Interferon-tau (IFNT) is known as a major conceptus protein that signals the process of maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants. Also, multiple interferon genes exist in cattle, However, molecular mechanisms of these bovine IFNT (bIFNT) genes whose expressions are limited have not been characterized. We and others have observed that expression levels of bovine subtype IFNT genes in the tissues of ruminants; thus, bIFNT1 and other new type I (bIFNTc1/c2/c3) gene co-exist during the early stages of conceptus development and non-trophoblast cells. Its genes transcription could be regulated through CDX2 and ETS2 and JUN and/or cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CREBBP) expression, a transcription factor implicated in the control of cell differentiation in the trophectoderm. Bovine ear-derived fibroblast cells, were co-transfected with luciferase reporter constructs carrying upstream (positions -1000 to +51) regions of bIFNT1 and other new type I gene and various transcription factor expression plasmids. Compared to each - 1kb-bIFNT1/ c1/c2/c3-Luc increased when this constructs were co-transfected with CDX2, ETS2, JUN and/or CREBBP. Also, Its genes was had very effect on activity by CDX2, either alone or with the other transcription factors, markedly increased luciferase activity. However, the degree of transcriptional activation of the bIFNTc1 gene was not similar to that bIFNT1/c2/c3 gene by expression plasmid. Furthermore, Sequence analyses also revealed that the expression levels of bIFNT1/c2/c3 gene mRNAs expression were highest on day 17, 20 and 22 trophoblast and, Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK), Bovine ear-derived fibroblast (EF), and endometrium (Endo) non-trophoblast cells. But, bIFNTc1 mRNA had not same expression level, bIFNTc1 lowest levels than those of IFNT1/c2/c3 gene in both trophoblast and non-trophoblast cells. These results demonstrate that bovine subtype bIFNT genes display differential, in the trophoblast and non-trophoblast cells.

Variance of conceptus interferon tau (IFNT), produced by the embryonic trophectoderm, is known as a major conceptus protein that signals the process of maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants, essential for the maintenance of early pregnancy. Similar to other IFN genes such as IFNA and IFNB, multiple IFNT genes are present. However, some kinds of IFNT genes actively transcribed and regulated in bovine conceptuses have not been well characterized. In this study, during the course of bovine IFNT gene transcription through the use of next generation sequencer SOLiD3, revealed that among 38 IFN genes registered, only two transcripts, IFNT1 and IFNTc1, were found in conceptuses during early pregnancy. Also, to identify a transcription factor(s) involved in the regulation of IFNT genes, mRNAs for various known transcription factors were investigated by real-time PCR in conceptus tissues, respectively. Furthermore, compared to the IFNT genes, IFNT1 and IFNTc1 had same active levels, which were previously shown to correlate with the appearance of effective antiviral activity. However, the expression levels of these Luc activities differed. Bovine ear fibroblast (EF) cells were cotransfected with luciferase reporter constructs carrying upstream (–631 to -51) promoter regions of IFNT1 or IFNTc1 and various transcription factor expression plasmids, CDX2, AP1(JUN), ETS2 and/or cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CREBBP). CDX2, either alone with the other 2 transcription factors, was found to increase luciferase activity approximately 14- and 11-folds, respectively. The degree of transcriptional activation of the IFNTc1 gene was not similar to that IFNT1 gene by AP1, ETS2 or/and CREBBP, expression plasmid. These results suggest that two isoforms of bovine conceptus IFNT genes are regulated differently in conceptuses during early pregnancy.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of treating dairy cattle with exogenous human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), five (5) days post artificial insemination (AI) on serum progesterone (P4) concentration and pregnancy rate. In this experiment, five days after AI, cows were assigned randomly to two groups namely: a) treated group (67) which were administrered with 1500 IU hCG (Chorulon) and b) control group (61), which received no treatment. On day 5, 10, 15 and 20 after the artificial insemination, blood samples from a total of 8 cows (4 from each group) were collected and were analyzed for serum P4 concentration. Cows were detected for estrus according to standing heat by visual observation. Cows that were detected still in estrus after days 18-24 were re-inseminated and recorded as not pregnant (open). Pregnancy diagnosis was conducted by ultrasonographic examination and transrectal palpation of the uterus on approximately 60 days in cows that observed to be not in estrus. The conception rate in hCG treated and control groups were 52.5 and 36.1%, respectively. The results proved that there were no significant differences in conception rate between two groups (p=0.0568). However, pregnancy rates were reduced by hCG treatment. Average serum P4 concentrations did not differ between Hcg-treated and control groups on day 5 (0.377 versus 0.375 ng/ml). On day 20 serum P4 concentrations were greater in the treated group compared with the control group (3.085 versus 2.010 ng/ml). The treatment with hCG seemed to increase P4 level compared with the control. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that 1500 IU of hCG administered on 5 day post AI increased conception rate in dairy cows. This was supported by the results on serum P4 concentration which was greater in hCG treated group.

