Kanto Branch 77th Annual Meeting Poster
Announcement of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Kanto Branch of the Zoological Society of Japan (Second Notice): February 2, 2025
Organizer: Kanto Branch of the Zoological Society of Japan
Co-hosted by: JST ERATOro Fukatsu Symbiotic Evolution Project, Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A) "Emergence of Symbiotic Phenotypes"
● Date, Time, Venue, etc.
Date and Time: Saturday, March 15, 2025, 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Venue: AIST Joint Auditorium
(National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Tsukuba Center: 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8561)
https://www.aist.go.jp/aist_j/guidemap/tsukuba/center/tsukuba_map_c.html
Venue Access:
Take a local bus from Tsukuba Station on the Tsukuba Express or Arakawaoki Station on the Joban Line, get off at "Namiki Nichome," and walk for 5 minutes.
From Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit, take the highway bus bound for "University of Tsukuba / Tsukuba Center," get off at "Namiki Nichome," and walk for 5 minutes.
Admission: Free
Application location and deadline
the application site belowPlease register from here (Presenter registration deadline: February 14)
General: https://forms.office.com/r/NMZqvqGUjy
High school students and younger: https://forms.office.com/r/i00pEq7BNY
For general presentations, at least one presenter must be a member of the Kanto Branch of the Zoological Society of Japan. This does not apply to presentations by high school students or younger.
*Participants can also register on the day of the event, but please register in advance as much as possible.
Please be sure to register in advance even if you are attending the public symposium only.
*On the application website, you can select either "With Presentation" or "Without Presentation" regarding poster presentations. Those who select "With Presentation" will need to enter the presentation category, presentation title, and abstract (within 500 characters) on the next page. Please prepare these in advance.
For Presenters
* Both general presentations and high school presentations will be poster presentations. The attached[Notes on Poster Presentations]Please read carefully and create a poster and presentation.
*Although high school student presentations are, in principle, those in which a high school student is the first author, presentations by elementary and junior high school students will also be permitted for this conference.
* General presentations with undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs as the first author will be eligible for the "Poster Award" judging (this may be canceled depending on the number of submissions and other circumstances). Those who wish to be considered for the "Poster Award" should check "Yes" in the appropriate section of the application website. Please note that presentations with "No" checked will not be eligible for judging.
Considering the possibility that high school presenters may be traveling from afar, high school presentations will be held during the first half poster session. Certificates of completion will be presented to the presenters after the first half poster session concludes.
●Tournament Program
9:00 - Registration starts
9:30 - Opening Remarks [Mikiko Tanaka, President of the Zoological Society of Japan, Kanto Branch (Institute of Science Tokyo)]
Part 1 (9:30-11:30)
Public Symposium: The Extended Phenotype in Animal Behavior, Reproduction, and Development
S-1. Takuya Sato (Kyoto University)
Mechanism of behavioral manipulation by the parasitic horsehair worm and its role in the natural ecosystem
S-2. Toshiyuki Harumoto (Kyoto Univ. / AIST)
Microbes that manipulate insect sex
S-3. Ryusuke Niwa (Tsukuba Univ.)
Molecular mechanisms and evolution of parasitic wasp parasitization strategies
S-4. Minoru Moriyama (AIST)
Gut symbiotic bacteria supporting the formation of protective coloration in stink bugs
General Assembly (11:30-12:00)
*Eligibility to participate is restricted to members of the Zoological Society of Japan, Kanto Branch. Non-members are asked to leave the venue during the general meeting.
Lunch break (12:00-13:00)
There are no restaurants or convenience stores near the venue.Please reserve a lunch box in the registration form (expected to be 1,000 yen, paid at the reception on the day), or bring your own lunch.
Part 2 (13:00-16:00)
Poster Session (Regular Members, High School Students and Under)
*1:00 PM is the deadline for presenters to put up their posters.
13:00-14:15 First half poster session
14:15-14:30 High school student presentation "Certificate of Completion" handover
14:30-15:45 Second half poster session
15:45-16:00 Poster Presentation Excellence Award Ceremony (Tentative) and Closing Remarks [Mikiko Tanaka, President of the Zoological Society of Japan Kanto Branch (Institute of Science Tokyo)]
For the latest information on this tournament, please visit the Zoological Society of Japan website (https://www.zoology.or.jp/news/kanto-branch-77) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/zsjkantothrough )
● Tournament Executive Committee (○ is the chairperson)
○ Takeuma Fukatsu (AIST, Bioproduction Research Institute)
Mayako Kutsuwaka (AIST, Cell and Molecular Biology)
Ryo Futahashi (AIST, Biological Processes)
Contact:
Secretariat of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan, Kanto Branch <M-ZSJkanto77-ml@aist.go.jp>
●Public Symposium "The Extended Phenotype in Animal Behavior, Reproduction, and Development" Abstracts
S-1. Takuya Sato (Kyoto University)
Mechanism of behavioral manipulation by the parasite horsehair worm and its role in the natural ecosystem
It is said that approximately 40% of the species inhabiting Earth today are parasites, and that all wild animals are infested by at least one species of parasite. Among these parasites are species that modify—or manipulate—the behavior of their hosts for their own benefit (to increase their infection rate).How is behavioral manipulation achieved, and what significance does it hold in natural ecosystems?
