• Animal cells and systems
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2002

We compared the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences of Korean and European cobitids to provide independent evidence for assessment of systematic and biogeographic relationships of species in the genus Cobitis. The data suggested monophyly of the genus Cobitis and the inclusion of Korean Cobitis species within the group having one lamina circularis, a primitive condition. Also, all the phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and neighbor joining methods showed a monophyletic relationship among Cobitis. The basal position of the Caspian C. cf. sibirica reported here reflects the eastern Asiatic origin cf. the European Cobitis and establishes C. cf. sibirica as an independent lineage. The Korean C. pacifica diverged next to C. cf. sibirica in basal group from the genus Cobitis. This result is in agreement with the hypothesized Asiatic origin of some European freshwater fish lineages. The phylogenetic relationships in this study showed a close affinity between C. zanadreai and C. sinensis. Two new species, C. tetralineata and C. pacifica in Korea also are closely related to monophyletic group clustering the type species of the Acanestrinia subgenus (C. elongata) with all the endemic Italian species (C. bilineata and C. zanandreai). This may suggest that the affinity between the Korean and Danubian-Italian imply genetic convergence or genetic plesiomorphic state between allopatric species that are separated for the Miocene. The mtDNA-based phylogeny for the species of the genus Cobitis from Kores and Europe permits phylogenetic assessment of the morphological transitions of Iamina circularis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1993-1998
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• 2016

The effects of carbon-ion irradiation on cancer cell telomere function have not been comprehensively studied. In our previous report cancer cells with telomere dysfunction were more sensitive to carbon-ion irradiation, but the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Here we found that telomerase activity was suppressed by carbon-ion irradiation via hTERT down-regulation. Inhibition of telomere activity by MST-312 further increased cancer cell radiosensitivity to carbon-ion radiation. hTERT suppression caused by either carbon-ion irradiation or MST-312 impaired mitochondrial function, as indicated by decreased membrane potential, mtDNA copy number, mitochondrial mass, total ATP levels and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS). PGC-$1{\alpha}$ expression was repressed after carbion-ion irradiation, and hTERT inhibition by MST-312 could further exacerbate this effect. Lowering the mitochondrial ROS level by MitoTEMPO could partially counteract the induction of cellular senescence induced by carbon-ion radiation and MST-312 incubation. Taken together, the current data suggest that telomere-mitochondrion links play a role in the induction of senescence in MCF-7 cells after carbon-ion irradiation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1066-1074
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• 2015

In contrast to high genetic diversity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), equine Y chromosome shows extremely low variability, implying limited patrilines in the domesticated horse. In this study, we applied direct sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods to investigate the polymorphisms of 33 Y chromosome specific loci in 304 Chinese indigenous horses from 13 breeds. Consequently, two Y-single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (Y-45701/997 and Y-50869) and one Y-indel (Y-45288) were identified. Of those, the Y-50869 (T>A) revealed the highest variation frequency (24.67%), whereas it was only 3.29% and 1.97% in Y-45288 (T/-) and Y-45701/997 (G>T) locus, respectively. These three mutations accounted for 27.96% of the total samples and identified five Y-SNP haplotypes, demonstrating genetic diversity of Y chromosome in Chinese horses. In addition, all the five YSNP haplotypes were shared by different breeds. Among 13 horse breeds analyzed, Balikun horse displayed the highest nucleotide diversity (${\pi}=5.6{\times}10^{-4}$) and haplotype diversity (h = 0.527), while Ningqiang horse showed the lowest nucleotide diversity (${\pi}=0.00000$) and haplotype diversity (h = 0.000). The results also revealed that Chinese horses had a different polymorphic pattern of Y chromosome from European and American horses. In conclusion, Chinese horses revealed genetic diversity of Y chromosome, however more efforts should be made to better understand the domestication and paternal origin of Chinese indigenous horses.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2016

Sixteen specimens of Artediellus fuscimentus, belonging to the family Cottidae, were collected from the coastal waters off Samcheok and Donghae, Korea, in December 2010 and February 2015, respectively. The specimens are characterized by four preopercular spines, 12~13 second dorsal fin rays, 10~12 anal fin rays, a first preopercular spine with no minute spine on the inner side, and pectoral fin extending past the origin of the anal fin. We also analyzed 600 base pairs of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequence to confirm the taxonomic status of the specimens. The sequences of our specimens corresponded completely to those of Japanese A. fuscimentus, but differed from those of A. atlanticus (d=0.057~0.061). We propose the new Korean names "Eom-ji-hoet-dae-sok" for the genus Artediellus and "Eom-ji-hoet-dae" for the species A. fuscimentus.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.279-290
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• 2012

Plecoglossus altivelis (ayu) is an amphidromous fish widely distributed in Northeastern Asia from the East China Sea to the northern Japanese coastal waters, encompassing the Korean Peninsula within its range. The shore lines of northeastern region in Asia have severely fluctuated following glaciations in the Quaternary. In the present study, we investigate the population genetic structure and historical demographic change of P. altivelis at a population level in East Asia. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) based on 244 mitochondrial control region DNA sequences clearly showed that as the sampling scope extended to a larger geographic area, genetic differentiation began to become significant, particularly among Northeastern populations. A series of hierarchical AMOVA could detect the genetic relationship of three closely located islands between Korea and Japan that might have been tightly connected by the regional Tsushima current. Neutrality and mismatch distribution analyses revealed a strong signature of a recent population expansion of P. altivelis in East Asia, estimated at 126 to 391 thousand years ago during the late Pleistocene. Therefore it suggests that the present population of P. altivelis traces back to its approximate demographic change long before the last glacial maximum. This contrasts our a priori expectation that the most recent glacial event might have the most crucial effect on the present day demography of marine organisms through bottleneck and subsequent increase of effective population size in this region.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.367-375
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• 2019

