Ticks and mosquitoes are well known as the most dangerous animals in the world. During the blood feeding, they can transmit a variety of pathogens (bacteria, virus, and protozoa) causing human diseases such as SFTS (severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome), malaria, Zika, and dengue. In Korea, SFTS is a newly emerging vector-borne disease transmitted by Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis. However, there are no effective methods to control ticks and tick-borne disease. The laboratory of medical entomology at Kyungpook national university is focusing on not only fundamental biology of hard ticks in Korea including life cycle and host ranges but molecular physiology and comparative transcriptomics to understand interactions between vector and pathogen at the molecular level. We are also focusing on molecular physiological mechanisms of mosquito salivary secretion by investigating the function of neuropeptides and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the salivary glands of Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. We believe that understanding the biology of blood feeding arthropods will lead us to the development of novel methods for the disruption of feeding, thus allowing for the prevention of pathogen transmission.

In the lab of insect molecular physiology, Kyungpook national university, we are studying insect physiology with molecular biological tools. First research interest is the comparison study on the physiological differences between two taxonomically close flies, Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii being adapted to fermented and fresh fruits, respectively. We are also studying the non-neuronal function of soluble acetylcholinesterase and its specific roles in insect sociality. For the climate change vector surveillance center project, we are monitoring the population of ticks and mosquitoes in Gyeongbuk region and detecting the pathogens in the host arthropods. In addition, we are investigating the genes encoding acetylcholinesterase and voltage-sensitive sodium channel in Hemaphysalis longicornis and the point mutations putatively involved in pesticide resistance.

전 세계적으로 생물다양성 감소가 가속화 되고 있으며, 특히 외래생물의 유입은 생물다양성을 위협하는 가장 심각한 요인 중 하나이다. 우리나라 또한 외래생물의 유입이 증가하고 있는데, 환경부 기준 외래생물 은 2011년 1,109종에서 2013년 2,167종으로 두 배 가까이 증가되었다. 2,167종 중 곤충류는 136종으로 많은 외래곤충의 유입이 확인되었고, 이외에 공식적으로 집계되지 않은 종을 포함하면 그 수는 훨씬 늘어날 것이다. 2014년부터 국립생태원의 외래생물 안전관리 연구는 위해우려종 발굴, 외래생물 전국 서식실태조사, 외래생물 정밀조사, 생태계 위해성 평가, 생태계교란 생물 모니터링 등 크게 5가지로 구분된다. 위해우려종 발굴 및 지정건의를 통해 유입 전 단계부터 생태계교란 생물의 지정 건의 및 모니터링을 통해 유입 후 관리까지 5가지의 과제가 톱니바퀴처럼 물려가며 수행되고 있다. 국립생태원 외래곤충 분야의 주요 연구 성과는 260여종의 위해우려종 후보종 발굴, 5종의 외래생물 정밀조사, 8종의 생태계 위해성평가를 수행하였다. 그 중 4종을 생태계교란 생물로 지정 건의하여 1종(붉은불개미)이 생태계교란 생물로 지정되었다. 또한, 꽃매미를 포함한 2종의 생태계교란 생물을 모니터링 하고 있으며, 국내 유입될 경우 생물다양성에 미치는 영향을 널리 알리고자 ’위해우려 외래곤충 100종’ 책자를 발간하여 배포하기도 하였다.

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of mulberry cake mixed diet on larval growth of Protaetia brevitarsis. As a result of adding mulberry cake to oak fermented sawdust and mulberry fermented sawdust, the survival rate of P. brevitarsis larvae were higher than those of the control when mass rearing larvae. When fed oak fermented sawdust with 3, 5% and 10% of mulberry cake, the cumulative proportion of larvae over 2.5g was 92.9% at 65 days, 90.8% at 55 days, and 96.3% at 45 days after rearing at 25±1℃, respectively. When fed mulberry fermented sawdust with 3%, 5% and 10% of mulberry cake, the cumulative proportion of larvae over 2.5g was 86.2% at 85 days, 90.7% at 75 days, and 91.5% at 75 days after rearing at 25±1℃, respectively.

