The Acoptolabrus changeonleei Ishikawa et Kim, 1983 (Coleoptera: Carabidae), has been listed as an endangered insect in South Korea. The complete mitochondrial genome of the species was 16,831 bp with a typical set of genes (13 protein-coding genes [PCGs], 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes) and one non-coding region, with the arrangement identical to that observed in most insect genomes. Phylogenetic analyses with concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA genes, using the Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) methods, placed A. changeonleei as a sister to the within-subfamilial species Damaster mirabilissimus in Carabinae, with the highest nodal support by both analyses.

In order to understand evolutionary characteristics of gene rearrangement in Lepidoptera, we collected all available complete mitogenome (mitogenome) sequences registered in GenBank (274 mitogenomes from 44 families in 23 superfamilies as of August 6, 2015). It turned up six rearrangements that differ from the arrangement of ancestral insects, including that of the gelechioid Mesophleps albilinella that we sequenced in this study. The M. albilinella mitogenome has a unique gene arrangement among the Gelechioidea: ARNESF (the underline signifies an inverted gene) at the ND3 and ND5 junction, as opposed to the ARNSEF that is found in ancestral insects. Most of the rearrangements can be explained by the tandem duplication-random loss model, but inversion, which requires recombination, is also found in two cases, including M. albilinella. Excluding the MIQ rearrangement at the A+T-rich region and ND2 junction, which is found in nearly all Ditrysia, most of the remaining rearrangements found in Lepidoptera appear to be independently derived in that they are automorphic at several taxonomic scales. Current mitogenomic data are limited, particularly for congeneric data. Thus, future research focused on congenerics could clarify evolutionary independency at the generic level also.

Insect antennae play important roles in finding mates and in locating food source and oviposition sites. Riptortus pedestris is an important pest of soybean and sweet persimmon in Korea. The male R. pedestris adult produce the aggregation pheromone attracting the conspecific nymphs and both sexes of adults. The pheromone was known as a cue for food finding, but the 1st instar nymph can develop to the 2nd instar without food. This phenomenon may suggest that the 1st instar nymph may have different sensilla system from other instars. Thus, we investigated the morphology and distribution of antennal sensilla and antennal response to the aggregation pheromone (AG) of each nymphal stage using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Electroantennography (EAG). As expected, first instar nymph did not have sensilla trichodea 3 (T3) and chaetica 3 (Ch3) which existed in other instar nymphs. The antennae of the 1st instar nymph did not responded to AG, with no difference from control. For further elucidation of the functions of sensilla T3 and CH3, single sensillum recording to AG will be done.

Background : Angelica gigas N., one of the herbs has been used most frequently with Glycyrrhiza uralensis. It is usually cultivated in semi-alpine of more than 400m in North Central province of South Korea. However its production is becoming more unstable due to the climate change especially abnormally high temperature. In particular, the environmental change may cause not only a change in production but also a change in active ingredient of Angelica gigas N. This study was performed to investigate these problems. Methods and Results : This study was carried out in temperature gradient tunnel(TGT) in Pyeongchang, Gangwon province. Temperature conditions were maintained the ambient+0~2℃ (T1), ambient+2~4℃(T2), ambient+4~5℃(T3) throughout the year. We planted and grown one year old seedlings of Angelica gigas N. from mid-April to early November. As a result, there was no difference in early growth of Angelica gigas N. among the temperature range but there was a difference between each treatment region from the survey in June. Average length of soot in T1, T2, T3 was the largest(36cm), medium(27cm), smallest(19cm) respectively. This trend was similar to a survey in September and November. Each of death rate was 0%(T1), 19%(T2), 71%(T3). There was no bolting according to the temperature. The yield of a plant of Angelica gigas N. was 476g(T1), 76g(T2), 26g(T3), respectively. Production of Angelica gigas N. is foreseen 84.7% and 94.5% reduction if the temperature rises to 3±1℃ and 4±1℃ more than it is at present based on temperature in Pyeongchang 2015. Total amount of Decursin was reduced at higher temperatures. Conclusion : The results of this study show that quality and production of Angelica gigas N. is expected to decline significantly if the temperature rise than the current. Therefore development of various techniques is required to response to climate change.

