Type Host Research Articles

Klebsiella Phage ΦK64-1 Encodes Multiple Depolymerases for Multiple Host Capsular Types.

The genome of the multihost bacteriophage ΦK64-1, capable of infecting Klebsiella capsular types K1, K11, K21, K25, K30, K35, K64, and K69, as well as new capsular types KN4 and KN5, was analyzed and revealed that 11 genes (S1-1, S1-2, S1-3, S2-1, S2-2, S2-3, S2-4, S2-5, S2-6, S2-7, and S2-8) encode proteins with amino acid sequence similarity to tail fibers/spikes or lyases. S2-5 previously was shown to encode a K64 capsule depolymerase (K64dep). Specific capsule-degrading activities of an additional eight putative capsule depolymerases (S2-4 against K1, S1-1 against K11, S1-3 against K21, S2-2 against K25, S2-6 against K30/K69, S2-3 against K35, S1-2 against KN4, and S2-1 against KN5) was demonstrated by expression and purification of the recombinant proteins. Consistent with the capsular type-specific depolymerization activity of these gene products, phage mutants of S1-2, S2-2, S2-3, or S2-6 lost infectivity for KN4, K25, K35, or K30/K69, respectively, indicating that capsule depolymerase is crucial for infecting specific hosts. In conclusion, we identified nine functional capsule depolymerase-encoding genes in a bacteriophage and correlated activities of the gene products to all ten hosts of this phage, providing an example of type-specific host infection mechanisms in a multihost bacteriophage.IMPORTANCE We currently identified eight novel capsule depolymerases in a multihost Klebsiella bacteriophage and correlated the activities of the gene products to all hosts of this phage, providing an example of carriage of multiple depolymerases in a phage with a wide capsular type host spectrum. Moreover, we also established a recombineering system for modification of Klebsiella bacteriophage genomes and demonstrated the importance of capsule depolymerase for infecting specific hosts. Based on the powerful tool for modification of phage genome, further studies can be conducted to improve the understanding of mechanistic details of Klebsiella phage infection. Furthermore, the newly identified capsule depolymerases will be of great value for applications in capsular typing.

Characterization of Schistosoma japonicum CP1412 protein as a novel member of the ribonuclease T2 molecule family with immune regulatory function

BackgroundSchistosome infection typically induces a polarized Th2 type host immune response. As egg antigen molecules play key roles in this immunoregulatory process, clarifying their functions in schistosomiasis would facilitate the development of vaccine and immunotherapeutic methods. Schistosoma japonicum (Sj) CP1412 (GenBank: AY57074.1) has been identified as a new member of the RNase T2 family with immune regulatory functions.MethodsThe expression plasmid Sj CP1412-pET28a was constructed and transformed into bacteria for production of recombinant Sj CP1412 protein (rSj CP1412) via IPTG induction. The RNase activity of Sj CP1412 was predicted by bioinformatic analysis and confirmed by digesting the yeast tRNA with rSj CP1412.C57BL/6j mice were immunized with rSj CP1412, and its immune regulatory effects in vivo and in vitro were investigated. Meanwhile, the relationship between the RNase activity of Sj CP1412 and its immune regulation was observed.ResultsSj CP1412 was confirmed as a novel RNase T2 family protein with RNase activity. Immunoblotting and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated Sj CP1412 as a protein exclusively secreted/excreted from eggs, but not cercariae and adult worms. Stimulating RAW264.7 macrophages with rSj CP1412 raised the expression of CD206, Arg-1 and IL-10, which are related to M2 type macrophage differentiation. Stimulating dendritic cells (DCs) with rSjCP1412 failed to induce their maturation, and the recombinant protein also inhibited LPS-stimulated DC maturation. Depletion of Sj CP1412 from soluble egg antigen (SEA) impaired the ability of SEA to induce M2 type polarization of RAW264.7 macrophages. Immunizing mice with rSj CP1412 induced high antibody titers, increased serum IL-4 and TGF-β levels and splenic CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T cells, downregulated serum IFN-γ levels and alleviated the egg granuloma pathology of schistosome infection. In vitro stimulation by rSj CP1412 significantly increased CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T cell numbers in splenocytes of healthy mice. The rSj CP1412 protein with RNase activity inactivated by DEPC failed to induce M2 surface marker CD206 expression in RAW264.7 macrophages.ConclusionsThe Sj CP1412 protein expressed specifically in S. japonicum eggs is a novel member of the RNase T2 family. Similar to Omega-1 of Schistosoma mansoni, the Sj CP1412 protein drives polarization of the host Th2 immune response, which is dependent on its RNase activity. These data provide new evidence towards understanding the immune regulatory role of RNase T2 family proteins during schistosome infection.

