• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.151-152
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• 2003

To understand the relationship between DDC activity and diapause or other biological events in Antheraea yamamai, we have determined a complete cDNA sequence of DDC homologue from Antheraea yamamai and have examined expression patterns in various tissues by Northern blot analysis. (omitted)

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2015

Antheraea yamamai silkworm cocoon is considered as a natural biocompatible materials, but can not be used as medical resources due to its difficult processability. In this study, we examined the general characteristics including cocoon shell weight and structural and thermal properties of Antheraea yamamai silkworm cocoon. The cocoon shell weight and thickness of wild silkworm cocoon was 0.528 g and 0.424 mm, respectively. The cocoon has yellow-green color in outside cocoon but white in inner layer cocoon. Amino acid analysis showed that the main amino acid of Antheraea yamamai cocoon is alanine, glycine, serine, aspartic acid, tyrosine and arginine. X-ray diffractometry showed that strong diffraction peaks at $2{\theta}=16.8^{\circ}$, $20.4^{\circ}$, corresponded to ${\beta}$-sheet structure and sharp diffraction peaks at $2{\theta}=15.0^{\circ}$, $24.3^{\circ}$, $30.0^{\circ}$ due to the presence of calcium oxalate on cocoon surface. Antheraea yamamai cocoon was degraded at $370^{\circ}C$. These results might be used as basic information for development of non-textile materials using Anthereae yamamai silkworm cocoon.

• 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 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 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.52 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2014

A cecropin-A gene was isolated from the immunized larvae of the Japanese oak silkworm, Antheraea yamamai and designed Ay-CecA. The complete Ay-CecA cDNA consists of 419 nucleotides with 195 bp open reading frame encoding a 64 amino acid precursor that contains a putative 22-residue signal peptide, a 4-residue propetide and a 37-residue mature peptide with a theoretical mass of 4046.81. The deduced amino acid sequence of the peptide evidenced a significant degree of identity (62 ~ 78% identity) with other lepidopteran cecropins. Like many insect cecropin, Ay-CecA also harbored a glycine residue for C-terminal amidation at the C-end, which suggests potential amidation. To understand this peptide better, we successfully expressed bioactive recombinant Ay-CecA in Escherichia coli that are highly sensitive to the mature peptide. For this, we fused mature Ay-CecA gene with insoluble protein ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) gene to avoid the cell death during induction. The fusion KSI-CecA protein was expressed as inclusion body. The expressed fusion protein was purified by Ni-NTA immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC), and cleaved by cyanogen bromide (CNBr) to release recombinant Ay-CecA. The purified recombinant Ay-CecA showed considerably antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, E. cori ML 35, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results proved that this peptide with a potent antibacterial activity may play a role in the immune response of Japanese oak silkworm.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2003

We describe the generation of transgenic silkworm that carrying the chimeric fibroin light chain (L-chain) gene. Previously, we have cloned the complete fibroin L-chain gene from the silkworm Baekok-Jam, Bombyx mori, and the complete fibroin gene from the oak silkworm, Antheraea yamamai. The 444 bp repetitive sequence of A. yamamai fibroin gene was inserted into the exon 6 of B. mori fibroin L-chain gene to produce chimeric fibroin L-chain gene. The chimeric fibroin L-chain gene was cloned into the polyhedrin gene site of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) to yield a recombinant baculovirus as a fibroin gene targeting vector, One-day-old fifth instar female silkworm larvae were injected with the recombinant baculovirus and then mated with normal male moths. Genomic DNA from their progenies was extracted and screened for the desired targeting event by using PCR and Southern blot analysis. The analysis showed that the chimeric fibroin gene had intergrated into the L-chain gene on the genome by homologous recombination and was transmitted through generations. The transgenic silkworm carrying the chimeric fibroin gene were approximately 43.2% in $F_2$ generation, and the silkworms synthesized the fusion protein in cocoons layer.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.82-90
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• 1989

Antheraea yamamai vitellin was purified from matured eggs by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for characterization of its biochemical properties : molecular weight, sugar and lipid composition, amino acid composition and electron microscopic morphology, etc. 1. A yamamai vitellin was composed of two subunits, large and small, showing different mobility in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 2. The molecular weight of the vitellin was estimated to be approximately 450,000 dalton and the large and small subunits were 174,000 dalton and 44,000 dalton, respectively. 3. The vitellin seemed to be a glycolipoprotein since it showed a positive reaction to coomassie brilliant blue, sudan black B and PAS staining. Both subunits were similiar in this aspect. 4. Lipid of the witellin reveraled several different types including saturated lipids. 5. When the vitellin was incubated at 7$0^{\circ}C$ for 60 minites its apoprotein still cross-reacted to the specific antiserum to the native vitellin. Its sugar components were also detected by PAS staining, but its lipid portion was not detected by sudan black B staining. 6. Its amino acid composition was similar to that of other insects, but its glycine content was peculiarly very high. 7. The vitellin molecule was spherical in shape with a diameter of 14$\pm$0.8nm by negatively.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.295-302
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• 2007

We investigated starvation of hatching larvae, occasional artificial hatching and incubation method to establish year-round rearing of the wild silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai. In the test of starvation of hatching larvae for brushing at a time, the survival rate of the fourth instar of larvae starved for 1 day after hatching in $25^{\circ}C\;and\;5^{\circ}C$ was 83.3% and 96.0%, respectively. The result represents that the survival rate is high at low temperature during starvation. In the occasional artificial hatching test for multi-times rearing of A. yamamai, the useful hatchability is high at $5^{\circ}C$ in case of preserving eggs for 2 months from incubation time, and at both $2.5^{\circ}C\;and\;0^{\circ}C$ in case of over 6 months. A new incubation method with pre-incubation at $15^{\circ}C$ and 24 D photoperiod showed high hatchability about 80% for only 2 days compared with hatching for 5-6 days in traditional incubation method with the preservation at $25^{\circ}C$.