• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.125-131
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• 2017

The ground beetles collected during the investigation period were nine subfamilies, 24 genera, 51 species, and 3504 ground beetles. Species richness was high in Pterostichinae has 24 species (47%), Harpalinae nine species (17.6%), Carabinae six species (11.8%), and Lebiinae three species (5.9%). Overall dominant species was Synuchus agonus, and dominance index was 0.361. Synuchus agonus was investigated as the dominant species in both Namcheon Valley and Geumseon Valley. Regarding subdominant species, it was Synuchus nitidus (52 individuals, 12.6%) and Synuchus cycloderus (52 individuals, 12.6%) in the order in Namcheon Valley, and it was Pterostichus orientalis orientalis (660 individuals, 21.3%) and Pterostichus audax (378 individuals, 12.2%) in the order in Geumseon Valley. Total species diversity index of ground beetles in Sobaeksan National Park was 2.917. By area, the number of collected ground beetles was smaller in Namcheon Valley than in Geumseon Valley. Sobaeksan National Park is located at the boundary of northern and southern parts in Korea and is a very important place in terms of geography and climate. Sobaeksan has been designated as a national park, and its ecosystem is relatively preserved well. If continuous investigation of basic data for ground beetles is conducted through long-term monitoring, the data can be used as key data to research mutual relationship with organisms, effects by climate change, and ecosystem change depending on human activities.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2016

Exosomes are homogenous vesicles of 40-100 nm diameter produced endogenously. Exosomes are generated by inward budding into multi-vesicular bodies (MVB) and then released to extracellular space. Exosomes contain various nucleic acid and protein cargoes from their cells of origin and this endosomal cellular molecules are used for intracellular communication and for both promotion and suppression of immune responses. Recently, they are also considered as delivery vehicle for therapeutic proteins due to their characteristics of stability in body fluids and ability for target uptake. Also, they show less immune reactivity because the isolated exosome harboring therapeutic proteins can be from the same host. White-spotted flower chafer, Protaetia brevitarsis is one of the major insect commercially reared in Korea. There are bacterial and fungal pathogens causing diseases in the beetle, and these diseases incur economic loss to the larva-rearing farms. Due to their endosomal cargoes, exosomes are good candidates in use of disease diagnosis. In this study, we isolated insect exosome from the hemolymph of P. brevitarsis, and verified it by analysis of the exosome-specific surface proteins and RNA.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2012

We demonstrate the desert beetle back mimicking hybrid superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic patterned surface by using the combination method of colloidal lithography and gravure offset printing for nano and micro patterning, respectively. The two methods are cost-effective and industrially available techniques compared to the other nano/micro patterning methods. To verify the water collecting function of the hybrid surface, the water condensation behavior is investigated on the chilled surface in ambient temperature and high humidity. Due to the synergetic effect of drop and film wise condensation, the hybrid superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic surface shows the higher efficiency than one of single wettability surfaces. The work is underway to get the good patterns of hybrid surfaces for water collecting from the dew or fog.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2015

The white-spotted chafer, Protaetia brevitarsis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), has been traditionally used in Korea as a medicine for preventing liver-related diseases and suppressing liver cancer. Therefore, this insect is economically important and is commercially reared and sold in Korea. Recently, P. brevitarsis was listed as a temporal food ingredient by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Given the increasing economic importance of this beetle, we have sought to improve rearing conditions for its commercial production. In this study, we compared the effects of two food supplements, clay and charcoal, on the growth of second instar larvae of P. brevitarsis. Clay and charcoal are generally known as good adsorbent for removal of contaminating substances in insect feed. We fed second instar P. brevitarsis larvae a commercial diet consisting of fermented sawdust with seven different combinations of clay and/or activated charcoal, and measured their effects on weight gain for approximately 17 wk until larvae pupated. We found that addition of clay at 2.5% w/w of the fermented sawdust diet had no negative effect on weight gain of second instar P. brevitarsis larvae and thus may improve the quality of P. brevitarsis as a commercial food.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.259-268
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• 2018

The study investigated the efficacy of four different essential oils on the repellent responses of large black chafer (Holotrichia parallela) Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in organic pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) orchards. Cinnamon, pine, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils were used, and the behavioral responses and repellent effects against H. parallela were investigated under laboratory and field conditions. Adult beetle responses to different oils were examined using a Y-tube olfactometer in the laboratory and four absorbent blocks with each oil in the field. The repellent responses rates of H. parallela were 100% for cinnamon oil; however, only 67% of adult beetles avoided peppermint and eucalyptus oil in the Y-tube olfactometer bioassay. In the field tests, the least damage to leaves was observed on trees treated with cinnamon oil, whereas the most damage was observed in the control (non-treated) trees and those treated with peppermint oil, followed by eucalyptus and pine oil. Therefore, cinnamon oil can be used as a repellent to avoid damage form large black chafers in organic pear orchards.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1243-1250
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• 2010

