The α-Gal epitope (Galα1,3Galα1,4GlcNAc-R) is responsible for hyperacute rejection (HAR) during transgenic pig-to-non-human primate xenotransplantation. To overcome HAR after xenografts, it is essential for the inactivation of α1,3Galactosyltransferase (GT) gene by the homozygotic knocked out of GT-/- and the isoglobotrihexosylceramide synthase (iGb3s-/-). This study was performed to investigate the generation and characterization of the α1,3GT-MCP/-MCP+iGb3-/- transgenic cells. Ear fibroblast cells from the GT-MCP/-MCP pig were cultured and used to positive control. For iGb3s knock out, the Cas9-GFP-iGb3s vector was transfected into the GT-MCP/-MCP cells. The Cas9-GFP-iGb3s transfected cells were sorted and sequenced for the selection of GT-MCP/-MCP+ iGb3s-/- cells. Among the three sorted cell lines, one transgenic cell line was homozygously deleted 3 bases and 10 bases in each chromosome, respectively. To characterize an expression of α-Gal epitope, a wild type and the transgenic cells were measured by FACS Aria using BS-IB4 lectin antibody. The expression of α-Gal epitope in GT-MCP/-MCP cells (<0.01 %) were significantly down-regulated to the range of wild type (99.4 %) fibroblast cells (p<0.05). To analyze the function of iGb3s, α -Gal epitope expressions were measured for the GT-MCP/-MCP, GT-MCP/-MCP+iGb3s-/+, and GT-MCP/-MCP+iGb3s-/-. The range was 95.8%, 94.2%, and 75.8%, respectively. Interestingly, there was a negative range (16.2%) of α-Gal epitope -/- section in GT-MCP/-MCP+iGb3s-/-, compared to 2.74% of GT-MCP/-MCP+iGb3s-/+ and 1.4% of WT, respectively. Our results demonstrated that iGb3s-/-combined with GT-/- had a function to inhibit α-Gal epitope expression in pig cells. Further studies are needed to evaluate the functions of double gene knock out to minimize a HAR response after xenotransplantation.

The α-Gal epitope (Galα1,3Galα1,4GlcNAc-R) is responsible for hyperacute rejection (HAR) during transgenic pig-to-non-human primate xenotransplantation. There are genes related to the expression of α-Gal epitope such as α1,3Galactosyltransferase gene (GT-/-) and the isoglobotrihexosylceramide synthase (iGb3s-/-). This study was performed to investigate the expression of α-Gal epitope in the skin derived from GT-/- transgenic pig. The skin (7/1000 inches) was obtained by dermatome (Zimmer® Electric Dermatome) from one month old of wildtype (WT) and GT-/- piglets, respectively. The skins were fixed, dehydrated, cleaned, and embedded. To analyze the expression of α-Gal epitope, the paraffin section of WT and GT-/- were stained with BS-IB4 lectin and isoglobotrihexosylceramide synthase antibody. There was a strong BS-IB4 lectin signal in the skin of WT, but not detected in GT-/-. However, the iGb3s positive signals were stained in the skin of both WT and GT-/-. Taken together, it can be postulated that the knocked out of GT gene may not enough to inhibit the expression of α-Gal epitope. Further studies are needed to evaluate the functions of the double knock out of GT and iGb3s on the expression of α-Gal epitope.

The consumption of pre-treated vegetables (including fresh-cut vegetables) has been significantly increased because of their ease of use for cooking. Vegetable cutting machine has been widely utilized for producing fresh-cut vegetables or agricultural products with different sizes; however, its design standard is not specifically established depending on types of agricultural products. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine mechanical properties (compressive and shear force) of targeted agricultural products (radish, carrot, squash, cucumber, shiitake mushroom and sweet potato) for developing multipurpose vegetable cutting machine. According to ASAE standard (s368.3), compressive and shear force of targeted agricultural products were measured by using custom built UTM (universal testing machine). Shape type of samples and speed ranges (5~15 mm/min) of loading rate on bioyield and shear points were varied by targeted agricultural products. The range of averaged bioyield points of targeted agricultural products were between 7.89 and 146.98 N. On the other hands, their averaged shear points were from 22.50 to 53.47 N. Results clearly showed that the bioyield and shear points of targeted agricultural products were thoroughly affected by their components. As accumulating compressive and shear points of agricultural products, it can be technical feasible to establish the design standard and control mechanism of multipurpose vegetable cutting machine.

