• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.572-579
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• 2003

An expressed sequence tag (EST) library was established from the hypopharyngeal glands of Apis cerana. Sixty-six recombinant clones, possessing inserts >500 bp, were randomly selected and unidirectional sequenced. Forty-two of these (63.6%) were identified as homologues of Major Royal Jelly Proteins families 1, 2, 3, and 4 of A. mellifera (AmMRJP) for which MRJP1 was the most abundant family. The open-reading frame of the MRJP1 homologue (AcMRJP1) was 1299 nucleotides that encoded 433 deduced amino acids with three predicted N-linked glycosylation sites. The AcMRJP1 sequence showed 93% and 90% homologies with nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of AmMRJP1, respectively. Two complete transcripts of apisimin, and one and two partial transcripts of $\alpha$-glucosidase and glucose oxidase, were also isolated. In addition, the royal jelly proteins of A. cerana were purified and characterized using Q-Sepharose and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The native forms of protein peaks A1, A2, B1, and C1 were 115, 55, 50, and 300 kDa, respectively. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that A1 and C1 were dimeric and oligomeric forms of the 80 kDa and 50 kDa subunits, respectively. The ratio of the total protein quantities of A1 : A2 : B1 : C1 were 2.52 : 4.72 : 1 : 12.21. Further characterization of each protein, using N-terminal and internal peptide sequencing, revealed that the respective proteins were homologues of MRJP3, MRJP2, MRJP1, and MRJP1 of A. mellifera.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.186-193
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• 2016

The whole herbs of solanum nigrum L were extracted in boiling water (SNL-W), and the extracts were separated with butyl alcohol fraction (SNL-W/B) and aqueous fraction (SNL-W/W) by the solvent extraction method. The total alkaloid and total saponin content mensuration were used to identify the alkaloid composition of methanol fraction extracted from the aqueous fraction. The venom of honey bee was used to induce the rat peritoneal mast cell to secreting the histamine. The results show that the water soluble alkaloid composition of solanum nigrum L (SNL-W/W/M) has a significant inhibitory effect on the histamine release.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2021

The honey bee has a crucial ecological status for maintaining the natural ecology system. Pollination mediations by honey bees are recognized as an efficient way to enhance the quality of biological diversity and green areas in the nature and the urban ecological system. However, the population of bee around the world is decreasing and we do not know exactly how bees react to the physical environment in the urban area. This study is a basic research for the improvement of pollination services in the Korean urban ecological system. It aims to induce and review environmental variables which have high relations with the activities of pollination mediation insects in the urban area. The study established a Maxent model using five urban environmental variables that reflect the ecology of Bombus ignitus and the place information where Bombus ignitus appears in 18 spots of Seoul city, and compared with previous research results on Apis millifera. Bombus ignitus preferred places with more natural environments such as mountain forest areas and vicinities of streams. They preferred Stratified Tree Area the most among the vegetation types existing in the urban area. Comparing chicken models, both species saw their response value drop as the building coverage rose. In the case of Apis millifera and Bombus ignitus variables, the response value of both species was high in 10 out of 20 types. The result of this study is expected to provide basic information for improving the pollination services in the Korean urban area and to be utilized as the basic materials for the future urban planning.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1169-1175
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• 2015

Although many studies have described the physiological effects of bee products, such as honey, propolis, pollen, and royal jelly, the health benefits of honeycomb remain incompletely characterized. We performed a comparative study of the antioxidant properties of honey and honeycomb extracts using two different solvents (water and 95% ethanol). The results showed that the total phenolic and flavonoid content of the honeycomb extract was higher than that of the honey extract. They also demonstrated that water was more effective than ethanol in extracting total phenols. The in vitro antioxidant properties of the water honeycomb extract were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO^•) radical scavenging assays and ferrous ion chelating and reducing power assays. The antioxidant activity of the honeycomb extract exhibited was higher than that of the honey extract. The 50% effective concentrations (EC₅₀) of the honeycomb extract were 7.3±0.26 mg/ml for scavenging DPPH radicals, 6.1±0.22 mg/ml for scavenging NO^• radicals, 6.9±0.44 mg/ml for chelating ferrous ions, and 8.2±0.11 mg/ml for reducing power. A correlation analysis revealed that the total phenolics and flavonoids of the honeycomb extract were the major contributors to the radical scavenging activity, ferrous ion chelating, and reducing power. The honeycomb extract was effective in protecting biological systems against various oxidative stresses in vitro. This is the first report on the antioxidant properties of honeycomb.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.419-424
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• 2020

