Microbiome changes in Akanthomyces attenuatus JEF-147-infected two-spotted spider mites.

The two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) is an agriculturally serious polyphagous pest that has acquired strong resistance against acaricides because of its short life cycle and continuous exposure to acaricides. As an alternative, mite-pathogenic fungi with different modes of action could be used to control the mites. The spider mite has symbiotic microorganisms that could be involved in the physiological and ecological adaptations to biotic stresses. In this study, mite-pathogenic fungi were used to control female adults, and the microbiomes changes in the fungus-infected mites were analyzed. The acaricidal activity of 77 fungal isolates was tested, and Akanthomyces attenuatus JEF-147 exhibited the highest acaricidal activity. Subsequently a dose-response assay and morphological characterization was undertaken For microbiome analysis in female adults infected with A. attenuatus JEF-147, 16S rDNA and ITS1 were sequenced using Illumina Miseq. Infected mite showed a higher Shannon index in bacterial diversity but lower index in fungal diversity. In beta diversity using principal component analysis, JEF-147-treated mites were significantly different from non-treated controls in both bacteria and fungi. Particularly in bacterial abundance, arthropod defense-related Rickettsia increased, but arthropod reproduction-associated Wolbachia decreased. The change in major bacterial abundance in the infected mites could be explained by a trade-off between reproduction and immunity against the early stage of fungal attack. In fungal abundance, Akanthomyces showed up as expected. Foremost, this work reports microbiome changes in a fungus-infected mite and suggests a possible trade-off in mites against fungal pathogens. Future studies will focus on gene-based investigations related to this topic.

Seed Treatment with Illite Enhanced Yield and Nutritional Value of Soybean Sprouts.

Soybean sprouts, a nutritional food product, can contribute to food security because they can be grown within a week and do not require sophisticated technology. The yield and quality of soybean sprouts are influenced by various factors, including seed priming and growing conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of seed soaking in different concentrations of illite, a clay mineral, on the yield and quality of soybean sprouts. Soybean seeds soaked in five concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10%, w/v) of illite or tap water for 8 h were named IP-0.5, IP-1, IP3, IP-5, IP-10, and control, respectively. The highest sprout yield was found in IP-3, followed by IP-1, and IP-5, which had 11.1%, 8.8%, and 7.4% increments, respectively, compared to the control. The content of vitamin C, mineral element, isoflavone, total polyphenol, and total flavonoid was higher in many of the illite-treated soybean sprouts than in the control. The overall results indicated that pre-soaking soybean seeds in lower concentrations (0.5-3%, w/v) of illite could be helpful to enhance the yield and nutritional value of soybean sprouts in an easy and inexpensive way.

Therapeutic p28 peptide targets essential H1N1 influenza virus proteins: insights from docking and molecular dynamics simulations.

The H1N1 influenza virus causes a severe disease that affects the human respiratory tract leading to millions of deaths every year. At present, certain vaccines and few drugs are used to control the virus during seasonal outbreaks. However, high mutation rates and genetic reassortment make it challenging to prevent and mitigate outbreaks, leading to pandemics. Thus, alternate therapies are required for its management and control. Here, we report that a bacterial protein, azurin, and its peptide derivatives p18 and p28 target critical proteins of the influenza virus in an effective manner. The molecular docking studies show that the p28 peptide could target C-PB1, NS1-ED, PB2-CBD, PB2-RBD, NP, and PA proteins. These complexes were further subjected to the simulation of molecular dynamics and binding free energy calculations. The data indicate that p28 has an unusually high affinity and forms stable complexes with the viral proteins C-PB1, PB2-CBD, PB2-RBD, and NP. We suggest that the azurin derivative p28 peptide can act as an anti-influenza agent as it can bind to multiple targets and neutralize the virus. Additional experimental studies need to be conducted to evaluate its safety and efficacy as an anti-H1N1 molecule.

