• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.8
• /
• pp.942-946
• /
• 2015

The Korean rhinoceros beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma) is popular as a pet and as a food ingredient, and it is commercially distributed in Korea. It is also traditionally regarded as a medicine for liver-related diseases. Recently, the Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus was introduced from Southeast Asia. This virus is reported as a disease factor for A. dichotoma in mass-rearing facilities, and economic losses due to this viral infection have been increasing in Korea since the 2010s. In this study, we observed serious structural changes in the fat body and the intestine of virus-infected beetles. We report five genes that are up-regulated by the viral infection in the intestine: BTF3H4-like (transcription factor BTF3 homolog 4-like), SPS-like (serine proteinase stubble-like), COPB1 (coatomer protein complex, subunit beta 1), T-CP (T-complex 1 subunit gamma), and HSP70 HSP70 (heat shock protein 70). The results may provide a clue for the early diagnosis and disease-treatment that occurs in mass-rearing facilities. The improvement of stable productivity will increase the farmers’ income, and quality control of beetle-breeding will help industries to utilize this beetle as a promising food ingredient.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.26 no.11
• /
• pp.1336-1340
• /
• 2016

Korean rhinoceros beetles (Allomyrina dichotoma), which can be found in broad-leaved forests in mountainous habitats and lives for around one year in wild. This beetle is currently popular as a pet and traditionally regarded as a medicine for liver-related diseases in Korea. It is reported that the economic losses in the mass-rearing facilities by virus infection have been increased since the 2010s in Korea. The causing virus for the A. dichotoma was firstly reported as an Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) in 2015. We, here, observes that serious morphological changes in the intestinal tube from the OrNV-infected beetles, and report five genes, which are regulated by OrNV infection in the intestine; Krueppel-like factor 15 (Klf15), Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 (ERAP2), U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein 200 kDa helicase (Snrnp200), Muscleblind-like protein 2a (mbnl2a), and MIMI_L93. The results may provide a clue to the early diagnosis and disease treatment during the mass-rearing facilities of the A. dichotoma.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.156-164
• /
• 2013

Actinomycetes produce diverse secondary metabolites which have the primary importance in medicine, agriculture and food production, and key to this is their ability to interact with other organisms in natural habitats. In this study, we have investigated the taxonomical and functional diversity of actinomycetes in fecal sample of rhinoceros beetle larvae (Allomyrina dichotoma L.) by using culture-dependent and -independent approaches. For the culture-independent approach, the community DNA was extracted from the sample and 16S rRNA genes of actinomycetes were amplified using actinomycetes-specific PCR primers. Thirty-seven clones were classified into 15 genera and 24 species of actinomycetes. For the culture-dependent approach, 53 strains were isolated from larval feces, of which 27 isolates were selected based on morphological characteristics. The isolates were classified into 4 genera and 14 species, and 24 isolates (89%) were identified as the genus Streptomyces. Many of the representative isolates had antimicrobial activities against plant pathogenic fungi and Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, most of the isolates (78%) showed biochemical properties to hydrolyze cellulose and casein. The results demonstrated that diverse and valuable actinomycetes could be isolated from insect fecal samples, indicating that insect guts can be rich sources for novel bioactive compounds.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.849-859
• /
• 2016

Edible insects have gained recognition worldwide as complementary protein sources. Recently, four edible insects were newly allowed to be used as food materials in Korea: the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), the cricket (Velarifictorus asperses), the white-spotted flower chaffer beetle larva (Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis), and the rhinoceros beetle larva (Allomyrina dichotoma). In this study, we evaluated the oxidative stabilities of these four edible insects during cold storage. The insects were sacrificed by blanching for 3 minutes in boiling water. The blanched insects were then stored at $4^{\circ}C$ in an incubator for 42 days. The color values, titratable acidity, peroxide values, acid values, TBARS, contents of VBN, and total plate counts of the insects were measured at days 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42, respectively. Blanching decreases oxidative stresses during storage. At day 0, the white-spotted flower chaffer beetle larva showed the highest values for acid value, TBARS, VBN, and microbial counts. Most of the oxidative indicators were significantly changed at day 14 in all four insects, possibly related with the growth on all microbial plates. Based on microbial safety and the oxidative stabilities of lipids and proteins, optimal storage conditions for the cricket, the white-spotted flower chaffer beetle larva, and the rhinoceros beetle larva were 10~14 days at $4^{\circ}C$. Likewise, the mealworm showed rapid oxidation after day 14, but poor qualities were not observed until day 28.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.271-277
• /
• 2020

The Purpose of this study was to examine the survival rate and weight of rhinoceros beetle larvae by irradiating X-rays which are most commonly used in diagnosing and treating for diseases. Subjectts and Methods: In early April 2019, the rhinoceros beetle larvae 41 were classified into two groups as control group (11 larvae) and irradiated group (10 Gy, 20 Gy, 30 Gy, each 10 larvae). The irradiated group was exposed by 6 MV X-ray using linear accelerators (Clinac IS, VERIAN, USA) at the University Hospital in Daejeon (Source-surface distance 96 cm, field size 18 × 10 cm, dose rate 600 MU/min), after environmental adaptation for 3 days (temperature 20.6℃, humidity 64.3%). The survival rate and weight were measured weekly after irradiating X-ray. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS ver. 22.0 (Chicago, IL, USA). The weight was analysed by Independent T-test, by cross-sectional analysis for survival rates between control and X-ray irradiated groups. Also, the correlation between dose and weight was analyzed by Spearman test. In 3-week after irradiating X-ray, weight was significant difference between control group and irradiated group (10 Gy or 20 Gy, p < 0.05; and 30 Gy, p < 0.01) with increasing weight in all experimental groups. In 14-week, weight was increased in the control group, but decreased in irradiated group. weight was significant difference between control group and irradiated group. The survival rate in 3-week was decreased rapidly in all experimental group except 10 Gy, to 4-week in irradiated group. The control group had no change in survival rate 54.5% from 3-week to 14-week. From the 3-week, it showed lower survival rate with increasing radiation dose in irradiated group. In 19-week, survival rate of control group and 10 Gy was 45.4% and 30.0% respectively, all died in 20 Gy and 30 Gy. Weight was significantly negative correlated with radiation dose as longer time after irradiating X-ray. The weight and survival rate of rhino beetle larvae is affected by irradiating X-rays, weight and survival rate decreased more in higher dose.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.12
• /
• pp.1501-1506
• /
• 2018