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of mulberry leaf mixed diet on larval growth of Protaetia brevitarsis. As a result of adding mulberry leaves to oak fermented sawdust, the survival rate of P. brevitarsis larvae were higher than those of the control when mass rearing larvae. When fed oak fermented sawdust with 5%, 10% and 20% of mulberry leaves, the cumulative proportion of larvae over 2.5g was 93.1% at 65 days, 95.6% at 55 days, and 93.9% at 55 days after rearing at 25±1℃, respectively. Also, heavy metals were not detected in larvae of P. brevitarsis fed on mulberry leaves.

전라북도는 곤충사육농가의 77%인 121농가가 흰점박이꽃무지를 사육하고 있고 농가수의 증가가 예상됨에 따라, 생산단가를 절감시키면서 효율적인 사육을 위해서는 사육환경을 최적으로 유지하는 것이 매우 중요하다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 뽕나무발효톱밥을 이용하여 유충사육밀도에 따른 유충발육상황을 조사하였다. 최적 사육밀도 설정을 위하여 전라북도 사육농가에서 가장 많이 사용하는 20L 크기의 사육 상자에 각각 100, 125, 150, 175, 200마리 흰점박이꽃무지 유충을 넣고 뽕나무발효톱밥을 2/3정도 채운 후 사육하면서 유충무게변화, 생존율 등을 조사하였다. 부화 후 95일 흰점박이꽃무지 유충 생존율은 평균 81%로 사육밀도별 큰 차이가 없었다. 유충 무게는 100마리/20L 사육 시 2.219g로 가장 높게 나타났으며, 사육밀도가 증가함에 따라 감소하는 경향으로 나타났다. 유충 영양성분 조사결과 단백질 52.8g/100g, 지방 11.8g/100g이었으며, 중금속은 검출되지 않았다.

최근 메틸브로마이드를 이용한 훈증소독 검역처리 기술의 오존층파괴 문제로 인하여 사용이 감소함에 따라 이온화 방사선 조사 기술이 주목받고 있다. 본 연구는 수출용 새송이 버섯에 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 및 3kGy의 감마선 조사 후 저장기간(0, 7, 14, 21, 및 28일) 동안 버섯의 품질에 미치는 영향에 대해 연구하였다. 새송이 버섯의 경도 변화를 측정한 결과, 비조사구의 경우 저장기간이 증가함에 따라 급격히 감소한 반면 감마선 조사에 의하여 경도의 감소폭이 유의적으로 줄어들었다. 색도 변화 역시 감마선 조사에 의하여 저장기간 중 발생하는 새송이 버섯의 갈변이 저해되는 것을 확인하였다. 하지만 수분함량, 수분활성도, 및 중량손실율의 경우 저장기간에 따른 조사구와 비조사구간에 차이가 관찰되지 않았다. 따라서 3 kGy 이하의 감마선 조사를 통하여 새송이 버섯의 저장 품질을 향상시킬 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

A previous studies depicting origin and sequence variability of the species using DNA barcoding region with the samples collected from Korea showed relatively low sequence variability. Thus, additional markers that reveal higher variability were necessitated to scrutinize population structure in connection with dispersal and invasive dynamics among international populations. Therefore, we sequenced two complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of M. pruinosa from the two haplotypes occurring in Korea (H1 and H3). Comparison of the two mitogenomes each with 16,312 and 16,314 bp evidenced that one region located in the A+T-rich region to provide higher number of haplotypes (4 vs. 3), sequence divergence (1.636% vs. 0.636%), and variable sites (7 vs. 3) than those of DNA barcoding region from the screening test using 13 representative individuals. This variable region, in concatenation with the currently available DNA barcoding region might be useful for population genetic analysis of worldwide populations including those of Korea. †These authors contributed equally to this paper.

In this study, we developed ten microsatellite markers specific to L. angelina using the Illumina NextSeq 500 platform. Forty-three individuals of L. angelina collected from three localities in South Korea were genotyped to validate these markers and to preliminarily assess population genetic characteristics. The observed number of alleles, observed heterozygosity (HO), and expected heterozygosity (HE) at a locus ranged from 4–13, 0.211–0.950, and 0.659–0.871 in the population with the largest sample size (20 individuals), respectively, thereby validating the suitability of the markers for population analyses. Our preliminarily assessment of the population genetic characteristics indicates the presence of inbreeding in all populations, an isolation of the most geographically distant population (Seocheon), and lower HO than HE. The microsatellite markers developed in this study will be useful for studying the population genetics of L. angelina collected from additional sites in South Korea and from other regions. †These authors contributed equally to this paper.

