the diatexite. Based on U–Pb ages, trace element and Hf isotope data, the zircon rims in the metatexite are interpreted to have crystallized from a locally derived melt, following partial dissolution of inherited protolith zircon during anatexis, whereas the zircon in the diatexite is interpreted to have crystallized from a melt that included an externally derived component. By integrating zircon and petrographic data for the migmatites and pelitic gneiss, the metatexite migmatite is interpreted to have formed by in situ partial melting in which the melt did not migrate from the source, whereas the diatexite migmatite included an externally derived juvenile component. The Cretaceous high-temperature metamorphism of the Higo metamorphic terrane is interpreted to reflect emplacement of mantle-derived basalts under a volcanic arc along the eastern margin of the Eurasian continent and advection of heat via hybrid silicic melts from the lower crust. Post-peak crystallization of anatectic melts in a high-T region at mid-crustal depths occurred in the interval c. 116–110 Ma, as indicated by the difference in zircon ages from the metatexite and diatexite migmatites.

We document the pressure–temperature structure of a mylonitized metamorphic pile in the Nagasaki Metamorphic Complex (NMC), western Kyushu, Japan, and we discuss the role of advection of the lower crust in the formation of this metamorphic pile. The NMC consists of upper and lower units. The upper unit is a mylonitized metamorphic pile that consists of metamorphic rocks of amphibolite to granulite facies. The lower unit consists of metamorphic rocks of the epidote–blueschist subfacies. The upper unit was extruded onto the lower unit. Peak metamorphic temperatures of the upper unit show continuous increase from 600 to 780 °C from the unit boundary towards upper structural levels, although peak metamorphic pressures within the upper unit are almost constant around 1.1 GPa. The upper part of the upper unit is associated with migmatitic rocks that formed around 113.7 ± 1.6 Ma, and the pressure-temperature conditions are consistent with those of partial melting of mafic gneiss. The upper unit underwent high- T mylonitization in the lower crust, and was finally juxtaposed against the lower unit, also at depths of the lower crust. Thermal-advection models of a subduction zone show that the pressure and temperature conditions of the upper unit were reached underneath the region from the volcanic arc to the forearc; for the lower unit, the conditions were reached near the corner of corner flow of the shallow asthenosphere. The models also indicate that horizontal advection of the lower crust was activated by the corner flow, and that this process provides a satisfactory explanation for the formation of the mylonitized pile in the NMC.

High-grade mylonites occur in the Takahama metamorphic rocks, a member of the high-pressure low-temperature type Nagasaki Metamorphic Rocks, western Kyushu, Japan. Mafic layers within the mylonites retain reaction microstructures consisting of margarite aggregates armoring both corundum and kyanite. The following retrograde reaction well accounts for the microstructures in the CaO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O system: 3Al2O3 + 2Al2SiO5 + 2Ca2Al3Si3O12(OH) + 3H2O = 2Ca2Al8Si4O20(OH)4 (corundum + kyanite + clinozoisite + fluid = margarite). Mass balance analyses and chemical potential modeling reveal that the chemical potential gradients present between kyanite and corundum have likely driven the transport of the CaO and SiO2 components. The mylonitization is considered to take place chronologically after peak metamorphism and before the above reaction, based on the following features: approximately constant thickness of the margarite aggregates, random orientation of margarite, and local modification of garnet composition at a boudin neck that formed during mylonitization. The estimated peak temperature of 640°C and the pressure–temperature conditions of the above reaction indicate that the mylonitization took place at temperature between 530 and 640°C at pressures higher than 1.2 GPa, approximately equivalent to the depth of the lower crust of island arcs.

The Ryoke Metamorphic Complex of the Mikawa Plateau, Central Japan, contains well-preserved geological and thermal structures formed during Cretaceous high-temperature (high- T ) metamorphism. These structures can be explained by a pervasive melt migration model. However, the estimated flux of melt is much higher than that expected for compaction flow of felsic melt. An additional tectonic force and/or melt segregation to network of veins or layers is therefore required. This paper presents the results of numerical modeling of the structural evolution of immiscible viscous fluids under simple-shear deformation, and discusses the role of viscous segregation in enabling pervasive melt flow in hot crust. The results of numerical modeling of simple-shear deformation of immiscible viscous fluids reveal that low-viscosity fluids segregate into lenses and layers. This segregation is a type of viscous segregation that takes place to minimize the dissipation of energy in the system. The rate of energy dissipation is proportional to viscosity. Therefore, this process is expected to occur universally in immiscible viscous fluids with large viscosity contrasts, and is an important process in focusing melt in partially melted rocks. The structures produced by the numerical simulation are similar to those of migmatites. The simulation results suggest that melts distributed randomly in partially melted rock will segregate into lenses or layers with progressive simple-shear deformation. During deformation-enhanced segregation, a melt network will form dynamically. If this process occurs at small to large scales in the hot crust, melts will be effectively transported upward due to buoyancy forces. It is possible that pervasive migmatites at low structural levels within high- T metamorphic complexes may represent “fossil” melt pathways formed by crustal-scale viscous segregation.