Molecular, Morphological, and Ecological Data of Saccocoelioides Szidat, 1954 (Digenea: Haploporidae) from Middle America Supported the Reallocation from Culuwiya cichlidorum to Saccocoelioides.

This study investigates the systematic position of some species of the genus Saccocoelioides Szidat, 1954, and the species Culuwiya cichlidorum Aguirre-Macedo and Scholz, 2005 , from North and Middle America using new morphological data and partial sequences of 2 nuclear genes, the large subunit and the internal transcribed spacer 2 from ribosomal DNA. In total 74 specimens representing 4 species of Saccocoelioides (41 of Saccocoelioides sogandaresi, 3 of Saccocoelioides chauhani, 6 of Saccocoelioides lamothei, and 12 of Saccocoelioides olmecae) plus 12 specimens of Culuwiya cichlidorum were analyzed. The phylogenetic analyses inferred with maximum likelihood method and Bayesian inference showed that the 4 species of Saccocoelioides formed a clade divided into 4 subclades representing each species. In addition, 7 specimens sequenced from the type host and locality of Culuwiya cichlidorum were nested in 2 clades: the first clade with specimens of C. cichlidorum from Costa Rica, and the second clade with specimens of S. sogandaresi from Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Our analyses suggest that C. cichlidorum should be reallocated into Saccocoelioides, as was originally designated Saccocoelioides cichlidorum n. comb., is restricted to Nicaragua and Costa Rica and associated with cichlid fishes. In contrast, the specimens identified previously as Culuwiya cichlidorum from the coast of Gulf of Mexico by Aguirre-Macedo and Scholz belong to S. sogandaresi, which has a wide distribution that extends from Galveston Bay (U.S.A.) in Gulf of Mexico to Atlantic and Pacific slopes associated with poeciliid and cichlid fishes. New morphological data derived from scanning electron microscopy photographs of the body surface show a characteristic pattern of spination that is useful to distinguish between S. cichlidorum n. comb. and S. sogandaresi.

Sialylation Controls Prion Fate in Vivo

Prions or PrPSc are proteinaceous infectious agents that consist of misfolded, self-replicating states of a sialoglycoprotein called the prion protein or PrPC The current work tests a new hypothesis that sialylation determines the fate of prions in an organism. To begin, we produced control PrPSc from PrPC using protein misfolding cyclic amplification with beads (PMCAb), and also generated PrPSc with reduced sialylation levels using the same method but with partially desialylated PrPC as a substrate (dsPMCAb). Syrian hamsters were inoculated intraperitoneally with brain-derived PrPSc or PrPSc produced in PMCAb or dsPMCAb and then monitored for disease. Animals inoculated with brain- or PMCAb-derived PrPSc developed prion disease, whereas administration of dsPMCAb-derived PrPSc with reduced sialylation did not cause prion disease. Animals inoculated with dsPMCAb-derived material were not subclinical carriers of scrapie, as no PrPSc was detected in brains or spleen of these animals by either Western blotting or after amplification by serial PMCAb. In subsequent experiments, trafficking of brain-, PMCAb-, and dsPMCAb-derived PrPSc to secondary lymphoid organs was monitored in wild type mice. PrPSc sialylation was found to be critical for effective trafficking of PrPSc to secondary lymphoid organs. By 6 hours after inoculation, brain- and PMCAb-derived PrPSc were found in spleen and lymph nodes, whereas dsPMCAb-derived PrPSc was found predominantly in liver. This study demonstrates that the outcome of prion transmission to a wild type host is determined by the sialylation status of the inoculated PrPSc Furthermore, this work suggests that the sialylation status of PrPSc plays an important role in prion lymphotropism.

