• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2012

Cecropin is a well-studied antimicrobial peptide that play important role as key factor in insect humoral immunity. In this study, cecropin-like antimicrobial peptide was isolated and purified from the larval haemolymph of immune-challenged japanese oak silkworm, Antheraea yamamai. To isolate antimicrobial peptide, we separated and compared acidic extracted hemolymph protein bends between control and immune-challenged larvae using SDS-PAGE analysis. In the immune hemolymph extract, but not of non-immune hemolymph, we detected differential expressed peptide band with molecular mass 4,223.01 Da. To understand this peptide better, we successfully purified this peptide using cation exchange chromatography and gel permeation chromatography. Its N-terminal amino acid sequence obtained by Edman degradation evidenced a significant degree of identity with other lepidopteran cecropins. The purified A. yamamai cecropin-like peptide showed a broad spectrum of activity against fungi, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2006

We investigated fertilization rate, hatchability rate, pupation rate and cocoon quality etc to selecting good characteristics of the wild silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai using method of indoor-and outdoor-rearing. As results of indoor rearing, the healthiness of A. yamamai was better in light green colour strain than that of dark green colour strain, but cocoon quality was better in dark green colour strain. There was a little effect to selecting major characteristics in grade of A, B and C strain classified with cocoon weight. $F_1$ hybrid was lower in fertilization rate and hatchability rate than parent, but higher in pupation rate and cocoon quality. There was no effect of heterosis in $F_2$ hybrid. In case of outdoor rearing, mortality rate was lower than that of indoor rearing but missing larva was higher. In addition, outdoor rearing is higher that indoor rearing in cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and cocoon shell rate.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.72-76
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• 2004

We have studied the effect of silk proteins to the cell proliferation of human skin fibroblast cells (CCD-986sk) after injury. Silk proteins were extracted treatment with enzyme or NaOH solution from raw silk and culled-cocoon shell of Bombyx mori, Antheraea yamamai and A. pernyi. The cell proliferation after in vitro injury are increased in treatment by Bombyx mori (BM-1,2), Antheraea yamami (AY-1,2) and A. pernyi (AP-1,2). The silk protein fractions-treated cells exhibited proliferation in a dose dependent between $0.1\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $10\;{\mu}g/ml$. But, the macrophage, RAW 264. 7 cell viability was unaffected by the silk protein fractions by MTT assay. The molecular weights of the silk protein fractions were from 300-600 to 900-1500. These results results that the silk protein fractions may function through skin fibroblast proliferation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.409-413
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• 2008

The occurences of proteins relating to Antheraea pernyi arylphorin in haemolymph, fat body, integument, midgut and silkgland of the wild silkmoths, Antheraea yamamai, Antheraea pernyi, Samia cynthia pryeri and Actias gnoma in the 5th larval instar were investigated by immunoblot analysis using mouse polyclonal antibody against A. pernyi arylphorin as probe. In A. yamamai, A. pernyi, S. cynthia pryeri and A. gnoma, the major immunoreactive antigenic proteins with a molecular weight of 80 KDa against the antisera of the A. pernyi arylphorin were clearly observed in the haemolymph, but in the integument, fat body, midgut and silkgland of the corresponding wild silkmoths the presence of the immunoreactive proteins were very variable. These results suggest that the A. pernyi arylphorin has almost same immunological identity with those of the wild silkmoths, A. yamamai, S. cynthia pryeri and A. gnoma though the distribution of the corresponding antigenic arylphorins is different according to the tissues of the wild silkmoths.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.188-195
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• 2000

In order to understand molecular events during silk synthesis and provide genetic resources for molecular breeding, we had analyzed the cDNA library constructed from the posterior silkgland of Antheraea yamamai and partially sequenced 276 randomly selected genes from the cDNA library. Database comparisons of the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) revealed that 26 non-redundant clones showed a high similarity with previously identified genes. Among them, 17 clones exhibited a homology with previously identified insect genes and 9 clones were identical to genes that were previously identified from other organisms. A functional categorization showed that silk synthesis-defense- or stress-related genes, as well as genes involved in the metabolic pathways and in the transcriptional or translational apparatus are represented. In this report, the clone (AY479) which had high similarity with fibroin from A. pernyi was particularly analyzed in detail. The AY479 clone was carboxyl terminal region of fibroin. The 472 bp cDNA has 123 amino acids that shared 85% homology with the fibroin from A. pernyi and its deduced peptide had unique feature, that is, sites of alanine rich residues.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.457-464
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• 1998

