Early growth response 1 (Egr1) is a zinc-finger transcription factor to direct second-wave gene expression leading to cell growth, differentiation and/or apoptosis. While it is well-known that Egr1 controls transcription of an array of targets in various cell types, downstream target gene(s) whose transcription is regulated by Egr1 in the uterus has not been identified yet. Thus, we have tried to identify a list of potential target genes of Egr1 in the uterus by performing multi-step in silico promoter analyses. Analyses of mRNA microarray data provided a cohort of genes (102 genes) which were differentially expressed (DEGs) in the uterus between Egr1(+/+) and Egr1(-/-) mice. In mice, the frequency of putative EGR1 binding sites (EBS) in the promoter of DEGs is significantly higher than that of randomly selected non-DEGs, although it is not correlated with expression levels of DEGs. Furthermore, EBS are considerably enriched within -500 bp of DEG's promoters. Comparative analyses for EBS of DEGs with the promoters of other species provided power to distinguish DEGs with higher probability as EGR1 direct target genes. Eleven EBS in the promoters of 9 genes among analyzed DEGs are conserved between various species including human. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that analyses of mRNA expression profiles followed by two-step in silico analyses could provide a list of putative Egr1 direct target genes in the uterus where any known direct target genes are yet reported for further functional studies.

This study is conducted to monitor the morphological developmental features of the egg development, larvae and juvenile of Epinephelus septemfasciatus, the fertilized eggs were gotton using artificial insemination. Matured parents are collected from marine caged fish farms in Geomun-ri, Samsan-myeon, Yeosu-si, Jeollanamdo Korea in June 2012. The fertilized eggs were pelagic eggs containing one oil globule, and measured 0.81~0.89 mm ($0.85{\pm}0.04mm$, n=50) in diameter. In regard to rearing environment, the water temperature is $21.0{\sim}23.0^{\circ}C$ and the salinity is 32.0~33.2‰. Hatching was observed from 48 hours after fertilization, the mouth and anus of prelarvae was not opened but had egg yolk at newly hatched. 4 days after hatching, the mouth and anus of postlarvae was opened and began to eat Rotifer and was measured 2.40~2.49 mm ($2.45{\pm}0.03mm$ n=10) in total length. 12 days after hatching, postlarvae was measured 3.77~4.67 mm ($4.27{\pm}0.33mm$) in total length, its the second pole tide of dorsal fin and the first pole tide of pelvic fin was extended longitudinally. 71 days after hatching, juvenile was measured 40.5~45.4 mm ($42.6{\pm}2.04mm$) in total length. Seven bands were observed in body, and pole tides of dorsal and pelvic fins were shortened.

This study was investigated spawning behavior, structure of egg masses and egg development in Aplysia kurodai inhabiting the coastal waters of Jeju Island, Korea. The mating and courtship behavior of A. kurodai occurred in the form of unilateral copulating with chain formation. In chain copulation, only the first animal acted as a female; the second and succeeding animals acted as males (sperm donors) to the animals in front and as females to the animals behind. The fertilized eggs were packaged in capsules that are embedded in jelly to form a cylindrical string called an egg masses. The number of capsule per cm of the egg masses was 55 to 60 capsules and each capsule within the egg masses held 15 to 25 eggs. After spawning, the egg masses were bright yellow or orange in color. This egg masses color not changed until embryos developed into trochophore stage. Thereafter, as embryo developed from trochophore stage to veliger stage the egg masses color became brownish. The fertilized eggs were spherical, with a diameter of approximately $80{\pm}1{\mu}m$ at spawning. At 5 to 6 days after spawning, the embryo developed into trochophore stage and began to rotate within the egg capsule. In the trochophore stage, the precursor of the velum, called the prototroch or prevelum, developed. At 10 days after spawning, the prevelum is transformed into the velum, and the trochophore developed into veliger stage. Between 10 to 15 days after spawning, the veligers broke out of the egg capsule, and hatched as free-swimming larvae.

We investigated the process of yolk absorption in Korean rose bitterling, Rhodeus uyekii, and determined the changes in its morphometric characteristics. The R. uyekii from 1 days post hatching (DPH) to 21 DPH, the eye diameter (ED) was 5.4 at 5 DPH. Thereafter, the ED/total length (TL) ratio increased to 10.7 at 21 DPH (p<0.05). The yolk length (YL) decreased from 95.4 to 1.1 by 21 DPH, and this rate of decrease was greater than that for any other dimension (p<0.05). 12 morphometric dimensions/TL for the R. uyekii were measured at each sampling day from 21 DPH to 170 DPH. At just hatching, the average TL and BW were $6.1{\pm}0.09mm$ and $4.9{\pm}0.07mg$, respectively. At 53 DPH, the average TL was $12.9{\pm}0.28mm$ and the average BW was $14.7{\pm}0.72mg$; the total length growth equation was $TL=5.507e^{0.038t}$ ($R^2=0.916$). Further, the body weight growth equation was $BW=3.3647e^{0.0296t}$ ($R^2=0.9354$). The dimensions with regard to body depth showed the greatest growth rates in the external characteristics of the fish (p<0.05). The patterns of the morphometric characteristics measured in this study can be classified in three ways. The patterns were shown to be increased (y=0.0992x+12.07, $R^2=0.8333$), decreased (y=-0.0569x+42.029, $R^2=0.8395$) or maintained (y=0.005x+18.263, $R^2=0.3678$) from 21 DPH to 170. These results will provide useful indices for the successful rearing of the R. uyekii.