Pufferfish (Takifugu spp.) are economically important edible marine fish. Mistakes in pufferfish classification can lead to poisoning; therefore, accurate species identification is critical. In this study, we used the mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) to design specific primers for six Takifugu species among the 21 domestic or imported pufferfish species legally sold for consumption in Korea. We rapidly and simultaneously identified these pufferfish species using a highly efficient, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system with the six species-specific primers. The results showed that species-specific multiplex PCR (multiplex species-specific polymerase chain reaction; MSS-PCR) either specifically amplified PCR products of a unique size or failed. MSS-PCR yielded amplification fragment lengths of 897 bp for Takifugu pardalis, 822 bp for T. porphyreus, 667 bp for T. niphobles, 454 bp for T. poecilonotus, 366 bp for T. rubripes, and 230 bp for T. xanthpterus using the species-specific primers and a control primer (ca. 1,200 bp). We visualized the results using agarose gel electrophoresis to obtain accurate contrasts of the six Takifugu species. MSS-PCR analysis is easily performed and provides identification results within 6 h. This technique is a powerful tool for the discrimination of Takifugu species and will help prevent falsified labeling, protect consumer rights, and reduce the risk of pufferfish poisoning..

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 2010

Four specimens of unknown Coilia sp. were collected for the first time from the Yellow Sea in 2008 and compared with Coilia mystus and Coilia nasus. Coilia sp. showed similar morphology to C. mystus and C. nasus, but differed in that its tail was considerably shorter. We conducted an analysis of the morphological and genetic characteristics in an effort to clarify the taxonomic position of Coilia sp. In counts and measurements, Coilia sp. were well distinguished from C. nasus by the number of scutes (42-44 in Coilia sp. vs. 40-45 in C. mystus vs. 45-55 in C. nasus), ratio of dorsal base length to head length (43.4-47.6 vs. 37.9-47.6 vs. 33.0-41.0), and eye length to head length (19.2-20.8 vs. 17.0-22.4 vs. 13.8-18.2). In caudal skeleton of Coilia sp., urostyle, hypural and epural bones were not observed; instead of them, caudal fin rays were supported by the last vertebra, neural and haemal spines' extension. The molecular phylogenetic relationship was analyzed using 414 base-pair 12S rRNA mitochondrial DNA sequences. The Kimura-2-parameter distance between Coilia sp. and C. mystus was 0.3%, but was 1.3% between Coilia sp. and C. nasus. Both the neighbor-joining tree and maximum-likelihood tree showed that Coilia sp. are closely clustered with C. mystus. Therefore, our results suggest that the Coilia sp. may be a deformed fish of C. mystus.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.467-479
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• 2021

The distribution and abundance of fish eggs and larvae were investigated from February to December 2020 along the coastal waters of Korea. The eggs and larvae were identified using the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtDNA COI) and 16s rRNA gene. During the study period, eggs of overall 45 taxa belonging to 26 families were collected and larvae of overall 39 taxa belonging to 23 families were collected. In Yeongil Bay, eggs of Engraulis japonicus, which accounted for 83.9% of the total population, was the most dominant species, followed by Sardinops sagax (4.0%), Repomucenus valenciennei (3.8%) and E. japonicus larvae, which accounted for 34.9% of the total population. These were followed by Sebastiscus marmoratus (31.0%). In Gomso Bay, E. japonicus eggs accounted for 61.7% of the total population, followed by Sillago japonica (14.0%), Johnius grypotus (8.8%) and Pholis fangi larvae, which accounted for 53.5% of the total population, followed by Ammodytes personatus (34.1%). In Jinhae Bay, E. japonicus eggs accounted for 86.0% of the total population, followed by Leiognathus nuchalis (4.1%), Konosirus punctatus (3.7%) and E. japonicus larvae, which accounted for 48.7% of the total population, followed by Parablennius yatabei (21.6%).

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.101-106
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• 2024

In May 2020, a single larval specimen (5.14 mm in total length) was collected from the southeastern sea of Jeju Island of Korea using bongo net. The specimen was identified as Lepidotrigla longifaciata based on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences. The morphological traits of the L. longifaciata larva are as follows: a long snout, a large mouth, large fan-shaped pectoral fins, and black melanophores scattered on the abdominal cavity and nape. We propose the new Korean name 'Gin-meo-ri-dal-jae' for this species, which was first discovered in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2024

A single specimen belonging to the family Carangidae was first collected by angling in Seogwi-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do on 16 October 2023. This individual was identified as Caranx papuensis Alleyne & MacLeay based on morphological traits as following: lateral line gently curving below the first dorsal fin, presence of scaleless area on the thorax, and gill rakers 26. A total of 619 base pairs sequences of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I region was analyzed, and we found it closely matched to the Japanese C. papuensis (K2P distance=0.54%). We propose its new Korean name "Hwang-jul-jeon-gang-i" based on a yellow band along the lateral line.