As a first step for developing universal genetic transformation vector of dilkmoths., we identified the presence of mariner-like element(MLE) which is one of transposable element discovered from many insects to human species, from Bombyx mori, Bombyx mandarina, Antherae yammamai and Antherae pernyi. We used a degenerative primer pair designed from a transposase gene of Drosophila mauritiana and Hyalophora ceropia MLE. As results, major PCR product of 500bp expected as a part of transposase of MLE was detected from all the slkmoths used of this study using these primer. And hybridization assay using pBmoMAR as a probe DNA that was previously cloned from Bombyx mori by the same primer pair, confirmed the presence of MLE from all the silkmoths. This assay showed also that the endogenous MLE in genome of the silkworm is present as high copy number unlikely Drosophila mauritiana which has 10-20 copy number. This data will be a fundamental genetic information for developing mariner-derived vector to transform the silkmoths and other useful insects.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.96-104
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• 1988

Vitellin, the major yolk protein of the silkworm, Bombyx mori was pruified, and its immunological properties and the quantitative changes during embryogenesis were studied. The ovary transplantation into male hosts was also carried out to find its effect on the yolk protein synthesis. The pupal vitellogenin and the egg vitellin of Bombyx mori were purified by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. These two female specific proteins showed the same mobility in the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the same reaction in the double immunodiffusion test. The immunological identity was also observed between the vitellins of Bombyx mori and Bombyx mandarina. The rudimentary ovaries transplanted into the male hosts of silkworms produced eggs without vitellin, indicating that the yolk precursors synthesized in other female organ beyond the ovary were necessary to produce vitellins. The major yolk protein, vitellin was disintegrated and utilized mostly during late stage of embryogenesis. It was different characteristics from the egg specific protein, which was utilized continuously from the early embryonic stage.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 1999

The developmental process of Paracolopha morrisoni's galls on Zelkova serrata until the emergence of alatae from the galls was studied at Chonju, Korea. The galls were formed from late April to early May, 1997 and the galls began to open in early June. The length and width of galls and leaves were measured during the period from gall formation to opening. The length and width of galls have been increased until mid May continuously. The galls stopped growing at 12th of May. Fundatrices (the first generation in the gall) began to larviposit from May 15th and the second generation developed in late May. The alatae of the second generation arrived at the final stadium, that was escaped from the gall, in early June. Thus, there were only 2 generations in the gall. The close correlationship between gall growth and leaf growth suggests that leaf growth force may have a great influence on gall development.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.138-146
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• 1994

The structural characteristics of Antheraea yamamai and Antheraea pernyi silk were investigated by using x-ray diffraction method, IR spectroscopy and polarizing microscopy. The amino acid composition, fiber density, thermal decomposition temperature and glass transition temperature were also measured for relating these physical properties to the structure in comparison with those of Bombyx mori silk fiber. There was no significant structural difference between A. yamamai and A. pernyi silk fiber on an examination of x-ray diffraction curve and IR spectrum. Both of these wild silk fibers showed double diffraction peaks at the Bragg angle 2Θ16.7˚ and 20.5˚by x-ray diffraction analysis as well as IR absorption peaks for the bending vibration of specific groups related to ala-ala amino acid sequence. On the other hand, the x-ray diffraction curve and IR spectrum of Bombyx mori silk fiber are different from those of wild silk fibers, indicating different crystal structure as well as amino acid sequences. It showed under the polarizing microscope examination that the birefringence and optical orientation factor of wild silk fibers are much lower than those of B. mori silk. Also, the surface of degummed wild silk fibers was characterized by the longitudinal stripes of microfibrils in the direction of fiber axies. The amino acid composition, which is strongly related to the fine structure and properties, was not significantly different between these two wild silk fibers. However, the alanine content was somewhat less and polar amino acid content more for A. yamamai. As a result of fiber density measurement, the specific gravities of B. mori, A. pernyi and A. yamamai were 1.355~1.356, 1.308~1.311, 1.265~1.301g/㎤ in the order, respectively. The calculated crystallinity(%) was 64% for B. mori and 51~52% for wild silk fibers, which showed same trend by IR method in spite of somewhat higher value. The thermal decomposition behaviour was examined by DSC and TGA, showing that the degradation temperature was in the order of B mori, A. prernyi and A. yamamai at around 350$^{\circ}C$. It was also observed by TGA that the decomposition seems to proceed step by step according to their specific regions in the fiber structure, resulting the difference in their thermal stabilities. The glass transition temperature was turned out to be 220$^{\circ}C$ for B. mori, 240$^{\circ}C$ A. yamamai and 255$^{\circ}C$ A. pernyi by the dynamic mechanical analysis. It is expected that the chemical properties are affected by the dynamic mechanical behavior in accordance with their structural characters.