New and previously described dactylogyrid species (Monogenoidea: Polyonchoinea) and a gastrocotylinean pre-adult (Heteronchoinea) from pomacentrid and caesionid (Perciformes) fishes from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

During a parasitological survey of perciform fishes from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, we found the following gill monogenoidean species (Platyhelminthes): Euryhaliotrema lizardi n. sp. on Caesio caerulaurea Lacepède, 1801 (Caesionidae) (type host) and Haliotrema weberii n. sp. on Chromis weberi Fowler and Bean, 1928 (Pomacentridae) (type host), Chromis amboinensis (Bleeker, 1871), Chromis atripectoralis Welander and Schultz, 1951 and Caesio teres Seale, 1906. Euryhaliotrema lizardi n. sp. is characterized by having anchors with an elongated straight shaft and point as well as a vaginal canal with two loops before connecting to the seminal receptacle. Ha. weberii n. sp. is distinguished from other congeners by possessing a tubular male copulatory organ (MCO), partially straight. Two previously described dactylogyrids were also found: Haliotrematoides caesionis (Yamaguti, 1953) Kritsky, Yang and Sun 2009) on Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791) and Ca. teres (new host record) and Haliotrematoides patellacirrus (Bychowsky and Nagibina, 1971) Kritsky, Yang and Sun 2009, on Ca. cuning (new host record). Finally, we provide the first report of a gastrocotylinean pre-adult on Ca. teres. We provide descriptions and illustrations of the new species and the gastrocotylinean pre-adult and include supplemental observations of Ht. caesionis and Ht. patellacirrus. The present findings expand the known spectrum of host species of Euryhaliotrema, Haliotrema and Haliotrematoides to include new caesionid and pomacentrid fishes.

Three monogeneans parasitic on marine sciaenid fish from Peru including description of Cynoscionicola veranoi n. sp. (Microcotylidae), and redescription of C. americanus Tantaleán, Martínez and Escalante, 1987 and Hargicotyle sciaenae Oliva and Luque, 1989 (Diclidophoridae).

Cynoscionicola veranoi n. sp. (Monogenea: Microcotylidae) is described based on specimens collected from the gills of lorna drum Sciaena deliciosa (Tschudi, 1846) (Sciaenidae) from Peru. The new species can be differentiated from the other congeneric species by the combination of the following characteristics: (1) haptor with two types of clamps, (2) number and shape of the spines in anterolateral pouches of genital atrium (10-11 curved spines and 3-4 short and bifid spines with a knob in each lateral margin), (3) number and shape of the spines in posterolateral pouches of genital atrium (13-18 bifid spines), (4) 4-6 small spherical unarmed pouches in the genital atrium, and (5) 10-15 testes. In addition, a redescription of Cynoscionicola americanus Tantaleán, Martínez and Escalante, 1987 and Hargicotyle sciaenae Oliva and Luque, 1989 (Diclidophoridae) based on examination of type material and newly collected specimens from snakehead kingcroaker Menticirrhus ophicephalus (Jenyns, 1840) and S. deliciosa (type hosts), respectively, are provided herein.

Design of bicarbazole type host materials for long-term stability in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

Two bicarbazole type host materials, 9-(dibenzo [b,d]thiophen-4-yl)-9ʹ-phenyl-9H,9′H-3,3ʹ-bicarbazole (DBTBCz) and 9,9ʹ-bis(dibenzo [b,d]thiophen-4-yl)-9H,9′H-3,3ʹ-bicarbazole (DDBTBCz), were developed as lifetime enhancing host materials for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). The DBTBCz and DDBTBCz host materials were prepared by substituting one or two dibenzothiophene units to a 3,3ʹ-bicarbazole backbone structure for the purpose of improving thermal stability and rigidity of the host materials for stable operational lifetime. Device characterization of the host materials revealed that the dibenzothiophene modification via 4- position is better than that via 2- position for improved lifetime of blue PhOLEDs.

Inclusion Compounds Formed between Hofmann-(1,9-diaminononane)-type Host and Aromatic Guest

Inclusion Compounds Formed between Hofmann-(1,9-diaminononane)-type Host and Aromatic Guest

Further Histological and Ultrastructural Observations on the Cestode, Senga Mastacembeli Sp. N. with the Revesion of Genus Specieses

A total of 122 Mastacembelus mastacembelus were collected from Greater Zab river near Erbil city, Kurdistan region, north of Iraq, during the period from January to the end of December 2011. In the laboratory, the fish was identified and then the fishes were opened from the abdominal site and the gastrointestinal tract was removed out and examined carefully for cestodes. Live cestodes were recovered from the intestine of the infected fish and examined by compound light microscope and scanning microscope, also histological sections were prepared for some samples. The study showed a number of differential characters of Senga mastacembli sp. n. which not revealed during the first description by Rahemo (1996) also during the ultra-structural study of it by Rahemo and Mohammad. (1998). The study improved that the species S. Mastacembli is a valid species name, also the type host of it M. Simach is regarded as a synoname to M. mastacembli and the last is regarded as a type host for this cestode.

