The transcription factor POU5F1, also known as OCT4 plays critical roles in maintaining pluripotency during early mammalian embryonic development and in embryonic stem cells. It is important to establish an OCT4 promoter region-based reporter system to study pluripotency. However, there is still a lack of information about the porcine OCT4 upstream region. To improve our understanding of the porcine OCT4 regulatory region, we identified conserved regions in the porcine OCT4 promoter upstream region by sequence-based comparative analysis using various mammalian genome sequences. The similarity of nucleotide sequences in the 5' upstream region was low among mammalian species. However, the OCT4 promoter and four regulatory regions, including distal and proximal enhancer elements, had high similarity. The putative transcription factor binding sites in the Oct4 5' upstream region nucleotide sequences from mice and pigs also differed. Some of these genes are related to pluripotency, and further research will allow us to better understand the differences in species-specific pluripotency. Next, a functional analysis of the porcine OCT4 promoter region was conducted. Luciferase reporter assay results indicated that the porcine OCT4 distal enhancer and proximal enhancer were highly activated in mouse embryonic stem cells and embryonic carcinoma cells, respectively. Similar to OCT4 upstream-based reporter systems derived from other species, the porcine OCT4 upstream region-based reporter constructs showed exclusive expression patterns depending on the state of pluripotency. This work provides basic information about the porcine OCT4 upstream region and various porcine OCT4 fluorescence reporter constructs, which can be applied to study species-specific pluripotency in early embryo development and the establishment of embryonic stem cells in pigs. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2017R1D1A1B03032256).

To identify DNA markers linked to a elytra polymorphism, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was performed on DNA samples from four each colour pattern individuals (2 females and males), for example, succinea 1, succinea 2, conspicua, and spectabilis. As a result of performing AFLP analysis with the restriction endonuclease combination EcoRⅠ and Mse I, total of 2,269 AFLP fragments which were specific to succinea, conspicua and spectabilis was identified using 24 different AFLP primer combinations. Among these 2,269 fragments, 16 bands which were the most specific to one color patterns were isolated, cloned and sequenced. Subsequent UPGMA cluster analysis revealed that population of H. axyridis was divided four major group and these genetic tree showed that H. axyridis elytra colour diversity was affected by genetic polymorphism. It is considered that these genetic analyses may be facilitated the understanding of molecular genetic mechanism related with the wing colour pattern formation in this species.

This study aimed to produce fermented soy-powder milk (FSPM) with Lactobacillus plantarum P1201 and to evaluate its anti-obesity activity. Isoflavone and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) of unfermented soy-powder milk (UFSPM) and FSPM and were analyzed via high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Their inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase were assayed. Their anti-obesity activities were evaluated on the basis of their inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells, and the expression of mRNAs associated with adipogenesis and lipid metabolism were analyzed via real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). FSPM with L. plantarum P1201 increased the isoflavone aglycones (daidzein, glycitein, and genistein) content and produced CLA in soy-powder milk (SPM), both of which possessed bio-activity. Both UFSPM and FSPM showed dose-dependent inhibitory activity for α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase. FSPM, but not UFSPM, suppressed adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells and reduced their triglyceride content by 23.1% after treatment with 1,000 μg/mL of FSPM, compared with the control group. The anti-obesity effect of FSPM can be attributed to CLA and isoflavone aglycones, which targeted CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBP-α) and down-regulated lipoprotein lipase (LPL), adiponectin, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) mRNA. Furthermore, FSPM enhanced the inhibitory activity of glucosidase and pancreatic enzymes and anti-obesity activity. Further studies are required to investigate whether the anti-obesity effect of FSPM persists in an in vivo mouse model of diet-induced obesity.

This study investigated the nutritional properties and biological activities of Ganoderma lucidum (GL). The round type of GL contained higher carbohydrate content, while the Nokgak type of GL contained higher crude ash, crude fat, and crude protein content. The most abundant amino acid, fatty acid, mineral, and soluble vitamin observed were valine (round type: 11.90 mg/g and Nokgak type: 17.18 mg/g), linoleic acid (round type: 47.56% and Nokgak type: 75.68%), potassium (round type: 116.50 mg/100 g and Nokgak type: 184.36 mg/100 g), and vitamin B3 (round type: 1.78 mg/100 g and Nokgak type: 1.81 mg/100 g), respectively. In addition, the β-glucan content were 34.15 g/100 g (round type) and 30.07 g/100 g (Nokgak type). The GL 70% ethanol extract at 40℃ showed higher radical scavenging as well as carbohydrate and lipid enzyme inhibition than other conditions. At 1 mg/mL of treatment with the 70% ethanol extract at 40℃ of round type GL, the DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase inhibition activities obtained were approximately 92.85, 99.74, 58.09, 89.68, 44.68, and 67.56%, respectively.

