The identification of biomarkers of a living tissues is essentially required to understand specific functions of the cells. In previous study, we reported IGFBP 3 as one of the putative biomarkers, by showing specific expression at porcine spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) of early stage of porcine testis. In this study, we analyzed the expression of seven members of IGFBP family (IGFBPs) in SSCs and histological expression pattern of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), which plays a role on the growth promoting enzyme by cleavage of IGFBPs in testis of 5 days old pig. RT-PCR analysis showed that IGFBP 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 were expressed at high level specifically in porcine SSCs compared with whole testis. We performed immunohisotochemical staining of testis sections with PAPP-A and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) which are the known biomarkers for SSCs. We were not able to find co-expression of PAPP-A and PGP9.5; PAPP-A was expressed only in Sertoli cells and PGP9.5 expression was confirmed in spermatogonium. Additionally, we were able to confirm the GATA4 expression in Sertoli and Leydig cells as a regulator of Sertoli cell function was not detected PGP9.5 expressing cells, indicating indirect evidence of that cytolocalization of PAPP-A expression is limited in Sertoli cells. These results suggested that the PAPP-A expressed in Sertoli cells may play role on regulation of development and differentiation of testicular cells through the IGF axis in neonatal porcine testis.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum is a major disease problem on wheat and barley in Korea. The objectives of this study were to evaluation of korean wheat cultivars for Type I and Type II resistance to FHB. We screened for Type II resistance in the greenhouse using single floret inoculation and for Type I resistance in the field using spray inoculation. Sumai 3 was used the FHB resistant check. Thirty-two korean wheat cultivars were evaluated for resistance to spread of symptoms within spike. The 2013 field screening with wheat cultivar was located in Kimjae-si Joeonbuk Korea. All plots were inoculated twice. Mist-irrigation was applied to facilitate FHB development. FHB severity was assessed visually 21 days after inoculation on 20 arbitrarily selected spikes per plot. FHB severity was determined as the percentage of symptomatic spikelets from the total of all spikelets. For FHB resistance, the average of FHB severity of Type I exhibited ranging from 21.9% to 77.2% and FHB severity of Type II ranging from 20.8% to 100%. Namhae, Milseong, Geuru, Joen, Anbaek and Sukang were the moderately resistant cultivars while Gobun, Alchan, Dajoong, Eunpa, Shinmichal1, Eunpa and Uri were the most susceptible cultivars for Type II resistance.

Allelic variations in glutenin and puroindolines of 26 Korean wheat cultivars were evaluated to determine their effects on the physicochemical properties of flour and quality of white salted noodles. Cultivars carrying Pina-D1b and Pinb-D1b exhibited a coarser particle size of wheat flour and a higher ash and damaged starch content than those with Pina-D1a and Pinb-D1a. Glu-B1b, Glu-D1f, Glu-B3d and Pina-D1a alleles exhibited lower protein content than other alleles. Glu-A1c, Glu-B1b, Glu-D1f Glu-B3d, Glu-B3i and Pinb-D1b alleles appeared to be related to a lower SDS-sedimentation volume than other alleles. In dough rheological properties, Glu-A1a and Glu-D1d alleles showed a longer mixing time on the mixograph and maximum dough height but Glu-A3e and Glu-B3i alleles had a lower mixing time on the mixograph and a lower maximum dough height than other alleles at Glu-1 and Glu-3 loci. Regarding the quality of white salt noodles, about 10% of the variations in the hardness of cooked noodles were explained by Glu-A1 and Glu-B3 loci. Hardness rankings of cooked noodles were Glu-A1a > Glu-A1c > Glu-A1c at the Glu-A1 locus. Glu-B3h showed higher cooked noodle hardness (5.10 N) than other alleles at the Glu-B3 locus (< 4.66 N).