To effects of sex maturation in olive flounder by regulating long photoperiod, gonadal development and GTH mRNA expression in the pituitary were investigated. Photoperiod was treated natural photoperiod and long photoperiod (15L:9D) conditions from September 2011 to March 2012. The results showed that natural photoperiodic group showed a higher gonadosomatic index (GSI) than long photoperiodic group during the spawning season (March 2012). The histological analysis of ovarian tissue showed that natural photoperiod group of ovaries contained vitellogenic oocytes, but long photoperiod group of ovaries mainly contained perinucleolus staged oocyte and oil-drop staged oocytes. The FSH mRNA of olive flounder, under natural photoperiod group, showed a significantly higher expression but no significant difference under long photoperiod group. The LHβ mRNA showed a significantly higher expression only under natural photoperiod group. These results may suggest that long photoperiodic information regulates secretion of pituitary FSH and LH and maintain early growing stage of gonadal development in this species.

Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, indigestion, circulatory problems and pain. The associated anti-inflammatory effect of this agent is achieved via the inhibition of Nf-kB signaling, a property that has been demonstrated to effectively control the symptoms of various skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of Sea Buckthorn in reducing the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated nitric oxide (NO) by inhibiting the Nf-kB pathway, as measured by the symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD) occurring secondarily to inflammation and immune dysregulation. Our data demonstrate that Sea Buckthorn significantly decreased the LPS-induced production of NO (p〈0.001). Atopic dermatitis was induced by repeated application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene to the dorsal skin of mice. Topical application of 5% Sea Buckthorn extract improved the symptoms of AD, specifically reducing disease severity scores, scratching behaviors and epidermal thickness. When compared to the control group, animals treated with Sea Buckthorn exhibited increased serum IL-12 levels and decreased serum TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-5 levels. Such a modulation of biphasic T-helper (Th)1/Th2 cytokines may result in a reduction in serum IgE levels. Our findings suggest that mechanism of action of Sea Buckthorn in the treatment of AD is associated with a marked anti-inflammatory effect as well as an inhibition of Th2-mediated IgE overproduction via the modulation of biphasic Th1/Th2 cytokines. Such results suggest that topical Sea Buckthorn extract may prove to be a novel therapy for AD symptoms with few side effects.

Recent release of whole genome draft sequences in legume species have led comparative genome studies among legume plants including Glycine max, G. soja, Cajanus cajan and Medicago truncatula. The majority of comparative genomic researches have been conducted based on synteny of coding sequences and coding sequence variations may be one of major forces for speciation and evolution. However, non-coding sequences have been also reported to be important phenotypic regulators. Especially, since short sequence motifs in the promoter regions are highly conserved, they are suggested to be another resources of interests in comparative studies. In this study, we predicted the conserved short sequence motifs by BLASTN algorithm using dicot promoter database from Softberry (http://www.softberry.com). A total of 37,396 conserved short sequence motifs were identified onto 2 kb upstreams of 46,367 high confident gene model of G. max (cv. Williams 82). Meanwhile, whole genome of 7 soybean landraces (G. max) and 7 wild soybean genotypes (G. soja) were sequenced at low depth of less than ten using Illumina Hiseq 2000. Among these genotypes, nucleotide variations were identified in predicted conserved regulatory motifs by mapping of short reads to the reference genome sequence using the Samtools program (http://samtools.sourceforge.net/). Fifteen and two genes, which have SNPs in regulatory motifs and no SNP in coding sequence, were identified by comparisons of inter-species and intra-species, respectively. qRT-PCR experiments are in progress for investigating differences of these 17 genes expressions at transcriptional level.