When horsehair worms become adults inside the bodies of hosts living in forests and grasslands (such as mantises and orthopterans), they manipulate their hosts to enter the water so that they can return to the water bodies where they reproduce. Although this behavioral manipulation has been known for over a century, its mechanism remained shrouded in mystery. We recently discovered that in mantises infected with horsehair worms, positive phototaxis toward horizontally polarized light—which is abundantly contained in light reflected from water surfaces—increases, leading to water-entry behavior. Furthermore, it has become clear that horsehair worms have undergone extensive horizontal gene transfer from their hosts during the course of evolution, and that this may be involved in behavioral modification. In this presentation, we will introduce the mechanisms of such behavioral manipulation and the underlying genomic evolution, and further discuss their unappreciated role in altering energy flow within natural ecosystems.
S-2. Toshiyuki Harumoto (Kyoto Univ. / AIST)
Microbes that manipulate insect sex
It is said that about half of the insects inhabiting the Earth have some kind of symbiotic microorganism living within them. These symbiotic microorganisms have supported the prosperity of insects on Earth by supplying nutrients essential for the survival of their insect hosts or by conferring resistance against natural enemies. On the other hand, some symbiotic microorganisms are selfish, aiming to expand their own infection by arbitrarily manipulating the reproduction of their insect hosts. Symbiotic bacteria such as Wolbachia and Spiroplasma are examples of this.
One such reproductive manipulation phenomenon is male killing. As the name implies, this is a phenomenon in which only the male offspring produced by a female parent infected with symbiotic microorganisms are killed. Up to now, I have investigated the mechanism of how male killing occurs at the molecular level. In this lecture, I will first focus on male killing in Drosophila caused by the symbiotic bacterium Spiroplasma and outline its molecular mechanism. Next, I will shift the topic to male killing by symbiotic viruses, which was recently discovered, and introduce a part of the research I am currently working on. Through these topics, I hope you will enjoy the mysterious phenomena that microorganisms induce in insects and the grand molecular world behind them.
S-3. Ryusuke Niwa (Tsukuba Univ.)
Molecular mechanisms and evolution of parasitic wasp parasitism strategies
Parasitic wasps, which are Hymenopteran insects, are estimated to account for 200,000 to 300,000 of the 1.75 million extant species, making them one of the most successful organism groups on Earth in terms of diversity. The foundation supporting the success of parasitic wasps is their venom, which skillfully manipulates the host's development, immunity, and even behavior, yet research into the molecular mechanisms of its action still lags behind.
We are genetically superiorDrosophilathe genus Drosophila and those that use it as a hostAsobaraUsing endoparasitoids, we aim to identify the venom components necessary for parasitism and elucidate their functions. We have previously identified a venom protein that contributes to host development inhibition by specifically degenerating Drosophila imaginal discs, and reported a completely new mechanism of host developmental manipulation brought about by parasitoid venom (Kamiyama et al. Science Advances. 2025). Furthermore, currently,AsobaraI am advancing research on the host immune response associated with endoparasitoid wasp infection, its species specificity, and the effects of venom that influence these processes.
In this presentation, we will introduce the parasite strategies supported by venom, as revealed by research using comparative genomics, multi-omics analysis, and molecular genetic techniques.
S-4. Minoru Moriyama (AIST)
Gut symbiotic bacteria supporting protective coloration in stinkbugs
Animal body color is an important trait related to environmental adaptation. In particular, insects, which have adapted to diverse environments and boast astonishing diversity, are known to possess mechanisms for body color formation using various pigments and coloration mechanisms, serving as a crucial factor driving insect diversification.
Recently, we discovered an interesting case in which body coloration, previously thought to be an innate trait of insects, actually depends on symbiotic bacteria living inside their bodies. As the name suggests, the brown marmorated stink bug (Note: *Nezara viridula* is typically called the southern green stink bug, but keeping the literal text meaning) is an insect with a green body color that serves as protective coloration. This stink bug has a special structure in part of its digestive tract and maintains specific gut symbiotic bacteria inside it, which are essential for its survival. These symbiotic bacteria are passed down from mother to offspring every generation, and are thought to have walked a history of co-evolution with the host stink bug. When these symbiotic bacteria are experimentally removed, the original green body color is lost and the stink bugs turn light brown, revealing that the symbiotic bacteria play an essential function in the formation of the green body color in stink bugs. In this presentation, I would like to introduce our recently uncovered findings regarding the mechanism by which symbiotic bacteria support the body color formation of the host insect, as well as the role of symbiotic bacteria in the evolution of body color.
