Currently, only limited number of mitochondrial genomes (mitogenome) is available from Odonata. In order to extend current mitogenome data for comparative biology and phylogeny we sequenced complete mitogenomes of two endangered dragonfly species, Libellula angelina and Nannophya pygmaea (Ododana: Libellulidae). The whole genomes were 15,233 bp in L. angelina and 15,112 bp in N. pygmaea and included a typical set of genes (13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes) and one major non-coding A+T-rich region. The arrangement of the genomes was identical to typical one found in insects. Phylogenetic reconstruction using concatenated sequences of 13 PCGs and two rRNAs of Odonata (17 species in eight families in three suborders) using both Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods have shown a strong support for monophyletic Zygoptera (BI, BPP = 1 and ML, 100%). Currently, further scrutinized analysis is under progress.

The number of reported mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from the monotypic Lasiocampoidea has been limited until recently. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of the lappet moth, Kunugia undans (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), and compared it to those of other lasiocampid species and macroheteroceran superfamilies (59 species in six superfamilies). The 15,570-bp long K. undans genome had the typical set of genes found in animal mitogenomes, with the exception of one additional trnR that are located between trnA and trnN loci. Considering that the two trnR copies are located in tandem with proper secondary structures and identical anticodons, a gene duplication event might be responsible for the presence of the two tRNAs. In summary, the general mitogenome characteristics of Lasiocampoidea did not differ greatly from the remaining macroheteroceran superfamilies, but it did exhibit some unique features.

The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an economically damaging pest that feeds on most thin-skinned fruits. In this study, we sequenced portions of the mitochondrial (mt) COI and ND4 genes from a total of 195 individuals collected mainly from Korea. A total of 139 haplotypes were obtained from the concatenated COI and ND4 sequences. A dataset combining GenBank sequences with our own data identified a total of 94 worldwide COI haplotypes with a maximum sequence divergence of 5.433% (32 bp). A rough estimate of genetic diversity in each country showed higher diversity in ancestral distributional ranges, but the invasion over Asian countries seems to have been substantial because haplotype diversity was only 2.35-3.97-fold lower in the USA, Canada, and Italy than that in the populations ancestral ranges.

Currently, phylogenetic relationships of Macroheterocera with the inclusion of Bombycoidea have been reconstructed using molecular data, but generated several hypotheses on familial relationships within Bombycoidea and among-superfamilial relationships within Macroheterocera. Thus, in this study, mitogenome-based superfamilial relationships of Macroheterocera and familial relationships among macroheteroceran superfamily, Bombycoidea, were tested with different algorithms and partition schemes. Additionally, two unrecorded species of Bombycoidea (Saturnia jonasii and Kentrochrysalis streckeri) detected in Korea using morphological and molecular data are presented.

Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide that is purified from brown algae, such as Fucus vesiculosus. This compound has multiple biological activities including immune-stimulating, and anti-viral activities. We recently demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of fucoidan can be dependent on the batch of its production and its molecular weight. In a previous study, fucoidan B exerted cytotoxicity toward mouse spleen cells. To confirm the biological activity of Fucoidan B, we cultured HL-60 cells, a human leukemia cell line, and treated then with fucoidan. The metabolic activity of the HL-60 cells decreased in response to treatment by fucoidan. Moreover, the morphology of HL-60 treated by fucoidan changed. To investigate the fucoidan’s effects, we analyzed the size and level of Annexin V/propidium iodide staining of HL-60 cells using a flow cytometer. Fucoidan consistently induced cell death, including apoptosis of HL-60 cells. As potential mechanisms, fucoidan destabilized the mitochondrial membrane potential and altered the production of reactive oxygen species in HL-60 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that fucoidan has anti-tumor activity on HL-60 cells via destabilization of mitochondrial membrane potential. The present study demonstrates that fucoidan can be used as an anti-cancer agent for leukemia.

We sequenced complete mitochondrial genomes (mt genomes) of four Apis species, such as A. cerana, A. dorsata, A. laboriosa, and A. mellifera ligustica. The A. m. ligustica used in this study was originated from United States and selected for a high hygienic behavior during several years of breeding program. Considering current phylogenetic hypothesis of Apis the positive relationships between phylogeny and gene rearrangement was not supported. Phylogenetic reconstruction using available Apoidea species has shown the relationships ((Apidae + Colletidae) + Crabronidae). Within Apis, a strong support for three groups was obtained: A. florea and A. andreniformis as a basal group to the other A. cerana and A. mellifera group and A. dorsata and A. laboriosa group. The test to find out suitable single mt gene for the phylogeny at the genus level and below-genus level of Apis provided an identical topology from ND4L and ND6 in the ML analysis and ND3 and NF4L in the BI analysis to that from whole mt genome, with relatively strong support, indicating that these individual genes can potentially be utilized for within-species level phylogeny of Apis.

