Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) functions as an apoptotic adapter in mammals, recruiting caspases for death-inducing signaling complexes, while in lower animals, it interacts with IMD and DREDD to initiate antimicrobial responses. In this study, we examined the T. molitor FADD sequence (TmFADD) using molecular informatics methods to understand its involvement in the host's immune response against microorganisms. Knocking down TmFADD transcripts resulted in increased susceptibility of T. molitor larvae to E. coli, underscoring the significance of FADD in insect defense mechanisms and providing valuable insights into insect immunity.

국내에서 유통되는 한약재 오공(蜈蚣)의 정·위품 유통 현황 파악과 유전자 감별법 개발을 위해 서로 다른 6개 유통사에서 오공으로 판매중인 전형약재를 구매하여 각 약재 포장 단위별 크기, 색깔, 무늬 등 형태적으로 차이가 있는 개체를 분류하여 국내에서 채집된 왕지네 표본 2개체를 포함 총 30개 시료를 대상으로 DNA 바코드 분석을 실시하였다. 확보한 미토콘드리아 COI 염기서열 정보와 기 등재된 NCBI GenBank 염기서열 정보를 이용하여 계통 분석을 실시한 결과, 28개 약재 시료 중 국산 및 중국산 전형약재 유통품 13 개체는 모두 대한민국약전외한약 (생약)규격집에 정품 기원종으로 수재된 Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans로 확인되었으며, 이들은 국내 채집 왕지네 개체들과 함께 하나의 단계통군을 형성하였다. 하지만 인도네시아산 전형약재 유통품 15 개체의 경우 4개의 그룹으로 구분되었는데, 그 중 3개 그룹은 S. dehaani, S. subspinipes, 그리고 명확한 종을 알 수 없는 Scolopendra sp.로 Scolopendra 속으로 확인되었고 나머지 그룹을 형성하는 한 개체는 Scolopendra 속에 속하지 않고 Rhysida singaporiensis와 89%의 유사도를 보였다. COI 바코드 분석을 통해 국내 유통되는 오공은 원산지가 한국 또는 중국인 경우 모두 정품 기원종으로 확인되었으며, 원산지가 인도네시아인 경우에는 모두 위품인 것으 로 확인되었다. 또한 위품으로 확인된 유통약재는 총 4개의 종으로 분류되었고, 대부분은 정품인 Scolopendra속 의 분류군이었으며 Rhysida속과 가까운 분류군도 오공으로 수입되어 유통되고 있는 것으로 확인되었다.

Mycoviruses are a group of viruses that infect filamentous fungi. While most hosts infected with mycoviruses do not show any symptoms. In some cases, mycoviruses induce various phenotypic changes include alterations in morphology, drug resistance, pathogenicity, virulence, sporulation, and growth. Entomopathogenic fungi are one of the integrated pest management agents as an alternative to conventional insecticides. Mycoviruses have the potential as supportive agents, enhancing the efficiency of the insecticidal activity of the fungi. Studies about mycoviruses themselves and their interaction with their hosts, especially entomopathogenic fungi, are needed to realize their full potential. In this work, the sequence of the dsRNA element isolated from the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium pinghaense 4-2 strain was determined. Through this study, we report the sequence of a dsRNA virus isolated from the Metarhizium pinghaense for the first time. In further studies, the ORF of the mycovirus that induces a phenotype change in the host will be researched.

The recent increase in the occurrence of common bed bug and tropical bed bug in shared areas highlights the need for rapid species identification at infestation sites, which is crucial for implementing targeted control measures due to differences in genetic and physiological traits. In this study, molecular diagnostic methods were developed using species-specific ITS2 sequences. Both multiplex PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) protocols with a DNA release method successfully distinguished between the two bed bug species regardless of developmental stages in 0.5~2.5 hours, even with dead specimens. Especially, LAMP's simplicity and speed make it applicable for rapid and accurate bed bug diagnosis at infestation sites.

Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera: Ensifera), commonly known as cave crickets, are a wingless family and considered the most ancient lineage within Tettigoniidea. However, previous molecular phylogenetic studies and morphological hypotheses have shown inconsistencies. Although their fossils have been found in Baltic amber, their systematic placement remains unrevealed. This study reconstructed a comprehensive phylogeny integrating both extant and fossil lineages. Initially, we revealed relationships within extant lineages through molecular phylogenetics including all extant subfamilies for the first time. Subsequently, using a cladistic approach based on morphology, we confirmed the systematic position of fossil taxa †Protroglophilinae with a report of a new species. Integrating molecular and morphological phylogeney by total evidence tip-dating, we present the comprehensive phylogeny of Rhaphidophoridae considering both extant and fossil groups.

Western drywood termite, Incisitermes minor, is distributed southwestern USA and northern Mexico. Invasions had been reported to Canada, China, Hawaii and Japan. Incisitermes minor may be introduced through wooden structures. In California and Arizona, it caused economic damage of about $250 million. In September 2023, it was discovered in a house in Changwon-city, Korea and a joint investigation was conducted by APQA and other government agencies. The 16S rRNA sequence was used in the molecular epidemiological investigation to trace the origin of the invasion. Five individuals found in Changwon and 18 foreign sequences collected by NCBI were compared. A total of 462bp of base sequences were compared, and the genetic distance was observed to range from a minimum of 0.000 to a maximum of 0.1791. They were most genetically similar to the California individual in the United States.