Three species of Nortamea concinua (NC) and Haliotis discus hannai (HDH) from Tongyeong and Sulculus diversicolor supertexta (SDS) are widely distributed on the coast of the Yellow Sea, southern sea and Jeju Island in the Korean Peninsula under the innate ecosystem. There is a need to understand the genetic traits and composition of three mollusk species in order to evaluate exactly the patent genetic effect. PCR analysis was performed on DNA samples extracted from a total of 21 individuals using seven decamer oligonucleotides primers. Seven primers were shown to generate the unique shared loci to each species and shared loci by the three species which could be clearly scored. A hierarchical clustering tree was constructed using similarity matrices to generate a dendrogram, which was facilitated by the Systat version 10. 236 specific loci, with an average of 56.3 per primer, were identified in the NC species. 142 specific loci, with an average of 44.7 per primer, were identified in the HDH species. Especially, 126 numbers of shared loci by the three species, with an average of 18 per primer, were observed among the three species. Especially, the decamer primer BION-75 generated 7 unique loci to each species, which were identifying each species, in 700 bp NC species. Interestingly, the primer BION-50detected 42 shared loci by the three species, major and/or minor fragments of sizes 100 bp and 150 bp, respectively, which were identical in all samples. As regards average bandsharing value (BS) results, individuals from HDH species (0.772) exhibited higher bandsharing values than did individuals from NC species (0.655). In this study, the dendrogram obtained by the seven decamer primers indicates three genetic clusters: cluster 1 (CONCINNA 01~CONCINNA 07), cluster 2 (HANNAI 08~HANNAI 14), cluster 3 (SUPERTEXTA 15~SUPERTEXTA 21). Comparatively, individuals of HDH species were fairly closely related to that of SDS species, as shown in the hierarchical dendrogram of genetic distances.

This study describes the developmental process of gonads in chameleon goby, Tridentiger trigonocephalus from the stage of hatching to 100 days after hatching (DAH). Based on histological observation, the primordial germ cells were observed in mesentery between mesonephric duct and gut at 15 DAH (total length, TL: $6.8{\pm}0.2mm$). At 20 DAH (TL: $7.9{\pm}0.1mm$), the primordial gonad began to protrude into peritoneal cavity and developed between mesonephric duct and gut. Initial ovarian differentiation was identified by the presence of ovarian cavity and oogonia in the gonads at 55 DAH (TL: $21.1{\pm}1.3mm$). Testicular differentiation started at 65 DAH (TL: $23.7{\pm}0.9mm$) with appearance of spermatogonial cells in the gonads. These findings indicate that sex differentiation in T. trigonocephalus occurs earlier in females than males, suggesting that this species can be classified as an undifferentiated gonochorist.

The flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) have been used as traditional medicine for the treatment of male sexual disorders in Asian countries. Recently, there are some reports about the effects of the clove on reproductive activities in mammals. Therefore, its effect on testicular function was examined in male golden hamsters whose reproductive activity is inhibited by photoperiod such as winter climate. The male animals were given by daily oral administrations (56 consecutive days) in three doses (4 mg, 20 mg, and 100 mg/kg BW) of the alcoholic extract of the clove. Generally lower dose (4 mg) of the extract continued to keep the reproductive activities of testes. The both middle and high doses (20 mg and 100 mg) of the extract completely inhibited the testicular activity in some animals. Taken together, these results suggest a possible biphasic action of alcoholic extract of Syzygium aromaticum flower bud on testicular function.

Cell cycle process is regulated by a number of protein kinases and among them, serine/threonine kinases carry phosphate group from ATP to substrates. The most important three kinase families are Cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk), Polo-like kinase (Plk), and Aurora kinase. Polo-like kinase family consists of 5 members (Plk1-Plk5) and they are involved in multiple functions in eukaryotic cell division. It regulates a variety of aspects such as, centrosome maturation, checkpoint recovery, spindle assembly, cytokinesis, apoptosis and many other features. Recently, it has been reported that Plks are related to tumor development and over-expressed in many kinds of tumor cells. When injected the anti-Plk antibody into human cells, the cells show aneuploidy, and if inhibit Plks, most of the mitotic cell division does not proceed properly. For that reasons, many inhibitors of Plk have been recently emerged as new target for remedy of the cancer therapeutic research. In this paper, we reviewed briefly the characteristics of Plk families and how Plks work in regulating cell cycles and cancer formation, and the possibilities of Plks as target for cancer therapy.