• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.520-528
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• 2017

The exotic black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, has been paid much attention as an excellent organic matter decomposer. We conducted the nationwide survey and the population genetic study using a mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase 1 gene to understand its genetic diversity and distribution pattern in Korea. The results show that it has successfully settled down in South Korea and there are only 10 haplotypes and the populations of the insect are highly differentiated. The results may indicate that their dispersal was restrained probably due to their short distance flying tendency since their introduction and settlement of only few maternal lineages with certain genotypes in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.287-299
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• 2020

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus larvae. It seriously affects the development of animal husbandry and endangers human health. Due to a poor understanding of the cystic fluid formation pathway, there is currently a lack of innovative methods for the prevention and treatment of CE. In this study, the protoscoleces (PSCs) in the encystation process were analyzed by high-throughput RNA sequencing. A total of 32,401 transcripts and 14,903 cDNAs revealed numbers of new genes and transcripts, stage-specific genes, and differently expressed genes. Genes encoding proteins involved in signaling pathways, such as putative G-protein coupled receptor, tyrosine kinases, and serine/threonine protein kinase, were predominantly up-regulated during the encystation process. Antioxidant enzymes included cytochrome c oxidase, thioredoxin glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase were a high expression level. Intriguingly, KEGG enrichment suggested that differentially up-regulated genes involved in the vasopressin-regulated water reabsorption metabolic pathway may play important roles in the transport of proteins, carbohydrates, and other substances. These results provide valuable information on the mechanism of cystic fluid production during the encystation process, and provide a basis for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of growth and development of PSCs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.349-353
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• 2015

Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.), Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis berlandi (=A. simplex sp. C), and Anisakis typica are the 4 major species of Anisakis type I larvae. In the Republic of Korea (Korea), A. pegreffii, A. berlandi, and A. typica larvae in fish hosts has seldom been documented. In this study, molecular analysis was performed on Anisakis larvae from the sea eels (Astroconger myriaster), the major source of human anisakiasis in Korea, collected from Tongyeong City, a southern coastal area of Korea. All 20 sea eels examined were infected with Anisakis type I larvae (160 larvae; 8 per fish). Their species were analyzed using PCR-RFLP patterns and nucleotide sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, 5.8 subunit gene, and ITS2) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 2 (cox2). Most (86.8%; 112/129) of the Anisakis type I larvae were A. pegreffii, and 7.8% (10/129) were A. typica. The remaining 5.4% (7/129) was not identified. Thus, A. pegreffii is the major species of anisakid larvae in sea eels of the southern coast of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2014

This research was performed in order to investigate the origin, standard compound, and structural and physical properties of honeybee venom which used as natural antibiotic ingredients to animal. We compared the nucleotide sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI) of honeybees were collected from Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Chungnam, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam province and Suwon. As major constituent of honeybee venom, melittin was assayed by liquid chromatography. X-ray, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were utilized to examine the structural and physical properties of honeybee venom. Based on the 627bp sequence of COI, Apis mellifera ligustica was determinated honeybees collected from all six regions. Melittin content varied from 50.7 to 68.6 and averaged 59.8%. According to XRD analysis, honeybee venom showed regular crystal structure peaks at $2{\Theta}=8.5^{\circ}$ and $21.5^{\circ}$. DSC showed that the maximum degration temperature of powder was around $230^{\circ}C$. Through FT-IR analysis, we could identify cross-linking by the presence of peptide peak at 1,500~1,600 $cm^{-1}$. In conclusion, the origin of honeybee venom was Apis mellifera ligustica and effective ingredient standards was melittin content varied from 50.7 to 68.6 as natural antibiotic ingredients.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.179-182
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• 2021