Some of the deicer ingredients are the same as fertilizer ingredients from agricultural activities. The goal of this study is to distinguish the components of highway deicer from the components used for agriculture. Among the deicer ingredients, Ca and Cl are substances which can be supplied by fertilizer or livestock manure. However, fertilizer and livestock manure contain plenty of nitrogen, organic matter, phosphoric acid and magnesium, including deicer ingredients. The soil physico-chemical characteristics were analyzed according to the distance from the highway. The physico-chemical analysis items of the soil include electrical conductivity, total nitrogen (TN), available phosphate (Av.P), organic matter (OM), ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). In the case of effective phosphoric acid, leaching into the subsoil is very low due to various binding mechanisms in the soil. However, it is considered that the compost (fertilizer) applied to the topsoil is mixed with the soil by the tillage or flattening operation. In addition to the organic matter content of the subsoil appear to 10% or more is that in some cases exhibit a similar level as the topsoil. The average soil organic matter content of about 2.6%. This results shows that an excess of organic compost in the study area flows into subsoil and was mixed with the subsoil. The high EC value at the points outside the snow removal effect range level is not considered to be affected by the deicer. The results of the survey showed that the values were differently detected by agricultural activities, and that they should be approached in a complex way in their interpretation.

A study on indigenous diatoms was carried out at 10 sites from May 2014 to December 2016 in marine and freshwater in Korea. Seventeen species of diatoms are new to Korea and they are divided into 3 classes, 4 subclasses, 10 orders, 14 families, and 16 genera. The nomenclatures, references, dimensions, specimens examined, local habitat, distribution in Korea, and photograph are reported here. Seventeen species found in marine, freshwater, and brackish water showed species-specific habitats.

We performed a survey for flavivirus infection and distribution of Aedes albopictus that known as Zika and Dengue virus vector using black–light trap and BG-sentinel trap around urban area in Korea. Mosquitoes were collected in 27 cities during March to November (twice a month) year 2016. Total numbers of mosquitoes collected 102,102 including 19 species 8 genera during collecting period. Total 21,467 Ae. albopictus was collected that 20,961(24.3%) by BG-sentinel trap and 506 (3.2%) by Black-light trap in urban area. Trap index(trap/night) of Ae. albopictus was showed highest in Hamyang (TI:992.3) and lowest in Taebaek (TI:0.3) there was only collected by Black-light trap. A total of 894 pools from all collecting Ae. albopictus were performed a Flavivirus detection. Flavivirus was not detected during study period. This study may provide basic information for surveillance of imported diseases (include Zika virus) and vectors in Korea.

The tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura(Fabricius), is a major pest of tomato and frequently demands control measures. The timing of insecticide application is a key factor in determining its efficiency, so an experiment was designed to investigate this. Application of insecticide was based on three criteria: (i) the number of trap-caught moths in a Delta-type trap with a commercial sex pheromone lure placed in the center of the target area, soon after plant emergence; (ii) the percentage of plants exhibiting pinhole-type damage (10% or 20%) and (iii) the percentage of plants exhibiting shot hole-type damage (10% or 20%) compared to a check plot without any control measures. We found that the number of trap-caught moths was, compared to the other methods, the best means of deciding on insecticide application in tomato plant to control the tobacco cutworm. Using pheromone traps, we obtained the best performance of the insecticide Shinnago, causing > 90% larval mortality. Without insecticide application, tomato yield reduction due to the tobacco cutworm larva damage was 27%.

Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis (family Salmonidae), cold freshwater fish, is endemic to Asia. This species is currently distributed throughout Russia, Mongolia, China and the Korean Peninsula. B. lenok tsinlingensis in South Korea was severely affected by anthropogenic activities such as habitat destruction, agricultural run-off and water pollution, and hence this fish has recently been dramatically decreased in its population sizes and become now critically endangered. To recover the number of individuals of B. lenok tsinlingensis, stocking or translocation programs have been conducted continuously by local governments since 1970s. However, these programs made little effort to clarify populations that may have originated from stocked, translocated or introduced fish. An understanding of genetic characteristics of endangered populations is critical to develop effective conservation and restoration plans especially because genetic diversity ensues their future fate. Therefore, we assessed the “conservation status” of this species by estimating the level of genetic diversity and genetic structure among ten geographic populations including restored populations via reinforcement and supplementation. Also, we aimed to trace the genetic origins of the newly translocated population (Chiak) through a restoration practice program. Moreover, we inferred the phylogenetic relationships among Korean lenok populations as well as across the Northeast Asia. Two hundred eighteen individuals of B. lenok tsinlingensis were sampled from ten localities (Yanggu, Injae, Seorak, Bangtae and Hongcheon: North Han River basin; Pyeongchang, Chiak and Jeongseon: South Han River basin; Taebaek and Bonghwa: Nakdong River basin in South Korea). Based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and eight nuclear microsatellite loci, we found extremely low levels of within-population genetic diversity, which suggests small effective population sizes (Ne) within populations. For mtDNA control region, each population housed one, or at most, two haplotypes that are restricted to the respective localities, meaning that these ‘genetically unique’ lineages will be lost permanently if the local populations undergo extinction. The overall values of haplotype diversity (h) and nucleotide diversity (π) for the entire Korean population were 0.703 ± 0.024 and 0.021 ± 0.010, respectively. In the case of microsatellites, average number of alleles across the eight loci for the entire population was 9.1 and allelic richness (AR) per population ranged from 2.375 to 4.144 (mean = 3.104). The values of observed heterozygosity (HO) and expected heterozygosity (HE) were similar to each other [HO: 0.400 ~ 0.590 (mean = 0.518); HE: 0.407 ~ 0.608 (mean = 0.504)]. The inbreeding coefficient (FIS) values were generally low, ranging from 0.048 to 0.279. Consequently, the majority of the populations (except Yanggu and Pyeongchang) were not significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), suggesting random mating at these loci tested. In addition, we found that Korean lenok populations were significantly genetically isolated from each other, with private mtDNA haplotypes and microsatellite alleles, indicating limited gene flow among populations, strong effects of genetic drift due to small Ne, or a combination of both. The Mantel test of microsatellites revealed a significant correlation (r = 0.414, P = 0.04) between genetic and geographic distances for pairwise comparisons among the ten populations, while that of mtDNA showed a lack of correlation. Given the shared identical mtDNA haplotype and similar microsatellite allelic distributions between Chiak and Hongcheon populations, we suggest that the restored (introduced) Chiak population would be inferred to be genetically originated from Hongcheon population. Phylogenetic relationships among Northeast Asian populations showed that South Korean lineages have more recently diverged from China (Yellow River), than between North Korea and Russia. Although the phylogenetic relationship would be expected to be associated with geography, South-North Korea and China populations with a similar latitude was more phylogenetically closely related. These findings may suggest a possible scenario for the historical movements of B. lenok tsinlingensis in Northeast Asia during Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). It would be supported by the line of evidence that most lenok populations migrated to southward from Northern Asia such as Russia and Mongolia during LGM because the Korean Peninsula was landlocked as inland epoch and functioned as a southern shelter with Yellow River. For this reason, the Korean Peninsula is suggested to be an important geographical region for better understanding phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary histories of B. lenok tsinlingensis across the Northeast Asia. Despite large efforts made to develop several restoration programs in South Korea for B. lenok tsinlingensis, it is still unknown whether these past restoration efforts were successful or fruitless, mainly because of little attention paid to post-restoration monitoring research. Hence, there was a lack of their published official records. In the future, conservation and restoration projects of the Korean lenok populations should consider the genetic data for a better understanding of their ecological and evolutionary trajectories. And finally, we hope that our findings here can help inform on the future effective conservation and restoration plans for B. lenok tsinlingensis populatio ns in South Korea.

미이라병은 Diaporthe/Phomopsis complex에 의해 유발되는병으로 콩 재배기간 중 따뜻하고 습한 환경에서 종자가 성숙되면 감염률이 높아지며 감염된 콩 종자는 외관상 품질뿐만아니라 종자 활력이 저하된다. 미이라병에 대한 연구를 수행하기 위하여 대만에 위치한 아시아채소개발연구센터(AVRDC)의 콩 시험포장에서 미이라병 병징을 보이는 콩 줄기를 채집하고 이로부터 3개의 곰팡이 균주(isolate)를 분리하였다. 배지위에서의 곰팡이 균사의 생육특성, 현미경하에서 관찰된 알파,베타 분생자(conidia)의 모양 그리고 PCR-RFLP 분석으로, 3개의 균주는 Diaporthe phaseolorum var. sojae 으로 확인되었다. 한편, 미이라병 저항성 육종을 위해서는 유전자원과 계통의 검정이 선행되어야 하는데, 인공접종을 위해서 분생자의최적 배양조건을 탐색하였다. 그 결과 배지는 PDA, 온도는24oC에서 잘 배양되었으며, 일장은 암조건에서는 균사체만 유도되고 분생자는 유도되지 않았으며, 24시간과 15시간의 일장에서는 균사체 유도 및 분생자의 유도 정도에 차이가 없었다.또한 잎-줄기와 꼬투리, 두 개의 접종 부위에 따른 미이라병감염률을 조사하였는데, 두 접종 부위에 따른 미이라병 감염정도는 통계적인 유의차는 나타나지 않았으나 잎-줄기에 접종한 개체 보다 꼬투리에 접종한 개체의 종자 감염률이 높은 경향을 보였다.