Use of gene expression and whole-genome sequence information to improve the accuracy of genomic prediction for carcass traits in Hanwoo cattle.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we assessed the accuracy of genomic prediction for carcass weight (CWT), marbling score (MS), eye muscle area (EMA) and back fat thickness (BFT) in Hanwoo cattle when using genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP), weighted GBLUP (wGBLUP), and a BayesR model. For these models, we investigated the potential gain from using pre-selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on imputed sequence data and from gene expression information. We used data on 13,717 animals with carcass phenotypes and imputed sequence genotypes that were split in an independent GWAS discovery set of varying size and a remaining set for validation of prediction. Expression data were used from a Hanwoo gene expression experiment based on 45 animals. RESULTS: Using a larger number of animals in the reference set increased the accuracy of genomic prediction whereas a larger independent GWAS discovery dataset improved identification of predictive SNPs. Using pre-selected SNPs from GWAS in GBLUP improved accuracy of prediction by 0.02 for EMA and up to 0.05 for BFT, CWT, and MS, compared to a 50 k standard SNP array that gave accuracies of 0.50, 0.47, 0.58, and 0.47, respectively. Accuracy of prediction of BFT and CWT increased when BayesR was applied with the 50 k SNP array (0.02 and 0.03, respectively) and was further improved by combining the 50 k array with the top-SNPs (0.06 and 0.04, respectively). By contrast, using BayesR resulted in limited improvement for EMA and MS. wGBLUP did not improve accuracy but increased prediction bias. Based on the RNA-seq experiment, we identified informative expression quantitative trait loci, which, when used in GBLUP, improved the accuracy of prediction slightly, i.e. between 0.01 and 0.02. SNPs that were located in genes, the expression of which was associated with differences in trait phenotype, did not contribute to a higher prediction accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that, in Hanwoo beef cattle, when SNPs are pre-selected from GWAS on imputed sequence data, the accuracy of prediction improves only slightly whereas the contribution of SNPs that are selected based on gene expression is not significant. The benefit of statistical models to prioritize selected SNPs for estimating genomic breeding values is trait-specific and depends on the genetic architecture of each trait.

Pu-erh Tea Extract Treatment Could Be an Efficient Way to Enhance the Yield and Nutritional Value of Soybean Sprout.

Soybean sprouts are one of the most inexpensive and nutritious food items that can be easily grown year-round. Several studies have been conducted to increase their yield and nutritional values. This study was carried out to examine the effects of Pu-erh tea extracts on the production and nutrients content of soybean sprouts. Soybean seeds were soaked in 1%, 2%, or 3% (w/v) tea extracts, or tap water, before keeping for sprout cultivation; the sprout samples were named PE-1, PE-2, PE-3, and the control, respectively. The sprout yields were increased by up to 17% in PE-2 and PE-3 than in the control. The vitamin C, total free amino acid, total mineral, total isoflavone, total polyphenol, and flavonoid contents as well as the antioxidant potentials of the tea extract-treated sprouts were higher than those of the control. The results indicated that pre-soaking soybean seeds in 2% Pu-erh tea extracts could offer an easy, inexpensive, and efficient way to improve the yield and nutritional value of soybean sprouts.

Comparison of characteristics of long noncoding RNA in Hanwoo according to sex.

OBJECTIVE: Cattle were some of the first animals domesticated by humans for the production of milk, meat, etc. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is defined as longer than 200 bp in non-protein coding transcripts. lncRNA is known to function in regulating gene expression and is currently being studied in a variety of livestock including cattle. The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of lncRNA according to sex in Hanwoo cattle. METHODS: This study was conducted using the skeletal muscles of 9 Hanwoo cattle include bulls, steers and cows. RNA was extracted from skeletal muscle of Hanwoo. Sequencing was conducted using Illumina HiSeq2000 and mapped to the Bovine Taurus genome. The expression levels of lncRNAs were measured by DEGseq and quantitative trait loci (QTL) data base was used to identify QTLs associated with lncRNA. The python script was used to match the nearby genes. RESULTS: In this study, the expression patterns of transcripts of bulls, steers and cows were identified. And we identified significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs in bulls, steers and cows. In addition, characteristics of lncRNA which express differentially in muscles according to the sex of Hanwoo were identified. As a result, we found differentially expressed lncRNAs according to sex were related to shear force and body weight. CONCLUSION: This study was classified and characterized lncRNA which differentially expressed by sex in Hanwoo cattle. We believe that the characterization of lncRNA by sex of Hanwoo will be helpful for future studies of the physiological mechanisms of Hanwoo cattle.