Bee venom (BV), secreted from the venom gland of the honey bee, contains several biological active compounds. BV has been widely used as a traditional medicine for treating human disease, including cancer. In this study, we have shown the molecular mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of BV on cancer. Treatment with BV reduced the proliferation of cervical-cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, the killing effect of BV was specific to HPV-positive cervical-cancer cell lines, such as Caski and HeLa cells, and not to HPV-negative cervical-cancer cells (C33A). BV reduced the expression of HPV E6 and E7 at RNA and protein levels, leading to an increase in the expression of p53 and Rb in Caski and HeLa cells. Further, BV decreased the levels of cell-cycle proteins, such as cyclin A and B, and increased the levels of cell-cycle inhibitors, such as p21 and p27. BV significantly induced apoptosis and inhibited wound healing and migration of cervical-cancer cells. It also upregulated the expression of pro-apoptotic BAX and downregulated the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL. Cleavage of caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP were also induced by BV treatment, whereas the phosphorylation of mitogenic signaling-related proteins, such as AKT, JNK, p38, and ERK, were downregulated. Our results indicate that BV has a therapeutic selectivity for HPV-positive malignant cells, so further clinical studies are needed to assess its clinical application.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.19-45
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was performed to analyse the effects of Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV-pure melittin, the major component of honey bee venom) on the central nervous system in rats. Methods: All experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical studies authorized institution, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Male rats of 5 weeks old were chosen for this study and after confirming condition of rats was stable, Sweet BV was administered in thigh muscle of rats. And checked the effects of Sweet BV on the central nervous system using the functional observational battery (FOB), which is a neuro-toxicity screening assay composed of 30 descriptive, scalar, binary, and continuous endpoints. And home cage observations, home cage removal and handling, open field activity, sensorimotor reflex test/physiological measurements were conducted. Results: 1. In the home cage observation, there was not observed any abnormal signs in rats. 2. In the observation of open field activity, the reduction of number of unit areas crossed and rearing count was observed caused by Sweet BV treatment. 3. In the observation of handling reactivity, there was not observed any abnormal signs in rats. 4. In the observation of sensorimotor reflex tests/physiological measurements, there was not observed any neurotoxic signs in rats. 5. In the measurement of rectal temperature, treatment of Sweet BV did not showed great influences in the body temperature of rats. Conclusions: Above findings suggest that Sweet BV is relatively safe treatment in the central nervous system. But in the using of over dose, Sweet BV may the cause of local pain and disturbance of movement. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.265-275
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• 2020

In this study, we analyzed the nutritional ingredients of drone pupae (16^th to 20^th instar old) to evaluate the value of bee products and provide basic data for product diversification, and the extracts prepared using these pupae were tested for physiological activity. According to the analysis of the general ingredients of the freeze-dried powder of these bee pupae, the moisture, crude protein, crude fat, and crude ash was 1.69 ± 0.07%, 48.52 ± 0.20%, 23.41 ± 0.14%, and 4.05 ± 0.02%, respectively. Vitamin C and vitamin E were 14.92 ± 0.52 mg/100 g and 6.06 ± 0.11 mg α-TE/100 g, respectively. Regarding minerals, the highest content of K (1349.13 ± 34.57 mg/100 g) and P (1323.55 ± 43.85 mg/100 g) was observed and Ca and Fe were 55.43 ± 1.51 mg/100 g and 5.49 ± 0.19 mg/100 g, respectively. The fatty acids of the water extracted freeze-dried pupae powder accounted for approximately 59.62 of saturated fatty acids and 40.38 of unsaturated fatty acids, and high-quality fatty acids such as palmitic acid (C16:0) was 35.49 ± 0.08 and oleic acid (C18:1, n-9) was 35.91 ± 0.22 (g/100 g total fatty acids). The total amino acid content was 38.99 ± 2.63 g/100 g and the free amino acid was a total of 5129.04 mg/100 g, of which 1257.68 mg/100 g was proline and 759.12 mg/100 g glutamic acid. The DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity of the drone pupae extract showed values of 0.8 for distilled water extract, 3.2 for 50% EtOH extract, 6.4 for 70% EtOH extract, and approximately 90% for 32 ㎍/mL for 100% EtOH extract. These results suggest that the main compound contributing to the antioxidant activity is a polar compound, and it is highly likely to be a low-molecular protein or a free amino acid. In conclusion, the honey bee drone pupa is excellent as a food resource and can be utilized as a new functional material for food and functional food.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2019