A study on the indigenous diatoms was carried out at 103 sites during August 2008 to April 2011 from the marine and the brackish waters in Korea. A fine structure of small-sized diatoms was examined using a light and scanning electron microscopy. Sixty species of diatoms were newly identified and composed of 3 class, 6 subclass, 16 order, 21 family and 39 genus. The detailed nomenclatures, references, photographs and distributions were here reported. Of 60 species, the most frequent species was Tryblionella coarctata appearing 24 times, and 22 times followed by Thalassiosira lacustris, Cocconeis stauroneiformis was 20 times. In the level of genus, Chaetoceros, Parlibells and Thalassiosira were included 4 species, Actinocyclus, Minidiscus and Licmophora were included 3 species. This study will provide the knowledge of the diversity level of diatom in Korea, the knowledge is important on the diatoms for further studies.

This study aims to reveal how EA affects BAX and NF-kB involved in cell deaths from global ischemia, and to do this, observes the changes of BAX and NF-kB caused by EA application after transient global ischemia. The experimental method is to give rise to global ischemia and apply EA to 27 SD rats with the particulars of being six-week-old, male, around-300 gram-weighing, and adapted to laboratory environment for more than a week, and divide them into three groups, that is, GV20 EA group(n=9), L14 EA group(n=9), no-treatment GI group(n=9), and then observe their changes of BAX and NF-kB at the time lapse of 6 hours, 9 hours and 12 hours after ischemia, using western blotting. The numerical decrease of BAX expression at the time lapse of 9 hours after EA application, though not statistically significant, was observed in GV20 EA group and L14 EA group, and the NF-kB expression appeared statistically significant decrease in GV20 EA group and L14 EA group, but the expression was higher in the group with EA application. Therefore, EA application at the early phase of global ischemia is considered to affect BAX and NF-kB and play a positive role in decreasing apoptosis and cell deaths by inflammation.

Mitis-salivarius sucrose bacitracin(MSB) medium is widely used in the selective isolation of mutans streptococci(MS), a designation for a group of oral cariogenic species. Recently, we have isolated three bacterial strains grown on MSB agar from human dental plaques. The three strains exhibited biochemical characteristics similar to those of the biotype IV of MS, with the exception that they manifested a positive reaction for arginine deaminase. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize these three clinical isolates. The bacteria were identified with biochemical tests as well as by 16S rDNA cloning and sequencing. In order to compare the antibiotics susceptibility of the clinical isolates with that of type strain, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 9 antibiotics were determined using broth dilution assays. The results identified all of our three clinical isolates as Enterococcus faecalis. All E. faecalis strains were found to be susceptible to penicillin G, amoxicillin, augmentin, and vancomycin, but were resistant to ciprofloxacin, cefuroxim axetil, and clindamycin. Our findings indicate that E. faecalis is capable of growing on MSB agar, and suggest that the MSB medium be improved so that only MS should be recoverable on the medium, as originally devised for their selection.

