• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 1993

Studies were carried out to investigate physiological and biochemical analysis of recessive lethal mutant "nmn" and to observe the cuticle formation and dermal gland. All nmn homozygous larvae continued to eat a few mulberry leaves, and died without entering into molt. In case of artificial hatching, eggs had a higher nmn individual segregation ratio than in hibernating eggs. The percentage of nmn individuals with the hatching days was alike during 3days period. As a result of histological observation, nmn mutants dermal gland was different from normal dermal gland in form and size. Normal was formed new cuticle in the middle of the molting, but not in nmn mutant. Total protein content in haemolymph of the normal larva was more than that of nmn smutant and there was a difference between normal and nmn mutant protein components.omponents.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.82-86
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• 2002

Silk sericin powder was prepared by mechanical treatment from culled-cocoon extract of Bombyx mori silkworm. The physical and structural characteristics of sericin powder were investigated by instrumental analysis. The solubility of sericin powder was decreased nearly half of sericin lyophilized. Amino acid analysis showed that arginine content was decreased from 3.72% to 0.03∼0.07%. XRD showed that molecules of sericin were somewhat regularly arranged by mechanical treatment. On the other hand, FT-IR showed the molecular vibration of silk sericin was not induced by mechanical treatment. Thermal properties also did not changed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.128-134
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• 2014

Nesolynx thymus Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is one among 20 hymenopteran parasitoids reported to attack the uzi fly, Exorista bombycis, which in turn infests the silkworm, Bombyx mori accounting a cocoon yield loss of 10-20%. A host of factors viz., age and size of host, age and size of parasitoid, availability of host, temperature and quality of host are reported to influence the reproductive efficiency of the parasitoids. In the present study an attempt was made to record the influence of foraging parasitoid density on their reproductive performance. Three day-old uzi pupae were offered to varying numbers (1 - 10) of 2 day old Nesolynx thymus adults for parasitization. The progeny production per pupa (84.44 - 132.77) increased significantly with increase in the number of foraging parasitoid adults (1 - 10) however, progeny production per female decreased. The sex ratio (M : F) (1:25.49 - 1:1.53) decreased significantly with increase in foraging parasitoid adults. The morphometric parameters except female abdomen width of first generation parasitoid showed significant negative correlation with number of foraging adults. However, correlation between the parasitoid size in first generation and their reproductive performance was nonsignificant.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.56-62
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• 2020

Mulberry (Morus spp. family: Moraceae) has prime importance in the sericulture industry, and its foliage is the only natural feed of the silkworm Bombyx mori L. Traditional classification methods using morphological traits were largely unsuccessful in assessing the diversity and relationships among different mulberry species because of environmental influences on the traits of interest. For these reasons, it is difficult to differentiate between the varieties and cultivars of Morus spp. In the present study, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to investigate the genetic diversity of 48 mulberry samples genotyped using nine ISSR primers. The ISSR markers exhibited polymorphisms (53.2%) among mulberry genotypes. Furthermore, similarity coefficient estimated for these ISSR markers was found to vary between 0.67 and 0.99 for the combined pooled data. The phenogram drawn using the UPGMA cluster method based on combined pooled data of the ISSR markers divided the 48 mulberry genotypes into seven major groups. No genetic association was found in the collection area, and there was a mixed pattern between the mulberry lines. The hybridization between different mulberry species is highly likely to be homogenized due to natural hybridization.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 2020

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in gene expression after incubation of cells with soluble fraction from different silk mat layers. A silk cocoon from Bombyx mori was separated into 4 layers of equal thickness. The layers were numbered from 1 to 4 (from the inner to outer layer). Each silk mat was placed into normal saline and collected soluble fraction. They were administered to RAW264.7 cells, and changes in the expression of genes were evaluated by cDNA microarray analysis. Layer 1 and 4 groups showed significantly higher expression of BMP-2 at 8 h after administration of soluble fraction (P < 0.05). Runx2 expression was significantly higher in Layer 4 group at 8h (P < 0.05). The silk mat from the innermost and outermost portion of the silkworm cocoon showed a significant change in the expression of genes that are associated with osteoinduction such as BMP-2 and runx2.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-48
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• 2003

We have previously cloned and characterized the complete fibroin L-chain gene from one of the silkworm races Baekok-Jam (Bombyx mori) and found two variable regions (I, intron 2 ~ exon 3; II, intron 6) with the primer sets designed to cover these variable regions. We tested the utility of these regions as genetic markers among silkworm races. For the purpose of study, Japanese race (Jam 123), Chinese race (Jam 124) and their F$_1$hybrid Baekok-Jam were used. The PCR product size of region I was 787 bp in Jam 123, 770 bp in Jam 124 and 768 bp in Baekok-Jam. The size of region II was 470 bp in Jam 123, 428 bp in Jam 124 and 429 Up in Baekok-Jam. In the extended experiment, Jam 125 (Japanese race), Jam 126 (Chinese race) and their F$_1$hybrid Daeseong-Jam were also analyzed. The sizes of region I and II in Jam 125, Jam 126 and Daeseong-Jam were similar to those of Jam 123, Jam 124 and Baekok-Jam. DNA sequence divergence between the two geographic races of Jam 123 or Jam 125 and Jam 124 or Jam 126 was substantial. The result suggests that the fibroin L-chain gene of F$_1$hybrids were inherited from Chinese races. These results are concordant with cocoon shapes of tested animals, and suggested that Baekok-Jam or Daeseong-jam is more closely related to Jam 124 or Jam 126 than to Jam 123 or Jam 125. Taken these data together, the primer sets designed from two variable regions of fibroin L-chain gene would be highly useful, as the genetic markers for silkworm races, at least in Japanese and Chinese races, although an extended study including more geographic races is required.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.20-27
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• 1985

