Food and agricultural production sector, especially livestock production is vital for Mongolia’s economic and social development. Domestic sheep play key roles for Mongolians, providing food (meat, milk) and raw materials (wool, sheepskin), but genetic diversity, origin of sheep populations in Mongolia have not been well studied. Studies of population genetic diversity is important research field in conservation and restoration of animal breeds and genetic resources. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate genetic characteristics and estimate origin through the analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region D-loop and Cytochrome b of Mongolian indigenous sheep (Mongolian native, Orkhon and Altanbulag) and one Europe sheep (Suffolk). As a result of there were found, 220 SNPs (Single nucleotide polymorphism) in the D-loop region, 28 SNPs in the Cytochrome B region, furthermore, 77 Haplotypes. The nucleotide diversity was only found in D-loop region (n = 0.0184). Phylogenetic analysis showed that 3 (A, B, and C) of 5 haplogroups of sheep have been identified in our research. Haplogroup C was only found in Mongolian indigenous sheep. Haplogroup D and E were not observed. As a result of haplogroups, haplogroup A was dominant (n = 46 of 94 sheeps), followed by haplogroup B (n = 36) and haplogroup C (n = 12). Sequence analysis showed that T deletion, insertion and heteroplasmy in D-loop region occurred at a high rate in Mongolian indigenous sheep population (T insertion = 47, T deletion = 83). The heteroplasmy, which has never been found in Mongolian sheep, has been newly discovered in this study. As a result, the Mongolian sheep varieties, which mainly derived from Asia, were in hybridization with European sheep varieties.

In this study, we developed 11 microsatellite markers specific to A. crataegi using NGS to investigate the genetic relationships of A. crataegi populations from South Korea to circumferential Asian countries (China, Russia, Mongolia, and Japan). Further, two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene segments (COI and CytB) were sequenced from the samples. The population- and individual-based Principal Coordinates and STRUCTURE analyses collectively suggested that the South Korean population of A. crataegi is most differentiated from the Japanese population, whereas it was closer to Mongolian and Chinese populations. These results collectively suggest that northern populations, in particular, Mongolian populations can be considered as the most genetically compatible one as donee population, when the reintroduction program is launched. †These authors contributed equally to this paper.

The black-veined white, Aporia crataegi (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), which is distributed mainly in Eastern Asia is presumed to be extinct in South Korea, only with some numbers of dried specimens left, whereas the species is found casually in circumferential countries. One of the common conservation practices for such species is to launch introduction program, but prior population genetic analysis between donor and donee populations might be essential for long-term conservation. In this study, we developed 11 microsatellite markers specific to A. crataegi using Illumina paired-end sequencing to investigate the genetic relationships of A. crataegi populations from South Korea and circumferential Asian countries (China, Russia, Mongolia, and Japan). Further, two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene segments (COI and CytB) were sequenced from the samples. The population- and individual-based Principal Coordinates and STRUCTURE analyses collectively suggested that the South Korean population of A. crataegi is most differentiated from the Japanese population, whereas it was closer to Mongolian and Chinese populations. The STRUCTURE analysis based on two concatenated mtDNA gene sequences also supported different genetic composition of Japanese population from the remaining populations including that of South Korea and rather similar genetic composition between the populations of South Korea and Mongolia. These results collectively suggest that northern populations, in particular, Mongolian populations can be considered as the most genetically compatible one as doner population, when reintroduction program is launched.

The yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), invaded into South Korea in 2003. Currently, V. velutina is distributed throughout South Korean regions,. A genetic trait of invasive species provides important data for environmental risk assessment. In this study, we analysed the genetic variation of the V. velutina among the populations of South Korea and other foreign countries using partial sequences of mitochondrial COI, CytB and 16S rRNA. We further developed intergenic spacers (IGS2 and IGS3) to detect genetic variation among Korean populations. Each single haplotype was recovered from the domestic V. velutina from each coding gene sequence. Korean individuals shared the haplotype with that of Japan and China. Phylogenetic analysis (excluding 16S rRNA) using available sequences and ours showed the presence of two groups: the Indonesia and Malaysia group and another group (Korea, Japan, China, France, Vietnam and Thailand). The newly developed IGS2 and IGS3 markers resulted in each seven and four haplotypes, providing better resolution than coding gene sequences. Analysis of Molecular Variance using the combined sequences of IGS2 and IGS3 showed that the majority of variance was allocated to each population and only minority of variance is allocated to among-populations. This result may indicate that the V. v. nigrithorax invaded in Korea shows a single panmictic population and this possibly suggest that Korean population may have originated from small founder individuals.