Arsenic (As) is a toxic element that easily taken up by plants root. Several toxic forms of As disrupt plant metabolism by a series of cellular alterations. In this study, we applied annealing control primer (ACP)-based reverse transcriptase PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in alfalfa roots in response to As stress. Two-week-old alfalfa seedlings were exposed to As treatment for 6 hours. DEGs were screened from As treated samples using the ACP-based technique. A total of six DEGs including heat shock protein, HSP 23, plastocyanin-like domain protein162, thioredoxin H-type 1 protein, protein MKS1, and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase B2 were identified in alfalfa roots under As stress. These genes have putative functions in abiotic stress homeostasis, antioxidant activity, and plant defense. These identified genes would be useful to increase As tolerance in alfalfa plants.

수온과 기후 지수 자료를 이용하여 한국주변해 상층부의 수온변동과 북태평양 기후체제와의 관계를 분석하였다. 1970, 1980 그리고 1990년대 후반에 발생한 기후체제전환은 해양생태계의 구조 변화에 중요한 영향을 끼쳤다. 북서태평양 대륙주변부에 위치한 우리나라 주변해역 또한, 10년 이상의 장주기적인 변화의 영향을 받지만, 해역별 반응은 다르다. 동해, 서해 , 남해 상층부(10 m)의 경우 1988년의 기후체제전환은 3개 해역의 상층부 수온변화에서 동시에 나타난다. 반면, 1998년은 동해남부해역과 서해, 1976년의 기후체제전환은 전해역의 겨울철 수온변화에서만 그 영향이 나타난다. 1998년 기후체제전환 이후, 서해, 동중국해, 동해 남부의 수온은 점차 감소하지만, 동해 북부해역은 1988년 기후체제전환 이후 증가하는 형태이다.

Grapholita molesta occur four times a year and Carposina sasakii occur twice a year, and both pests do damage on stone fruits such as peach, apple, plum, apricot, etc. Grapholita molesta is worldwide distributed in temperate and subtropical areas including South Korea. But, Carposina sasakii distributed in South Korea, Japan, China and Asia, and has been managed as an important import quarantine pest by the authorities of United States, Canada and Taiwan. Forecasting of both pests in Korea is currently done through the investigation of 1,000 fruits per 10 trees (100 fruits / tree) in designated peach orchard. However, this method is very difficult to observe the pest by bagging of peach and require too much time and labor. Therefore, we tried to carry out a new forecasting method by using of sex pheromone traps for newly standardized method as an alternative. Using sex pheromone trap, attractiveness of G. molesta was proved to be 2.5 > 1.5 > 0.5 m by the height and the border => outside > center by the position. Attractiveness of C. sasakii made no difference in height, but, more trapped at the center and border than outside in position at peach orchard.

Leptotrombidium pallidum is the major vector mites for Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus. To understand the molecular mechanism of L. pallidum, we sequenced the whole genome using Illumina sequencing technology. Totally four genomic libraries with different insert sizes ranging from 280 bp to 8 kb were used to generate 45.1 Gb of genome in the combination of paired-end and mate-pairs sequencing reads. Quality filtering and correction of paired-end reads for very small and/or bad-quality sequences yielded 26.9 Gb of high-quality sequences, which are used to estimate the genome size as 175 Mbusing kmer methods and assembled into a 193.7 Mb genomic sequence scaffolds with N50 length of 92,945 bp. Furthermore, 94% of CEGMA completeness score were obtained from genome scaffold assembly. To facilitate gene annotation, we used a combination of de novo and homology based tools to predict gene models in the chigger mite genome. A combination of evidence-based and de novo approaches predicted 15,842 high-confidence protein-coding genes with an average transcript length of 1,511 bp and 2.4 exons per gene which corresponds to about 12.4% total gene length. Bacterial endosymbiosis are very common in mite species and can range from mutualistic to pathogenic associations. Henceforth, the endosymbionts in L. pallidum were predicted using the NCBI microbial draft genomes and mitochondrial genome. Besides, this L. pallidum draft genome can be used as a significant reference for comparative genomic studies across mite species.