Genome-wide scans for detecting the selection signature of the Jeju-island native pig in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: The Jeju native pig (JNP) found on the Jeju Island of Korea is a unique black pig known for high-quality meat. To investigate the genetic uniqueness of JNP, we analyzed the selection signature of the JNP in comparison to commercial pigs such as Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs. METHODS: We surveyed the genetic diversity to identify the genetic stability of the JNP, using the linkage disequilibrium method. A selective sweep of the JNP was performed to identify the selection signatures. To do so, the population differentiation measure, Weir-Cockerham's Fst was utilized. This statistic directly measures the population differentiation at the variant level. Additionally, we investigated the gene ontologies (GOs) and genetic features. RESULTS: Compared to the Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs, the JNP had lower genetic diversity in terms of linkage disequilibrium decays. We summarized the selection signatures of the JNP as GO. In the JNP and Berkshire pigs, the most enriched GO terms were epithelium development and neuron-related. Considering the JNP and Yorkshire pigs, cellular response to oxygen-containing compound and generation of neurons were the most enriched GO. CONCLUSION: The selection signatures of the JNP were identified through the population differentiation statistic. The genes with possible selection signatures are expected to play a role in JNP's unique pork quality.

Comparative assessment regarding antioxidative and nutrition potential of Moringa oleifera leaves by bacterial fermentation.

Moringa is considered as a miraculous plant because of its outstanding health-promoting properties. Moringa leaves are used in various forms for various purposes owing to its potential against that purpose. This experiment was performed to utilize the hidden potential of Moringa leaves. The Moringa leaves were fermented by Bacillus subtilis KCTC 13,241 for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h to identify the best time duration of fermentation. The antioxidant potential of fermented Moringa leaves was estimated by measuring the total phenolic content (TPC), total isoflavones content (TIFC), DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity. In addition to these parameters, the concentration of various total amino acids (TAA) and fatty acids were also determined. The best treatment was 48 h fermented Moringa leaves because of the best results in all measured parameters except in fatty acids concentration. The highest fatty acids concentration was recorded in 24 h fermented leaves. The results of 48 h fermented Moringa leaves regarding TAA, TPC, TIFC, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging potential and SOD-like activity were 121.95 ± 3.74 mg/g, 310.25 ± 3.77 µg GAE/g, 1083.38 ± 5.92 µg/g, 63.12 ± 2.38%, 78.45 ± 3.32%, and 34.55 ± 1.05% respectively. The palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid concentration in 24 h fermented Moringa leaves was 55.32 ± 1.93, 56.02 ± 2.12, 53.82 ± 2.54, 55.95 ± 1.62 and 56.41 ± 1.43% respectively. In conclusion, the present results disclose that fermented Moringa leaves are the source of natural antioxidants and nutrients.

Surface Correlation-Based Fingerprinting Method Using LTE Signal for Localization in Urban Canyon.

The Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) used in various location-based services is accurate and stable in outdoor environments. However, it cannot be utilized in an indoor environment because of low signal availability and degradation of accuracy due to the multipath distortion of satellite signals in urban areas. On the contrary, LTE signals are available almost everywhere in urban areas and are quite stable without much variation throughout the year. This is because of the fixed location of base stations and the well-maintained policy of mobile communication service providers. Its varied stability and reliability make LTE signals a more viable method for localization. However, there are some complexities in utilizing LTE signals including signal interference distortion phenomena during propagation multipath fading, and various types of noise. In this paper, we propose a surface correlation-based fingerprinting method to utilize LTE signals for localization in urban areas. The surface correlation converts timely measured signal strength into spatial pattern using the walking distance from a Pedestrian Dead-Reckoning (PDR). The surface correlation is carried out by comparing the spatial signal strength pattern of a pedestrian`s movement trajectory with a fingerprinting database to estimate the location. A reference trajectory of the moving pedestrian is chosen to have a greater correlation among the multiple trajectory candidates generated from a link-based fingerprinting database. By comparing spatial signal strength patterns, the proposed method can improve robustness in localization overcoming the accuracy degradation problem due to RF multipath and noise that are dominant in the conventional RSS measurement-based LTE localization scheme. The test results in urban areas demonstrate that the proposed surface correlation-based fingerprinting method has improved performance compared to the other conventional methods, thus proving to be a useful complementary method to the GNSS in urban areas.

Genome analysis of Yucatan miniature pigs to assess their potential as biomedical model animals.

OBJECTIVE: Pigs share many physiological, anatomical and genomic similarities with humans, which make them suitable models for biomedical researches. Understanding the genetic status of Yucatan miniature pigs (YMPs) and their association with human diseases will help to assess their potential as biomedical model animals. This study was performed to identify non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in selective sweep regions of the genome of YMPs and present the genetic nsSNP distributions that are potentially associated with disease occurrence in humans. METHODS: nsSNPs in whole genome resequencing data from 12 YMPs were identified and annotated to predict their possible effects on protein function. Sorting intolerant from tolerant (SIFT) and polymorphism phenotyping v2 analyses were used, and gene ontology (GO) network and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed. RESULTS: The results showed that 8,462 genes, encompassing 72,067 nsSNPs were identified, and 118 nsSNPs in 46 genes were predicted as deleterious. GO network analysis classified 13 genes into 5 GO terms (p<0.05) that were associated with kidney development and metabolic processes. Seven genes encompassing nsSNPs were classified into the term associated with Alzheimer's disease by referencing the genetic association database. The KEGG pathway analysis identified only one significantly enriched pathway (p<0.05), hsa04080: Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, among the transcripts. CONCLUSION: The number of deleterious nsSNPs in YMPs was identified and then these variants-containing genes in YMPs data were adopted as the putative human diseases-related genes. The results revealed that many genes encompassing nsSNPs in YMPs were related to the various human genes which are potentially associated with kidney development and metabolic processes as well as human disease occurrence.

Effects of exercise on myokine gene expression in horse skeletal muscles.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the regulatory effects of exercise on myokine expression in horse skeletal muscle cells, we compared the expression of several myokine genes (interleukin 6 [IL-6], IL-8, chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 2 [CXCL2], and chemokine [C-C motif] ligand 4 [CCL4]) after a single bout of exercise in horses. Furthermore, to establish in vitro systems for the validation of exercise effects, we cultured horse skeletal muscle cells and confirmed the expression of these genes after treatment with hydrogen peroxide. METHODS: The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, CXCL2, and CCL4 after exercise in skeletal muscle tissue was confirmed using quantitative-reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reactions (qRT-PCR). We then extracted horse muscle cells from the skeletal muscle tissue of a neonatal Thoroughbred. Myokine expression after hydrogen peroxide treatments was confirmed using qRT-PCR in horse skeletal muscle cells. RESULTS: IL-6, IL-8, CXCL2, and CCL4 expression in Thoroughbred and Jeju horse skeletal muscles significantly increased after exercise. We stably maintained horse skeletal muscle cells in culture and confirmed the expression of the myogenic marker, myoblast determination protein (MyoD). Moreover, myokine expression was validated using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated horse skeletal muscle cells. The patterns of myokine expression in muscle cells were found to be similar to those observed in skeletal muscle tissue. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that several myokines involved in inflammation were induced by exercise in horse skeletal muscle tissue. In addition, we successfully cultured horse skeletal muscle cells and established an in vitro system to validate associated gene expression and function. This study will provide a valuable system for studying the function of exercise-related genes in the future.