In order to understand evolutionary characteristics of gene rearrangement in Lepidoptera, we collected all available complete mitogenome (mitogenome) sequences registered in GenBank (274 mitogenomes from 44 families in 23 superfamilies as of August 6, 2015). It turned up six rearrangements that differ from the arrangement of ancestral insects, including that of the gelechioid Mesophleps albilinella that we sequenced in this study. The M. albilinella mitogenome has a unique gene arrangement among the Gelechioidea: ARNESF (the underline signifies an inverted gene) at the ND3 and ND5 junction, as opposed to the ARNSEF that is found in ancestral insects. Most of the rearrangements can be explained by the tandem duplication-random loss model, but inversion, which requires recombination, is also found in two cases, including M. albilinella. Excluding the MIQ rearrangement at the A+T-rich region and ND2 junction, which is found in nearly all Ditrysia, most of the remaining rearrangements found in Lepidoptera appear to be independently derived in that they are automorphic at several taxonomic scales. Current mitogenomic data are limited, particularly for congeneric data. Thus, future research focused on congenerics could clarify evolutionary independency at the generic level also.

The spotted-wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an Asian species introduced into North America and Europe. It damages a wide variety of thin-skinned fruits. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of D. suzukii to better understand the mitogenomic characteristics of this species and understand phylogentic relationships of Drosophila. The 16,230-bp complete mitogenome of the species consists of a typical set of genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes, and one major non-coding A+T-rich region, with an arrangement typical of insects. Twelve PCGs began with the typical ATN codon, whereas the COI began with TCG, which has been designated as the start codon for other Drosophila species. The 1,525-bp A+T-rich region is the second longest in Drosophila species for which the whole mitogenome has been sequenced, after D. melanogaster. Phylogenetic analysis with the 13 PCGs of the Drosophila species using Bayesian Inference and Maximum likelihood methods both placed D. suzukii at the basal lineage of the previously defined Melanogaster group, with a strong support.

The Gelechioidea is the second most species-rich group of Lepidoptera, but only limited number of mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences is available. Thus, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of a gelechioid Hieromantis kurokoi (Lepidoptera: Stathmopodidae) to use the data for future study for the higher phylogeny of Ditrysia in Lepidoptera. The arrangement of the genome was identical to typical one found in Ditrysia (trnM-trnI-trnQ) (underline for inverted gene). The COI began with CGA, which has been designated as the start codon for majority of lepidopteran species, whereas other protein-coding genes (PCGs) began with the typical ATN codon. The 360-bp long A+T-rich region harbored the conserved sequence blocks Phylogenetic analysis using the 13 PCGs both by Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum-likelihood (ML) methods indicated that H. kurokoi belonging to the family Stathmopodidae grouped together with within-familial species Atrijuglans hetaohei with the highest nodal support (BI, 1.0; ML, 100%).

The soft scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae) are plant-sucking insects, some of which are considered as serious agricultural pests. Here, we performed phylogenetic analysis of Coccidae, based on molecular fragments 1813bp containing mitochondrial DNA (COI), nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S and 28S), and elongation factor 1α (EF1-α). Data sets of 64 taxa were analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI). Our molecular analyses represent: 1) Monophyletic clade of Ceroplastinae is nested within the major clade of Coccinae; 2) Four tribes of Coccinae are paraphyletic, especially Megapulvinaria and Paralecanium not clustered within the major clade of Coccinae; 3) Didesmococcus is separated from the clade of Eulecaniinae; 4) Filippiinae and Cardiococcinae are paraphyletic with respect to some of Coccinae and Eulecaniinae.

In this study, we tested the effect of a range of insect orders including Trichoptera as outgroups for lepidopteran phylogeny. Phylogenetic analyses performed with four different partitioning schemes using the maximum-likelihood method provided four different topologies (T1-T4) and topological test most supported T1 topology. When the means of first principle component for nucleotide frequency between A/T and G/C of PCGs was considered Trichoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Orthoptera tended to result in T1 topology more frequently in the given ingroup taxa and outgroups tested. This result contradicts to the general view that the sister taxon might be the best outgroup. The T1 topology was largely consistent with a recent large molecular dataset-based lepidopteran phylogeney, presenting the relationships ((((((((((Noctuoidea + Geometroidea) + (Bombycoidea + Lasiocampoidea)) + Drepanoidea) + Mimallonoidea) + Pyraloidea) + Gelechioidea) + Papilionoidea) + Tortricoidea) + (Gracillaroidea + Yponomeutoidea)) + Hepialoidea).

