In North Korea, the Tortricidae has been poorly studied until Byun et al. (1998) reviewed 350 species from Korea, including 63 species of Tortricinae and 40 species of Olethreutinae. Then Razowski (1999) presented a checklist of 358 species of Tortricidae from Korea, including 176 species of the North Korean Tortricidae with mostly based on the avaialble materials in Poland and previous literatures. Later, a serial studies on the family Tortricdae of North Korea with the material deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum provided several additional data for the North Korean tortricid fauna (Byun 2009; Byun 2011a; Byun 2011b; Byun 2011c; Byun et al. 2007) During the course of the study on the Tortricidae of North Korea deposited in Hungarian Natural History Museum, the author found three species of Olethreutes for the first time from North Korea. Of them, Olethreutes aviana Falkovitsh is also newly reported to the Korean peninsula. The aim of the present study is to report the three species of Olethreutes as new to North Korean fauna. In the present study, three species of the genus Olethreutes: O. aviana Falkovitsh, O. obovata (Walsingham), and O. orthocosma (Meyrick), based on the material deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, are reported for the first time from North Korea. Among them, O. aviana Falkovitsh is recorded as new to the Korean peninsula. Photographs of the adults and genitalia of the species are presented.

The baculovirus expression system is one of the most popular methods used for the production of recombinant proteins but has several complex steps which have proved inherently difficult to meet a multi-parellel process. We have developed a novel recombinant bacmid, bEasyBm that enabling easy and fast generation of pure recombinant virus without any purification step. In the bEasyBm, attR recombination sites were introduced to facilitate the generation of recombinant viral genome by in vitro transposition. Moreover, extracellular RNase gene from bacillus amyloliquefaciens, barnase, was expressed under the control of Cotesia plutellae bracovirus early promoter. Therefore, only when the barnase gene was replaced to gene of interest, the bEasyBm could replicate in host insect cells. When the bEasyBm was transposed with pDualBac-EGFP and pDualBac-LUC respectively, there were no non-recombinant backgrounds were detected from unpurified BmEasy-EGFP or BmEasy-LUC stocks. In addition, the resulting recombinant virus, BmEasy-EGFP, showed comparable level of EGFP expression efficiency with the plaque-purified recombinant virus, BmEGFP, which was constructed using bBmGOZA system. Based on these results, high-throughput condition for generation of multiple recombinant viruses in a time was established.

Varieties of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crystal proteins, Cry proteins, have so far been found as one of the most successful biological control agents which are safe to natural environments for a long time. Recently, cry genes encoding these Cry proteins have been widely applied for construction of transgenic crops resistant to pest insects. In this study, through the 3D structure prediction and accompanying mutagenesis study for the Mod-Cry1Ac, 7 and 16 amino acid residues from domain I and II, respectively, responsible for its insecticidal activity against larvae of Spodoptera exigua and Ostrinia furnacalis were identified. To construct novel cry genes with improved insecticidal activity, we randomly mutated these 23 amino acid sequences by in vitro muti site-directed mutagenesis, resulting in totally 24 mutant cry genes. For further characterization, these mutant cry genes were expressed as a fusion protein with polyhedrin using baculovirus expression system. SDS-PAGE analysis of the recombinant polyhedra revealed that expressed Cry proteins was occluded into polyhedra and activated stably to 65 kDa by trypsin. In the further study, we plan to investigate their insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella, S. exigua and O. furnacalis larvae.

This study was conducted to identify an insect species in Genus Ostrinia (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) that gave serious damage to the red bean, Vigna angularis. The species has ever been described as O. zaguliaevi in the previous presentation (Jung et al., 2010). Because, however, inconsistent information has been recognized for the species, we reviewed characteristics in morphological, molecular and sex pheromone levels, and host-range. Male genitalia had 3-lobed uncus and tibia of midleg showed massive type. The morphology indicated that the species might be one of O. zaguliaevi, O. scapulalis and O. zealis. Partial nucleotide sequences of cytochrome oxidase subunit Ⅰ(COⅠ) and Ⅱ genes were not identical with those of the 3 species in GenBank, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of COⅠ was not identical with that of O. zealis. In the 23 analyses that sex pheromones were checked, (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, which was reported in the sex pheromone components of both O. zaguliaevi and O. zealis, was not detected at all. An intensive study in Japan has reported that the feeding habit of O. scapulalis is polyphagous, while that of O. zaguliaevi is monophagous (only in Petasites japonicus) (Ishikawa et al., 1999). After considering all these information, we concluded that it is reasonable to decide that the insect species in the red bean in Korea is O. scapulalis.

