• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2022

In this study, we investigated the developmental characteristics and genetic diversity of seven populations of two-spotted crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer, 1773 (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)) raised in South Korea. Regarding the developmental characteristics of the species, we observed no statistically significant difference in the weight of the nymphs in the six populations we tested. After molting, although weight differences were observed between the populations in each stage of the developmental period, the average weight for each developmental stage was constant. We also analyzed mitochondrial COI gene sequences (DNA barcoding region) of the reared crickets collected from five insect farms and two national insect rearing facilities and the resultant sequences were analyzed together with the 12 sequences from foreign countries specimens obtained from public data. We detected six haplotypes from 111 specimens, indicating a low intraspecific genetic distance (~1.8%). The most dominant haplotype was overwhelmingly haplotype 1, which was found in all South Korean specimens and four specimens from China, Indonesia, and Germany. These findings indicate that the low genetic diversity of South Korean specimens can be explained by the fact that the G. bimaculatus population imported for feed from Japan in the early 2000s became a maternal group that spread throughout cricket farms in South Korea. In order to breed healthy cricket strains, it is necessary to increase genetic diversity by importing them from other countries through appropriate quarantine procedures.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1377-1386
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• 2024

Objective: Embryonic interferon-tau (IFNT) and progesterone affect expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), progesterone receptor (PGR) and progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) in the ovine thyroid. Methods: Thyroids of ewes were sampled at day 16 of nonpregnancy, days 13, 16, and 25 of pregnancy, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay, western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect expression of ISGs, PGR, and PIBF. Results: Free ISG15 protein was undetected, but ISG15 conjugated proteins upregulated at day 16 of pregnancy, and expression levels of ISG15 conjugated proteins, PGR isoform (70 kDa), PIBF, interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 and myxovirusresistance protein 1 peaked, but expression level of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 was the lowest at day 16 of pregnancy. In addition, the expression levels of PGR isoform (70 kDa) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) decreased, but levels of PGR isoform (43 kDa), 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase, IP-10 and MX1 increased at day 25 of pregnancy comparing with day 16 of the estrous cycle. Conclusion: Early pregnancy affects expression of ISGs, PGR, and PIBF in maternal thyroid through IFNT and progesterone, which may regulate thyroid autoimmunity and thyroid hormone secretion in ewes.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.749-758
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• 2023

An understanding of safety problems pursuant to environmental release of GM (Genetically Modified) crops is considered important. Among the recognized safety problems, the possibilities of weediness and ecosystem invasion are constantly being validated. We herein compared the growth characteristics and germination rate of soybeans formed by hybridization with vitamin A-enhanced soybeans carrying an introduced gene that increases β-carotene content. We also examined overwintering, survival, and weed competitiveness to evaluate hybrid ecological impact on long-term unmanaged cultivatable land. These studies revealed that the hybrid soybeans exhibited intermediate growth characteristics and germination rate compared with the vitamin A-enhanced soybeans and wild soybeans, or exhibited traits similar to those of the maternal strain. Overwintering experiments were conducted by planting seeds at depths of 0, 5, 10, and 20 cm and recovering them after three or five months. After five months, all seeds at depths more than 5 cm lost viability. Among seeds recovered after three months, only wild soybeans retained viability at depths of more than 5 cm. Survival and weed competitiveness were assessed by sowing each type of seed and performing no irrigation, or pest or weed control. Quantitative assessment of numbers of individual soybean plants that appeared in the experimental plot revealed that all plants germinated after sowing, but only wild type plants survived overwintering. These studies suggest that both GM soybeans and hybrid soybeans cannot survive in uncultivated land even if they are released into the environment, which indicates less possibility of ecosystem invasion and weediness.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.294-303
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• 2023

Lipoxygenase gives soybeans their grassy flavor, which can disrupt food processing efficiency. This study aimed to identify soybean genotypes with lipoxygenase deficiency among 1,001 soybean accessions and to develop kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) markers that can detect lipoxygenase mutations. Three lipoxygenase isozymes (Lox1, Lox2, and Lox3) were analyzed using a colorimetric assay based on a substrate-enzyme reaction. Among the 1,001 accessions examined, two (IT160160 and IT276392) exhibited a deficiency solely in Lox1, and one (IT269984) lacked both Lox1 and Lox2. IT160160 had a 74-bp deletion in exon 8 of Lox1 (Glyma13g347600), whereas IT276392 displayed a missense mutation involving the change of C to A at position 2,880 of Lox1. Moreover, we successfully developed four KASP markers that specifically target Lox1, Lox2, and Lox3 mutations. To validate the Lox1 KASP markers, we used two F_2:3 populations generated through a cross between Daepung 2 (lipoxygenase wild type, maternal parent), IT160160, and IT276392 (null Lox1, paternal parent). The results revealed that the Daepung 2 × IT160160 group followed the expected 3:1 ratio according to Mendel's law, whereas the Daepung 2 × IT276392 group did not. Furthermore, a comparison between the colorimetric and KASP marker analyses results revealed a high agreement rate of 96%. KASP markers offer a distinct advantage by allowing the distinction of heterozygous types independent of other variables. As a result, we present an opportunity to expedite the lipoxygenase-deficient cultivar development.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.790-797
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• 2013