남생이(Mauremys reecesii)는 파충강(Reptilia) 거북목 (Testudines) 남생이과(Geoemydidae)에 속하며, 오염되지 않은 일부 하천, 강이나 호수 등 유속이 느린 담수에 서식한 다. 국내에서는 제주도를 비롯한 도서지방을 제외한 한반도 전역에 서식하며, 국외에는 일본, 중국, 타이완에 분포한다. 경제개발 위주의 사회변화에 따른 극심한 환경오염, 인간에 의한 생태계 파괴, 남획, 기후변화에 따른 서식지 소실 등의 이유로 남생이의 개체수가 급격히 감소하고 있어 천연기념 물 제 453호와 환경부 멸종위기 야생생물 II급으로 지정되 어 보호되고 있다. 국제적으로는 IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature)의 적색목록에 등재되었고, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)의 부속서 III에 포함되어 국제거래를 규제하고 있지만, 아직도 불법적으로 거래가 많 이 이루어지고 있는 실정이다. 지금까지 남생이의 분포현황 및 서식처 복원 등 남생이의 증식・복원을 위한 다양한 연구 들이 진행되었고, 교잡종, 종 식별, 계통진화학적 기원 등 분 자 수준의 연구가 이루어졌다. 그러나 아직까지 한국에 서식 하는 남생이 집단과 중국 남생이 집단과의 분자유전학적 연 관성에 대해 명확하게 밝혀진 예는 없는 실정이다. 본 연구는 남생이 미토콘드리아 DNA (mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA) cytochrome b(CYTB) 유전자를 이용하여 한국 남생이 집단 과 중국 남생이 집단의 mtDNA 다형성과 계통구조를 비교 하고, 동아시아 집단들과의 계통 유연관계를 밝히기 위하여 수행하였다. 남생이의 꼬리, 등갑, 혈액 등에서 genomic DNA를 추출하였고, CYTB 유전자 서열을 분석하였다. 남 생이 집단의 계통 유연관계를 확인하기 위해 기존에 해외에 서 보고된 남생이의 CYTB 서열도 분석에 이용하였다. 한국 남생이 집단(n=47)의 haplotype을 분석한 결과, 총 6가지 haplotype (Kor01-Kor06)으로 구분되었고, 대부분 Kor01 (n=19)과 Kor03 (n=23) haplotype에 포함되었다. 중국 남 생이 집단(n=40)도 6가지 haplotype (Chi01- Chi06)으로 나 뉘며, 30개체의 CYTB 서열이 Chi01에서 발견되었다. 한국 과 중국의 남생이들을 모두 함께 분석한 결과에서 CYTB 유전자 서열(n=87)은 7가지 haplotype (KChi01-KChi07) 으로 구분되었고, KChi01 (n=53)과 KChi03 (n=23)에서 많 은 개체들이 포함되었다. 동아시아 남생이의 CYTB 유전자 서열(n=226) 전체는 총 6가지 hapotype (Hap01-Hap06)으 로 구분되었다. 한국, 중국, 일본의 남생이 집단에서는 각각 4개의 haplotype이 있었으며, 대만 집단에서는 3개의 haplotype이 확인되었다. 중국 남생이 집단은 Hap01, Hap02, Hap04, Hap05에 포함되었고, Hap01이 85.0% (n=34)의 높은 빈도를 보였다. 한국 남생이 집단은 Hap01, Hap03, Hap04, Hap05에 포함되었고, Hap03에서 51.0% (n=24)로 높은 빈도를 보였다. 동아시아 남생이 집단의 CYTB 서열들 간의 유전적 거리지수는 0.0009-0.0212 사이 에 있는 것으로 나타났다. 동아시아 남생이 집단에서 발견 된 6가지 haplotype 중에서 한국 남생이의 CYTB 서열만으 로 구성된 haplotype은 확인되지 않았다. 반면, 한국의 남생 이가 다수 포함된 Hap03에서 중국 남생이의 CYTB 서열이 전혀 발견되지 않은 점은 한국 집단과 중국 집단이 지리적 으로 격리되어 진화한 결과로 추정되며, 현생 남생이에 대 한 한국 고유 집단과 중국 고유 집단을 나누는 기준이 될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 동아시아 남생이 집단에서 발견 된 mtDNA CYTB 서열의 haplotype들과 근연종의 CYTB 서열의 NJ tree 분지 양상에서, 동아시아 남생이 집단의 6개 의 haplotype들은 Hap04와 Hap05를 포함하는 하나의 cluster(A1)와 Hap01, Hap02, Hap03, Hap06을 포함하는 또 다른 cluster (A2)로 구분되었다. A2 cluster는 동아시아 남생이 집단의 대부분의 서열(n=215)을 포함하여 95.1%의 높은 빈도를 보였다. 동아시아 남생이 집단의 haplotype의 분포를 살펴보면, 전체적으로 국가별 남생이들이 서로 혼재 되는 경향을 보이지만, 각 국가별로 다수의 서열을 포함하 는 haplotype은 서로 구분되는 양상을 나타내었고, 남생이 집단의 6개의 haplotype들은 계통수 상에서 모두 단계통적 인 양상을 보이는 것으로 보아, 하나의 선조집단에서 진화 한 집단들로 판단되며, 추가적인 이동과 지리적인 격리 이 후 지역 내 진화과정을 거친 것으로 추정된다. 결과적으로 현재 한국의 남생이 집단은 우리나라 고유집단으로 추정되 는 것과 외부에서 유입된 것으로 추정되는 집단이 공존하고 있다고 판단된다. 한국을 비롯한 동아시아 남생이 집단의 mtDNA CYTB 유전자 서열을 토대로 유전적 다양성 및 계 통 유연관계를 분석한 결과 동아시아 남생이 집단은 진화과 정을 통해 유전적으로 모계가 다양한 개체가 서식하고 있다 고 판단된다. 비록 분석에 이용한 서열이 일부 지역에 편중 되어 있다는 한계가 있지만, 이번 연구에서 분석한 유전자 서열과 유전적 다양성 및 계통 유연관계는 향후 남생이의 보존 및 유전적 특성을 이용한 모계 분석 등에 유용한 정보 를 제공할 것이라 생각된다. 