For molecular breeding of mushrooms, understanding the mechanism of fruiting body formation by gene expression level is one of vital approaches. To identify the genes controlling traits of fruiting body and determine functions of their genes, the position of candidate genes should be combined with QTL analyses data. As primarily step to analyze the mechanism of fruiting body formation of Lentinula edodes, we located 12 loci containing specifically or abundantly expressed genes during fruiting body formation stage onto a linkage map of L. edodes. Two mapped genes were completely cosegregated from the mfbC gene, and an expressed sequence tag (EST) marker, LEEST359, respectively. In addition, other 2 genes were suggested to be closely located on the genome of L. edodes, because the 2 genes completely cosegregated each other. As a whole, 12 genes isolated from primordia and specifically or abundantly expressed during fruiting body formation were studded all over the genome of L. edodes, and mapped to 8 linkage groups.

We have developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection method for Trichoderma harzianum, which causes green mold disease in mushroom cultivation fields and facilities. Based on the sequence data of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of T. harzianum strains and several other species, six primers consisting of three forward and three reverse primers were designed. Among the nine possible combinations of these primers, PCR with the pair THITS-F2 and THITS-R3 distinguished most T. harzianum strains from other Trichoderma species. The optimal annealing temperature for detection of T. harzianum strains was from 62° to 63°C with this primer combination. We designed new primers derived from THITS-F2 and THITS-R3. Annealing temperatures to detect T. harzianum ranged from 64° to 67°C using the new primers. The detection limit of T. harzianum DNA was 50 fg by nested PCR with THITS-F1 and LR1-1 for the first PCR and the new primers for the second PCR. T. harzianum was readily detectable in contaminated cultures of Lentinula edodes by this method.

An albite-omphacite rock, containing the three sodic pyroxenes of the jadeite-omphacite-diopside/hedenbergite ternary system, has been investigated in detail to better characterize the phase relationships in this system. The rock is from a serpentinite melange in the Kurosegawa Zone of Central Kyushu, Japan, and exhibits an omphacite overgrowth over diopside/hedenbergite and the further overgrowth of jadeite over omphacite, indicative of the successive replacement of pyroxenes during metamorphism. Partial replacement of omphacite by diopside/hedenbergite at the margins of K-feldspar veins suggests that all three pyroxenes were stable locally at the same stage of metamorphism. The peak temperature and pressure conditions are roughly estimated to be 350°C and 5–10.8 kbar. Partitioning of Fe2+-Mg between pyroxene pairs is consistent with a recent thermodynamic model, indicating the attainment of local equilibrium for pyroxene pairs. The observed compositional gap is also consistent with the miscibility gap reported in many previous studies. The compositional field of omphacite in the ternary jadeite-aegirine-diopside/hedenbergite diagram extends from the jadeite-diopside/hedenbergite line toward the aegirine-rich field, maintaining approximately constant the jadeite content, resulting in an asymmetric phase diagram.

We constructed a framework map of the edible mushroom Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom) using tetrad analysis. The map is based on the segregation of 264 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, 14 structural genes, 1 expressed sequence tag (EST) marker, 2 mating factors (matA and matB), and 8 sequence-characterized amplified regions (SCARs) among 92 basidiosporic strains in 23 tetrads. We identified 11 linkage groups on a support interval of a minimal LOD score of 3.0 and a maximum distance of 25 centimorgans (cM). The length of the 11 linkage groups (LGs) ranged from 157.2 cM to 24.4 cM, and they covered a distance of 908.8 cM. One of the quantitative trait loci controlling the vegetative growth rate on potato dextrose agar (PDA) for L. edodes was detected between the markers D18CCA-360t and S08-1000c on LG2.

