• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.30 no.12
• /
• pp.1078-1084
• /
• 2020

Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis is an insect belonging to the order Coleoptera. This insect is reported to contain large amounts of physiologically active substances useful for liver protective effect and improvements in blood circulation as well as a broad source of edible protein. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are found in a variety of species, from microorganisms to mammals, and play an important role in the innate immune systems of living things. Microglia are the main source of proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) in the central nervous system. Activated microglia secrete large amounts of neuroinflammatory mediators (e.g., TNF-α, NO, and ROS), which are the main cause of neuronal cell death. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Protaetiamycine 6 (PKARKLQKLSAYKTTLRN-NH2), an AMP derived from Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis, on LPS-induced neuroinflammation in BV-2 microglia. Protaetiamycine 6 significantly inhibited NO production without cytotoxicity and decreased the expression levels of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, Protaetiamycine 6 also reduced the production of neuroinflammatory cytokines on activated BV-2 microglia. These results suggest that Protaetiamycine 6 could be a good source of functional substance to prevent neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.31 no.11
• /
• pp.987-994
• /
• 2021

Our previous studies have reported that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from the larvae of white-spotted flower chafer (Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis) exert anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. This study explored the anti-inflammatory effects of protaetiamycine 9 (CVLKKAYFLTNLKLRG-NH₂), a novel AMP, derived from P. b. seulensis against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Protaetiamycine 9 (25, 50, 75, and 100 ㎍/ml) did not cause cytotoxic effects against RAW264.7 cells. The RAW264.7 cells were pre-treated with various concentrations of protaetiamycine 9 (25-100 ㎍/ml) for 1 hr and then exposed to LPS (100 ng/ml) for 24 hr. Protaetiamycine 9 treatments decreased the LPS-induced secretion of inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), in a dose-dependent manner. Protaetiamycine 9 (25-100 ㎍/ml) effectively downregulated the LPS-induced increase in mRNA and the protein expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which are involved in the production of inflammatory mediators. Protaetiamycine 9 also suppressed the production and gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β, compared to the presence of LPS alone. Furthermore, protaetiamycine 9 inhibited the degradation of inhibitory kappa B alpha (IκB-α) and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. In conclusion, these results suggest that protaetiamycine 9 exhibits LPS-mediated inflammatory responses by blocking IκB-α degradation and MAPK phosphorylation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.51 no.6
• /
• pp.537-542
• /
• 2019

Proteins were isolated from four species of edible insects, Bombyx mori, B; Tenebrio molitor, T; Protaetia brevitarsis, P; and Gryllus bimaculatus, G, and their properties were analyzed and compared with those of whey proteins. The yield of the protein isolated from raw materials was 65.0-75.0%. Among three branched chain amino acids (BCAA), the amounts of valine in all the insects were similar to that of the whey protein. The BCAA content was 16.8 and 16.4% in G and T, respectively. The total polyphenolic content and the antioxidant activity of the insect proteins were significantly higher than those of the whey proteins. Based on the sensory test of the protein powder, the whey protein could be replaced by 25% of the isolated protein from the insects, but the taste and flavor needs to be improved. Although the BCAA content of insect proteins was lower than that of the whey protein (by 73-76%), their application could be useful because of high polyphenolic content and the anti-oxidative activity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
• /
• 2020.07a
• /
• pp.575-576
• /
• 2020