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a rare condition characterized by multiple intramural pockets of gas filled cysts in the intestinal wall. PCI is usually found incidentally on an imaging study. Many different causes of PCI have been suggested, including mechanical, pulmonary, and bacterial causes. Treatment is usually conservative, including oxygen and antibiotic therapy. We report on two cases of PCI, without symptoms, in a 62-year-old male and a 72-year-old male. Computed tomography showed numerous, small, round, and air densities on the sigmoid colon. Colonoscopy showed numerous, variable-sized, sessile polypoid, balloon-like distended, and protruding subepithelial masses covered with normal colonic mucosa on the sigmoid colon. We observed that when the cyst was stuck with a needle, the size of the cyst was reduced and showed a flat termination. Therefore, we made a diagnosis of PCI and report on the case with references.

Poly(vinyl chloride)-g-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC-g-POEM) 가지형 공중합체를 원자전달라디칼 중합을 통해 합성하여 전기변색소자의 전해질에 적용하였다. 가소화된 고분자 전해질은 가소제로서 propylene carbonate (PC)/ethylene carbonate (EC) 혼합물을 도입하여 제조하였으며, Lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4), lithium perchlorate (LiCIO4), lithium iodide (LiI) and lithium bistrifluoromethanesulfonimide (LiTFSI)를 사용하여 염의 종류에 따른 영향을 조사하였다. 광각 x-선 산란(WAXS)과 시차주사 열량법(DSC) 측정 결과 고분자 전해질의 구조와 유리전이온도(Tg)가 변하였고, 이는 POEM 내의 에테르의 산소와 리튬염 사이의 상호작용으로 인해 변했다는 것을 FT-IR 분광법을 통하여 확인하였다. 투과전자현미경(TEM) 측정 결과 PVC-g-POEM 가지형 공중합체의 미세상분리 구조가 PC/EC와 리튬염의 도입에도 변하지 않는 것을 관찰하였다. 가소화된 고분자 전해질은 poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) 전도성 고분자를 이용한 전기변색소자에 적용되었다.

Apolipophorin-III (apoLp-III) is a hemolymph protein whose function is to facilitate lipid transport in an aqueous medium in insects. Recently, apolipophorin-III in Galleria mellonella and Hyphantria cunea was shown to play an unexpected role in insect immune activation. We show here a novel possible function/role of the apoLp-III in insects. To investigate the genes which have a relationship with apoLp-III in fall webworm larvae, we reduced endogenous Hc apoLp-III mRNA levels in larvae via RNA interference (RNAi). The RNAi-mediated Hc apoLp-III reduction resulted in the reduction of antioxidants, like MnSOD, catalase, and glutathione S transferase as well as immune proteins. In particular, expression of MnSOD commonly decreased in fat body, midgut, and hemocytes following the knockdown of Hc apoLp-III, which induced an elevated level of superoxide anion in Hyphantria cunea larvae. The observed effect of Hc apoLp-III RNAi suggests that Hc apoLp-III is related to the action/expression of antioxidants, especially MnSOD.

A new insect member of the STAT family of transcription factors (HcSTAT) has been cloned from the lepidopteran, Hyphantria cunea. The domain involved in DNA interaction and the SH2 domain are well conserved. The gene is transcribed at a low level during all stages of development, and transcribed in hemocyte, fat body, midgut, epidermis, and Malpighian tubule. Especially, hemocyte and Malpighian tubule showed transcriptional activation of HcSTAT upon Gram-negative and -positive bacteria challenge. Gram-negative and -positive bacteria challenge specifically results in nuclear translocation of HcSTAT protein and induction of DNA-binding activity that recognizes a STAT target site in H. cunea hemocyte. In vivo treatment with sodium orthovanadatetranslocates HcSTAT to the nucleus in hemocyte cells.