다양한 서식지에서 수집된 충 분한 수의 남생이를 대상으로 mtDNA의 다른 유전자 서열 이나 핵 DNA marker 등을 이용한 추가적인 분석이 이루어 진다면, 한국, 중국, 대만, 일본 등 동아시아 남생이의 모계 유전 및 계통 유연관계를 보다 명확히 해석할 수 있을 것으 로 기대된다.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of taurine and vitamin E on sperm characteristics damaged by bromopropane (BP) in pig. We evaluated toxicity of BP on viability, membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity of spermatozoa. 1-BP (0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, and 50 μM), 2-BP (0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, and 50 μM), taurine (0, 5.0, 10, and 25 μM) and vitamin E (0, 50, 100, and 200 μM) were treated in fresh boar semen for 6 h. 10 and 50 μM of 1-BP and 2-BP inhibited sperm viability, membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity in fresh boar semen (P<0.05). 25 μM of taurine increased sperm viability and membrane integrity (P<0.05), 100 μM of vitamin E enhanced viability and mitochondrial activity of sperm (P<0.05). Finally, 10 μM of 1-BP and 2-BP was co-treated with taurine (25 μM) and vitamin E (100 μM) in the fresh boar semen. The co-treated samples did affected viability, membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity of sperm. In conclusion, taurine and vitamin E can improve and maintain sperm quality in fresh boar semen.

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Camponotus atrox (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that is distributed only in Korea. This genome is 16,540 bp in size, contains typical sets of genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs). The C. atrox A+T-rich region is the longest in the sequenced ants as 1,402 bp and is comprised of an identical tandem repeat consisting of six 100-bp copies and one 96-bp copy. A total of 315 bp of intergenic-spacer sequences were spread over 23 regions. An attempt to align spacer sequences in ants turned out that alignment was mostly feasible among congeneric species, with a substantial sequence divergence, indicating the potential of these sequences as congeneric molecular markers. The A/T content in first and second codon positions of PCGs are similar in ants including C. atrox (73.9 vs. 72.3% on average). Estimation of degree of genetic divergence (e.g. non-synonymous substitution rate) with an increased taxon sampling among hymenopteran superfamilies indicated the presence of different rates of divergence between the suborders Symphyta and Apocrita as has previously been reported. The C. atrox mt genome has a unique gene arrangement, trnI-trnM-trnQ at the A+T-rich region and ND2 junction (underline for inverted gene), possibly originated from tandem duplication of trnM-trnI, resulting in trnM-trnI-trnM-trnI-trnQ and loss of first trnM and second trnI, resulting in trnI-trnM-trnQ.