Human infection with Taenia asiatica or a hybrid between Taenia saginata and T. asiatica has not been reported in Cambodia. We detected for the first time a hybrid form between T. saginata and T. asiatica in Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia. An adult tapeworm specimen, i.e., 75 cm long strobila without scolex, was expelled from a 27-year-old man after praziquantel medication and purging. It was morphologically indistinguishable between T. saginata and T. asiatica. Several proglottids were molecularly analyzed to confirm the tapeworm species. The mitochondrial gene encoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and nuclear genes encoding elongation factor-1α (ef1) and ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM)-like protein (elp) were sequenced, and a single-allele analysis was performed to confirm the haploid genotype. The results revealed that our sample showed a discrepancy between the mitochondrial and 2 nuclear genes. It possessed homozygous sequences typical of T. saginata at cox1 and ef1 loci. However, it was heterozygous at the elp locus, with 1 allele in T. asiatica (elpA) and 1 in T. saginata (elpC), which indicates that it is a hybrid between T. saginata and T. asiatica. The present results confirmed the presence of a hybrid between T. saginata and T. asiatica in Cambodia and strongly suggest the existence of also 'pure' T. asiatica in Cambodia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1007-1014
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• 2016

A highly efficient, rapid, and reliable multiplex polymerase chain reaction based method for distinguishing ten species of genus Cynoglossus (C. senegalensis, C. abbreviates, C. macrolepidotus, C. arel, C. semilaevis, C. interruptus, C. joyneri, C. lingua, C. robustus, and C. monodi) is described. The species-specific primer sets were designed base on the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (1,500 bp). The optimal PCR conditions and primers were selected for ten of Cynoglossus species to determine target base sequences using single PCR. Multiplex PCR using the ten pairs of primers either specifically amplified a DNA fragment of a unique size or failed, depending on each species DNA. The length of amplification fragment of 208 bp for C. senegalensis, 322 bp for C. abbreviates, 493 bp for C. macrolepidotus, 754 bp for C. arel, 874 bp for C. semilaevis, 952 bp for C. interruptus, 1,084 bp for C. joyneri, 1,198 bp for C. lingua, 1,307 bp for C. robustus, and 1,483 bp for C. monodi with the species-specific primers, visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis, allowed perfectly distinction of the Cynoglossus species. The multiplex PCR assay can be easily performed on multiple samples and attain final results in less than 6 hours. This technique should be a useful addition to the molecular typing tools for the tentative identification of Cynoglossus species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.244-249
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• 2003

To investigate the hepatic oxygen free radical metabolizing system and changes of serum cholesterol levels in rats fed a diet supplemented with Monascus pigment (MP), Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 300 g have been fed a diet supplemented with 2% or 4% MP for a month. The rats fed 2% MP supplemented diet gained less body weight than the control rats and those fed 4% W supplemented diet. Those fed 2% or 4% MP supplemented diet had no remarkable changes in liver function on basis of liver weight/body weight, serum levels of xanthine oxidase, alanine amino transferase activity In rats fed 2% and 4% MP supplemented diet, hepatic cytochrome P45O dependent aniline hydroxylase activity significantly (p<0.05) declined about 32%, 37% respectively and showed no significant differences between rats fed 2% and 4% MP supplemented diet whereas those fed 2% MP supplemented diet showed about 29% increased hepatic xanthine oxidase activity. And hepatic glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase activites in rats fed 2% MP supplemented were more increased by about 17%, 28% respectively than the control rats. There were no significant differences both in between those fed 2% and 4% MP supplemented diet. Especially rats fed 2% or 4% MP supplemented diet showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in hepatic catalase activity by 41%, 25% compared with control rats and those fed 4% MP supplemented diet showed more decrease in tendency of catalase activity than those 2% MP supplemented diet. But hepatic superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione content were appeared to be similar value among three groups. On the other hand, rats fed 2% MP supplement diet showed 17% increased levels of serum HDL-choresterol and 26% decreased value of LDL-cholesterol and serum level of triglyceride. But no different value were appeared between those fed 2% and 4% MP supplemented diet. Especially in those fed 2% and 4% MP supplemented diet, artherogenic index were significantly (p<0.05) declined by 37%, 29% respectively compared with control. In conclusion, it is likely that rats fed a diet supplemented with a proper quantity of MP may have the potential of oxygen free radical detoxication and lowering of artherogenic index.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2017