Plasmid capture systems (PCS) facilitate cloning and manipulation of circular double-stranded DNA. We recently developed an improved PCS (PCS-LZ) to clone relatively large DNA molecules of 30-150 kb. The PCS-LZ donor consists of a mini-F replicon and a kanamycin resistance marker between Tn7 left and Tn7 right ends. Both the replicon and marker gene of the PCS-LZ donor are transferred into target plasmid DNAs by in vitro transposition, followed by replication in E. coli. Colonies are tested for lacZ expression by blue/white screening. Circular DNAs were obtained from plasmids of Bacillus thuringiensis, genome segments of Cotesia glomerata bracovirus and polymorphic genomes of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus. PCS-LZ is a powerful tool for use in genomic analysis and mutagenesis in invertebrate pathology, and we are extending its application to include vertebrate research.

There are increasing interests in developing methods specifically detecting pathogenic Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. In order to develop a detecting method for B .xylophilus, at first we generated monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to B. xylophilus, discriminating from other pine tree resident nematodes. Among 2304 hybridoma fusions screened. We finally selected a MAb clone, 9F10 and used for further study. To identify the antigenic target of MAb-9F10, we employed several biochemical methods such as SDS-PAGE, 2 dimensional electrophoresis, anion exchange chromatography, and immunoprecipitation to separate and isolate an antigenic target. Proteins from above methods were analyzed via nano-LC-ESI-Q-IT-MS. Peptides of GaLECtin were always detected from several proteomic analyses, suggesting that GaLECtin is the antigenic target of MAb-9F10.

The present study was carried out to establish an animal model, displaying long-term learning and memory dysfunction, since single intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) causes a short-term memory impairment. Male ICR mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) containing 3% cholesterol, 1% corn oil and 0.5% cholic acid, and 1 week later, icv injected with Aβ_1-42 (5 μg/head). Learning/ memory function was assessed via passive avoidance performances 1 day and 2, 4, and 6 weeks after Aβ_1-42 injection, in addition to blood biochemical analyses for lipid profiles and hepatic function. Total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoproteins and hepatic dysfunction parameters markedly increased, while high-density lipoproteins were reduced following HCD feeding. Whereas single injection of Aβ induced temporary memory loss 1 day after administration, exhibiting full recovery after 2 weeks, Aβ treatment in combination with HCD feeding lasted the learning/memory impairment up to 6 weeks. Therefore, it is suggested that hypercholesterolemia augments Aβ-induced memory loss, and that Aβ injection plus HCD feeding could be a long-term memorydeficit model suitable for long-term treatment with drugs or stem cells.

Cytosolic Ca2+ is an important regulator of tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. Recently, the strategy of blocking receptors and channels specific to certain cancer cell types has emerged as a potentially viable future treatment. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is an aggressive form of cancer with a high metastasis rate but the receptor-mechanisms involved in Ca2+ signaling in these tumors have not yet been elucidated. In our present study, we report that bradykinin induces Ca2+ signaling and its modulation in the human oral squamous carcinoma cell line, HSC-3. Bradykinin was found to increase the cytosolic Ca2+ levels in a concentration-dependent manner. This increase was inhibited by pretreatment with the phospholipase C-β inhibitor, U73122, and also by 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an inhibitor of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. Pretreatment with extracellular ATP also inhibited the peak bradykinin-induced Ca2+ rise. In contrast, the ATP-induced rise in cytosolic Ca2+ was not affected by pretreatment with bradykinin. Pretreatment of the cells with either forskolin or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (activators of adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase C, respectively) prior to bradykinin application accelerated the recovery of cytosolic Ca2+ to baseline levels. These data suggest that bradykinin receptors are functional in Ca2+ signaling in HSC-3 cells and may therefore represent a future target in treatment strategies for human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Apolipophorin-Ⅲ (apoLp-Ⅲ) is a hemolymph protein whose function is to facilitate lipid transport in an aqueous medium in insect. Recently, apolipophorin-Ⅲ in Galleria mellonella and Hyphantria cunea was shown to play an unexpected role in insect immune activation. We show here a novel possible function/role of apoLp-Ⅲ in insects. To investigate the genes which have a relationship with apoLp-Ⅲ in fall webworm larvae, we reduction of endogenous Hc apoLp-Ⅲ mRNA levels in larvae via RNA interference (RNAi). The RNAi-mediated Hc apoLp-Ⅲ reduction resulted in the reduction of antioxidants, like MnSOD, catalase, and glutathione S transferase as well as immune proteins. In particular, expression of MnSOD commonly decreased in fat body, midgut, and hemocytes following the knockdown of Hc apoLp-Ⅲ, which induced an elevated level of superoxide anion in H. cunea larvae. The observed effect of Hc apoLp-Ⅲ RNAi suggests that Hc apoLp-Ⅲ is related to the action/expression of antioxidants.