The present research investigated copper and cadmium stress-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using annealing control primers (ACP) with the differential display reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Vernal) leaves. Alfalfa leaves were subjected to 250 μM of copper and cadmium treatment for a period of 6 h. A total of 120 ACPs was used. During copper and cadmium treatment, 6 DEGs were found to be up or down regulated. During copper stress treatment, 1 DEG was up-regulated, and 3 novel genes were discovered. Similarly, during cadmium stress treatment, 1 DEG was up-regulated and 5 novel genes were identified. Among all 6 DEGs, DEG-4 was identified as the gene for trans-2,3-enoyl-CoA reductase, DEG-5 was identified as the gene for senescence-associated protein DIN1 and DEG-6 was identified for caffeic acid O-methyltransferase. All the up-regulated genes may play a role in copper and cadmium stress tolerance in alfalfa.

Yongneup wetland protected area, the only high moor in Korea, is a core area to conserve biodiversity. Even though the Yongneup wetland protected area is relatively small, various plant species are distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area because it includes various habitats showing different environmental gradients. Vascular plants distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area were identified as a total of 376 taxa that is composed of 73 families, 217 genera, 322 species, 3 subspecies, 44 varieties and 7 forms. For endangered plants designated by the Ministry of Environment, 5 species including Trientalis europaea var. arctica, Lilium dauricum, Halenia corniculata, Lychnis wilfordii and Menyanthes trifoliata were found and 34 taxa were confirmed to be distributed only in the mountainous wetland habitats. Regarding naturalized plants, a total of 11 taxa were distributed, but most of them were distributed in the areas where artificial interference has occurred. And in areas inside the wetlands that are relatively well preserved, 2 species of Bidens frondosa and Erigeron annuus were observed. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of Pseudostellaria baekdusanensis M. Kim, which was recently found in Mt. Baekdu and reported as a new species, were identified in the Yongneup wetland protected area. A wetland is a very vulnerable area to drastic environmental changes and damages to its ecosystem could cause the extinction of rare plant species which are distributed only in the wetlands. Therefore, it is mandatory that current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area is evaluated and actions to prevent rapid environmental changes are taken. Fourteen separate investigations were conducted in 2013 and another four in 2014, to evaluate current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area. These investigations have provided us the basic information for future actions of conservation and restoration.

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) 와 Mycobacterium fortuitum (M. fortuitum)은 동물과 사람에서 심각한 질병과 관련이 있는 세균들로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는, povidoneiodine을 주성분으로 하는 소독제의 살균효과를 C. perfringes와 M. fortuitum을 대상으로 평가하였다. 소독제의 살균효과는 배지희석법을 이용하여, 대상 세균들을 4℃에서 소독제에 30분 동안 노출시킨 다음, 가장 낮은 소독제의 살균 희석배수를 결정하였다. 소독제는 경수와 유기물로 희석하였으며, 경수 조건에서, C. perfringes와 M. fortuitum에 대해 효과적인 소독제 희석배수는 각각 50과 80배이었다. 유기물 조건에서는, C. perfringes와 M. fortuitum에 대해 효과적인 소독제 희석배수는 모두 15배로 나타났다. 이상의 결과로부터, povidone-iodine을 주성분으로 하는 소독제는 C. perfringes와 M. fortuitum에 대해 살균효과를 갖는 것으로 확인되었으며, C. perfringes와 M. fortuitum에 의한 질병의 확산을 방지하기 위해 사용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.