Structural cuticular proteins (CPs) and the liner polysaccharide, chitin, are the primary components of insect cuticle or exoskeleton. A large number of insect CP family proteins are divided into several distinct subfamilies defined by the presence of specific amino acid sequence motifs. One of these subfamilies is composed of Cuticular Protein Analogous to Peritrophins (CPAPs), containing one (CPAP1s) or three (CPAP3s) type-2 chitin-binding domains. In this study, we report a novel function of TcCPAP1-C from Tribolium castaneum in movement of legs. RNAi for TcCPAP1-C at larval stage has no effect on insect molting, growth and development. However, the resulting adults exhibit impaired leg movement, in which internal tendon cuticles are ruptured near the femur-tibia joint. The exoskeletal cuticle, hemiadherens junctions, microtubule array, myotendinous junctions and muscle fibers exhibit normal morphology before the tendon breakage. These results indicate functional specialization of TcCPAP1-C in structural integrity of the internal tendon cuticle, and loss of function of TcCPAP1-C caused breakage of the tendon cuticle, resulting in defective limb movement and locomotion.

별불가사리(Asterina pectinifera Muller and Troschel)는 우리나라 전국 연안에서 흔히 볼 수 있는 토속종으로, 패류 양식장에 피해를 주는 불가사리류 중의 하나이다. 별불가사리 퇴치를 위해 대부분 건조하여 비료로 활용하고 있으며, 고부가가치 창출을 위한 다양한 연구가 진행되었으나 실제 활용은 미미한 실정이다. 따라서, 별불가사리로부터 피부 유용성분을 밝혀 새로운 활용 방안을 모색하고자 하였다. 성분연구를 통해 별불가사리로부터 2종의 polyhydroxysteroid와 1종의 saponin을 분리하였으며, 이의 구조를 각각 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,7α,8,15α,16β,26-heptol, 5α-cholestane-3β,4β,6α,7α,8,15β,16β,26-octol 및 asterosaponin P1으로 동정하였다. 이 물질들의 피부 효능을 확인한 결과 asterosaponin P1이 표피 줄기세포의 증식을 촉진시키고, 각질형성세포에서 히알루론산을 합성하는 효소인 hyaluronan synthase-2와 hyaluronan synthase-3 유전자의 발현을 증가시킴을 확인하였다. 또한, asterosaponin P1은 섬유아세포에서 진피의 주요 콜라겐인 type 1 콜라겐의 생합성을 촉진하는 효능을 보였다. 이상의 결과들로부터, 별불가사리로부터 분리한 asterosaponin P1은 노화에 동반되는 피부 증상을 개선하는 항노화 화장품 소재로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

Capsicum annuum ‘Bukang’ is a resistant variety to Cucumber mosaic virus isolate-P0 (CMV-P0), CMV-P1 can overcome the CMV resistance of ‘Bukang’ due to mutations in Helicase (Hel) domain of CMV RNA1. To identify host factors involved in CMV-P1 infection, a yeast two-hybrid system derived from C. annuum ‘Bukang’ cDNA library was used. A total of 156 potential clones interacting with the CMV-P1 RNA helicase domain were isolated. These clones were confirmed by β-galactosidase filter lift assay, PCR screening and sequence analysis. Then, we narrowed the ten candidate host genes which are related to virus infection, replication or virus movement. To elucidate functions of these candidate genes, each gene was silenced by virus induced gene silencing in Nicotiana benthamiana. The silenced plants were then inoculated with green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged CMV-P1. Virus accumulations in silenced plants were assessed by monitoring GFP fluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among ten genes, silencing of formate dehydrogenase (FDH) or calreticulin-3 (CRT3) resulted in weak GFP signals of CMV-P1 in the inoculated or upper leaves. These results suggested that FDH and CRT3 are essential for CMV infection in plants. The importance of FDH and CRT3 in CMV-P1 accumulation was also validated by the accumulation level of CMV coat protein confirmed by ELISA. Altogether, these results demonstrate that FDH and CRT3 are required for CMV-P1 infection in plants.

The removal performances of divalent heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Sr2+ and Mn2+) were studied using the Na-P1 zeolite synthesized from Jeju scoria in the batch and continuous fixed column reactor. The uptakes of heavy metal ions by synthetic Na-P1 zeolite decreased in the order of Pb2+>Cu2+>Cd2+>Sr2+>Mn2+ based on the selectivity of each ion to ionic exchange site of Na-P1 zeolite for single and mixed solutions in batch or continuous fixed column reactor. For mixed solution, each heavy metal ion uptake was lower than that in single solution, and especially the uptake for Mn2+ decreased greatly. In batch reactor, the uptakes of heavy metal ions by synthetic Na-P1 zeolite were described by Freundlich or Langmuir equation, but they followed the former better than the latter. In continuous fixed column reactor, the maximum ion exchange capacity obtained for each of heavy metal ions, was about 90% of that in batch reactor. The uptakes of heavy metal ions by synthetic Na-P1 zeolite increased with the increase of initial heavy metal concentration and solution pH, and the decrease of the amount and particle size of synthetic zeolite.

dlm allele controlling disease lesion mimic trait is useful in basic research aimed at better understanding disease hypersensitive response and programmed cell death in soybean. Inheritance between dlm trait and any morphological trait, position of dlm allele on classical linkage group, molecular marker linked to dlm allele were not reported. Two populations [T255 (lf2lf2DlmDlm) x T363 (Lf2Lf2dlmdlm), T363 (dlmdlmp1p1) x T43 (DlmDlmP1P1)] were made to find independent assortment or linkage between dlm locus and lf2 or between dlm locus and P1 locus. The segregation ratios of 3 : 1 were observed in the F2 population and the Chi-square values strongly suggested that the disease lesion mimic and seven-leaflet trait was controlled by a single recessive gene. Glabrousness trait was controlled by a single dominant gene. Segregation ratios of 48 Lf2_Dlm_: 30 Lf2_dlmdlm: 21 lf2f2Dlm_ : 8 lf2lf2dlmdlm based on F2 phenotype showed that dlm allele was inherited independently with the lf2 allele controlling seven-leaflet trait in soybean. However, more F2 plants will be needed to confirm this result. Also, segregation ratios of 137 P1_Dlm_: 46 P1_dlmdlm: 49 p1p1Dlm_ : 16 p1p1dlmdlm from F2 phenotype confirmed strongly that dlm allele was inherited independently with the P1 allele controlling glabrous trait in soybean. This results indicate that dlm allele will not located in soybean classical linkage group 2 (molecular linkage group K) and soybean classical linkage group 16. This observation will helpful to attempt to position the Dlm locus on the soybean molecular linkage map.