The nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial DNA fragments containing genes for cytochrome c oxidase subunits I and II, ATPase subunits 6 and 8, large and small subunits of rRNA, and 9 tRNAs were determined using 2 genetically distinct representative specimens of the hydrothermal vent-endemic genus, Alviniconcha, and for the hydrothermal vent-endemic species, Ifremeria nautilei (Provannidae: Caenogastropoda: Mollusca). All 3 specimens showed tRNATrp gene translocation. To determine the time point at which this translocation occurred, we determined the nucleotide sequences of fragments containing 7 tRNA genes for another 3 Alviniconcha and 2 Ifremeria specimens, as well as for 7 related species. Our findings indicated that the translocation occurred in a common ancestor of the Alviniconcha and Ifremeria genera. Relatively long non-coding regions were observed on both sides of the tRNATrp gene and at the original position of this gene in all the Alviniconcha and Ifremeria gastropod specimens. Overall, the mitochondrial non-coding regions appear to provide much more information about genetic structure than the mitochondrial COI gene does and could therefore be a valuable marker for future studies.

The phylogenetic relationships were analysed based on nucleotide sequences of a mitochondrial gene for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) for the vestimentiferan tube worm Lamellibrachia juni, which inhabits three extremely acidic hydrothermal vent fields in the South Pacific: the TOTO Caldera in the South Mariana Volcanic Arc, the DESMOS site in the Manus Basin, and the Brothers Caldera in the Kermadec Arc. Six haplotypes were obtained from 34 lamellibrachiids from the three sites. Each haplotype was obtained only from a single site, which suggests that the three populations have been isolated from each other. Haplotypes from the DESMOS site formed a monophyletic cluster. All ten individuals from the TOTO Caldera were classified into the same haplotype, which was shown to form a monophyletic cluster with one of three haplotypes from the Brothers Caldera. The population in the Brothers Caldera was shown to consist of two genetically distinct groups.

This study aims at elucidating the role of cytokines in the mechanism of proliferation of cholesteatoma epithelium by investigating the mode of expression of epidermal growth factors, such as TGF-α. The subjects of this study were patients who had undergone operation for middle ear cholesteatoma. Skins of the bone region of the externalear canal (normal skin) of the same patients were used as the negative control. The mode of expression of TGF-α was studied by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. In the immunohistochemical study, there were no conspicuous differences observed between cholesteatoma tissues and normal skin. After in situ hybridization, expression of TGF-α mRNA was mainly observed in the epidermal basal cell layer in the normal skin, while in the cholesteatoma epidermis with severe inflammatory cell infiltration, expression of TFG-α mRNA was observed up to layers superior to the basal cell layer. The expression of TGF-α mRNA is greatly affected by subepithelial connective tissue, strongly suggesting involvement of paracrine regulation in proliferation of cholesteatomaepithelium.