Extent of linkage disequilibrium and effective population size of Korean Yorkshire swine.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to characterize linkage disequilibrium (LD) and effective population size (Ne) in a Korean Yorkshire population using genomic data from thousands of individuals. METHODS: We genotyped 2,470 Yorkshire individuals from four major Grand-Grand-Parent farms in Korea using the Illumina PorcineSNP60 version2 BeadChip, which covers >61,565 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located across all chromosomes and mitochondria. We estimated the expected LD and inferred current Ne as well as ancestral Ne. RESULTS: We identified 61,565 SNP from autosomes, mitochondria, and sex chromosomes and characterized the LD of the Yorkshire population, which was relatively high between closely linked markers (>0.55 at 50 kb) and declined with increasing genetic distance. The current Ne of this Korean Yorkshire population was 122.87 (106.90; 138.84), while the historical Ne of Yorkshire pigs suggests that the ancestor Ne has decreased by 99.6% over the last 10,000 generations. CONCLUSION: To maintain genetic diversity of a domesticated animal population, we must carefully consider appropriate breed management methods to avoid inbreeding. Although attenuated selection can affect short-term genetic gain, it is essential for maintaining the long-term genetic variability of the Korean Yorkshire population. Continuous and long-term monitoring would also be needed to maintain the pig population to avoid an unintended reduction of Ne. The best way to preserve a sustainable population is to maintain a sufficient Ne.

In silico approaches to discover the functional impact of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in selective sweep regions of the Landrace genome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to discover the functional impact of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) that were found in selective sweep regions of the Landrace genome. METHODS: Whole-genome re-sequencing data were obtained from 40 pigs, including 14 Landrace, 16 Yorkshire, and 10 wild boars, which were generated with the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. The nsSNPs in the selective sweep regions of the Landrace genome were identified, and the impacts of these variations on protein function were predicted to reveal their potential association with traits of the Landrace breed, such as reproductive capacity. RESULTS: Total of 53,998 nsSNPs in the mapped regions of pigs were identified, and among them, 345 nsSNPs were found in the selective sweep regions of the Landrace genome which were reported previously. The genes featuring these nsSNPs fell into various functional categories, such as reproductive capacity or growth and development during the perinatal period. The impacts of amino acid sequence changes by nsSNPs on protein function were predicted using two in silico SNP prediction algorithms, i.e., sorting intolerant from tolerant and polymorphism phenotyping v2, to reveal their potential roles in biological processes that might be associated with the reproductive capacity of the Landrace breed. CONCLUSION: The findings elucidated the domestication history of the Landrace breed and illustrated how Landrace domestication led to patterns of genetic variation related to superior reproductive capacity. Our novel findings will help understand the process of Landrace domestication at the genome level and provide SNPs that are informative for breeding.

In silico approaches to identify the functional and structural effects of non-synonymous SNPs in selective sweeps of the Berkshire pig genome.

OBJECTIVE: Non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) were identified in Berkshire selective sweep regions and then were investigated to discover genetic nsSNP mechanisms that were potentially associated with Berkshire domestication and meat quality. We further used bioinformatics tools to predict damaging amino-acid substitutions in Berkshire-related nsSNPs. METHODS: nsSNPs were examined in whole genome resequencing data of 110 pigs, including 14 Berkshire pigs, generated using the Illumina Hiseq2000 platform to identify variations that might affect meat quality in Berkshire pigs. RESULTS: Total 65,550 nsSNPs were identified in the mapped regions; among these, 319 were found in Berkshire selective-sweep regions reported in a previous study. Genes encompassing these nsSNPs were involved in lipid metabolism, intramuscular fatty-acid deposition, and muscle development. The effects of amino acid change by nsSNPs on protein functions were predicted using sorting intolerant from tolerant and polymorphism phenotyping V2 to reveal their potential roles in biological processes that may correlate with the unique Berkshire meat-quality traits. CONCLUSION: Our nsSNP findings confirmed the history of Berkshire pigs and illustrated the effects of domestication on generic-variation patterns. Our novel findings, which are generally consistent with those of previous studies, facilitated a better understanding of Berkshire domestication. In summary, we extensively investigated the relationship between genomic composition and phenotypic traits by scanning for nsSNPs in large-scale whole-genome sequencing data.