Drywood termite (Cryptotermes domesticus), native to South East Asia, is distributed in India, China, Taiwan, Australia and so on. In China, it is considered an economically important pest causing damage to wood. It lives in dry wood environments such as furniture, buildings, and structural timber. It is difficult to find drywood termite within a structure but it can be detected by the presence of alate flight and small egg-like pellets of excreta. It was found in a house in Seoul, Korea in July 2023 and was investigated joint by APQA, National Institute of Ecology, National Institute Biological Resources, National Institute of Forest Science, Cultural Heritage Administration and Gyeongsang National University. The COII barcode region was analized with PCR method and compared with the sequences of all C. domesticus registered in NCBI 557bp of base sequence. Genetic difference ranged from a minimum of 0.0072 to a maximum of 0.0557. Among these, the individual with the minimum genetic distance was from Guangdong Province, China.

The genus Acronicta Ochsenheimer, 1816 is known as a forest pest. The acronictine species is widely distributed across the Afrotropical, Oriental, Australian, and Neartic regions. This study presents a new record of an acronictine species from Korea, including descriptions, illustrations, and diagnostic characteristics. Additionally, the CO1 barcode data of the newly recorded species is compared with the global barcode reference at the species level. New data on the recently recorded species has been obtained from this study. This information will aid in the prompt identification and preparation for potential pest outbreaks.

The tribe Bythinini Raffray is species-rich pselaphine group including over 600 species distributed worldwide. Despite its diversity, only one genus, Bryaxis Kugelann, has been reported in Korea. In this study, we newly describe Bryaxis sp. n. mainly based on the male antennal modification. We also report a new species of the genus Tychobythinus Ganglbauer from Korea. Members of these two bythinine genera are commonly characterized by the traits of maxillary palpi: elongated second palpomere, shortened penultimate, and enlarged last one. In addition, we conducted phylogenetic analyses to demonstrate the relevance between antennal modification and evolutionary relationship of Bryaxis. To perform the phylogenetic construction, we assembled three mitochondrial genes (cox1, cox2, and 16S) and three nuclear genes (18S, 28S, and wingless) into a dataset. Eleven species of Bryaxis and two Tychobythinus species are included, the latter genus of which are used to root the consensus trees.

Nialoe Tanaka, 1958 is a subgenus of the ground beetle genus Pterostichus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), endemic to East Asia. In a wide sense of Nialoe, it consists of more than 200 species, which has reduced hindwing and possibly diversified by geographical isolation due to poor dispersal ability. To understand this vast group, phylogenetic studies have been conducted, showing that Nialoe s. lat. comprises of five subgenera: Nialoe s. str., Sphodroferonia, Koreonialoe, and two unnamed subgenera. However, there is little knowledge regarding their origin and dispersal. In this study, we examine phylogenetic relationships among the five subgenera of Nialoe s. lat. based on 28S rRNA, wingless, COI, and 16S rRNA. The molecular clock and S-DIVA analyses are devised to investigate the biogeographical history of the group in East Asia. This study may give insight into the biogeographical dispersal and diversification of East Asian carabids.

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is highly polyphagous pest that damages over 400 plant species, including commercially grown crops and fruits. It was first described in Taiwan and has since invaded Japan and China. In 2021, B. dorsalis was reported on Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea (ROK). To investigate its origin and understand its colonization pathway in ROK, the genetic characteristics were analyzed by using mitochondrial genes. The study analyzed the haplotypes and genetic differences among populations oriental fruit flies collected from Southeast Aisa, including Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The mitochondrial genes cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome B (CytB) were used for the analysis. The results showed that B. dorsalis had high levels of haplotype diversity among species. No major haplotype was found among populations. The present study enhances our understanding of the haplotype diversity of B. dorsalis in neighboring countries of ROK. This will expand our knowledge of the source of origin and invasive pathway for B. dorsalis.

Scathophagidae, commonly known as dung flies, is a small dipteran family of Muscoidea and is the sister group of Anthomyiidae. Currently, there are 373 described species distributed across 47 genera worldwide. Scathophagidae is subdivided into two subfamilies, Scathophaginae and Delininae. Notably, Delininae is characterized by tergite 6 short, bare, and firmly fused with syntergosternite 7+8. Delininae includes five genera and one uncertain genus with around 26 species described to date. Taxonomic instability within Delininae has been raised by notable inconsistencies, particularly evident in the classification of genera of Americina Malloch, 1923, Parallelomma Becker, 1894, and Leptopa Zetterstedt, 1838. These disparities necessitate a systematic reevaluation to rectify taxonomic uncertainties, acknowledging the nuanced variations introduced by different taxonomists. To address these taxonomic conundrums within Delininae, molecular approaches were employed, using three mitochondrial genes (16S, Cytb, COIb) and three nuclear genes (28S, Ef1a, Pol II). Phylogenetic analysis was conducted by maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods to elucidate the comprehensive phylogenetic relationships within Delininae. Particularly, this study includes previously unexplored genera, namely Neochirosia Malloch, 1917 and Micropselapha Becker, 1894, and uncertain genus Synchysa Vockeroth, 1987, encompassing all genera in Delininae. The incorporation of all taxa contributes to a more thorough understanding of the evolutionary history within Scathophagidae, shedding light on previously overlooked aspects of its phylogenetic landscape.