In synthetic single crystals of the olivine group, a strong compositional zoning along the growth direction has often been observed. Here we have synthesized large homogeneous single crystals of forsterite doped with manganese (50 mm×150–200 mm) by the Czochralski method using a large volume crucible, at ∼1950 °C in an N 2 atmosphere. The size of the crystals in this study is the largest reported. The homogeneous parts of as-grown crystals with the compositions of (Mn 0.004 Mg 0.996 ) 2 SiO 4 and (Mn 0.011 Mg 0.989 ) 2 SiO 4 are as large as 20×20×50 mm 3 [ x =0.0040±0.0004 in (Mn x Mg 1− x ) 2 SiO 4 ] and 12×12×30 mm 3 [ x =0.011±0.001], respectively. The crystals were prepared to allow for accurate measurements of physical properties and their anisotropies of pure Mn bearing forsterite, to extract the effect of Mn itself, ultimately for the study of the Earth's mantle. The polarized absorption spectra were measured for an evidence of measured anisotropy, and the clear pleochroism was observed.

Detailed reviews of metamorphic thermal structures and spatial distributions of granitic rocks in the high-T Higo metamorphic complex (HMC), central Kyushu, Japan, and Ryoke metamorphic complex in the Yanai district (RMC-Y), southwest Japan, reveal that the high-grade metamorphic rocks were associated with migmatites or syn-metamorphic granitoids. The close association of these rocks suggests that transport and solidification of granitic melts are appreciable heat sources. Partial melting of the pelitic host resists heating of the crust due to its endothermic reaction (i.e. absorption of latent heat). However, the effects of slower thermal evolution produced by partial melting are limited by the boundary conditions assumed for the HMC and RMC-Y. New thermal numerical modeling reveals that the volume fraction of the solidified melt products and the duration of melt migration required for crustal heating to a certain temperature decrease with increasing rates of melt migration. The model predicts that the melt migration rate during formation of the HMC is about three to 10 times higher than that of the RMC-Y, and the corresponding duration of melt migration is about one order of magnitude shorter. The model described here also explains the apparently contradictory observations made in different structural units of the RMC-Y: the metamorphic pressure–temperature (P-T) ratio of the southern unit is higher than those of the central and northern units, even though the volume fraction of granitic rocks in the southern unit is larger. The model suggests that the melt migration rate in the northern and central units was faster than that in the southern unit. Overall, the model implies that variations of metamorphic field P-T arrays and the spatial distributions of granitic rocks in high-T metamorphic complexes may be explained simply by variations in the rate and duration of melt migration in the hot crust.

This paper characterizes the metamorphic thermal structure of the Higo Metamorphic Complex (HMC) and presents the results of a numerical simulation of a geotherm with melt migration and solidification. Reconstruction of the geological and metamorphic structure shows that the HMC initially had a simple thermal structure where metamorphic temperatures and pressures increased towards apparent lower structural levels. Subsequently, this initial thermal structure has been collapsed by E–W and NNE–SSW trending high-angle faults. Pressure and temperature conditions using the analysis of mineral assemblages and thermobarometry define a metamorphic field P–T array that may be divided into two segments: the array at apparent higher structural levels has a low-dP/dT slope, whereas that at apparent lower structural levels has a high-dP/dT slope. This composite array cannot be explained by heat conduction in subsolidus rocks alone. Migmatite is exposed pervasively at apparent lower structural levels, but large syn-metamorphic plutons are absent at the levels exposed in the HMC. Transport and solidification of melt within migmatite is a potential mechanism to generate the composite array. Thermal modelling of a geotherm with melt migration and solidification shows that the composite thermal structure may be formed by a change of the dominant heat transfer from an advective regime to a conduction regime with decreasing depth. The model also predicts that strata beneath the crossing point will consist of high-grade solid metamorphic rocks and solidified melt products, such as migmatite. This prediction is consistent with the observation that migmatite was associated with the very high-dP/dT slope. The melt migration model is able to generate the very high-dP/dT segment due to the high rate of heat transfer by advection.

Garnet-clinopyroxene amphibolites occur in the mylonite unit structurally at the top of the Takahama metamorphic rocks — a member of the Nagasaki Metamorphic Rocks, western Kyushu, SW Japan. Geothermobarometry applied to an equigranular garnet-clinopyroxene amphibolite, which escaped severe mylonitization, yields the metamorphic condition of 770 ± 70°C and 1.1 ± 0.2 GPa. This condition is comparable with the high-pressure granulite facies, and is much higher-grade than those of the underlying crystalline schists of the Takahama metamorphic rocks that belong to the epidote-glaucophane schist subfacies. Despite the presence of such a gap in metamorphic condition between the crystalline schists and the mylonite unit, nearly identical muscovite K-Ar ages have been obtained from these units, which indicate that both units were juxtaposed at depth before they cooled below the closure temperature of the muscovite K-Ar system.