Extent of linkage disequilibrium and effective population size of the Landrace population in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: The genetic diversity of the Landrace population, a representative maternal pig breed in Korea, is important for genetic improvement. Previously, the effective population size (Ne) has been used to infer the genetic diversity of a population of interest. In this study, we aimed to use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to characterize linkage disequilibrium (LD) and the Ne of the Korean Landrace population. METHODS: We genotyped 1,128 Landrace individuals from three representative Korean major grand-grand-parent (GGP) farms using the Illumina PorcineSNP60 version2 BeadChip, which covers >61,565 SNPs located across all autosomes and mitochondrial and sex chromosomes. We estimated the expected LD and current Ne, as well as ancestral Ne. RESULTS: In the Korean Landrace population, the mean LD (r2) of 3.698 million SNP pairs was 0.135±0.204. The mean r2 decreased slowly with as the distance between SNPs increased, and remained constant beyond 3 Mb. According to the r2 calculations, 8,085 of 3.698 million SNP pairs were in complete LD. The current Ne (±standard deviation) of the Korean Landrace population is approximately 92.27 [79.46; 105.07] individuals. The ancestral Ne exhibited a slow and steady decline from 186.61 to 92.27 over the past 100 generations. Additionally, we observed more a rapid Ne decrease from the past 20 to 10 generations ago, compared with other intervals. CONCLUSION: We have presented an overview of LD and the current and ancestral Ne values in the Korean Landrace population. The mean LD and current Ne for the Korean Landrace population confirm the genetic diversity and reflect the history of this pig population in Korea.

Analysis of cross-population differentiation between Thoroughbred and Jeju horses.

OBJECTIVE: This study was intended to identify genes positively selected in Thoroughbred horses (THBs) that potentially contribute to their running performances. METHODS: The genomes of THB and Jeju horses (JH, Korean native horse) were compared to identify genes positively selected in THB. We performed cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) and cross-population composite likelihood ratio test (XP-CLR) statistical methods for our analysis using whole genome resequencing data of 14 THB and 6 JH. RESULTS: We identified 98 (XP-EHH) and 200 (XP-CLR) genes that are under positive selection in THB. Gene enrichment analysis identified 72 gene ontology biological process (GO BP) terms. The genes and GO BP terms explained some of THB's characteristics such as immunity, energy metabolism and eye size and function related to running performances. GO BP terms that play key roles in several cell signaling mechanisms, which affected ocular size and visual functions were identified. GO BP term Eye photoreceptor cell differentiation is among the terms annotated presumed to affect eye size. CONCLUSION: Our analysis revealed some positively selected candidate genes in THB related to their racing performances. The genes detected are related to the immunity, ocular size and function, and energy metabolism.

Characterization of gene expression and genetic variation of horse ERBB receptor feedback inhibitor 1 in Thoroughbreds.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test the expression patterns of ERBB receptor feedback inhibitor 1 (ERRFI1) before and after exercise and the association of non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) of horse ERRFI1 with racing traits in Thoroughbreds. METHODS: We performed bioinformatics and gene expression analyses for horse ERRFI1. Transcription factor (TF) binding sites in the 5'-regulatory region of this gene were identified through a tool for prediction of TF-binding site (PROMO). A general linear model was used to detect the association between the nsSNP (LOC42830758 A to G) and race performance. RESULTS: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that expression level of ERRFI1 after exercise was 1.6 times higher than that before exercise. Ten transcription factors were predicted from the ERRFI1 regulatory region. A novel nsSNP (LOC42830758 A to G) was found in ERRFI1, which was associated with three racing traits including average prize money, average racing index, and 3-year-old starts percentile ranking. CONCLUSION: Our analysis will be helpful as a basis for studying genes and SNPs that affect race performance in racehorses.

Comparison of antioxidants potential, metabolites, and nutritional profiles of Korean fermented soybean (Cheonggukjang) with Bacillus subtilis KCTC 13241.

This study was carried out to determine the effect of different concentrations of Bacillus subtilis (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7%) on the antioxidant potential and biochemical constituents of traditional Korean fermented soybean, Cheonggukjang (CKJ). The antioxidant capacity was studied using the reducing power, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays and the total phenolic contents (TPC) were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. CKJ prepared using 1% B. subtilis revealed the highest TPC (5.99 mg/g), total amino acids (7.43 mg/g), DPPH (94.24%), and ABTS (86.03%) radical-scavenging activity and had the highest value of palmitic acid (11.65%), stearic acid (2.87%), and linolenic acid (11.76%). Results showed that the calcium, iron, sodium, and zinc contents increased in the CKJ prepared using 7% B. subtilis from 1481.38 to 1667.32, 41.38 to 317.00, 48.01 to 310.07, and 32.82 to 37.18 mg/kg respectively. In conclusion, the present results indicate that the fermentation of soybean with B. subtilis (KCTC 13241) significantly augments the nutritional and antioxidant potential of CKJ and it can be recommended as a health-promoting food source.

Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of Korean native horse from Jeju Island: uncovering the spatio-temporal dynamics.

The Korean native horse (Jeju horse) is one of the most important animals in Korean historical, cultural, and economical viewpoints. In the early 1980s, the Jeju horse was close to extinction. The aim of this study is to explore the phylogenomics of Korean native horse focusing on spatio-temporal dynamics. We determined complete mitochondrial genome sequences for the first Korean native (n = 6) and additional Mongolian (n = 2) horses. Those sequences were analyzed together with 143 published ones using Bayesian coalescent approach as well as three different phylogenetic analysis methods, Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and neighbor-joining methods. The phylogenomic trees revealed that the Korean native horses had multiple origins and clustered together with some horses from four European and one Middle Eastern breeds. Our phylogenomic analyses also supported that there was no apparent association between breed or geographic location and the evolution of global horses. Time of the most recent common ancestor of the Korean native horse was approximately 13,200-63,200 years, which was much younger than 0.696 My of modern horses. Additionally, our results showed that all global horse lineages including Korean native horse existed prior to their domestication events occurred in about 6000-10,000 years ago. This is the first study on phylogenomics of the Korean native horse focusing on spatio-temporal dynamics. Our findings increase our understanding of the domestication history of the Korean native horses, and could provide useful information for horse conservation projects as well as for horse genomics, emergence, and the geographical distribution.

A Formal Approach to the Selection by Minimum Error and Pattern Method for Sensor Data Loss Reduction in Unstable Wireless Sensor Network Communications.

There are wireless networks in which typically communications are unsafe. Most terrestrial wireless sensor networks belong to this category of networks. Another example of an unsafe communication network is an underwater acoustic sensor network (UWASN). In UWASNs in particular, communication failures occur frequently and the failure durations can range from seconds up to a few hours, days, or even weeks. These communication failures can cause data losses significant enough to seriously damage human life or property, depending on their application areas. In this paper, we propose a framework to reduce sensor data loss during communication failures and we present a formal approach to the Selection by Minimum Error and Pattern (SMEP) method that plays the most important role for the reduction in sensor data loss under the proposed framework. The SMEP method is compared with other methods to validate its effectiveness through experiments using real-field sensor data sets. Moreover, based on our experimental results and performance comparisons, the SMEP method has been validated to be better than others in terms of the average sensor data value error rate caused by sensor data loss.