A cDNA encoding a cysteine protease inhibitor (CPI) was isolated from the cDNA library of clamworm Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube. The deduced amino acid sequence analysis showed that the protein had 51%, 48%, and 48% identity with Zgc:153129 from Danio rerio, cystatin B from Theromyzon tessulatum, and the ChainA, stefin B tetramer from Homo sapiens, respectively. The gene was cloned into the intracellular expression vector pET-15b and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant CPI (PA-CPI) was purified by affinity chromatography on Ni-charged resin and ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose FF. The relative molecular mass of PA-CPI was 16 kDa as deduced by SDS-PAGE. Activity analysis showed that the recombinant protein could inhibit the proteolytic activity of papain. A constitutive and secretive expression vector was also constructed, and the cDNA encoding CPI was subcloned into the vector for extracellular expression. Western blotting analysis results showed that the PA-CPI was secreted into the medium. Bioassay demonstrated that E. coli DH5${\alpha}$ harboring pUC18ompAcat-CPI showed a significant difference in mortality to the Asian longhorned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis compared with untransformed E. coli DH5${\alpha}$ and control.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2007

Cantharidin is produced by blister beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae) and smaller oedemerid beetles (Coleopetra: Oedemeridae) and is found in hemolymph and various tissues. The function of cantharidin in the courtship behaviour of meloids had never been fully established. Our studies show a correlation between density of cuticular pores and cantharidin titre of the scape and pedicel segments of male specimens of the East African species of Epicauta nyassensis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1880) (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Light microscopy of semi-thin cross sections of the male scape and pedicel indicates that there are many canal shaped structures that stretch from the antennal hemolymph to the antennomere surface. These structures may be tubules, which transport cantharidin circulating in the hemolymph to the surface, where the compound can be released via cuticular pore openings. Analyses of the head capsule and antennal segments of E. nyassensis females which had been copulated with males revealed low titre of cantharidin in the first two antennal segments. The density of the scape and pedicel pores of females was to some extent higher than the density of these pores on flagellum; however it was considerably lower than that of the males. Interestingly, no tubular cell or other transport structures were found in the cross sectioning of the female antennomeres or on the integument surface. During mating, male antennomeres, as well as cantharidin containing pores which are located on the $1^{st}\;and\;2^{nd}$ antennomeres, come into direct contact with the female antennae and may release cantharidin to their surface. Female E. nyassensis may be able to discriminate the opposite sex with abundant reserves of cantharidin prior to mating. This is another evidence that cantharidin function in close range sexual selection.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.322-330
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• 2014

This study was conducted during May to September in 2012 to investigate the distribution and diversity of beetles in Mt. Jangsan (634 m) located near Busan, Republic of Korea. The collection of beetles was repeated 11 times in the four areas classified according to altitudes 200 m, 400 m, 600 m, and over 600 m (approximately) on the south and north slopes of Mt. Jangsan. A total of 12 families, 20 species, and 4,343 individual beetles were collected. In the southern slopes, a total of 12 families, 20 species, and 2,264 individuals were collected, whereas a total of 12 families, 20 species, and 2,079 individuals on the northern slopes were captured. The monthly emergence of beetles was the highest in August at 651 individuals followed by 516 individuals in September, 496 individuals in July, 364 individuals in Jun, 237 individuals in May. In the northern slopes, the monthly emergence of beetles was the highest in August as 591 individuals followed by 512 individuals in September, 443 individuals in July, 321 individuals in June, and 212 individuals in May. On the southern slopes, the species diversity index, evenness index, and dominance value were 0.950, 0.730, and 0.181, respectively, while in the northern slopes, the species diversity index, evenness index, and dominance index were 0.946, 0.727, and 0.182, respectively. In the both slopes, the species diversity index and evenness index were the highest in May, while dominance index was the highest in September. This study lays the groundwork for further monitoring of these sites and others through the region for environmental changes using the indicator species.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.395-404
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• 2018

Since the mass mortality of Quercus mongolica has been first reported in Gyeonggi province at 2004, the disease spread rapidly over Korean peninsula annually. Ambrosia beetle (Platypus koryoensis) was known as the insect vector of oak wilt fungus, Raffaelea quercus-mongolicae, and control methods of the disease had mainly been focused on eradication of insect vector. However, for the efficient management of the disease, combined control methods for both of the pathogenic fungus and insect vector are strongly required. As one of the efforts to suppress the pathogenic fungus, antifungal activities of Streptomyces isolated from oak forest soil were assayed in this study. Optimum culture condition for the selected isolates was also studied, As a result, Streptomyces blastmyceticus cultured in PDB (Potato Dextrose Broth) at $25^{\circ}C$ for 1 week showed the strongest antifungal activity against oak wilt fungus. Mycelial growth inhibition rates (MGIRs) of Streptomyces isolates were compared on culture media supplemented with heated and unheated culture filtrates of S. blastmyceticus. MGIRs on culture media with unheated culture filtrates were generally higher than those on culture media with heated culture filtrates. Antagonistic mechanism to get involved in the inhibition of hyphal growth and spore formation of the pathogen is due to the antifungal metabolites produced by Streptomyces. This study will provide the fundamental information in developing biocontrol agents for the environment-friendly management of oak wilt disease.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2010

Differences in the number of Platypus koryoensis (Murayama) (Coleoptera: Platypodidae) trapped in different trap types, colors and positions on the trunk were evaluated to develop a monitoring trap for Platypus koryoensis, a known vector of Korean oak wilt disease. The experiments were conducted in an oak forest located in Gwangtan-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea using two types of trap: sticky trap and multi-funnel trap. Trapping efficiency of the two trap types was not significantly different. Trapping efficiency of the sticky trap was not affected by four trap colors: yellow, black, white and transparent. The number of beetle caught was higher in the traps facing the upper slope than the lower slope regardress of trap type. Our results showed that both traps type are useful for monitoring Platypus koryoensis.