High-pressure metamorphic rocks exposed in the Bantimala area, c. 40 km north-east of Ujung Pandang, were formed as a Cretaceous subduction complex with fault-bounded slices of melange, chert, basalt, turbidite, shallow-marine sedimentary rocks and ultrabasic rocks. Eclogites, garnet–glaucophane rocks and schists of the Bantimala complex have estimated peak temperatures of T =580–630 °C at 18 kbar and T =590–640 °C at 24 kbar, using the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer. The garnet–omphacite–phengite equilibrium is used to estimate pressures. The distribution coefficient KD1=[(Xpyr)3(Xgrs)6/(Xdi)6]/[(Al/Mg)M2,wm (Al/Si)T2,wm]3 among omphacite, garnet and phengite is a good index for metamorphic pressures. The KD1values of the Bantimala eclogites were compared with those of eclogites with reliable P–T estimates. This comparison suggests that peak pressures of the Bantimala eclogites were P=18–24 kbar at T =580–640 °C. These results are consistent with the P–T range calculated using garnet–rutile–epidote–quartz and lawsonite–omphacite–glaucophane–epidote equilibria.

Comprehensive and conclusive understanding of the anisotropic upper mantle relies on physical property measurements on high-quality homogeneous specimens of various crystallographic directions. Such specimens are ultimately prepared from one large single crystal. A large olivine single crystal (250 carats) was synthesized for use in property measurements and laboratory experiments including anisotropic studies. We show a new simple and practical method for producing a large single crystal by using the Czochralski-pulling facilities. The quality of the synthetic olivine single crystal was carefully examined by EPMA and X-ray diffractometer, showing a uniform composition and sharp spots of the olivine lattice, respectively. Our new attempts to use natural olivine with a wide iridium crucible are successful, and promising to produce large olivine single crystals successively.

The edible white rot fungus Lentinula edodes possesses a variety of lignin degrading enzymes such as manganese peroxidases and laccases. Laccases belong to the multicopper oxidases, which have a wide range of catalytic activities including polyphenol degradation and synthesis, lignin degradation, and melanin formation. The exact number of laccases in L. edodes is unknown, as are their complete properties and biological functions. We analyzed the draft genome sequence of L. edodes D703PP-9 and identified 13 multicopper oxidase-encoding genes; 11 laccases in sensu stricto, of which three are new, and two ferroxidases. lcc8, a laccase previously reported in L. edodes, was not identified in D703PP-9 genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 13 multicopper oxidases can be classified into laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1, laccase sensu stricto subfamily 2 and ferroxidases. From sequence similarities and expression patterns, laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1 can be divided into two subgroups. Laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1 group A members are mainly secreted from mycelia, while laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1 group B members are expressed mainly in fruiting bodies during growth or after harvesting but are lowly expressed in mycelia. Laccase sensu stricto subfamily 2 members are mainly expressed in mycelia, and two ferroxidases are mainly expressed in the fruiting body during growth or after harvesting, and are expressed at very low levels in mycelium. Our data suggests that L. edodes laccases in same group share expression patterns and would have common biological functions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13568-015-0151-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This paper presents the results of numerical modelling to investigate the regional occurrence of prehnite-bearing metamorphic rocks at shallow levels in subduction zones. The modelling assumes a simple geometrical configuration in which the thermal structure in a prism is controlled by boundary conditions at the top and base of the prism. It is expected that the predominant metamorphic facies in a prism will change with decreasing age of the descending slab. The results of thermal modelling show that the facies boundary between pumpellyite–actinolite and prehnite–actinolite facies (including prehnite–pumpellyite facies) overlaps with an array of P–T conditions in the prism when the age of a descending slab is younger than 10 Myr. This implies that the change of the predominant metamorphic facies from pumpellyite–actinolite to prehnite–actinolite facies will switch drastically. The critical age of the switch depends on subduction parameters. In particular, the critical age of the descending slab is

Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Pygmephorus mesembrinae, Tarsonemus sp. are common mushroom pest mites in Japan. These mites can not increase in numbers when transferred to a mushroom cultivation medium of sawdust and rice bran, which has been pre-colonized with Hypsozygus marmoreus (cultivated for 7 d at 23°C). Tyrophagus putrescentiae and P. mesembrinae established their populations in both the media not pre-colonized with H. marmoreus and ones with only a weed fungus, Trichoderma harzianum. The initial numbers of mites inoculated to the medium was crucial for certain species. Only 10 female T. putrescentiae whereas 100 females of P. mesembrinae were required for population establishment. Initial conditions such as invasion by numbers of females and/or fungal contamination before mite migration accelerated population increase. Tyrophagus putrescentiae invaded fresh mushroom media in bottles from old ones with high mite density. DNA sequencing confirmed that the fungus growing in the bottles, where originally the mite was inoculated, was the same as that in bottles the mite migrated into. No contamination occurred in media without mites. We, therefore conclude that fungivorous pest mites are important vectors that disperse weed fungi throughout mushroom cultivation facilities.