Mutagenesis approach in combination with whole genome sequencing has become an import role in genetic and molecular biological study and breeding of crop plants. In this study, we screened the fast neutron M4 10,000 soybean mutant plants based on morphological phenotypes of agronomically important traits and characterized the mutant of interest using resequencing. Fast neutron radiation has been known to be a very effective mutagen to cause large deletion in genome. The screened mutant showed abnormal phenotypes in plant heights, seed sizes, color of leaves, number of leaves, maturity and number of branches etc. Among them, the mutant displaying short plant height and bush type of growth habit was selected for identification of the altered genomic regions. Analysis of deletion sites of genome in interesting soybean mutant was performed using next generation sequencer Illumina Hi-seq. Mutant sequence reads generated by paired-end shotgun library were mapped on a draft soybean reference soybean (G. max cv. Williams 82). The paired-end DNA sequences of 21.6 Gb produced by Illumina Hi-seq produced 21 fold sequence depth. Among the predicted deletion sites, total 3 deletion regions confirmed by PCR. Glyma03g02390 gene and Glyma03g03560 gene were involved in the deletion regions. Glyma03g02390 gene was related to AMP binding, catalytic activity, cofactor binding and metabolic process of cell growth and Glyma03g03560 gene was concerned to oxygen binding, defense response to bacterium, and especially process of indole acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis. These genes detected in this mutant will be studied about their molecular function in stunted phenotype.

A new peanut variety “Sangan”(Arachis hypogaea ssp. fastigiata L.) showed the highest yielding of Korean varieties was developed at the Department of Functional Crop, NICS, in Milyang in 2011. This was developed from the crossing line between cultivar “Palkwang” with high quality and “local collection” with short stem. “Sangan” which is Shinpung plant type has 44cm of main stem length and 10 branch number per plant. Each pod has two grains with long ellipse shape of brown testa and yield components is composed of 40 mature pods of per plant, 96g of 100-seed weight, 79% of pod shelling ratio in the regional yield trials(RYT). Seed quality showed 48.5% of crude oil and 29.1% of protein content. This variety also showed more resistant to early leaf spot and web blotch, compared with check variety, Daekwang. In the regional yield trials “Sangan” outyielded check variety by 15% with 4.87 MT/ha for kernel.

A new vegetable peanut variety “Jaseon”(Arachis hypogaea ssp. fastigiata.) was developed at the Department of Functional Crop, NICS, in Milyang in 2011. It was developed from the cross between the Large grain cultivar “YG60” and the short stem cultivar “YG55”. “Jaseon” which is Shipung plant type has 43cm main stem length and 11 branch number per plant. Each pod has two grains with brown testa with long-ellipse shaped large kernel and dried 100-seed weight was 105g in the regional yield trials(RYT). The Sucrose and tannin content of fresh peanut are 25.0mg/g and 4.4mg/g, respectively. This variety also showed more resistant to late leaf spot, stem rot and lodging, compared with check variety, Palkwang. In the regional yield trials “Jaseon” was outyielded than check variety by 15% with 10.21MT/ha for fresh pod and by 11% with 4.37MT/ha for dried kernel.

The transcription factors, DMRT1 and FOXL2, play a role in fish sex differentiation of the bipotential precursor into the male and female pathway, respectively. In order to provide the molecular background for understanding hormonal regulation in sexual determination and differentiation in the red-spotted grouper, Epinephelus akaara, one of commercially important epinephelines, and is often used to study protogynous sex change. First, we amplified the partial sequence of two genes (DMRT1 and FOXL2) from the gonad of red-spotted grouper. Also, we surveyed the tissue-specific and sex-specific expression pattern of each genes by RT-PCR. The effects of 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) in the sexually immature gonad of red-spotted grouper were investigated by Real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Fish were treated with MT-dipping method from around 70 days after hatching (DAH) for two month. DMRT1 and FOXL2 cDNA flagments consist of 489 and 836 base pairs (bp) and encodes a protein of 162 and 278 amino acids, respectively. RT-PCR revealed that DMRT1 mRNA was expressed higher level in the testis. Foxl2 was expressed extensively in the neural and peripheral tissues with its highest level in the ovary, indicating a potential role for Foxl2 in the brain-pituitary-gonad axis. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analyses showed that DMRT1 mRNA expression was upregulated in the MT-treated fish. These results suggest that the sex inversion of red-spotted grouper by MT might be due to the suppression of FOXL2 gene expression, and resulting in the induction of the 11-KT secretion.

