Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is toxic to living organisms, because its high reactivity causes oxidative damage to proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an enzyme facilitating the removal of superoxide anions from living organisms. This study focused on the cloning of MnSOD cDNA from Hyphantria cunea and its induction upon bacterial infection and various stresses. The open reading frame of MnSOD is composed of 645 bp, encoding 215 amino acid residues. The theoretical molecular mass and pI of putative MnSOD was evaluated to be 24276 Da and 9.14, respectively. The MnSOD from H. cunea is highly similar to human MnSOD (59.5%) as well as Bombyx mori MnSOD (76.2%). MnSOD showed no big induction upon bacterial infection and stresses, compared to that of Cu/ZnSOD.

• Yong Il Kim(Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 program), Gyeongsang National University)
• Hong Ja Kim(Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 program), Gyeongsang National University)
• Yong Min Kwon(Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 program), Gyeongsang National University)
• Byung Rae Jin(College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University)
• In Hee Lee(Department of Life Science, Hoseo University)
• Young Jin Kang(Department of Pharmacology, Yeungnam University)
• Hyang Mi Cheon(Southern Forest Research Center, Korea Forest Research Institute)
• Nam Gyu Ha(Agricultural Experiment and Research Bureau, Gyeongnam, Agricultural Research and Extension Services)
• Sook Jae Seo(Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 program), Gyeongsang National University)