Brown root rot, caused by Phellinus noxius, leads to problems in management of shade, ornamental, and windbreak trees in subtropical regions of the world, and it has been causing serious problems in Japan since 1988. To identify the pathogenicity, host specialization, and virulence of the pathogen, cross inoculation tests were carried out using isolates of the fungus obtained from nine different tree species. P. noxius was pathogenic to all of the nine tree species tested, and it killed inoculated seedlings. Among the 810 trees inoculated with the fungus, a total of 141 trees (17.4%), including all nine species, were dead within 110 days after inoculation. The first symptom of infection was rapid wilt with discoloration of leaves 20 to 30 days after inoculation, and then the plants quickly declined. Only one isolate of P. noxius that was tested caused significantly higher mortality in its original host than in other species, suggesting that the pathogen has little to no host specificity. However, the fungus did show variation in virulence, with the isolates originating in Bischofia javanica and Casuarina equisetifolia causing significantly higher mortality than those collected from other host species. More isolates of P. noxius from the same host species and/or from various countries should be studied to understand host specialization and virulence of the pathogen.

A suitable screening method for heterozygous DNA markers in shiitake,Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler, is reported. Monokaryons were derived from a dikaryon by de-dikaryotization via protoplast formation. Compatibility of the monokaryons was determined by pairwise culture on agar plates. We selected the primers to amplify polymorphic fragments among the original strain (Hokken600∶H600) and two monokaryons (H600PP-39 and H600PP-67) showing compatibility. A total of 135 fragments were selected as specific random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) resulting from 56 primers of the 147 primers tested. Furthermore, we tested whether the polymorphic fragments segregated into 2∶2 among four strains isolated from a basidium. Most of the polymorphic fragments (about 97.8%) showed 2∶2 segregation among the four strains. We concluded that the polymorphic fragments were heterozygous if they were detected in either of the monokaryons (H600PP-39 and H600PP-67) and segregated to 2∶2 among four meiotic strains (H600B-1,-2, -3, and -4). A total of 132 heterozygous DNA markers were therefore selected from a dikaryon of shiitake (Hokken600∶H600).

High-pressure metamorphic rocks are exposed in Karangsambung area of central Java, Indonesia. They form part of a Cretaceous subduction complex (Luk–Ulo Complex) with fault-bounded slices of shale, sandstone, chert, basalt, limestone, conglomerate and ultrabasic rocks. The most abundant metamorphic rock type are pelitic schists, which have yielded late Early Cretaceous K–Ar ages. Small amounts of eclogite, glaucophane rock, garnet–amphibolite and jadeite–quartz–glaucophane rock occur as tectonic blocks in sheared serpentinite. Using the jadeite–garnet–glaucophane–phengite–quartz equilibrium, peak pressure and temperature of the jadeite–quartz–glaucophane rock are P = 22 ± 2 kbar and T = 530 ± 40 °C. The estimated P–T conditions indicate that the rock was subducted to ca 80 km depth, and that the overall geothermal gradient was ∼ 7.0 °C/km. This rock type is interpreted to have been generated by the metamorphism of cold oceanic lithosphere subducted to upper mantle depths. The exhumation from the upper mantle to lower or middle crustal depths can be explained by buoyancy forces. The tectonic block is interpreted to be combined with the quartz–mica schists at lower or middle crustal depths.

We successfull treated a patient with bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas (PANT) with Rendu-Osler-Weber disease by surgery and pulmonary artery embolization. A 56-year-old woman was referred to the hospital because of bilateral abnormal shadows in a chest radiograph. Chest CT and pulmonary angiography revealed pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas located in the right middle lobe (2 PAVFs, 2cm and 10cm in diameter respectively) and left lower lobe (1PAVF, 5cm in diameter). The patient had a history of recurrent epistaxis and showed telangiectasia of lips and tongue. She was diagnosed as Rendu-Osler-Weber disease with bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas. Right middle lobectomy and selective left pulmonary artery embolization was performed. In the treatment of bilateral multiple arteriovenous fistulas of the lung like this case, more effective therapeutic outcome can be expected by selecting either or both surgery or pulmonary artery embolization for each fistula.