• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.477-481
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• 2007

Korean Ogol chicken has been registered as a natural monument in Korea and regarded as a valuable genetic resource for the world. As an initial step to investigate the genetic structures of this breed, phylogenetic analysis and calculation of genetic diversities have been performed using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variations. A total of 31 Korean Ogol chicken was grouped into four haplotypes and the large haplotype was represented in 12 individuals. The unrooted neighbor-joining tree indicates that the Korean Ogol chicken shared three (A to C) major chicken lineages representing the high genetic variability of this breed. These results can be used for making the breeding and conservation strategies for the Korean Ogol chicken.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1688-1695
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• 2016

The maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region is widely used for exploring genetic relationships and for investigating the origin of various animal species. Currently, domestic ducks play an important role in animal protein supply. In this study, partial mtDNA D-loop sequences were obtained from 145 samples belonging to six South-East Asian duck populations and commercial duck population. All these populations were closely related to the mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos), as indicated by their mean overall genetic distance. Sixteen nucleotide substitutions were identified in sequence analyses allowing the distinction of 28 haplotypes. Around 42.76% of the duck sequences were classified as Hap_02, which completely matched with Anas platyrhynchos duck species. The neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree also revealed that South-East Asian duck populations were closely related to Anas platyrhynchos. Network profiles were also traced using the 28 haplotypes. Overall, results showed that those duck populations D-loop haplotypes were shared between several duck breeds from Korea and Bangladesh sub continental regions. Therefore, these results confirmed that South-East Asian domestic duck populations have been domesticated from Anas platyrhynchos duck as the maternal origins.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.169-172
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• 2008

Sequences of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b gene (1,140 bp) and control region (803 bp) of Siberian flying squirrels from Korea (Pteromys volans aluco) and Mt. Changbai of northeast China (P. v. arsenjevi) were obtained to reexamine the taxonomic status of the Korean subspecies. In the cytochrome b gene, six haplotypes of P. v. aluco formed a clade with six haplotypes of P. v. arsenjevi, and in control region, seven haplotypes of P. v. aluco formed a clade with six haplotypes of P. v. arsenjevi. Furthermore, six haplotypes of cytochrome b gene of P. v. aluco from this study formed a clade with four haplotypes of P. v. arsenjevi in far-east Russia obtained from GenBank. We also investigated the research papers previously published that reported the length of tail vertebrae of P. volans, and found that the length was not sufficiently large as to be a key character of P. v. aluco. This result is not consistent with morphological description for its haplotype. Therefore, we conclude that P. v. aluco from Korea might possibly be a synonym of P. v. arsenjevi from northeast China and nearby Russia.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.281-285
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• 1998

We examined Y chromosomal DNA polymorphisms at the DYS19 and DXYS5Y loci in a total of 480 unrelated male samples from the Korean population. All five common alleles were identified at the tetranucleotide microsatellite locus DYS19 in this study. The C allele was the most frequent (212/480), followed by D (136/480), B (75/480), E (36/480) and A (21/480) allele. The frequency of Y2 allele at the DXYS5Y locus was found to be 4.6% (22/480). Combining the allelic variation at these two loci resulted in a total of 9 combination haplotypes. The mean combination haplotype diversity wIns 0.72. Based on the results of these two loci, Korean and Japanese populations may share some common genetic structure that is rare or absent in the other ethnic groups. The genetic similarity between Korean and Japanese populations may be due to the large infusion of Y chromosomes through the Yayoi migration starting 2,300 years ago from Korea to Japan.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.33-36
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• 2019

The marine interstitial annelid Pharyngocirrus uchidai(Sasaki, 1981) has been only known from Japan. In this study, we report the occurrence of P. uchidai for the first time in four localities along the eastern coast of Korea: Bukmyeon, Gamchu, Gase, and Oeongchi. Species identification was confirmed by comparison of DNA barcoding sequences with morphological examination from the type locality, Oshoro, Japan. We generated a total of 25 sequences of a partial segment (580 bp) of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI), representing five specimens from each locality. Maximum intra-specific variation was 1.2% in terms of Kimura two-parameter (K2P) distance, observed between two individuals each from Gamchu (i.e., between two specimens from the single locality), Gamchu and Oeongchi, Gamchu and Oshoro, and Oeongchi and Oshoro. On the other hand, an identical haplotype was found in all the five localities, substantiating our species identification for the Korean populations. Inter-specific K2P distance between P. uchidai and an unidentified Saccocirrus sp. from Canada (based on public database entries) was 22.4-23.4%.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2020