This study was carried out to investigate the histological changes after the infection of nuclear and cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses(NPV, CPV) and the resistance to the viruses in various varieties of the silkworm fed on artificial diet. The results obtained were as follows; Among four varieties of silkworm tested, Jam 107$\times$Jam 108 was more resistant than the other varieties tested and Jam 119$\times$Jam 120 was the most resistant to CPV. In case of peroral infection with NPV, Jam 107$\times$Jam 108 showed lower mortality than the remained varieties in low concentration (104/ml). However, all varieties showed high mortality as the concentration of viruses was increased. With infection of CPV, the varieties showed high mortality at the concentration of 107 and 108/ml, while Jam 119$\times$Jam 120 showed the lowest mortality at virus concentration of 104/ml. The fat bodies, epidermal cells and tracheal epithelial cells showed high susceptibility to NPV to break the cells completely and liberate the debris to the body cavity. The CPV infected only the cylindrical cells of mid-gut and formed polyhedrons. In some cells, CPV was liberated to gastral cavity. In the electrophoretic pattern of hemolymph protein of silkworm larvae infected with NPV, bands were dimmed and disappeared as symptom aggravated after infection. Electrophoretic pattern of homolymph proteins of silkworm larvae infected with CPV showed no numerical difference at the later stage of infection, and one or two bands was observed along with lowering the concentrations.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 1989

Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were performed on the nine quantitative characters of the one hundred and forty eight silkworm genetic stocks. The six major quantitative characters such as cocoon yield, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell percentage, larval period of the 5th instar silkworm, and total larval period showed significantly positive correlation between them. The first three principal components extracted form the initial nine variables by principal component analysis accounted for about eighty percent of original information. The first and second principal components were characterized as factors related to silk productivity, and cocoon productivity, respectively. On the basis of multivariate analysis using city block distance determined from the first three principal components to measure the phenotypic diversity, the one hundred and forty eight silkworm genetic stocks could be clustered into seven varietal groups, and the phenotypic diversity between the varietal groups was partly related to their geographical origins. Among 7 varietal group, group II and IV revealed higher silk and cocoon productivity.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.28-31
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• 1982

Flacherie virus (FV) is an important pathogen in the silkworm, which often gives serious damage to farmers for cocoon production. The inbred parents and F$_1$'s from an eight-parent diallel were examined to determine the inheritance of resistance to flacherie virus in the silkworm. Three resistant (R), two intermediate (M) and three susceptible (S) inbreds were used in the diallel with no reciprocals. Mean resistance was measured by survival rates of larvae which were fed on mulberry leaves sprayed with diluted mid-gut homogenate of FV infected larvae. Broad-sense heritability was obtained according to inbreds and F$_1$ family performance. Estimation of general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) was made according to Griffing's Model 1, Method 2. Mean FV resistance of F$_1$ family displayed additive effect of the major gene, while heterotic effect was not significant. Considerable variation in FV resistance within F$_1$ groups of R$\times$S and S$\times$S indicated that action of minor genes for FV resistance may have been involved. FV resistance of inbreds perse and predominant effect of the major gene over minor gene(s) satisfactorily predicted the FV resistance of the hybrids. Broadsense heritability value of FV resistance on the basis of F$_1$ family performance averaged 93%, which suggested that environmental effects might have not been important in this experiment. GCA was highly significant for FV resistant among inbreds. GCA effect of 13.1 in Jam 108 was highest and -17.7 in Gyeongchu lowest. Effective selection for high FV resistance would be possible, using inbreds with high GCA effect and low GCA variance. SCA was significant among hybrids. High SCA effect in the hybrid of Geumho$\times$Mudeung (13.7) and Hansaeng #4$\times$Jam 115 (11.6) indicated that the interaction effect of minor genes for resistance to FV in the silkworm could be exploited by standard silkworm breeding procedures.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.33-39
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• 2019

Freeze-dried silkworm powder has been approved as a functional ingredients for blood glucose control since 2009. Proximate and nutrient compositions of silkworm powder was summerized as bellow. Silkworm powder contained 4.7% moisture, 57.7% crude protein, 9.5% crude fat, 5.4% crude fiber, and 9.3% ash. The larval protein contained 18 known amino acid including glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Fat is composed of 3:7 ratio of saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid including various essential fatty acids. It contained 34.7 linolenic acid, 24.4% oleic acid, 20.2% palmitic acid, 9.2% stearic acid, and 7.7% linoleic acid. Five minerals, K, P, Ca, Mg, S were abundant in the silkworm powder with other minerals such as Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn.