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.

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 root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus spp. is the most important plantparasitic nematode due to its worldwide distribution, wide host ranges, and migratory endoparasitic characteristics. One population of Pratylenchus collected from the giant pussy willow (Salix chaenomeloides Kimura) in the Andong area as part of a nematode survey in Korea was characterized morphologically and by molecular methods. The analysis of morphological measurements and morphometric characteristics, as well as DNA sequencing of the rRNA large subunit (LSU) D2/D3 expansion segments and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene sequence, confirmed the identity of this population as P. hippeastri. This study is the first report of P. hippeastri associated with Salix chaenomeloides in Korea and worldwide. Further studies on distribution and pathogenicity in different P. hippeastri host crops, such as grapevines, strawberries, and apples, are necessary. The taxonomic keys to 16 Pratylenchus species in Korea are provided.

Rotylenchus pini Mamiya, 1968 was reported from rhizospheric soils of Zoysia japonica in Korea. Females and males of the characterized population conform to the original species description from Japan and also to other subsequent species descriptions with variations in a few details in morphometrics including the existence of pharyngeal gland overlap in some specimen. Bayesian analysis of all the three DNA markers consistently grouped R. pini together with Rotylenchus species including R. zhongshanensis, a morphologically close species. Additionally, the newly obtained sequences of R. pini were found to be almost identical to the sequences assigned to Rotylenchus aff. devonensis in GenBank. These Rotylenchus aff. devonensis isolates might be representatives of R. pini populations. The current and previous phylogenetic studies supported by the recorded morphological plasticity within populations of the genus validate the proposed synonymy of Pararotylenchus with Rotylenchus.

Silicon (Si) has the potential to improve plant growth and stress tolerance. The study aimed to explore Si-involving plant responses and molecular characterization of different Si-responsive genes in alfalfa. In this study, the exogenous supplementation of Si enhanced plant growth, and biomass yield. Si-acquisition in alfalfa root and shoot was higher in Si-supplemented compared to silicon deficient (-Si) plants, implying Si-acquisition has beneficial on alfalfa plants. As a consequence, the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was significantly increased in silicon-sufficient (+Si) plants. The quantitative gene expression analysis exhibited a significant upregulation of the Lsi1, Lsi2, Lsi3, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1 genes in alfalfa roots, while BOR1, BOR4, NIP2, and NIP3 showed no significant variation in their expression. The MEME results further noticed the association of four motifs related to the major intrinsic protein (MIP). The interaction analysis revealed that NIP5;1 and Lsi1 showed a shared gene network with NIP2, BOR1, and BOR4, and Lsi2, Lsi3 and NIP3-1, respectively. These results suggest that members of the major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) family especially Lsi1, Lsi2, Lsi3, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1 genes helped to pass water and other neutral solutes through the cell membrane and those played significant roles in Si uptake and transport in plants. Together, these insights might be useful for alfalfa breeding and genome editing approaches for alfalfa improvement.

V. parahaemolyticus causes waterborne and foodborne disease such as acute diarrhea. In this study, V. parahaemolyticus isolates from seawater, fish tanks, and distributed fishery products in Jeju were investigated for potential toxin or species-specific genes (tdh, trh, tlh, and toxR) using RT-PCR and their genetic characteristics were analyzed using Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Overall, V. parahaemolyticus of 90 strains (36.7%), including 33 strains from seawater, 8 strains from fish tanks, and 50 strains from fishery products, were isolated from 245 samples. All V. parahaemolyticus strains did not detect the tdh gene, whereas all strains detected tlh or toxR genes. In addition, trh genes were detected in 3 strains from seawater and 1 strain from fishery products. Monthly quantitative testing of seawater revealed that V. parahaemolyticus was positively correlated with water temperature. The 90 strains of V. parahemolyticus obtained in this study showed by gene homology between types, ranging from 64.0–97.3%. Among these, thirteen types showed 100% homology between genes. These results indicate that continuous monitoring is needed to facilitate food poisoning epidemiological investigations because some isolated V. parahaemolyticus strains harbored toxin genes and V. parahaemolyticus strains isolated from seawater, fish tanks, and distributed fishery products showed genetic similarity.

Although probiotics have been shown to improve health when consumed, recent studies have reported that they can cause unwanted side effects due to bacterial-human interactions. Therefore, the importance of prebiotics that can form beneficial microbiome in the gut has been emphasized. This study isolated and identified bacteria capable of producing biopoymer as a candidate prebiotic from traditional fermented foods. The isolated and identified strain was named WCYSK01 (Wissella sp. strain YSK01). The composition of the medium for culturing this strain was prepared by dissolving 3 g K2HPO4, 0.2 g MgSO4, 0.05 g CaCl2, 0.1 g NaCl in 1 L of distilled water. The LMBP(low molecular weight biopoymers) produced when fermentation was performed with sucrose and maltose as substrates were mainly consisted of DP3 (degree of polymer; isomaltotriose), DP4 (isomaltotetraose), DP5 (isomaltopentaose), and DP6 (isomaltoheptaose). The optimization of LMBP (low molecular weight of biopolymer) production was performed using the response surface methodology. The fermentation process temperature range of 18 to 32oC, the fermentation medium pH in the range of 5.1 to 7.9. The yield of LMBP production by the strain was found to be significantly affected by q fermentation temperature and pH. The optimal fermentation conditions were found at the normal point, and the production yield was more than 75% at pH 7.5 and temperature of 23oC.

This study is intended to determine the antimicrobial resistance properties and class 1 integrons of 30 Citrobacter freundii strains isolated from pet turtles in order to determine their threat to human health. Citrobacter freundii isolates were isolated and identified by employing biochemical tests and 16SrRNA gene sequencing. Disc diffusion test and PCR amplification were employed to detect antimicrobial resistance patterns and genes, respectively. Ampicillin, amoxicillin, cephalothin and nalidixic acid resistance were observed among all isolates. Rifampicin and cefoxitin resistance was the second most prevalent and observed in 97% of the isolates, respectively. All isolates scored multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) indices ≥ 0.2. Aminoglycoside resistant genes were the most prevalent. aac(3')-IIa was detected in 80% of the isolates followed by aphAI-IAB and strA-strB genes in 33% and 50% of the isolates, respectively. β-lactamase encoding blaTEM, blaCTX and blaSHV genes were detected in 53%, 43% and 17% of the isolates, respectively. tetA and tetB genes were the only tetracycline resistance genes detected in 17% and 10% of the isolates, respectively. Class 1 integron integrase encoding intI1 gene (47%) and dfrA17-aadA5 gene cassette array (7%) were also detected. Pet turtle-borne multidrug-resistant C. freundii is a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance determinants in the domestic environment which poses a risk of infection.

In crustaceans, molting is regulated by interactions between ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone (JH) signaling pathway-related genes. Unlike the ecdysteroid signaling pathway, little information on the role of JH signaling pathway-related genes in molting is available in zooplanktonic crustaceans. In this study, three genes (juvenile hormone acid O-methyltransferase (JHAMT ), methoprene-tolerant (Met ), and juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH )) which are involved in the synthesis, receptor-binding, and degradation of JH were identified using sequence and phylogenetic analysis in the brackish water flea, Diaphanosoma celebensis. Transcriptional changes in these genes during the molting cycle in D. celebensis were analyzed. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these putative proteins may be functionally conserved along with those of insects and other crustaceans. In addition, the expression of the three genes was correlated with the molting cycle of D. celebensis, indicating that these genes may be involved in the synthesis and degradation of JH, resulting in normal molting. This study will provide information for a better understanding of the role of JH signaling pathwayrelated genes during the molting process in Cladocera.

Doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor (dmrt) play crucial roles in sex determination and sex differentiation in vertebrates and invertebrates. Although dmrt genes have been identified in vertebrates, little is known about aquatic invertebrates. In this study, two dmrt genes, namely, Dc_dmrt93B and Dc_dmrt99B, were identified from brackish water flea, Diaphanosoma celebensis. Transcriptional changes were observed in the dmrt genes when the flea was exposed to bisphenol (BP), an endocrine disruptor. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that both dmrt genes contained two conserved domains, namely, DM and DMA, closely clustered with those of Daphnia spp. Additionally, a significant increase in the Dc_dmrt99B mRNA expression level was observed upon exposure to intermediate concentrations of BP (bisphenol A>bisphenol S=bisphenol F, p<0.05), while the expression of Dc_dmrt93B mRNA was slightly modulated. These findings imply that the two dmrt genes may be involved in sex differentiation of D. celebensis. Furthermore, it was found that the ability of BP to modulate dmrt genes could affect development and reproduction. This study provides a basis for understanding the function of the dmrt genes and the molecular mode of action of BP in small crustaceans.

Skeletonema pseudocostatum의 세포는 규산질 성분의 돌기에 의한 사슬 형태로, 길이는 6~17.3 μm였고, 엽록체는 세포 당 1~2개를 포함하고 있었다. 주사전자현미경 관찰결과 Skeletonema 종을 구분할 수 있는 가장자리 받침돌기끝 (terminal fultoportula process)은 끝이 갈라지거나, 갈고리 모양이었고, 길이가 1.67±0.5 μm이고, 개각의 가장자리에 위치해 있으며, 개수는 8.10±1.1개로 개각의 크기에 따라 다양하게 나타났다. 말단세포 입술돌기 (terminal rimoportula process)는 두꺼운 원통형의 나팔관 모양으로, 개각의 중앙 근처에 위치하였고, 길이는 1.1±0.6 μm 였으며, 개수는 1개였다. 연결세포 받침돌기 (intercalary fultoportula process)는 대부분 1 : 1 결합으로 서로 맞물려있는 형태였고, 1 : 2 결합도 종종 발견되었다. 계통분석 결과는 형태적 특징이 유사한 종 간의 유전학적 거리가 가깝다는 것을 나타냈고, 지리적 기원이 다른 동일 종의 경우, 유전적 차이를 보이지 않았다. 이는 S. pseudocostatum은 지리적 위치와 상관없이 유전적 차이가 나타나지 않는 단일계통 (monophyly)이라는 것을 의미한다.

Fowl typhoid (FT) is a septicemic disease caused by Salmonella Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum) and is responsible for severe economic losses in Korea. In this study, 49 aminoglycosides (AMG)-resistant S. Gallinarum were analyzed to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. Thirty-six (73.5%) out of 49 AMG-resistant S. Gallinarum exhibited resistance to at least one agent in three or more of antimicrobial categories as multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates. Among the AMG-resistant isolates exhibiting MDR, 21 (58.3%) and 11 (30.6%) of the isolates harbored ant(2")-I, which encodes an aminoglycoside adenylyltransferase, and blaTEM-1, which is a β-lactamase-encoding gene, respectively. The qnrB, cmlA, and sul1 and sul2 genes, which are related to resistance to quinolones, chloramphenicol and sulfonamides, respectively, were detected in 8.3~22.2% of the AMG-resistant isolates that exhibited MDR. Twenty-four (66.6%) of 36 AMG-resistance S. Gallinarum exhibiting MDR carried class 1 integrons with aadA genes cassettes. Several plasmid replicon types, such as B/O, FIIA, FIB, and Frep were considered to play a prominent role in S. Gallinarum, and the presence of these genetic characteristics remain a serious concern to the selection of antimicrobials for the treatment of FT.