During pear fruit development, calyx can abscise from fruitlet following petal fall. The calyx abscission varies with pear cultivars. The presence of calyx on pear fruit makes the fruit shape calyx end protruded. In the present study, the degrees of the calyx abscission were examined in 120 Southern-type Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), 52 Nothern-type Asian pear (P. ussuriensis), and 34 European pear (P. communis) cultivars, and its inheritance was investigated using cross combinations between the Southern-type Asian pear cultivars showing different degrees of calyx abscission. Majority of the cultivars produced < 10% or > 90% calyx-perpetual fruit, but the cultivars producing both calyx-perpetual and -deciduous fruit were in minor frequency. The cultivars producing < 10% calyx-perpetual fruit were in higher frequency in Southern-type Asian, Nothern-type Asian, and European pears in that order, while those producing calyx-perpetual fruit were in higher frequency in European, Nothern-type Asian, and Southern-type Asian pears in that order. In the cross between the parents producing < 10% calyx-perpetual fruit, most of the $F_1$ seedlings also produced < 10% calyx-perpetual fruit. In the cross between the parents producing > 90% calyx-perpetual fruit, on the contrary, most of the $F_1$ seedlings also produced > 90% calyx-perpetual fruit. When the paternal parent produced < 10% calyx-perpetual fruit, most of the $F_1$ seedlings also produced < 10% calyx-perpetual fruit regardless of the degree of calyx abscission in the maternal parent. When the cross was between the maternal parent producing < 10% calyx-perpetual fruit and the paternal parent showing different degrees of calyx abscission, the $F_1$ seedlings showed similar degrees of the calyx abscission to those in the paternal parent. These results suggest that the characteristics of the calyx abscission is influenced more greatly by the paternal parent than by the maternal parent, and the calyx abscission in Southern-type Asian pears is a qualitative trait which is governed by dominant gene(s).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1002-1009
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• 2019

Early life stress (ELS) increases the risk of depression. ELS may be involved in the susceptibility to subsequent stress exposure during adulthood. We investigated whether epigenetic mechanisms of p11 promoter affect the vulnerability to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) induced by the maternal separation (MS). Mice pups were separated from their dams (3 hr/day from P1-P21). When the pups reached adulthood, we applied CUS (daily for 3 weeks). The levels of hippocampal p11 expression were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The levels of acetylated and methylated histone H3 at p11 promoter were measured by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Depression-like behavior was measured by the forced swimming test (FST). The MS and CUS group exhibited significant decreases in p11 mRNA level and the MS plus CUS group had a greater reduction in this level than the CUS group. The MS plus CUS group also resulted in greater reduction in H3 acetylation than the CUS group. This reduction was associated with an upregulation of histone deacetylase 5. Additionally, the MS plus CUS group showed a greater decrease in H3K4met3 level and a greater increase in H3K27 met3 level than the CUS group. Consistent with the reduction of p11 expression, the MS plus CUS group displayed longer immobility times in the FST compared to the control group. Mice exposed to MS followed by CUS had much greater epigenetic alterations in the hippocampus compared to adult mice that only experienced CUS. ELS can exacerbate the effect of stress exposure during adulthood through histone modification of p11 gene.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.638-645
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• 2013

Interferon-tau (IFNT) is thought to be the conceptus protein that signals maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants. We and others have observed that OCT4 expression persists in the trophectoderm of ruminants; thus, both CDX2 and OCT4 coexist during the early stages of conceptus development. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of CDX2 and OCT4 on IFNT gene transcription when evaluated with other transcription factors. Human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells were cotransfected with an ovine IFNT (-654-bp)-luciferase reporter (-654-IFNT-Luc) construct and several transcription factor expression plasmids. Cotransfection of the reporter construct with Cdx2, Ets2 and Jun increased transcription of -654-IFNT-Luc by about 12-fold compared with transfection of the construct alone. When cells were initially transfected with Oct4 (0 h) followed by transfection with Cdx2, Ets2 and/or Jun 24 h later, the expression of -654-IFNT-Luc was reduced to control levels. OCT4 also inhibited the stimulatory activity of CDX2 alone, but not when CDX2 was combined with JUN and/or ETS2. Thus, when combined with the other transcription factors, OCT4 exhibited little inhibitory activity towards CDX2. An inhibitor of the transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CREBBP), 12S E1A, reduced CDX2/ETS2/JUN stimulated -654-IFNT-Luc expression by about 40%, indicating that the formation of an appropriate transcription factor complex is required for maximum expression. In conclusion, the presence of OCT4 may initially minimize IFNT expression; however, as elongation proceeds, the increasing expression of CDX2 and formation of the transcription complex leads to greatly increased IFNT expression, resulting in pregnancy establishment in ruminants.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2011