Announcement of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Kanto Branch of the Zoological Society of Japan (First Circular) November 25, 2024
Organizer: Kanto Branch of the Zoological Society of Japan
Co-hosted by: ERATO Fukatsu Symbiotic Evolution Project, Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A) Emergence of Symbiotic Phenotypes
● Date, Time, Venue, etc.
Date and Time: Saturday, March 15, 2025, 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Venue: AIST Joint Auditorium
(National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Tsukuba Center: 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8561)
https://www.aist.go.jp/aist_j/guidemap/tsukuba/center/tsukuba_map_c.html
Venue Access:
Take a local bus from Tsukuba Station on the Tsukuba Express or Arakawaoki Station on the Joban Line, get off at "Namiki Nichome," and walk for 5 minutes.
From Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit, take the highway bus bound for "University of Tsukuba / Tsukuba Center," get off at "Namiki Nichome," and walk for 5 minutes.
Admission: Free
Application location and deadline
the application site belowPlease register from here (Presenter registration deadline: February 14)
General: https://forms.office.com/r/NMZqvqGUjy
High school students and younger: https://forms.office.com/r/i00pEq7BNY
For general presentations, at least one presenter must be a member of the Kanto Branch of the Zoological Society of Japan. This does not apply to presentations by high school students or younger.
*Participants can also register on the day of the event, but please register in advance as much as possible.
Please be sure to register in advance even if you are attending the public symposium only.
*On the application website, you can select either "With Presentation" or "Without Presentation" regarding poster presentations. Those who select "With Presentation" will need to enter the presentation category, presentation title, and abstract (within 500 characters) on the next page. Please prepare these in advance.
For Presenters
Both general presentations and high school presentations will be poster presentations.
Points to note for poster presentations (PDF file)Please read carefully and create a poster and presentation.
*Although high school student presentations are, in principle, those in which a high school student is the first author, presentations by elementary and junior high school students will also be permitted for this conference.
* General presentations with undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs as the first author will be eligible for the "Poster Award" judging (this may be canceled depending on the number of submissions and other circumstances). Those who wish to be considered for the "Poster Award" should check "Yes" in the appropriate section of the application website. Please note that presentations with "No" checked will not be eligible for judging.
Considering the possibility that high school presenters may be traveling from afar, high school presentations will be held during the first half poster session. Certificates of completion will be presented to the presenters after the first half poster session concludes.
●Tournament Program
9:00 - Registration starts
9:30 - Opening Remarks [Mikiko Tanaka, President of the Zoological Society of Japan, Kanto Branch (Institute of Science Tokyo)]
Part 1 (9:30-11:30)
Public Symposium: The Extended Phenotype in Animal Behavior, Reproduction, and Development
S-1. Takuya Sato (Kyoto University)
Mechanism of behavioral manipulation by the parasitic horsehair worm and its role in the natural ecosystem
S-2. Toshiyuki Harumoto (Kyoto Univ. / AIST)
Microbes that manipulate insect sex
S-3. Ryusuke Niwa (Tsukuba Univ.)
Molecular mechanisms and evolution of parasitic wasp parasitization strategies
S-4. Minoru Moriyama (AIST)
Gut symbiotic bacteria supporting the formation of protective coloration in stink bugs
General Assembly (11:30-12:00)
*Eligibility to participate is restricted to members of the Zoological Society of Japan, Kanto Branch. Non-members are asked to leave the venue during the general meeting.
Lunch break (12:00-13:00)
※There are no restaurants or convenience stores near the venue.Please reserve a lunch box in the registration form (expected to be 1,000 yen, paid at the reception on the day), or bring your own lunch.
Part 2 (13:00-16:00)
Poster Session (Regular Members, High School Students and Under)
*1:00 PM is the deadline for presenters to put up their posters.
13:00-14:15 First half poster session
14:15-14:30 High school student presentation "Certificate of Completion" handover
14:30-15:45 Second half poster session
15:45-16:00 Poster Presentation Excellence Award Ceremony (Tentative) and Closing Remarks [Mikiko Tanaka, President of the Zoological Society of Japan Kanto Branch (Institute of Science Tokyo)]
For the latest information on this tournament, please visit the Zoological Society of Japan website (https://www.zoology.or.jp) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/zsjkantothrough )
● Tournament Executive Committee (○ is the chairperson)
○ Takeuma Fukatsu (AIST, Bioproduction Research Institute)
Mayako Kutsuwaka (AIST, Cell and Molecular Biology)
Ryo Futahashi (AIST, Biological Processes)
Contact:
Secretariat of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan, Kanto Branch <M-ZSJkanto77-ml@aist.go.jp>