Honey bees are important pollinators in agriculture, but are threatened by the pathogen Ascosphaera apis, which causes chalkbrood. Despite attempts to control this fungus using synthetic fungicides, none of them have been proven to be completely effective. Among 640 natural compounds that we tested, 4-hydroxyderricin (MIC=3.125, 6.25 mg/L after 24 h and 48 h growth, respectively) exhibited the strongest anti- Ascosphaera apis activity, followed by acetylshikonin (MIC=12.5 mg/L for 24 h and 48 h growth). 4-Hydroxyderricin showed selective growth inhibition of Ascosphaera apis and Rhizopus oryzae among tested fungus strains. Treatment 4-hydroxyderricin with miconazole revealed a synergistic effect (FICI=0.65±0.13 at 48 h incubation). These findings suggest that 4-hydroxyderricin, which has antifungal activity against Ascosphaera apis but few other fungal species, can effectively control infectious fungal diseases. Combined treatment of bees with 4-hydroxyderricin and miconazole could reduce cytotoxicity and improve the cost effectiveness of treatment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1489-1500
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• 2018

Honey is made from flower nectar by honey bees. In this study, 120 honeys from various flowers and across eight different provinces in Korea were collected and their components, antioxidants, and hemolytic activities against red blood cell were evaluated. Our results show that total polyphenol (TP) varied widely across the samples, with chestnut honey showing the highest TP ($77.1{\pm}8.4mg/100g$), protein content ($25.9{\pm}0.9mg/100g$), and absorbance at 400 nm ($A_{400}$ : $0.156{\pm}0.036$). In contrast, the acacia honey and sugar honey had a TP of 9.5~30 mg, 12~15 mg/100g of, and the lowest $A_{400}$ of $0.06{\pm}0.02$. High amounts of total flavonoid were quantified in the jujube and chestnut honeys at $8.73{\pm}7.31$ and $8.39{\pm}3.02mg/100g$, respectively. No samples demonstrated hemolytic activity up to 1 mg/ml. Antioxidant activities determined by DPPH, ABTS, and nitrite scavenging placed the chestnut honey highest, followed by jujube, styrax, multi-floral, citrus, acacia and sugar honey. Analysis of parameter correlations indicated that the components and bioactivity of the honey are dependent on the origin of the flower rather than on bee-farming regions. A positive correlation between TP content and antioxidant activity was identified. The correlation coefficients between $A_{400}$ and the TP, ABTS scavenging, and reducing power values were 0.804, 0.772 and 0.741, respectively. We therefore suggest that $A_{400}$ could be used as a noble, economic and simple factor for honey quality evaluation. Our results can potentially be used to develop functional honey for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.206-211
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• 2021

Hygienic behavior of Honey bees, Apis mellifera, was evaluated by uncapping and removing ability of dead broods from the nest. Hygienic behavior is originated from quantitative traits, which are expected to express key roles in colony defense against mite parasites and bacterial and fungal diseases. It is regarded as one of important characteristics of honey bee's resistance to parasites and pathogens. In this study, five inbreed and two hybrid lines of A. mellifera, the former five inbreed lines, which have been reared for over eight years at the National Academy of Agricultural Science in Korea, and the latter two hybrid lines, which have been bred by crossing between the inbreed lines, were investigated on their hygienic behavior by a pin-killed brood assay at 12hrs and 24hrs after treatment. The results indicated that after 12hrs one inbred line was proved to be hygienic (removal rate of dead brood >90%), three inbred and two hybrid lines showed intermediate behavior, and one inbred line belonged to non-hygienic (removal rate of dead brood <70%). However, after 24hrs, only one line was considered to be intermediate as removal rate was below 90%, thus all except this line had shown hygienic behavior.