The slender shinner (Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa), a tiny freshwater fish of about 8 to 10 cm belonging to Cyprinidae, is an endangered species found only in the Han and Imjin Rivers on the Korean Peninsula. During the breeding season, this species spawns in nests of Coreoperca herzi, a predator of this species, or small crevices on rocks. This unique reproductive ecology can make this species more vulnerable to anthropogenic perturbance that can further limit the places to spawn. Here, mtDNA and microsatellite loci were analyzed to identify the genetic diversity and structure of slender shinners and further to provide the basic data necessary for the conservation planning of this species. A total of 28 polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed using Illumina paired-end sequencing, and 67 slender shinners collected from three localities in the Han River were genotyped using these loci. This species showed a remarkably high level of genetic diversity with mean expected heterozygosity of 0.914 and mean allele number per locus of 27.9, and no signature of drastic demographic decline was detected. As a result of our microsatellite analysis, the genetic structure between the two stems of the Han River, North Han and South Han, was prominent. Such a genetic structure was also evident in the sequence analysis of 14 haplotypes obtained from mtDNA control region. Although slender shinners are only found in very limited areas around the world, the genetic structure indicates that there is a block of gene flow among the populations, which should be reviewed in the future if management and restoration of this species is needed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2017

Variant surface antigens (VSAs) encoded by pir families are considered to be the key proteins used by many Plasmodium spp. to escape the host immune system by antigenic variation. This attribute of VSAs is a critical issue in the development of a novel vaccine. In this regard, a population genetic study of vir genes from Plasmodium vivax was performed in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Eighty-five venous blood samples and 4 of the vir genes, namely vir 27, vir 21, vir 12, and vir 4, were selected for study. The number of segregating sites (S), number of haplotypes (H), haplotype diversity (Hd), DNA diversity (${\pi}$ and ${\Theta}_w$), and Tajima's D test value were conducted. Phylogenetic trees of each gene were constructed. The vir 21 (S=143, H=22, Hd=0.827) was the most genetically diverse gene, and the vir 4 (S=6, H=4, Hd=0.556) was the opposite one. Tajima's D values for vir 27 (1.08530, P>0.1), vir 12 (2.89007, P<0.01), and vir 21 (0.40782, P>0.1) were positive, and that of vir 4 (-1.32162, P>0.1) was negative. All phylogenetic trees showed 2 clades with no particular branching according to the geographical differences and cluster. This study is the first survey on the vir genes in ROK, providing information on the genetic level. The sample sequences from vir 4 showed a clear difference to the Sal-1 reference gene sequence, whereas they were very similar to those from Indian isolates.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2007

Genetic variation of Ilex cornuta Lindley et Paxton was examined by sequence analyses of ITS for 65 individuals from Korea and China. The length of ITS 1 ranged from 253 to 259 bp. The 5.8S was 159 bp and ITS2 was observed to be 231 bp. A total of 8 different ITS types (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism haplotypes), which showed the difference of 1 - 6 bp, were detected from 65 individuals. The sequence polymorphisms of ITS appeared at 9 different sites. All of four individuals collected at Daejeong-eup in Jeju-do exhibited different types, but all individuals from Naju-si and Muan-gun in Jeollanam-do were identical. The variation of ITS was higher in Jeju-do population than in inland population. Since I. cornuta contains various types of ITS sequences, ITS analyses will provide important information on genetic diversity and conservation of this species.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.107-116
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• 2021

Two stone loaches (Nemacheilidae, Cypriniformes), Barbatula toni (Dybowski, 1869) and B. nuda (Bleeker, 1864), have been recognized in the Korean waters to date. Recently, due to indiscriminate artificial introduction as well as the change of their habitats induced by natural disasters, it seems to be concerned about the damage of species-specific geographic boundaries. We examined the genetic difference of two Korean Barbatula species by the haplotype network based on the Cytochrome b sequences of mitochondrial DNA and the phylogenetic relationships among them including Barbatula fishes occurring around the Korean peninsula. As a result, three and 29 haplotypes were obtained from B. toni and B. nuda, respectively, and totally three clades comprising "toni group", "nuda hangang group", and "nuda donghae group" were identified. The sequence variable sites among them was 10~24%, showing a difference of interspecific level. Phylogenetic relationships of the latter group, especially, forms an independent cluster discriminating with other two groups as well as the Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and European Barbatula species, suggesting the possibility of the specific level divergence.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2012

The tiger population that once inhabited the Korean peninsula was initially considered a unique subspecies (Panthera tigris coreensis), distinct from the Amur tiger of the Russian Far East (P. t. altaica). However, in the following decades, the population of P. t. coreensis was classified as P. t. altaica and hence forth the two populations have been considered the same subspecies. From an ecological point of view, the classification of the Korean tiger population as P. t. altaica is a plausible conclusion. Historically, there were no major dispersal barriers between the Korean peninsula and the habitat of Amur tigers in Far Eastern Russia and northeastern China that might prevent gene flow, especially for a large carnivore with long-distance dispersal abilities. However, there has yet to be a genetic study to confirm the subspecific status of the Korean tiger. Bone samples from four tigers originally caught in the Korean peninsula were collected from two museums in Japan and the United States. Eight mitochondrial gene fragments were sequenced and compared to previously published tiger subspecies' mtDNA sequences to assess the phylogenetic relationship of the Korean tiger. Three individuals shared an identical haplotype with the Amur tigers. One specimen grouped with Malayan tigers, perhaps due to misidentification or mislabeling of the sample. Our results support the conclusion that the Korean tiger should be classified as P. t. altaica, which has important implications for the conservation and reintroduction of Korean tigers.