• 한국토양동물학회지
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.19-24
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• 1998

The importance of the gut microorganism in the termite, Reticulitermes Speratus kyushuenesis Morimoto, was estimated by feeding with several antibiotics. Antibiotics which killed the bacterium, but not the fungi (Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Erythromycin), or killed both the microorganismw (Cephaloridine, Tetracycline) reduced the life span of the termite from 245 days to about 15 days. On the other hand, some antibiotics, penicillin and pimaricin, did not greatly reduce the life span of the termite.

• 한국토양동물학회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.59-64
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• 1997

A study was carried out to investigate the distribution of termites at the southern part of Korea between 1995 and 1996. During the survey, termite samples were collected from the randomly selected areas. Most of thern were collected from the decayed woods in dead trees (usually in pine trees), but some were also collected from woodern walls, floors in houses, or in matured bed logs at the mushroom cultivating areas. Damage by this termite species were also observed by Kim and Hwang (1996) who investigated the insect pests of mushroom in the southern part of Korea. To control the termites, it is urgent to identify them and to conduct ecological study of termites. Thus, we firstly identified termites which were collected from the sampling areas including houses and mushrooms cultivating fields. All termite samples were identified as Reticulitermes speratus. However, there were several morphological differences among them according to the collected areas, and the samples were reexamined, identified and divided into subspecies as R. speratus kyushuensis.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.745-754
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• 2020

The dye marker Sudan Red 7B was tested as an effective and appropriate marking method for searching the territory of the termite, Reticulitermes speratus, in Korea. The sensitivity of termites to the dye marker was evaluated by measuring the feed consumption amount, survival rate, retention time, and transfer efficiency of R. speratus according to the concentration and feeding period of Sudan Red 7B. As the concentration conditions of dye marker increase, Sudan Red 7B remarkably reduced the feed consumption of the termites. The survival rate was not significantly different from that of the control group (more than 90%), except when feed containing 1% or 2% concentrations of the dye marker was given for five days. The duration of the marking effect persisted for seven days, even at a concentration of 2% dye marker in the feed. No dye transfer by trophallaxis occurred between termites marked with Sudan Red 7B and unmarked termites.

• 한국토양동물학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.51-57
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• 1998

A new rod-shaped endospore-forming bacterium isolated from the hindgut flora of the termite, Reticulitermes speratus kyushuenesis Morimoto is described. The isolate stained Gram positive, but the KOH test and the test for L-alanine aminopeptidase were negative. The length of a single cell varies from 2.5-9.0 $\mu $m, and the cell is about 0.5-0.7$\mu $m thick. The isolate had a high cellulolytic ability and was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제38권5호
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• pp.421-428
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• 2010

This study investigated on enzyme production in the digestive organs of the native termite (Reticulitermes speratus) in Milyang, Korea. Four types of major cellulases [EG (endo-1,4-${\beta}$-glucanase), BGL (${\beta}$-glucosidase), CBH (cellobiohydrolase) and BXL (${\beta}$-1,4-xylosidase)] were present in the digestive organs of the termite. The strong enzyme activity for BGL was found from the native termite, and also shown that the enzyme was distributed in the salivary gland, foregut, and hindgut. BXL, which breaks down hemicellulose near the amorphous region, was detected mainly from salivary gland, foregut, and midgut. However, CBH was distributed mainly in the hindgut. Meanwhile, EG which degrades cellulose, was found mainly in the hindgut and salivary glands. These facts indicate that celluases production patterns are differ from different sites compare to the same species found in Japan, suggesting that enzyme production in the digestive organs of termites is changed according to their habitats.

• 헤리티지:역사와 과학
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• 제37권
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• pp.327-348
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• 2004

본 연구에서는 한반도 이남의 지역적 기후 특성을 분석하고, 서식하고 있는 흰개미 (Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto)의 생태적 특성 및 선호도(온도, 습도, 수종)를 실험실에서 확인하였다. 한반도 이남, 특히 남부지역은 흰개미(R. speratus kyushuensis Morimoto)의 서식 및 활동에 최적인 기후지역으로 확인되었다. 부산이 Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki의 야외 분포 북방한계 ($4^{\circ}C$)에 근접되어 있고, 춘천이 Reticulitermes speratus Kolbe의 야외분포 북방한계 ($-4^{\circ}C$)가 한반도를 통과하는 지역으로 확인되었다. 흰개미는 $30^{\circ}C$ (90% RH이상)에서 최대 먹이 섭취율을 보였다. $10^{\circ}C$에서 $30^{\circ}C$(90% RH 이상)까지 약 95%이상의 생존율이 관찰되었지만, $32^{\circ}C$이상에서 사망률이 높아졌다. 또한 52% RH($30^{\circ}C$)와 70% RH($30^{\circ}C$)에서 높은 사망률(100%)이 관찰되었지만 84% RH에서 높은 생존율(97%)을 보였다. 침엽수인 소나무를 먹이로 선호하고 높은 생존율(87%)을 보였지 만 활엽수인 오동나무에서는 낮은 생존율(14%)이 확인되었다. 서울 종묘의 자연수림에서 흰개미의 침입율은 약 34.5%(55개 지점 중 19개 지점, 3년간) 이었다. 침입율은 매년 증가하였지만 발견율은 낮아지고 실종률은 높아지는 경향이 확인되었다. 흰개미 군체 일부는 발견된 목재를 계속 섭취하고, 다른 일부는 새로운 목재를 탐색하는 먹이 찾기 습성을 실험적으로 확인하였다. 종묘의 지표부근에서 흰개미를 관찰할 수 있는 기간은 2001년 4월부터 11월까지이고 최대 활동기는 7월 및 8월인 것으로 야외실험을 통하여 확인하였다. 그리고 동절기(2000년 11월~2001년 3월)에도 지중에서 활동하는 것이 확인되었다. 이상의 결과, 한국 목조문화재를 가해하는 흰개미의 생태적 특성 및 가해 정도에 관한 생물학적 기초 자료를 최초로 제시하였다. 특히 한반도 이남의 기후조건에 따른 흰개미의 활동시기 및 이에 따른 지역적 손상분포를 확인하고 이를 방제할 수 있는 목재 보존제의 성분 특성 및 효과가 확인됨에 따라 향후 생물학적 손상, 특히 흰개미로부터 한국 목조문화재를 예방적으로 보존 관리하기 위한 종합적 방안수립(Integrated Pest Management, IPM)이 가능할 것으로 기대된다. 또한 이러한 연구결과는 흰개미로 발생되는 경제적 손실을 줄일 수 있는 방제학적 기초 자료로 활용될 것으로 기대된다.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제33권1호통권129호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2005

본 연구는 국내에 서식하는 일본흰개미(Reticulitermes speratus)의 생리적 특성에 관한 기초연구로서 흰개미의 커뮤니케이션 수단인 페로몬을 후각수용기로 이동시키는 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs)의 발현 양상을 조사하기 위해서 수행되었다. 경남 진주에서 채집된 일개미와 병정개미로부터 더듬이와 다리를 각각 떼어낸 후 OBP가 존재하는지 확인하기 위하여 RT-PCR을 수행하였다. 일개미의 경우 OBP-1의 발현은 더듬이와 다리에서 모두 관찰되었으며, OBP-2와 OBP-3의 발현은 오직 더듬이에서만 관찰할 수 있었다. 병정개미의 경우 OBP-1의 발현은 일개미에서와 마찬가지로 더듬이와 다리 모두에서 관찰할 수 있었으나, OBP-2가 관찰되지 않았으며, 일개미의 더듬이에서만 관찰되었던 OBP-3의 발현을 병정개미에서는 더듬이와 다리 모두에서 볼 수 있었다. 일개미와 병정개미에서 OBP 발현 양상의 차이는 그들의 역할에 따른 분화적 특이성에 기인한 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.371-380
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• 2019

Termites are pests that cause serious economic and cultural damage by digesting wood cellulose. Termites are arthropods and have an epidermis surrounded by a chitin layer. To maintain a healthy epidermis, termites have chitinase (${\beta}$-1,4-poly-N-acetyl glucosamidinase, EC 3.2.1.14), an enzyme that hydrolyzes the ${\beta}$-1,4 bond of chitin. In this study, the amino acid sequence of the gene, which is presumed to be termite chitinolytic enzyme (NCBI accession no. KC477099), was obtained from a transcriptomic analysis of Reticulitermes speratus KMT001 in Bukhan Mountain, Korea. An NCBI protein BLAST search confirmed that the protein is a glycoside hydrolase family 18 (GH18). The highest homology value found was 47%, with a chitinase from Araneus ventricosus. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the KC477099 protein has the same origins as those of arthropods but has a very low similarity with other arthropod chitinases, resulting in separation at an early stage of evolution. The KC477099 protein contains two conserved motifs, which encode the general enzymatic characteristics of the GH18 group. The amino acid sequences $Asp^{156}-Trp^{157}-Glu^{158}$, which play an important role in the enzymatic activity of the GH18 group, were also present. This study suggests that the termite KC477099 protein is a new type of chitinase, which is evolutionarily distant from other insect chitinases.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제46권6호
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• pp.713-725
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• 2018

Lower termites require symbiotic microbes in their gut. The microbial communities in the termites must adapt to the termite temperature. Reticulitermes speratus KMT001 from Bukhan Mountain in Seoul may require a special symbiotic microorganisms for growth in low temperature Korean habitat. A metagenomics analysis showed a dramatic change in the symbiotic bacterial flora in the gut of R. speratus KMT001 in response to low temperatures of $4^{\circ}C$ or $10^{\circ}C$. Elusimicrobia, which are endosymbionts of flagellate protists, is the dominant phylum in the termite gut at ${\geq}15^{\circ}C$ but its population decreased drastically at low temperature. Four representative bacterial strains isolated from R. speratus KMT001 in a previous study produced maximum ${\beta}$-glucosidase levels within the temperature range of $10^{\circ}C-30^{\circ}C$. Elizabethkingia sp. BM10 produced ${\beta}$-glucosidase specifically at $10^{\circ}C$. This strain supported the existence of symbiotic bacteria for the low temperature habitat of the termite. This identified bacterium will be a resource for studying low temperature adaptation of termites, studying the gene expression at low temperatures, and developing an industrial cellulase at low temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.159-167
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• 2017

Historical wooden buildings in Korea are being damaged by Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto, a type of subterranean termite, and the scale of this damage is increasing gradually because of global warming. This study evaluated the ingestion toxicity of the phenylpyrazole insecticide fipronil to R. s. kyushuensis and its applicability as termite bait with the aim of controlling termite colonies more efficiently. An ingestion toxicity assessment was conducted and the $LT_{50}$ was determined to be 4.43 day at concentrations of 10 ppm, indicating a slow-acting effect; therefore, 10 ppm was selected as an appropriate dose. A field applicability assessment was conducted in which the number of foraging workers and the rate at which the termites fed decreased 2 weeks after baiting, and termite colony activity was no longer apparent after 4 weeks demonstrating the efficacy of fipronil at eliminating colonies. Taken together, these results, indicate that low-dose fipronil eliminated R. s. kyushuensis colonies faster than insect growth regulators; therefore, it is expected to be useful when trying to conserve historical wooden buildings.