Innate immunity responses are triggered by the immune challenge and therefore involve signaling processes. The cellular response is initiated by hemocytes and mainly involves phagocytosis and encapsulation of intruders by these cells. To address whether Hc-STAT is activated upon bacterial challenge, we examined the subcellular location of STAT protein in hemocyte by immunostaining. A new insect member of the STAT family of transcription factors (Hc-STAT) has been cloned from the lepidopteran, Hyphantria cunea. The domain involved in DNA interaction and the SH2 domain are well conserved. The gene is transcribed at a low level during all stages of development, and the protein is present in hemocytes, fat body, midgut, epidermis, and Malphigian tuble (Mt). Especially, hemocytes and Mt showed transcriptional activation of Hc-STAT upon Gram (-) bacteria and fungal challenge. Gram (-) bacteria and fungal challenge specifically results in nuclear translocation of Hc-STAT protein and induction of DNA-binding activity that recognizes a STAT target site in H. cunea hemocyte. In vitro treatment with pervanadate translocates Hc-STAT to the nucleus in hemocyte cells. Here we report the first evidence for the involvement hemocyte JAK/STAT pathway upon microbial infection in lepidopteran insect.

This study was conducted to compare the expression pattern of the specific factors associated with pregnancy and angiogenesis during early pregnancy in Hanwoo. Synchronized female Hanwoo (4～6 year‐old) were inseminated artificially. After 10 weeks after artificial insemination (AI), the pregnancy was tested by rectal palpation method. Three pregnant and non‐pregnant Hanwoo were used in this experiment, respectively. The plasma progesterone level was measured by ELISA. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of pregnancy associated glycoprotein (PAG) or angiogenic factors (VEGF, B‐FGF, ANP‐1, and TIE‐2). The plasma P4 level was increase gradually in pregnant group and maintained high level. The concentration of PAG was significantly higher from 5th weeks in pregnant group compared to that of non‐pregnant group (p<0.05). The concentrations of the VEGF (p<0.05), B‐FGF (p<0.05), and ANP‐1 (p<0.05) were significantly increased from 6th or 7th week after AI in pregnant group, respectively. And the intensity of TIE‐2, ANP‐1 receptor, was well matched with ANP‐1 (p<0.05). Taken together, it can be postulated that the blood vessels connected with fetus and dam were formed dramatically around 40 days after AI, because the expression levels of the angiogenic factors were increased significantly from this time in pregnant Hanwoo.

Metamorphosis is a development process involving the programmed cell death of obsolete larval organs. Aspartic proteinase cathepsin D (BmCatD) is involved in the silkworm Bombyx mori metamorphosis. Here we show a novel functional role of cysteine proteinase cathepsin B during B. mori metamorphosis. The B. mori cathepsin B (BmCatB) was expressed in the fat body, epidermis, ovary, testis, and hemocyte of the larval and pupal stages. The BmCatB was ecdysoneinduced, expressed in the fat body of the molting, the final larval instar and pupal stages, and its expression led to programmed cell death. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated BmCatB knock-down inhibited the programmed cell death of larval and pupal fat body, resulting in the arrest of larval-pupal transformation. BmCatB RNAi is up-regulated the expression of BmCatD. Based on these results we concluded that BmCatB is critically involved in the histolysis of the larval and pupal fat body, indicating that BmCatB and BmCatD are mutally regulated during silkworm metamorphosis.