In this study, soy-powder yogurt (SPY) with enhanced levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and isoflavone aglycone was produced from sprouting high-protein soybeans (HPSs). The fermented steam-HPS sprouts (0 to 4 cm) were fermented (72 h) with Lactobacillus brevis, and the total free amino acids (FAAs) of the formed mixtures were determined to be 79.53, 489.93, 877.55, 780.53, and 979.97 mg/100 mL in the fermented HPS (FHPS), and the fermented steam-HPS with 0 cm (FSHPS-0), 1 cm (FSHPS-1), 2 cm (FSHPS-2), and 4 cm sprouting lengths (FSHPS-4), respectively. The levels of glutamic acid (GA) and GABA were observed to be the highest, 100.31 and 101.60 mg/100 mL, respectively, in the unfermented HPS (UFSHPS-1, 1 cm) and FSHPS-1 sprouts, respectively. Moreover, the total contents of the isoflavone glycoside form decreased proportionally to the increasing total levels of isoflavone aglycones after fermentation in FSHPS-0, FSHPS-1, FSHPS-2, and FSHPS-4. The levels of isoflavone aglycones were detected as 350.34, 289.15, 361.61, 445.05, and 491.25 μg/g in FHPS, FSHPS-0, FSHPS-1, FSHPS-2, and FSHPS-4, respectively. While FSHPS-1 exhibited the highest DPPH (63.28%) and ABTS (73.28%) radical scavenging activities, FSHPS-4 contained the highest isoflavone aglycone ratio (81.63%). All in all, the FSHPS-1 mixture prepared in this study exhibited high GABA content and functional prosperity, thereby making it suitable for potential applications in the soy-dairy industry.

In this study, contetnts of phenolic acid and isoflavone, and biological activities of soy sauce were compared the soy sauce added bitter melon powder (BMPs). After the fermentation, pHs were decreased from 5.83 (0% BMP), 5.47 (5% BMP), and 5.32 (10% BMP) to 5.28, 5.36, and 5.16 at 90 days, whereas the acidities of soy sauce were increased from 0.06%, 0.07%, and 0.09% to 0.30%, 0.28%, and 0.36% at 90 days, respectively. In addition, the salinities of soy sauce were decreased, while viable cell numbers including Bacillus and yeast were increased. The contents of total phenolic, isoflavone-aglycone, and phenolic acid and antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition activities were significantly increased for 90 days, while the isoflavone-glycoside contents were decreased. In Particular, soy sauce with 10% BMP at 90 days showed the highest contents of glutamic acid (GA, 9,876.09 mg/100 mL) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA, 325.02 mg/100 mL) contents than among other samples. Additionally, the radical scavenging activities (DPPH, ABTS, ⦁OH, and FRAP) and α-glucosidase inhibition activities of soy sauce with 10% BMP at 90 days were shown to be high 96.07%, 97.27%, 59.47%, 1.98%, and 79.96%, respectively.

Agastache rugosa, a member of the mint family (Labiatae), is a perennial herb widely distributed in East Asian countries. It is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of cholera, vomiting, and miasma. This study assessed the genetic diversity and population structures on 65 accessions of Korean mint A. rugosa germplasm based on inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. The selected nine ISSR primers produced reproducible polymorphic banding patterns. In total, 126 bands were scored; 119 (94.4%) were polymorphic. The number of bands generated per primer varied from 7 to 18. A minimum of seven bands was generated by primer 874, while a maximum of 18 bands was generated by the primer 844. Six primers (815, 826, 835, 844, 868, and 874) generated 100% polymorphic bands. This was supported by other parameters such as total gene diversity (HT) values, which ranged from 0.112 to 0.330 with a mean of 0.218. The effective number of alleles (NE) ranged from 1.174 to 1.486 with a mean value of 1.351. Nei's genetic diversity (H) mean value was 0.218, and Shannon's information index (I) mean value was 0.343. The high values for total gene diversity, effective number of alleles, Nei's genetic diversity, and Shannon's information index indicated substantial variations within the population. Cluster analysis showed characteristic grouping, which is not in accordance with their geographical affiliation. The implications of the results of this study in developing a strategy for the conservation and breeding of A. rugosa and other medicinal plant germplasm are discussed.

"Chugang" as a new double cropping potato variety for table use was bred in 2003 from a cross between H83005-2 with short dormancy and "Superior" with common scab resistance. It had been evaluated for short dormancy, growth adaptability and tuber characteristics every twice a year from 1990 to 1999. Regional yield trials had been performed from 2000 to 2002 at three locations, Jeju, Namhae and Gangneung of Korea, respectively. It has round oblong tuber shape with yellow skin and white flesh color. Its tuber dormant periods is approximately 50~60 days. It showed less physiological disorders such as cracking or knobs, and more tolerant to environmental stresses such as plant death by flooding and damages by frost or severe wind compared to "Dejima". Average yields of "Chugang" are 34.6 and 31.1 ton/ha at 90 days after planting in spring and autumn cropping, respectively. It is more resistant to common scab and less susceptible to late blight (phythophthora infestans) compared to "Dejima". However, it is susceptible to potato virus Y (PVY) and andean mosaic virus (AMV).

Lately, the autumn cropping areas of potato have been steadily increased to supply fresh potatoes all year round in Korea. Although "Dejima" is a main cultivar for autumn cropping, it is very susceptible to common scab (Streptomyces scabies) and show high frequency of physiological disorders such as knobs and cracking on tubers. "Chudong" was bred in 2002 for fresh table use from a cross between H83520-3 with short tuber dormancy and "Superior" with common scab resistance. It has attractive, round tuber shape with white skin and flesh colors. Its tuber dormant periods is 5 days longer than 65 days of "Dejima". Its average yields were 32.4 and 21.8 ton/ha at 90 days after planting in spring and autumn cropping of regional yield trials, respectively. It is more resistant to common scab and potato leaf roll virus and less susceptible to late blight (Phythophthora infestans) compared to "Dejima". However, it is susceptible to potato virus Y.