Oryzabase contains 16,000 biological resources, including wild rice, mutants, and experimental strains, together with 4000 trait genes collected from journal articles. The database also contains genetic and genomic maps, and 20,000 items fi-om the published literature. Of these items, the most valuable are the biological resources, particularly the wild rice and mutant collections, because they have been thoroughly characterized by researchers and are aecompanied by large quantities of data. The next most valuable content is the trait gene dictionary, which has been maintained continuously since 1995 and is based on published literature. Oryzabase also plays a role as an international site for the submission of rice genes. Besides maintaining original data, Oryzabase compiles genomic data that are systematically integrated with existing data holdings and provided with a user-friendly interface. Oryzabase can be accessed at http://www.shigen.nig.ac.jp/rice/oryzabase/.

A bacterium, strain SD-74, which was isolated from soil under alkaline conditions, was found to abundantly produce acidic exolipids from /i-alkanes. The strain proved to be alkali-resistant rather than alkalophilic and was identified as Rhodococcus erythropolis. The acidic exolipids (15 g) were isolated from culture broth (1 1) containing /i-hexadecane as the sole carbon source and were found to be composed of two new succinoyl trehalose lipids (STL-1 and STL-2). After purification, STL-1 showed mp 169 to 171 C and [a]2D°+92.3°(c=0.6, CHC13/ MeOH=2:l), and STL-2 mp 161 to 163 C and [a]2D°+75.0°(c=0.6, CHCl3/MeOH=2:1). On the basis of the results of chemical degradation and methylation, STL-1 and STL-2 were concluded to be 2,3,4,2'-di-0-succinoyl-di-0-alkanoyl-a,a-trehalose and 2,3,4-mono-O-succinoyl-di-Oalkanoyl-a,a-trehalose, respectively.

Narezushi is one of Japanese traditional foods and is made by fermenting salted fish meat and cooked rice together. In this study, the microbial diversity of samma-narezushi (narezushi using saury, Cobolabis saira) was analyzed by the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) clone library. Randomly selected 89 clones were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. The sequences were classified into 12 operational taxonomy units (OTUs) at the 97% identity threshold.Most of the clones (89%) were lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and included Lactobacillus sakei, Leuconostoc gelidum, Lactococcus subsp. lads and L. pisium. The most predominant clone was L. sakei at 72% of the clones. The second most abundant clone was L. gelidum. These results suggest that L. sakei mainly contributes to the lactic acid fermentation process, taste and flavor of samma-narezushi.The present study showed that the culture independent method is useful for the microbial diversity analysis of narezushi.Key words: Narezushi/Fermented food/Lactic acid bacteria/Lactobacillus sakei/16S rDNA clone library.

Narezushi, a derivation of sushi, is a traditional Japanese food made by fermenting salted fish meat and cooked rice together. In this study, the microbial diversity of saba-narezushi (narezushi of mackerel, Scomber japonicus) was analyzed by the 16S ribosomal RNA gene clone library method. Chemical composition was also analyzed to compare with different kinds of narezushi. The chemical composition of the narezushi was similar to those obtained from samma-narezushi. Ninety-four clones were randomly selected and DNA sequences of cloned fragments (approx. 890 bp) were analyzed. The DNA sequences obtained were phylogenetically analyzed. The expected operational taxonomy units (OTUs) by Chao1 estimates and ShannonWiener index (H′) at 97% identity threshold were 48 and 1.822, respectively. The sequence similarity of the cloned fragment was equal to or higher than 98% of the sequence of cultivated bacterial species in the public database. Most of the clones (85%) belonged to lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactobacillus curvatus was the most abundant species followed by Lactococcus piscium and Leuconostoc gasicomitatum, suggesting that these bacteria play important roles in the fermentation of saba-narezushi.