Siberian chipmunks, Tamias sibiricus, are one of several popular companion animals found in the pet shops of South Korea. At present, however, there have been no studies done in South Korea examining their origin even though they could be potential carriers of zoonotic diseases, and are a species of concern for efficient conservation and management strategies. Sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1140 bp) were determined to investigate the origin of Siberian chipmunks sold in four South Korean pet shops through comparison with sequence data from animals of known locality. Nine Siberian chipmunks were collected from pet shops in South Korea, which resulted in nine haplotypes. One (AR) of these coincided with the haplotype previously described. Phylogenetic and network analyses using 53 haplotypes including 45 haplotypes from GenBank showed three phylogenetic groups in South Korea, almost concordant to locality, designated as northern, central, and southern parts as described in a previous study. Of the nine individuals examined from the pet shops, eight were clustered into the northern phylogroup but one (cgrb9153) was grouped with the southern phylogroup, implying that at least the Siberian chipmunks examined in this study did not originate from other countries. It is likely that most individuals sold in the pet shops of Seoul were caught in the wild in Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do, or are maternal descendants of captive-bred individuals originating from the northern part of South Korea. It is recommended that conservation and management units of Korean chipmunks should be examined in further detail.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2011

Paprika (Capsicum annuum L.), a colored bell-type sweet pepper, is one of the most important money making vegetable crops in Korea. The cultivation area, total production, and exports of paprika are gradually getting increased, but the paprika cultivars used in Korea are all imported. It was well-known that the genic male sterility (GMS) is the main way to produce paprika hybrid seeds. However, it is little known that how many and what kinds of ms genes are used for breeding of paprika $F_1$ varieties. In this study, eight paprika cultivars ('Special', 'Debla', 'Plenty', 'Fiero', 'Boogie', 'Fiesta', 'Derby', and 'Minibell'), popularly cultivated in Korea and three different genic male sterile lines ('GMSP', 'GMS3', and 'GMSK') were used. For allelism test among the $F_1$ cultivars, half diallel crosses were performed. The result demonstrated that the most of the GMS in paprika cultivars except for 'Minibell' were same allele. To identify which GMS gene(s) were used for paprika $F_1$ cultivars, top crosses between previously known GMS lines and the $F_1$ cultivars were performed. As a result, we found that the $ms_k$ and the $ms_p$ genes were alleles for the GMS of 'Minibell' and for the other cultivars, respectively. We also confirmed that the GMS gene identification using GMSK-CAPS marker linked to the $ms_k$ gene and the PmsM1-CAPS marker linked to the $ms_p$ gene in $F_2$ progenies of 'Minibell' and 'Fiesta' and 'Derby' cultivars, respectively. In addition, we developed the PmsM2-CAPS marker for 'Plenty', 'Fiero', and 'Boogie' cultivars. We expect that these markers will be very useful for breeding new maternal (male sterile) line of paprika.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.9
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• pp.1126-1133
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• 2002

Purpose : Prader-Willi syndrome(PWS) is a complex disorder affecting multisystems with characteristic clinical features. Its genetic basis is an expression defect in the paternally derived chromosome 15q11-q13. We analyzed the clinical features and genetic basis of PWS patients for early detection and treatment. Methods : We retrospectively studied 24 patients with PWS in Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, from September 1997 to September 2001. We performed cytogenetic and molecular genetic techniques using high resolution GTG banding techniques, fluorescent in situ hybridization and methylation-specific PCR for CpG island of SNRPN gene region. Results : The average birth weight of PWS patients was $2.67{\pm}0.47kg$ and median age at diagnosis was 1.3 years. The average height and weight of PWS patients under one year at diagnostic time were located in a 3-10 percentile relatively, and a rapid weight gain was seen between two and six years. Feeding problems in infancy and neonatal hypotonia were the two most consistently positive major criteria in over 95% of the patients. In 18 of the 24 cases(75%), deletion of chromosome 15q11-q13 was demonstrated and one case among 18 had an unbalanced 14;15 translocation. In four cases without any cytogenetic abnormality, it may be considered as maternal uniparental disomy and the rest showed another findings. Conclusion : We suggest diagnostic testing for PWS in all infants/neonates with unexplained feeding problems and hypotonia. It is necessary for clinically suspicious patients to undergo an early genetic test. As the genetic basis of PWS was heterogenous and complex, further study is required.