A natural hybrid of interspecific between the Coreoleuciscus splendidus and C. aeruginos (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) was captured in the Hwang-ji Stream, a tributary of the Nakdong River basin in Korea. An interspecific hybrid between C. splendidus and C. aeruginos was genetically identified based on morphological characteristics and the sequence analysis of nuclear recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) gene (1,334 bp) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene (1,551 bp). As a result of morphological variations, the natural hybrid appeared to have an intermediate character between two parental species (C. splendidus and C. aeruginos) in three variations of black array (s) on dorsal, caudal and anal fin rays. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from RAG1 and CO1 sequence data revealed that Coreoleuciscus populations from Hwang-ji stream consist of two pure Coreoleuciscus species and a hybrid individual group. The individuals were clearly identified the cross and reciprocal hybrid by CO1 gene analysis. In RAG1 gene, 13 nucleotide variation loci were detected and the hybrid individuals displayed the double peaks of sequence chromatograms at the 9 diagnostic positions. In this study, molecular data and morphological variations were clearly demonstrated that hybridization did occur between C. splendidus and C. aeruginos. However, F2 hybrid generation and reproductive capacity of F1 hybrid individuals were not demonstrated.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2012

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is one of the most important pest species devastating many horticultural and ornamental crops and fruit trees. Difficulty in managing this mite is largely attributed to its ability to develop resistance to many important acaricides. Development of 3,700-folds resistance to etoxazole was found in the population of T. urticae collected from rose greenhouses in Buyeo, Chungnam Province in August 2000. This population has been selected for eleven years with etoxazole (over 500 times), and increased over 5,000,000-folds in resistance as compared with susceptible strain. Also, etoxazole-resistant strain was shown to be maternally inherited. The objective of this study was to determine whether resistance of T. urticae to etoxazole was linked with point mutations in the mitochondrial gene. DNA sequencing of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1), COX2, COX3, cytochrome b (CYTB), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1), ND2, ND3, ND4, ND5, and ND6 were analyzed by comparing two etoxazole-susceptible and etoxazole-resistant strains. As a result, differences were not detected between the nucleotide sequences of two strains within a mitochondrial gene.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.199-209
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• 2020

In order to clarify the taxonomic status of the Korean Macroramphosus species, which were previously confused, we investigated morphological and molecular variations of Macroramphosus (18 individuals) from Korea, and Macroramphosus (35 individuals) from Japan and Taiwan, and compared with those of M. scolopax from type locality (Mediterranean Sea). Although the Korean and Japanese specimens of Macroramphosus were clearly divided into two types in the first dorsal spine length (22.8~32.1% in A-type vs. 15.6~21.4% in B-type), distance between the first dorsal fin and second dorsal fin (6.4~9.7% vs. 8.6~13.3%), and body depth (20.0~28.0% vs. 17.3~22.6%), no genetic differences among all individuals of longspine snipefish between them were found at the specific level [d=0.0~3.3% in control region (CR); 0.0~1.3% in cytochrome b (cytb); 0.0~0.5% in cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI)]. Whereas, they were well distinguished in genetics (9.9~11.5% in CR; 3.8~4.6% in cytb; 1.2~3.6% in COI) from those of M. scolopax in Mediterranean Sea. It needs the scientific name of the longspine snipefish (M. scolopax) in Korea be changed as M. japonicus (and/or M. sagifue). However, our results could not find evidence of consistency between morphological and mitochondrial DNA variations which suggests that their differentiation event may occur fairly recently. Further studies using more sensitive markers such as microsatellite are needed to clarify the degree of gene flow between the two types.