This study was carried out to gain the basic informations about botanical characteristics of plant type and properties related to table quality for developing the new colored waxy corn hybrid. Materials used were produced by our laboratory in 2007 and their major traits were evaluated fro two years(2008 to 2009) at Corn Breeding Farm of Coll. of Agri. & Life in CNU. Items surveyed were major agricultural characteristics including ear length and traits related to edible. Botanical characteristics as a plant type and ear pattern of the developed waxy corn hybrids showed large ranges among them; stem height of CNU08H-h39 among used hybrids was the highest as 235.7cm, while CNUH08-15 was the lowest. Ear height of Daehackchal Gold 1 was the highest as 83.7cm and that of CNU08H-15 was the lowest among used hybrids. Ear length of CNU08H-h121 among used hybrids was the longest as 23.1cm, while that of CNU08H-71 was the smallest as 12.7cm. Kernel sugar content of the used hybrids appeared to be 16.1 to 13.0Brix(%). Especially, CNU08H-15, CNU08H-35 and CNU08H-h39 hybrids were highly appeared as 15 above. Pericarp thickness of check hybrid, Yeonongchal, was thicker as 46.0㎛, while that of CNU08H-39 compared to other hybrids showed the thinnest as 23.0㎛. From this study, we could obtain several superior colored hybrids with thinner pericarp and high sugar contents like CNU 08-39 and CNU 08-h121 hybrids. Accordingly, these hybrids will be apply as new developed variety through confirmed trials.

There are many evidences that carotenoids may act as antioxidants and protect humans from serious disorders such as skin degeneration and aging, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and age-related diseases of the eye. Carrots (Daucus carota L.) are consumed as an important dietary source of b-carotene, a-carotene and lutein. Astaxanthin, a keto-carotenoid has been used to raise red color of fish body and to improve immune activity in fish-breeding industry. In this study, transgenic carrot plants were generated to overproduce carotenoids including astaxanthin, a non-natural ketocarotenoid in this plant, using an efficient storage root-expression system. Among the nineteen transgenic carrot plants, transformed by a storage root-specific (ibMads) or a storage root (ibAGP1) or the constitutive CaMV35S promoters with three genes involved in carotenoid synthesis [Psy (Phytoen synthase), Crtl (Lycopen-β-cyclase), CrtO (β-carotene ketolase)], transgenic plants with ibAGP1 promoter, an amyloplast targeting sequence (TP1) and a single CrtO gene gave high content of keto-carotenoids and b-carotene. For fish body coloration, carotenoid extract or astaxanthin significantly made the body color of red seabreams more reddish than those of normal diet-fish in the 3 weeks feeding. In addition, the serum lysozyme activity in carotene-treated fish was significantly higher than that in normal diet-fed fish (P<0.05) in the 6 weeks feeding. In these cases, neither carotenoid extract- nor astaxanthin-contained diet did influence on growth rate and food utilization in red seabreams. These results suggested that carotenoid extract prepared in the present study may be useful in the body coloration and the enhancement of nonspecific immune response of red seabreams. Meanwhile, b-carotene (50 mM) up-regulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor a expression (PPAR-a) by about two fold in CV-1 cells, while the carotenoid extracts and astaxanthin failed to affect on the expression. Carotenoid extracts (250 mg/ml) from wild type carrot or transgenic carrots showed moderate DPPH scavenging activity.

This study attempted to verify the possibility of using germ cell aspiration (GCA) method as a non-fatal technique in studying the life-history of equilateral venus, Gomphina veneriformis (Veneridae) and granular ark, Tegillarca granosa (Arcidae). Using twenty-six gauge 1/2" (12.7mm) needle, GCA was carried out in equilateral venus through external ligament. In granular ark, GCA was performed by preventing closure of the shells by inserting a tongue depressor between the shells while still open. The success rate of sex identification using the GCA method was 95.6% for the equilateral venus (n=650/680) and 94.3% for the granular ark (n=707/750). Mortality of equilateral venus, which spent 33 days under wild conditions, was 13.8% (n=90/650) while the mortality of granular ark, which spent 390 days under wild conditions, was 2.4% (n=17/707). Although we believe that GCA does not appear to cause death in equilateral venus or granular ark, the success rate in employing of this methodology may differ depending on the level of proficiency of the researcher and reproductive stage of the bivalve. This study concludes that GCA is a convenient non-fatal methodology, which can be employed to identify sex and investigate gonadal maturity in Gomphina veneriformis and Tegillarca granosa.