High triplet energy exciplex hosts for deep blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

High triplet energy exciplex hosts for deep blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes were developed by synthesizing a high triplet energy hole transport type host material designed for exciplex formation with a high triplet energy electron transport type host material derived from a diphenyltriazine.

Efficient non-doped blue organic light-emitting diodes: donor–acceptor type host materials

Blue devices with phenanthroimidazole OMeNPI-PITPA show maximum efficiencies ηex 4.90%; ηc 5.90 cd A−1 and are used as hosts for green OLEDs.

Redescription of Philometra margolisi Moravec, Vidal-Martínez et Aguirre-Macedo, 1995 (Nematoda: Philometridae), a gonad-infecting parasite of the red grouper Epinephelus morio (Serranidae) in the Gulf of Mexico.

The insufficiently known nematode species Philometra margolisi Moravec, Vidal-Martínez et Aguirre-Macedo, 1995 (Philometridae) is redescribed based on light and scanning electron microscopical (SEM) examinations of specimens collected from the gonad of the type host, the red grouper Epinephelus morio (Valenciennes) (Serranidae, Perciformes), in the northern Gulf of Mexico off Florida, USA. Also, new prevalence data for females of P. margolisi were derived from 188 fish, and a subset of these (n = 38) were used to determine prevalence and intensity of male nematodes. The male of this species was studied with SEM for the first time, which revealed some new, taxonomically important morphological features. The male posterior end had a V-shaped caudal mound, four pairs of minute adanal papillae, a pair of large papillae located posterior to the cloacal aperture and a pair of very small phasmids. The distal end of the gubernaculum is unique among all gonad-infecting species of Philometra parasitizing serranids in that its ventral surface is flat, smooth, without the usual two longitudinal grooves; the dorsal lamellate structures on the gubernaculum are also different in this species. In contrast to data in the original species description, the body length of gravid females of P. margolisi was 132-280 mm. Overall prevalence for male nematodes (76.3%) was much higher than for females (15.4%), and female nematode prevalence was higher in samples collected during host spawing season than out of season (27.1% and 3.3%, respectively).

A new feather mite of the genus Neodectes Park and Atyeo 1971 (Acari: Proctophyllodidae) from New Zealand wrens (Passeriformes: Acanthisittidae)

A new feather mite species, Neodectes pilgrimi sp. n. (Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae), is described from three species of New Zealand wrens (Passeriformes: Acanthisittidae): Xenicus gilviventris Pelzeln, 1867 (type host), X. longipes (Gmelin, 1789) (extinct species), and Acanthisitta chloris (Sparrman, 1787). Based on known host associations of the genus Neodectes, it is hypothesized that Neodectes pilgrimi sp. n. has a secondary origin on New Zealand wrens and was probably transferred onto the ancestor of its hosts from honeyeaters (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae).

New Species and New Records of Mites of the Family Myocoptidae (Acariformes: Sarcoptoidea) From African Rodents.

Eleven species of myocoptid mites (Acariformes: Myocoptidae) are recorded from African rodents. Among them, three species are described as new for science: Myocoptes lophuromys sp. nov. from Lophuromys woosnami Thomas, 1906 (Rodentia: Muridae) from Uganda, Trichoecius hylomyscus sp. nov. from Hylomyscus anselli Bishop, 1979 (Rodentia: Muridae) from Tanzania (type host and locality) and Hylomyscus stella (Thomas, 1911) from Gabon, and Trichoecius faini sp. nov. from Hylomyscus arcimontanus Carlton and Stanley, 2005 from Tanzania. Gliricoptes graphiuri Fain, 1970 syn. nov. is synonymized with Gliricoptes vulcanorum Fain, 1970, and the female of Trichoecius angolensis Fain, 1972 is described for the first time. New hosts and localities are provided for four species: Myocoptes grammomys Fain, 1970 from Grammomys dryas (L., 1758) (Rodentia: Muridae) from Burundi and Uganda, Myocoptes spinulatus Fain, 1970 from Dendromus mystacalis (Heuglin, 1863) (Rodentia: Muridae) from Tanzania, Crinicastor congolensis Fain, 1970 from Grammomys macmillani (Wroughton, 1907) (Rodentia: Muridae) from Tanzania, and Trichoecius otomys Fain, 1970 from Otomys typus (Heuglin, 1877) (Rodentia: Muridae) from Uganda. Three species are recorded from new localities: Gliricoptes vulcanorum from Tanzania, Trichoecius angolensis from South Africa, and Trichoecius lootensi Fain, 1970 from Tanzania.