1995년 6월부터 1996년 6월까지 한강 하류 7개 정점에서 6회에 걸친 현장조사를 통하여 동물플랑크톤의 계절적 변동에 대하여 연구하였다. 조사기간중 출현한 동물플랑크톤은 총 70분류군 (taxa)으로 원생동물 3종, 윤충류 25종, 지각류 18종, 요각류 13종, 다모류 1종 등 60종이 종준위까지 동정되었다. 계절별로는 1995년 6월에 전정점에서 10~27분류군이 출현하여 가장 다양한 출현 양상을 보였으며 홍수 발생 직후인 1995년 7월에 가장 빈약하게 출현하였다. 정점별로는 상류에서 하류보다 많은 종류가 출현하는 경향을 보였다. 동물플랑크톤의 최대출현량은 입방미터당 44,317 개체(1996년 6월, 정점 7)를 기록하였으나 같은 정점에서 1995년 7월에는 전혀 출현하지 않았다. 계절별로는 1995, 1996년 모두 6월에 높은 출현량을 기록하였으며 7월과 1월에 출현량이 급격하게 감소하였다. 우점종으로는 지각류인 Daphnia galeata와 D. pulex 및 Bosmina longirostris와 요각류인 Canthocamptus carinatus, Cyclops vicinus, Thermocyclops hyalinus 및 요각류 유생이 출현하였다. 단일종으로 D. galeata가 최대 입방미터당 16,964개체의(1996년 6월, 정점 2) 농밀한 개체군을 형성하였으며 D. pulex, B. longirostris, T. hyalinus, C. vicinus도 각각 입방미터당 9,375 개체, 7,250개체, 6,714개체 및 5,772개체의 개체군이 관찰되었다. 동물플랑크톤군집의 종다양성지수는 1996년 5, 6월을 제외하고는 상류역인 정점 1~4에서 하류역인 5~7보다 높게 나타났다.

The high quality of gene set is necessary to study the functional research of genes. Although perilla is cultivated as an oil crop and as a vegetable crop in Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, northeast China and Nepal, the reference genome is absent. To assembly perilla gene set, we sequenced the various tissues of perilla (Perilla citriodora) RNA-seq with Illumina HiSeq platform, generating 548,549,314 short reads. When de novo transcriptome assembly was performed with five samples, 86,396 and 38,413 transcripts were assembled as total and representative transcripts, respectively. Using 1,917,424 proteins at Phytozome ver. 9.1, we annotated the perilla assembled transcripts, and 66,139(76.55%) and 24,030(62.55%) transcripts showed the similarity with known plant proteins (E-value < 1e-10) as total and representative transcripts, respectively. Among the diverse molecular functions, we were interested in the regulatory components, such as transcription factor and transcription regulator. Using this data, we identified 499 transcripts annotated the putative transcription factor differentially expressed transcripts. 165 putative transcription factors were significantly expressed in perilla flower and 121 putative transcription factors in both leaf and flower. This study provides the perilla reference gene set and the understanding of the molecular regulation of transcription factor dependent on the tissue.

Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is a fast-growing, warm-season legume crop that is primarily cultivated in developing countries of Asia. We constructed a draft genome sequence of mungbean to facilitate genome research into the subgenus Ceratotropis and to enable a better understanding of the evolution of leguminous species. The draft genome sequence covers 80% of the estimated genome, of which 50.1% consists of repetitive sequences. In total, 22,427 high confidence protein-coding genes were predicted. Based on the de novo assembly of additional wild mungbean species, the divergence of what was eventually domesticated and the sampled wild mungbean species appears to have predated domestication. Moreover, the de novo assembly of a tetraploid Vigna species (Vigna reflexo-pilosa var. glabra) provided genomic evidence of a recent allopolyploid event. To further study speciation, we compared de novo RNA-seq assemblies of 22 accessions of 18 Vigna species and protein sets of Glycine max and Cajanus cajan. The species tree was constructed by a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method using highly confident orthologs shared by all 24 accessions. The present assembly of V. radiata var. radiata will facilitate genome research and accelerate molecular breeding of the subgenus Ceratotropis.

포름알데히드의 고농도와 저농도에 따른 식물의 생리적 반응을 보기 위하여 실험을 실시하였다. 실내식물은 관음죽, 팔손이나무, 스킨답서스를 이용하였으며, 포름알데히드는 0, 2(2.5), 10(12.3), 100(123) ppm(mg･m-3)농도로 처리하였다. 그 결과 포름알데히드 처리에 대한 잎 피해증상은 100 ppm의 고농도에서 5시간 처리 후 검은 반점으로 나타났다. 외관상 피해증상은 어린잎과 노화된 모두에서 나타났으며, 팔손이나무의 경우에는 줄기에서도 일부 나타났다. 피해 잎의 책상조직과 해면조직이 파괴되거나 변형되었다. 전체적으로 Peroxidase와 Catalase 함량은 관음죽>팔손이나무>스킨답서스 순서였으며, 처리농도가 높아질수록 함량도 대체로 증가하였다. 피해가 심한 스킨답서스의 경우 고농도 처리시에 기공이 닫히는 비율이 약 80% 가장 높았으며, Catalase 증가량도 가장 컸다. 결과적으로 100 ppm의 고농도에서 포름알데히드 흡수를 저해하기 위해 기공이 닫히거나 효소 함량의 변화가 일부 나타났으나, 저농도에서 적극적 흡수를 위한 반응은 보이지 않았다.