This study was performed to investigate the growth characteristics and inorganic components of Codonopsis lanceolata regarding regional differences. The plant height of Japanese Codonopsis lanceolata was 373.6 cm, so it’s revealed that it has more vigorous growth than Korean won. The flowering time of Korean Codonopsis lanceolata was 2 weeks faster than Japanese one. Total fresh weight of root was 41.0 g and 39.0 g for Korean and Japanese respectively, thus, no significance difference was found. However, regarding fresh weight, Korean one had a more fresh weight (35.4 g) of main root parts, but Japanese one had a more fresh weight (9.6 g) of the lateral root part. Each inorganic component was found more in the aboveground parts, regardless of the region and the content of K was the largest. Regarding the content of macroelements for each part of Codonopsis lanceolata, the content of Na, Mg, P, S, and Ca in Korean Codonopsis lanceolata was found the highest on the leaf, followed by stem and root. In the case of Japanese Codonopsis lanceolata, same result was found on the content of Mg and Ca, however, the highest content of Na and P was found in the stem.

This study was conducted to compare the growth, inorganic components, and proximate components of Codonopsis lanceolata grown in 10 regions of Korea for selecting superior species and breeding by crossing. Among the all tested lines, the shortest plant height (217.12 cm) was observed from the Ulleungdo region line (No. 4) while the longest (273.9 cm) was observed from Hwasun region line (No. 9). In addition, the lines of central and northern region (No. 1~No. 7) tend to have shorter plant height than those of southern region (No. 8~No. 9) except Jejudo region line (No. 10). Flowering tends to be late towards southern region, and lines in central and northern regions were started flowering about 2 weeks earlier than those in southern regions. However, the heaviest root weight was 13.1 g, found in only Jejudo line (No. 10) whereas there was no significant difference found in the other regions which have a range of 8.3~11.0 g. The inorganic components were varied in each line, however, proportion of macroelements, such as K, Ca, and P, was the largest for every line. Especially for Heongseong region line (No. 2), had larger proportion of macroelements than the others. There was a difference of proximate compositions of Codonopsis lanceolata, except the moisture content, among all regions, however, it was generally shown that the content of crude protein (1.31~3.76%) and crude fiber (2.18~3.12%) was the highest.

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is a chaperone protein that involves in oxidative protein folding by acting as catalysts and folding assistants in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Genome database showed that rice contains three PDI-like genes. But, their functions and subcellullar localization are not clearly identified. Here, we show possible functions of rice PDI (OsPDI) during seed development. Seeds of OsPDI T-DNA insertion mutants which were identified by genomic DNA PCR and western blot display chalky phenotype. Electron microscope analysis revealed that endosperms of the OsPDIL1-1Δ mutant show imperfect packing of round starch granules, causing floury-white color. Abnormal form of protein body I (PB-I) containing prolamin and thick aleurone layer were also observed in the OsPDIL1-1Δ mutants. Protein content per seed was significantly low in the OsPDIL1-1Δ mutant. However, free sugar content was high in the OsPDIL1-1Δ mutant seed. Northern and western blot analyses showed that during seed development, OsPDI protein is steadily accumulated in the seed until maturation while its transcript level was highest at 10 days after flowering and rapidly decreased to basal level. In addition, OsPDI strongly interacts with cysteine protease OsCP1 and chaperone BiP protein accumulates in OsPDIL1-1Δ mutant. Besides, proteomic analysis of the OsPDIL1-1Δ mutant seed showed that OsPDI is post-translationally regulated and its loss causes accumulation of many types of seed proteins. Our results indicate that OsPDI plays a critical role in seed development through its regulatory activity for various proteins.

Grain yield, one of the most important agronomic traits, is greatly affected by architecture in rice. Here, we show that an OsPrMC3, a rice PrMC3 orthologue with a lipase or esterase domain, involves in yielding by tillering. Phenotypic analysis of T-DNA insertion mutant revealed that it has high number of tillers than wild type although height and leaf width are shorter and narrower than wild type. Size and branch number of panicle were greatly reduced in the mutant, which resulted in significant decrease of seed number per panicle and dry weight of the seeds. OsPrMC3 is highly expressed in the leaf during the early stage of development. However, it is mainly expressed in mature seed and root after flowering although its expression is detected in all of the tissues. Our result indicates that OsPrMC3 involves in leaf growth and tillering during vegetative growth and also seed development after flowering, suggesting its crucial regulatory role in yielding

The composition and distribution of seed storage proteins are important factors for eating quality such as grain flavor and quality in rice (OryzasativaL.) Rice protein disulfide isomerase (OsPDI) and binding protein (OsBIP) regulate synthesis, stability and sorting of storage proteins. We thus have tried to develop a marker protein for selection of rice cultivars which have different eating quality. Immunoblot analysis revealed that protein levels of OsPDI and OsBIP have no direct correlation with eating quality, suggesting that they may indirectly participate in control of eating quality through their-interacting partners or other regulatory mechanism.