Myocoptid mites (Acariformes: Myocoptidae) of the fauna of the former USSR.

Mites of the family Myocoptidae (Acariformes: Sarcoptoidea) of the former USSR are revised based on the collection of the Zoological Institute RAS (St. Petersburg, Russia). Seventeen described species are recorded. Four species are described as new for science: Trichoecius dubininae sp. nov. from Lasiopodomys gregalis (Pallas) (Rodentia: Cricetidae) from Russia (Chelyabinsk Prov., type locality), Kazakhstan and Kirghizia, T. lemmus sp. nov. from Lemmus sibiricus (Kerr) (Rodentia: Cricetidae) from Russia (Taymyr peninsula), T. meriones sp. nov. from Meriones meridianus (Pallas) (Rodentia: Muridae) from Turkmenia, and Myocoptes meriones sp. nov. from Meriones tamariscinus (type host) from Kirghizia (type locality) and Meriones libycus (Lichtenstein) from Tajikistan. In addition, the presence of 7 more species in the fauna of the former USSR is considered highly probable. Myocoptids of the former USSR represent all 6 genera currently recognized in the family. Keys to species, their hosts and localities are provided and all data are summarized in tabular format. A new name Apocalyptoides nom. nov. is proposed for the preoccupied generic name Apocalypsis Bochkov, 2010 not Butler (1876).

Development of an Antigen-driven Colitis Model to Study Presentation of Antigens by Antigen Presenting Cells to T Cells.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammation which affects the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). One of the best ways to study the immunological mechanisms involved during the disease is the T cell transfer model of colitis. In this model, immunodeficient mice (RAG(-/-) recipients) are reconstituted with naive CD4(+) T cells from healthy wild type hosts. This model allows examination of the earliest immunological events leading to disease and chronic inflammation, when the gut inflammation perpetuates but does not depend on a defined antigen. To study the potential role of antigen presenting cells (APCs) in the disease process, it is helpful to have an antigen-driven disease model, in which a defined commensal-derived antigen leads to colitis. An antigen driven-colitis model has hence been developed. In this model OT-II CD4(+) T cells, that can recognize only specific epitopes in the OVA protein, are transferred into RAG(-/-) hosts challenged with CFP-OVA-expressing E. coli. This model allows the examination of interactions between APCs and T cells in the lamina propria.

Type material of Platyhelminthes (Monogenoidea) housed in the Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute/ FIOCRUZ (CHIOC), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 1979 to 2016.

A catalogue of type material of monogenoids deposited in the Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ (CHIOC), between 1979 and 2016, is presented, given that the last list of types was produced in 1979. The monogenoid collection comprises type lots for 203 species, distributed across 14 families and 68 genera. Specific names are listed systematically, followed by type host, infection site, type locality, specimens with the collection numbers and references. The classification and the nomenclature of the species have been updated.

Syringophiloidus bucerotidus sp. nov. (Acari: Syringophilidae), a new quill mite species parasitizing hornbills (Aves: Bucerotidae) in the Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACTA new species of parasitic quill mite, Syringophiloidus bucerotidus Skoracki et Sikora sp. nov. is described based on the mite material collected from contour feather quills of six hornbill species (Bucerotiformes: Bucerotidae): Horizocerus hartlaubi (Gould) [type host] and H. albocristatus (Cassin) from D.R. Congo, Tockus flavirostris (Rüppell) and T. fasciatus (Shaw) from Cameroon, T. deckeni (Cabanis) and Lophoceros pallidirostris (Hartlaub et Finsch) from Tanzania. This is a first record of the family Syringophilidae on birds of the order Bucerotiformes.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A4327B33-4AA5-49A2-90E1-98C6C36245E0

(Invited) Investigation of Blue Excitation Flux Dependent Conversion Efficiency in Phosphors for High Luminance Applications