To verify the progenitor of B. mori, we sequenced 14 B. mori strains preserved in Korea and one B. mandarina collected in Korea and conducted phylogenetic analysis of Bombycidae using maximum-likelihood method and concatenated sequences of 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA genes. All B. mori strains, regardless of their origin, formed a strong monophyletic group, with the highest nodal support. This B. mori group was placed as the sister to the two B. mandarina collected each from Korea and Shandong, China with the highest nodal support. Finally, the remaining two B. mandarina, which were collected in Japan were independently placed as the most basal lineage of B. mori and B. mandarina group. These results appear to indicate that an immediate ancestor for the domestic silkworm strains may have been originated from China and Korea.

We sequenced 15,803 bp of the leaf-rolling-weevil, Apoderus jekelii (Coleoptera: Attelabidae) mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) that lacked ~8,000 bp of the A+T-rich region for the completion of the genomic sequence. The A. jekelii mitogenome, which includes 1,169 bp of A+T-rich region, possesses typical sets of genes [13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes]. Phylogenetic analyses using the eight concatenated PCG sequences, which are commonly available for the mitogenome sequences of Curculionoidea, revealed Attelabidae as monophyletic, as well as the sister relationship between current A. jekelii and congeneric species A. coryli in Attelabidae, with the highest nodal supports both in Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods. In order to gain a more comprehensive picture of the phylogenetic relationships among the lineages of Attelabidae, an extended analysis with more taxonomic sampling will be necessary. †These authors contributed equally to this paper.

Haemaphysalis longicornis (H. longicornis) is the most dominant species that accounts for more than 90% of domestic ticks in Korea. It is also a main mediator and propagator of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome virus. In order to efficient control of H. longicornis, it is essential to obtain the genetic information of pesticide target genes and determine the mutations putatively involved in insecticide resistance. Acetylcholinesterase (Ace) is a target gene of organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides, but no sequence information of Ace is available to date in H. longicornis. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of H. longicornis and obtained the sequence information of three Ace genes (HlAce1, HlAce2 and HlAce3). Based on the comparison analysis with sequences of multiple ace genes from other hard ticks, mites and insects, three HlAces were grouped in Acari Ace1, Ace2 and Ace3 clade, respectively. Among three HlAces, HlAce1 seems to be major enzyme because of its conserved amino acids involved in catalytic function.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Ostrinia palustralis memnialis Walker, 1859 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) was determined to be 15,246 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 an arrangement identical to that observed in most lepidopteran genomes. The A+T content of the whole genome, PCGs, srRNA, lrRNA, tRNAs, and the A + T-rich region all are well within the range found in other Pyraloidea. Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs using Bayesian inference and Maximum-likelihood methods placed O. palustralis as a sister group to O. furnacalis and O. nubilalis, with the highest nodal support. The subfamilies within Crambidae, such as Nymphulinae, Spilomelinae, and Pyraustinae, all formed monophyletic groups with the highest nodal support.

Insect killing fungus Beauveria bassiana has been widely studied as a biological control agent. However, many studies have been focused on lab or field-based management. Herein this work, comparison of three B. bassiana strains was investigated under a molecular level. The whole genome sequences of ERL836, JEF-007 were analyzed by PacBio (35.5 Mb of ERL836 and 36.5 Mb of JEF-007) and ARSEF2860 referenced from GenBank (33.7 Mb). To compare the three strains, virulence, thermotolerance and chemical resistance were assayed. The transcriptomes of non-infecting B. bassiana and infecting B. bassiana against western flower thrips were analyzed using RNA-seq. This work can provide that genome features, functions, morphology and gene expression could be different under the molecular level, even if in the same species.

In this study, we sequenced two complete mitogenomes, belonging to the families Scythrididae (Scythris sinensis Felder & Rogenhofer, 1775) and Coleophoridae (Coleophora therinella Tengström, 1848) firstly in each family. Gelechioidea is one of the controversial lineages of Lepidoptera in its phylogenetic position and number of families. Phylogenetic analyses with concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and two RNA genes using the maximum likelihood method, placed Coleophoridae, represented only by C. therinella, as a sister group to the families Depressariidae and Autostichidae, with very low nodal support (7%). Scythrididae represented only by S. sinensis was placed as the sister to the family Stathmopodidae, with relatively high nodal support (86%). As more mitogenome sequences from the extended taxonomic groups are obtained further robust phylogenetic inference will be possible.