본 논문은 근래에 식용곤충 식품에 대한 수요 및 국민적 관심이 증가하여 관련 산업이 급격히 성장하고 있는 가운데, 건강기능성 효과가 널리 알려진 흰점박이꽃무지 유충의 안정적인 생산량 확보를 위한 스마트 사육사를 제작하고 그 성능을 평가한 결과이다. 사육사는 L6m×W3m×H2.8m 크기로 제작하였으며, 안정적인 사육환경을 위하여 사육실과 공조실을 분리하여 설계하였다. 공시재료는 생후 15일이 경과된 흰점박이꽃 무지 유충 1령이며, 스마트 사육사 내 사육환경은 온도 25±2℃, 습도 65±5%로 제어하였다. 사육조사는 매주 1회, 유충의 체중, 길이, 두께를 측정하였으며, 스마트 사육사의 성능평가를 위해 일반 사육농가(전북 소재)와 비교·분석하였다. 사육 4주 후 조사 결과, 스마트 사육사에서 사육한 유충의 체중과 길이는 각각 평균 1.97g/마리와 3.75cm로, 일반농가의 1.58g/마리와 3.55cm에 비해 비교적 높은 것으로 나타났다. 하지만, 두께의 경우 2주 차까지 일반농가에서 대체로 높은 것으로 나타났으며, 이후 3~4주 차에서는 큰 차이를 보이지 않았다. 따라서 본 연구를 통해 개발한 흰점박이꽃무지 유충 스마트 사육사는 일반농가와 비교해 사육이 비교적 빠르고 생산량을 더 많이 확보할 수 있는 시스템으로 농가소득 증대에 유용할 것으로 판단되며, 장소 및 시간에 상관없이 생육환경 제어가 가능하여 개발된 시제품의 보급 확대가 필요하다.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2011

9Pbw2 is a 9-mer analog of protaetiamycine derived from the larvae of the beetle Protaetia brevitarsis. Previously, we designed four 9-mer peptide analogues to optimize the balance between the hydrophobicity and cationicity of the peptides and to increase bacterial cell selectivity. Among them, 9Pbw2 has high antibacterial activity without cytotoxicity. The results obtained in previous study suggest that the bactericidal action of 9Pbw2 may be attributed to the inhibition of the functions of intracellular components after penetration of the bacterial cell membrane. In order to understand structure-activity relationships, we determined the three-dimensional structure of 9Pbw2 in 200 mM DPC micelle by NMR spectroscopy. 9Pbw2 has one hydrophobic turn helix from $Trp^3$ to $Arg^8$ and positively charged residues at the N- and C-terminus. This result suggested that positively charged residues from position at the C-terminus in 9Pbw2 may be important for the primary binding to the negatively charged phospholipid head groups in bacterial cell membranes and hydrophobic residues in the middle portion face toward the acyl chains of the hydrophobic lipid in the bacterial cell membrane.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.473-477
• /
• 2009

Previously, the 9-mer analog peptides, 9Pbw2 and 9Pbw4, were designed based on a defensin-like peptide, protaetiamycine isolated from Protaetia brevitarsis. In this study, antifungal effects of the analog peptides were investigated. The antifungal susceptibility testing exhibited that 9Pbw4 contained more potent antifungal activities than 9Pbw2. A PI influx assay confirmed the effects of the analog peptides and demonstrated that the peptides exerted their activity by a membrane-active mechanism, in an energy-independent manner. As the noteworthy potency of 9Pbw4, the mechanism(s) of 9Pbw4 were further investigated. The membrane studies, using rhodamine-labeled giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran loaded liposome, suggested that the membrane-active mechanism of 9Pbw4 could have originated from the pore-forming action and the radii of pores was presumed to be anywhere from 1.8 nm to 3.3 nm. These results were confirmed by 3D-flow cytometric contour-plot analysis. The present study suggests a potential of 9Pbw4 as a novel antifungal peptide.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.97-104
• /
• 2018