Solid State Lighting (SSL) devices based on phosphor conversion have significantly evolved on a scale of output flux and white light luminance and extend now to the range where competition with the brightest arc discharge-based sources is ongoing. Such sources are unique in the SSL world in that they provide both an expanded emission spectrum and high luminance. The efficiency of high luminance semiconductor pumped phosphor sources depends not only on efficient generation of primary radiation from the semiconductor (LEDs or laser diode), but also strongly on the conversion material which is being pushed to optical and thermal limits. Such conversion materials are typically operating under heavy irradiance and thermal load and nearly always exhibit sublinear behavior in output at high input fluxes, due to a multitude of reasons. In the present study, we have separated contributions from thermal and non-thermal quenching mechanisms, in particular investigated phosphor saturation, or excitation quenching, in the converter light output as a function of blue pump intensity. It is important here to distinguish between the true loss mechanisms (for example via Auger-like or excited state absorption processes [1-6]) and the reduction in converted output due to increased transparency for the pump light (e.g. activator ground state depletion). We discuss the behavior of measured conversion efficiency as a function of excitation intensity (and parameters like temperature, activator type and concentration or host material). A model is proposed to explain the observed dependencies in different host-activator systems. [1] W.J. Miniscalco et al, J.Appl.Phys., 49, 6109 (1978)[2] D.S. Hamilton et al, Phys.Rev.B 39(13), 8807 (1989) [3] K. Wisniewski et al, Acta Phys. Polonica A, 95(3), 403 (1999)[4] K.C. Mishra et al, J.Electrochem.Soc. 151(5), H105 (2004)[5] A. Lenef et al, SPIE 884107 (2013) [6] O.B. Shchekin et al, Phys.Status Solidi RPL 1-5 (2016)

Activation of Al3+ Ion Redox in the Conversion Type Anode Material for Lithium Ion Battery

A new conversion type anode material for lithium ion battery utilizing the redox activity of aluminum (III) ion has developed. Conversion type materials are known to have a serious weak point as anode materials, that is the high reaction voltage in spite of its high capacity (over 600 mAh/g). This high reaction voltage originates in high redox potential of transition metal oxide such as NiO or CoO, those are known as representative conversion anode materials for lithium ion battery. In order to improve this high reaction voltage, it is effective to use oxides of light metal with lower redox potentials such as aluminum oxides, titanium oxide and so on. However, aluminum oxides are difficult to use as the electrode materials owing to the low electric and ionic conductivity. We have synthesized solid solution of nickel oxide and aluminum oxide with nano level particle size by calcination of Ni-Al layered double hydroxides (LDH). In the previous studies, we have investigated the structure and electrochemical properties for the solid solution of NiO with TiO2 or V2O5. [1-3] The fine structure of calcinated materials are determined by XRD and XAFS: Ni2+ and Al3+ ions are randomly locating metal ion sites of NiO with rock salt structure and cation vacancies are introduced to compensate the excessive charges brought by the aluminum ions. In this structure, electron and lithium ion are expected to be supplied via NiO type host structure and cation vacancies, respectively. The charging capacity of the half cell with lithium metal counter electrode from 0.03 V to I.5 V, that corresponds to the discharge capacity or the full cell was improved to 600 mAh/g, where as that for pristine NiO was 230 mAh/g. (Fig. 1) This improvement of capacity in the lower voltage region is expected to originate in redox of aluminum ion. The redox activity of aluminum ion was confirmed by ex-situ XANES measurement at Al K edge. The absorption edge of aluminum ion shifted to lower energy direction with discharge from 1560 keV to 1556 keV. With charging, the absorption edge of aluminum shifted back to the initial position. This dearly indicates the redox activity of aluminum ion during charge- discharge. This is the first report of anode material for lithium battery that utilizes redox of aluminum ion as far as we know. In order to investigate the detailed reaction mechanism, ex-situ XRD and XAFS measurements were carried out. On the basis of these results, the reaction mechanism of Ni-Al binary metal oxide was concluded as follows. In the higher voltage discharge process (OCV-1.0 V), lithium intercalation into the cation vacancy and lithium ion adsorption to the surface of Ni-Al binary metal oxide with the partial redaction of nickel ion is proceeding. [1] In the lower voltage discharge (1.0-0.03 V), the conversion reaction proceeds with the reduction of Ni and Al ions. In the lower voltage charge process (0.03-1.0 V), only aluminum ion is oxidized to form an intermediate state, where aluminum ion makes complex with surrounding oxide ions. In the higher voltage charge process, nickel metal is oxidized to re-form the Ni-Al binary metal oxide with the rock salt structure.