Edible insects have recently been increasingly promoted as a source of protein. As the number of farms rearing these insect increases, it is important to develop safe and nutritious feed sources to improve their commercial quality. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of food by-products as feed supplements for the Korean rhinoceros beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma, which has been registered as a general food ingredient in Korea. We compared the effects of waste citrus peel, soybean curd cake, soybean oil meal, and brewers' dried grain on the growth of third instar larvae of A. dichotoma. Groups of larvae were fed with fermented sawdust and nine different combinations of the above by-products and the effects on their growth were measured until pupation. The highest survival rate was with feed supplemented with 10% brewers' dried grain (66.7%, p<0.05), and these larvae were also 26% heavier (p<0.05) than the control group that received no supplementation. In the 10% brewers' dried grain group, the larval period of third instar was shortened by almost 28 days (p<0.01) compared to the control group. Of all the groups, only that which was fed the brewers' dried grain supplement showed more than a 90% pupation rate (p<0.05). Therefore, brewers' dried grain may be useful as a source of feed for A. dichotoma.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.83-85
• /
• 2007

A glycine and proline-rich antibacterial protein was cloned from larvae of a beetle, Protaetia brevitarsis. The DNAs encoded a deduced propeptide of 127 amino acid residues with predicted molecular weight of 14.0 kDa and PI of 7.89. Structural analysis of this protein indicated the presence of a recognition sequence for the cleavage site within the constitutive secretory pathway(Arg-Xaa-Lys/Arg-Arg), suggesting that mature portion(72 amino acid residues) is produced by cleavage of signal peptide and propeptide from 127 amino-acid-long precursor protein. Mature portion sequence of this protein showed 72% similarity to that of Oryctes rhinoceros Rhinocerosin and 91% to that of Holotrichia diomphalia holotricin 2. The mRNA expression was reached the highest level at 4 hrs after E. coli injection and then declined gradually.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.131-135
• /
• 2008

A cDNA encoding a defensin-like peptide (Protaetiamycine) from the larvae of a beetle, Protaetia brevitarsis was cloned. The DNAs encoded the deduced propeptide of 79 amino acid residues with the predicted molecular weight of 8.4 kDa and PI of 8.24. Overall amino acid sequence of this protein has 39% similarity to that of Rhodnius prolixus defensin, 43% similarity to that of Acalolepta luxuriosa defensin, and 72% similarity to that of Oryctes rhinoceros defensin, suggesting that this gene is an insect defensin. In an attempt to apply the anti-bacterial peptide to the development of therapeutic agents, a 12-mer peptide amidated at its C-terminus, ACAAHCLAIGRG-$NH_2$ (Ala55-Lys66-$NH_2$, 12Pbn) was synthesized. This peptide showed some antifungal activity against Candida albicans. To increase antifungal activity, six 9-mer peptides were synthesized by modifying amino acid sequences of 12Pbn fragment. Among these peptides, 9Pbm3-9Pbm6 exhibited strong activity compared with Cecropin B and mellitin.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.425-429
• /
• 2021

We have investigated the expression of early growth response protein 1 (EGR1) in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells treated with Allomyrina dichotoma hemolymph. The Korean rhinoceros beetle, A. dichotoma (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is important in the insect industry for medical applications. We have already established a method for purification of A. dichotoma hemolymph that can be used in many experiments. EGR1 is reported as a multifunctional transcription factor that is implicated in virus infections. EGR1 has therefore been revealed as a major mediator and regulator in the physiological and pathological conditions of several cell and tissue types. New findings in this study are that A. dichotoma hemolymph, which promotes a dose- and time-dependent upregulation of EGR1 gene expression, shows an enhancement of this gene expression when combined with hypothermia or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. These results suggest that A. dichotoma hemolymph may provide clues to EGR1-associated disease therapies involving gene regulation of EGR1.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.10
• /
• pp.1130-1136
• /
• 2017

Traditionally, the larvae of Allomyrina dichotoma (AD), a species of the rhinoceros beetle, have been widely used for their antidiabetic, antihepatofibrotic, antineoplastic, and antiobesity effects. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization has reported on the possibility of using edible insects in human dietary supplements in the future. However, despite the growing interest in insect-based bio-active products, the biological activities of these products have rarely been studied. Previously, we reported that AD larvae inhibit the in vitro differentiation of adipocytes via transcription factor downregulation. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the effects of a hot-water extract of AD larvae on allergy and inflammation. To investigate the inhibitory effect of the extract on allergic reactions, we measured the levels of ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) after activation of RBL-2H3 cells using Compound 48/80. In addition, the inhibitory effect of the extract on inflammation was determined using Raw 264.7 cells after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The extract significantly inhibited the ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-4, and COX-2 levels in RBL-2H3 cells. Furthermore, it effectively inhibited the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, nitric oxide, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells. These results suggest that AD larval extract can be potentially developed as an antiallergic and anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent.