• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.1141-1155
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• 2024

Objective: RNA epigenetic modifications play an important role in regulating immune response of mammals. Bovine mastitis induced by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a threat to the health of dairy cattle. There are numerous RNA modifications, and how these modification-associated enzymes systematically coordinate their immunomodulatory effects during bovine mastitis is not well reported. Therefore, the role of common RNA modification-related genes (RMRGs) in bovine S. aureus mastitis was investigated in this study. Methods: In total, 80 RMRGs were selected for this study. Four public RNA-seq data sets about bovine S. aureus mastitis were collected and one additional RNA-seq data set was generated by this study. Firstly, quantitative trait locus (QTL) database, transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) database and differential expression analyses were employed to characterize the potential functions of selected enzyme genes in bovine S. aureus mastitis. Correlation analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to further investigate the relationships of RMRGs from different types at the mRNA expression level. Interference experiments targeting the m⁶ A demethylase FTO and utilizing public MeRIP-seq dataset from bovine Mac-T cells were used to investigate the potential interaction mechanisms among various RNA modifications. Results: Bovine QTL and TWAS database in cattle revealed associations between RMRGs and immune-related complex traits. S. aureus challenged and control groups were effectively distinguished by principal component analysis based on the expression of selected RMRGs. WGCNA and correlation analysis identified modules grouping different RMRGs, with highly correlated mRNA expression. The m⁶ A modification gene FTO showed significant effects on the expression of m⁶ A and other RMRGs (such as NSUN2, CPSF2, and METTLE), indicating complex co-expression relationships among different RNA modifications in the regulation of bovine S. aureus mastitis. Conclusion: RNA epigenetic modification genes play important immunoregulatory roles in bovine S. aureus mastitis, and there are extensive interactions of mRNA expression among different RMRGs. It is necessary to investigate the interactions between RNA modification genes regulating complex traits in the future.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1545-1552
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Trichostatin A (TSA) on cumulus expansion during mouse oocyte maturation. TSA treatment inhibited cumulus expansion and significantly reduced the cumulus expansion index (CEI) (p<0.05). To determine the underlying mechanism, the expression levels of several key factors that play crucial roles in cumulus expansion including components of extracellular matrix (ECM) (Has2, Ptgs2, Ptx3, and Tnfaip6) and Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) were measured in control and TSA treated samples by real-time PCR. The effect of TSA on ERK phosphorylation (p-ERK1/2) in cumulus cells and GDF9 protein level in fully grown oocytes (FGOs) were detected by Western blotting. The expression levels of the ECM genes were significantly decreased (p<0.05) by TSA treatment while GDF9 expression did not response to TSA (p>0.05). TSA treatment blocked the activation of ERK1/2 (p<0.05) and had no significant effect on GDF9 protein expression (p>0.05). Collectively, these results suggested that TSA treatment altered ECM gene expression and blocked ERK1/2 activation to inhibit cumulus expansion in the mouse.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to develop a breeding technique to increase Hanwoo of superior characteristics. In the present study, reproductive status of Hanwoo such as size of farm, breeding system and gestationi length was investigated. In addition, effect of low dose administration of prostaglandin F2$\alpha$(PGF2$\alpha$) on luteolysis was examined. The size of farm was classified by the total number of cows and the number of breeding stocks, respectively. The distribution of herd size of < 5, 6~10, 11~30, 31~50 and > heads was 31%, 15%, 39%, 4% and 11%, respectively. Furthermore, the distribution of breeding stock size of <5, 6~10, 11~30, 31~50 and > 50 heads was 36%, 28%, 31%, 3% and 3%, respectively. Average parity was 2.1 in breeding stock. In breeding pattern, artificial in semination(A.I), estrus synchronization-A.I and natural mating was 92.7%, 2.4% and 4.9% respectively. Gestational length of Hanwoo was ranged 253~316 days (average length : 285 days) after estrus( estrus=0). To induce luteolysis, PGF2$\alpha$ was injected into ovarian parenchyma by a modified ovarian injector. The effect of administration of 6mg PGF2$\alpha$ on luteolysis and estrus induction was betweer (P<0.01) when PGF2$\alpha$ was administered into ovarian parechyma than when administered intramuscluarly (71 vs. 91%). When PGF2$\alpha$ was injected into ovarian parenchyma, a decreased concentration to 3 mg did not significantly decreaed its luteolytic effect(92%). When AI was performed following PGF2$\alpha$ treatment, the intraovarian injection group yielded a higher pregnancy rate(69 vs. 88%) than the IM injection groups, regardless of the dosage. In conclusion these results suggest that increasing herd size and regular reproductive management are needed to improve reproductive efficiency in Hanwoo industry. Furthermore, intraovarian administration of PGF2$\alpha$ is effective way to induce luteolysis compared with intramuscular injection.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2018

Objective: Hemicastration is a unilateral orchiectomy to remove an injured testis, which can induce hormonal changes and compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining testis, and may influence spermatogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the impact of hemicastration on remaining testicular function. Methods: Prepubertal mice (age 24 days) were hemicastrated, and their growth was monitored until they reached physical maturity (age 72 days). Subsequently, we determined testis DNA methylation patterns using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing of normal and hemicastrated mice. Moreover, we profiled the testicular gene expression patterns by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to examine whether methylation changes affected gene expression in hemicastrated mice. Results: Hemicastration did not significantly affect growth or testosterone (p>0.05) compared with control. The genome-wide DNA methylation pattern of remaining testis suggested that substantial genes harbored differentially methylated regions (1,139) in gene bodies, which were enriched in process of protein binding and cell adhesion. Moreover, RNA-seq results indicated that 46 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in meiotic cell cycle, synaptonemal complex assembly and spermatogenesis were upregulated in the hemicastration group, while 197 DEGs were downregulated, which were related to arachidonic acid metabolism. Integrative analysis revealed that proteasome 26S subunit ATPase 3 interacting protein gene, which encodes a protein crucial for homologous recombination in spermatocytes, exhibited promoter hypomethylation and higher expression level in hemicastrated mice. Conclusion: Global profiling of DNA methylation and gene expression demonstrated that hemicastration-induced compensatory response maintained normal growth and testicular morphological structure in mice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.480-488
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• 2018

Objective: Average daily gain (ADG) is an important target trait of pig breeding programs. We aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genomic regions that are associated with ADG in the Duroc pig population. Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study involving 390 Duroc boars and by using the PorcineSNP60K Beadchip and two linear models. Results: After quality control, we detected 3,5971 SNPs, which included seven SNPs that are significantly associated with the ADG of pigs. We identified six quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions for ADG. These QTLs included four previously reported QTLs on Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 1, SSC5, SSC9, and SSC13, as well as two novel QTLs on SSC6 and SSC16. In addition, we selected six candidate genes (general transcription factor 3C polypeptide 5, high mobility group AT-hook 2, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1, pleckstrin homology and RhoGEF domain containing G4B, and ENSSSCG00000031548) associated with ADG on the basis of their physiological roles and positional information. These candidate genes are involved in skeletal muscle cell differentiation, diet-induced obesity, and nervous system development. Conclusion: This study contributes to the identification of the casual mutation that underlies QTLs associated with ADG and to future pig breeding programs based on marker-assisted selection. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of the identified candidate genes in the physiological processes involved in ADG regulation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.471-478
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• 2014

Investigating gene expression of immune cells of whole blood or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) under polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) stimulation is valuable for understanding the immune response of organism to RNA viruses. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is a standard method for quantification of gene expression studies. However, the reliability of qRT-PCR data critically depends on proper selection of reference genes. In the study, using two different analysis programs, geNorm and NormFinder, we systematically evaluated the gene expression stability of six candidate reference genes (GAPDH, ACTB, B2M, RPL4, TBP, and PPIA) in samples of whole blood and PBMC with or without poly I:C stimulation. Generally, the six candidate genes performed a similar trend of expression stability in the samples of whole blood and PBMC, but more stably expressed in whole blood than in PBMC. geNorm ranked B2M and PPIA as the best combination for gene expression normalization, while according to NormFinder, TBP was ranked as the most stable reference gene, followed by B2M and PPIA. Comprehensively considering the results from the two programs, we recommended using the geometric mean of the three genes, TBP, PPIA and B2M, to normalize the gene expression of whole blood and PBMC with poly I:C stimulation. Our study is the first detailed survey of the gene expression stability in whole blood and PBMC with or without poly I:C stimulation and should be helpful for investigating the molecular mechanism involved in porcine whole blood and PBMC in response to poly I:C stimulation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.106 no.4
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• pp.371-379
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• 2017

This study was aimed to investigate the contribution of tree plantation, tree breeding and soil erosion control techniques developed during Saemaul Undong periods to the successful forest rehabilitation in the Republic of Korea. We surveyed a various literature of forest journals and had deep interview with forest experts who were actively involved in the forest rehabilitation projects. In the Republic of Korea, the forest rehabilitation was started with Saemaul Undong in 1970s and carried out to make the country green and to restore degraded forest lands by supports of tree plantation, tree breeding and soil erosion control techniques. Various techniques such as seed storage, seedling production, mass vegetative propagation (grafting and cutting) and special planting at denuded land or slash and burn site were developed for tree plantation. All techniques developed for the forest rehabilitation were connected with Saemaul Undong which caused active participation of local community people. Therefore, the development of tree plantation, tree breeding and soil erosion control skills had great impact on the job creation and income sources of local dwellers. It would be an applicable case to developing countries suffering with deforestation and forest degradation if the Korean skills developed for forest rehabilitation could be transferred.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1537-1543
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• 2008

We tested Trichoderma harzianum as a biocontrol agent for Rhizoctonia solani AG2-1, using six natural antifungal materials to improve its efficacy. Among the six materials tested, peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) root bark (PRB) showed the strongest antifungal activity against R. solani AG2-1, and was not antagonistic to T. harzianum. Scanning electron microscopy showed that treatment with PRB extract resulted in shortened and deformed R. so/ani AG2-1 hyphal cells. The control of radish damping-off caused by R. so/ani AG2-1 was greatly increased by combined treatments of T. harzianum and PRB, as compared with either of the two treatments alone, with the control effect increased from 42.3-51.5% to 71.4-87.6%. The antifungal compound in PRB, which was isolated in chloroform and identified as paeonol by mass spectrometry, $^1H$ NMR, and $^{13}C$ NMR analyses, inhibited the growth of R. so/ani AG2-1 but not that of T. harzianum. Thus, PRB powder or extract may be used as a safe additive to T. harzianum to improve the control of the soil borne diseases caused by R. so/ani AG2-1.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2002

This paper is concerned with remote environment monitoring & control for the breeding house as scattering far and wide. The environment data is detected in the breeding house that is collected to one processor. It's adapted to the PSTN(public switch tele-phone network) and multi-processing for exchange the environment data and the control data in between the manager and a breeding house by micro-processor. We have designed the algorithm of the communication sequence through the experimental research. This system is composed of sensor interface, FSK communications, LED display, data latch and MCS-51 single-chip. The S/W is composed with data acquisition by multi-processing, data communication and interrupt. And this paper is Proposed the DB structure algorithm concern to a mount scale using web design. The subject is a performance of effective management for the breeding house.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.872-876
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to evaluate Biocom (a protein source containing a high level of glutamine and alanyl-glutamine) as a replacement for glutamine (Gln) in nursery pig diets. Forty-two pigs (fourteen pigs per treatment) weaned at 28 d of age were used in a 28-d performance trial using three dietary treatments: control (no Gln), control supplemented with Gln or Biocom. The control diet was composed of corn, soybean meal, whey and fish meal. Individual body weight, pen feed disappearance and diarrhea were monitored. On d 0, 2, 7 and 14 postweaning, respectively, five pigs per treatment were selected and bled from the anterior vena cava to obtain five replicate samples of blood on each dietary treatment for determination of blood biochemical index. Dietary supplementation of Gln and Biocom did not influence performance, plasma Gln and total serum protein concentration (p>0.05). However, the addition of Gln and Biocom could prevent serum urea nitrogen and serum cortisol from increasing on d 2 postweaning (p<0.05). There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in any of the examined parameters between Gln- and Biocom-supplemented diets. In conclusion, dietary Gln did not influence the performance of early-weaned piglets owing to the complex diet containing whey, but could prevent the increase of serum urea and cortisol. Biocom could be used as a replacement for free pure Gln without any negative effect on early-weaned piglets.