국내 판매되고 있는 사슴벌레종[넓적사슴벌레(Dorcus titanus), 참넓적사슴벌레(Serrognathus consentaneus), 남방넓적사슴벌레(D. titanus jejuensis, 가칭), 애사슴벌레(D. rectus) 및 왕사슴벌레(D. hopei)]과 부산 지역에서 채집한 넓적사슴벌레 12개체와 경남 의령군에서 채집한 1개체의 미토콘드리아 DNA 중 cytochrome oxidase I(COI) 를 이용하여 계통을 비교분석하였다. 아울러 NCBI에 기등록된 북한, 일본, 대만, 필리핀, 인도네시아 및 태국의 넓적사슴벌레의 COI 서열을 이용하여 추가 분석하였다. 먼저 판매되고 있는 사슴벌레종은 넓적사슴벌레, 남방넓적사슴벌레 및 참넓적사슴벌레의 group I과 애사슴벌레 및 왕사슴벌레의 group II로 구분되었다. 부산지역 및 의령에서 채집한 넓적사슴벌레의 경우 COI 및 COII로 분석 결과 북한에서 기보고 된 3개체를 포함해 유전적 변이에 있어 큰 차이가 나타내지 않았다. 또한 한반도와 일본 일부지역에서 높은 상동성을 확인하였는데 그 외 아시아 지역에 서식하는 넓적사슴벌레와는 다른 그룹을 형성함을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과들은 국내 서식 사슴벌레 종의 유전적 분석과 함께 외래 유입종을 판별하는 근거자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

본 연구는 국내에서 생산되거나 해외에서 수입되어 국내에서 유통되는 수산물 중에서 두족류를 문어류, 낙지류, 오징어류, 주꾸미류, 꼴뚜기류의 5개 그룹으로 구분하여 분석하였다. 두족류 5개 그룹을 판별을 하기 위해 미토콘드리아에 존재하는 유전자를 분석하였고, 그 중에서 COI (mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I), 16s rRNA (16s ribosomal RNA), 12s rRNA (12s ribosomal RNA) 내에서 상당히 유사한 DNA 서열 부분과 일부 서열 변화 부분이 확인되었다. 명확하게 두족류 5개 그룹 판별을 하기 위해 COI, 16s rRNA, 12s rRNA 유전자의 일부 서열 변화 부분에서 그룹 특이적 프라이머 세트를 디자인하였다. 국내·외에서 확보한 두족류 시료(참문어, 낙지, 살오징어, 아메리카 대왕오징어, 갑오징어, 주꾸미, 모래주꾸미, 하이야주꾸미, 참꼴뚜기, 창꼴뚜기, 한치꼴뚜기)의 genomic DNA을 추출하여 각 그룹의 특이적 프라이머를 이용하여 SYBR 기반의 real-time PCR 시스템에 의해 분석되었고, threshold cycle (Ct) value와 같은 real-time PCR 결과 분석에 의해 두족류 내 그룹 판별이 가능하였다(Table 3).

A colony of Solenopsis invicta was first intercepted on Gamman pier, Pusan port in Korea at September, 2017 by Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. The mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA) of workers was analyzed and compared with vary libraries of mt-DNA haplotypes to elucidate the origin of the introduced colony with the trade pattern of the Gamman pier. The mt-DNA fragment of 768 bp, which is part of the Cytochrome oxidae I gene, was amplified and sequenced. The results showed that the mt-DNA was in the clade of haplotype 5, which is endemic in southern USA, China, Taiwan, and Australia. More than 60% of containers are imported from China into Gamman pier, it may be possible to assume that the colony was inadvertently invaded through containers from China.

Previously, a partial mitochondrial COI and CytB gene sequences have been used to infer genetic diversity and gene flow of the species. In this study, we additionally collected C. tripartitus from one previous and two new localities, sequenced the COI and CytB genes. Sequence divergence of current samples showed slightly lower values, but nearly equivalent to previous study. Haplotype diversity was still high and nucleotide diversity indicating that Seogwi-dong showed the highest estimates in both gene sequences. Gene flow among populations is high, but a significance difference was detected between Gulupdo and Anmado; and between Gulupdo and Seogwi-dong only in COI sequences (P < 0.05). Considering the high genetic diversity and gene flow in C. tripartitus populations, one of the major issues regarding conservation seems not to be the recovery of genetic diversity as has been suggested before.

The Japanese oak silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai Guérin-Méneville 1861 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), is one of the important natural resources possessing industrial value for silk fiber production. In this study, ten microsatellite markers and two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene sequences (COI and ND4) were used to investigate the genetic variation and geographic structure of A. yamamai populations in South Korea. Two mtDNA gene sequences revealed very low total genetic variation and resultant low geographic variation, validating to use further variable molecular markers. Population-based FIS, FST, RST, and global Mantel test consistently support that A. yamamai populations are overall well interconnected with a relatively high gene flow. Nevertheless, STRUCTURE analysis using microsatellite data and mtDNA sequences coincidently indicate the presence of two genetic pools in many populations.