The larva of the white-spotted flower chafer, Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae), is known to have important medicinal properties, such as anti-cancer activity. However, the consumer market for the larvae is depressed because of its high production cost which needs to be reduced. This study was carried out to evaluate two spent mushroom substrates as food source for chafer larvae to improve the productivity and reduce production cost. The larvae were fed with spent substrates of king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) (P-SMS) and shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) (L-SMS), with a control of fermented oak sawdust. Effects of the diets on the development of P. brevitarsis seulensis and contents of minor nutrient components in the larvae produced were examined. In the P-SMS diet, the larval rearing period was shorter at 16.2 days, while the rate of larval weight gain and the cocoon weight were higher at 156.3% and 4.1 g, respectively, than that in the L-SMS diet. The pupation rate was 100% and the adult emergence was higher at 93.3% in the P-SMS diet than in the L-SMS diet with no difference to the control diet. In the P-SMS diet, the total nitrogen content during rearing was higher at 10.28% and the minor nutrient component, particularly Fe (145.8 mg/kg), was higher than that in other diets. The oviposition preference of adults showed no significant difference among the diets. Economic analysis showed that P-SMS costs approximately 667,960 Won less per 100 kg of larvae produced, compared to that of the control diet.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.702-707
• /
• 2017

Insects and their extract have been traditionally used as medicinal resources in Asia. Recently, Gryllus bimaculatus and the larva of Tenebrio molitor, Protaetia brevitarsis, and Allomyrina dichotoma were enlisted as general food ingredients by Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. As the interest in these insects is growing, the detailed investigation is needed for the standardization of suitable and safe rearing techniques. This survey was conducted via personal interviews about edible insect rearing farms in Korea. The basic feed is fermented oak sawdust for P. brevitarsis and A. dichotoma and wheat bran for T. molitor. The various feed additives are blended with each farm's own recipes. The overall growth condition, including sawdust fermentation method, feeding period, and rearing density, varies among the investigated farms. It seems that weight of last instar larva was correlated with the rearing density and duration of the larval period. The heavy metal contents were analyzed after 48 hour starvation and they were very small amount or not detected in investigated insects. We believe that the present data will contribute to develop and standardize the safe rearing techniques of edible insects in Korea.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.643-654
• /
• 2019

The amino acid composition, protein quality, and protein functionality of protein solution extracted from three edible insect species were investigated. We used 0.02% ascorbic acid and 0.58 M saline solution to extract water-soluble and salt-soluble proteins from the three insect species. Extracted protein solutions of Tenebrio molitor (TM), Allomyrina dichotoma (AD), and Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (PB) were divided into six groups, according to species and solubility: WTM, WAD, WPB (water-soluble), and STM, SAD, and SPB (salt-soluble). Defatted TM had the highest protein content, but its protein solubility was the lowest, for both water and saline solutions. Amino acid composition differed by edible insect species and buffer type; SPB had the highest protein quality, followed by WPB. PB had a higher pH than the other species. Color values also differed among species. SPB had abundant high molecular weight proteins, compared with other treatments; and also had the highest foaming capacity, foam stability, and emulsifying capacity. In conclusion, PB is a good source of functional protein compared with the other studied species. Additionally, protein extraction using saline solution is promising as a useful method for improving edible insect protein functionality.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
• /
• 2020.07a
• /
• pp.577-578
• /
• 2020

본 연구의 목적은 흰점박이꽃무지 사육농가 및 사육환경에 대해 일반농가의 실태를 조사·분석하여 식용곤충 사육시설에 대한 기초 연구자료를 수집하기 위한 것이다. 전국에 곤충사육 농가로 등록한 업체 중에서 흰점박이꽃무지를 사육하는 농가 17농가를 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하여 농장운영 및 시설·장치 현황 등을 조사하였으며, 주요 결과는 다음과 같다. 일반적으로 곤충사육 농가는 대부분 농가형으로 운영되고 있지만, 생산업, 유통업 및 가공업 등으로 신고하여 곤충사육 농가에서 직접 생산, 가공 및 제품 개발 등을 하고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 대부분의 곤충사육 농가는 판넬 형식의 건축물 내에서 냉·난방기를 가동하여 곤충의 생육환경을 조성하고 있으며, 필요에 따라 IoT 기반의 사양관리 장치 및 운영관리 시스템을 활용하고 있는 것으로 파악되었는데, 식용곤충 대량생산을 위한 사양관리 장치 및 생산 기반시설 구축은 여전히 부족한 상황으로 개선이 필요해 보인다.