Clinical outcomes and challenges of surgical extirpation for carotid body paraganglioma in South Korea: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Carotid body paraganglioma (CBP) is a rare, highly vascularized, and slow-growing neuroendocrine tumor. Surgical resection is the definitive treatment for CBP, however, it remains challenging due to the tumor's proximity to critical blood vessels and cervical cranial nerves. This study aimed to document the characteristics of CBP and examine the clinical outcomes of patients following surgical extirpation of CBP. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective review analyzed patients who underwent CBP extirpation. We examined the patient demographics, preoperative clinical features, tumor characteristics, levels of catecholamines and their metabolites in the serum and urine. Surgeries were performed by one vascular surgeon with follow-ups at 1,3,6 months and yearly thereafter. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of either permanent or temporary cervival cranial nerve palsy (CNP). RESULTS: From September 2020 to February 2023, this study examined 21 cases of CBP removal surgeries that were carried out in 19 patients. The mean age of the patients was 38.9 ± 10.9 years and the percentage of males was 57.1% (n = 12). The most common preoperative clinical feature was painless neck mass (n = 12; 57.1%). Complete resection was achieved in 20 cases; excluding one case with pathologically proven sclerosing paraganglioma. Vascular procedures were performed in four cases (ECA resection, n = 2; primary repair of ICA tear without carotid shunting, n = 1; and ICA patch angioplasty with carotid shunting, n = 1). Temporary cranial neurologic complications, specifically aspiration and hoarseness occurred in four (19.0%), and three (14.3%) cases, respectively. Hoarseness associated with permanent CNP persisted for more than 6 months in two cases (9.5%). No recurrence or mortality was observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection is the primay treatment approach for CBP; however, it poses risks of vascular or cervical CNP. The intraoperative estimated blood loss was the only identified risk factor for CNP.

Development of metabolomic biomarkers to discriminate the geographical origin of Korean and Russian snow crabs using CE-TOF/MS.

The quantity of snow crabs (Chionoecetes opilio) harvested in Korea is subject to seasonal restrictions; therefore, snow crabs are imported from Russia. Metabolites in snow crabs from two geographic origins were compared. The metabolites were subjected to metabolomic analysis to prevent fraudulent sales of marine products from a particular country. Capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used. Seventy-seven target metabolites were identified using a mass spectral library. Through orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, the top 25 biomarker candidates were evaluated based on p-values and fold changes. A total of 246 peaks (187 and 59 in the cation and anion modes, respectively) were identified. Among the biomarker candidates, 2-oxovaleric acid, asymmetric dimethylarginine, hypotaurine, and allo-threonine were selected as final biomarkers to unequivocally determine the geographic origin. Overall, metabolic analyses allowed us to differentiate snow crabs from different geographic origins. This method could also be extended of other marine products.

Development of biomarkers to distinguish different origins of red seabreams (Pagrus major) from Korea and Japan by fatty acid, amino acid, and mineral profiling.

Red seabream (Pagrus major) has been one of the most popular fish in East Asia since early times. However, the discharge of nuclear wastewater into the sea following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan has led to violations of the country of origin labeling. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the origin of fish based on fatty acid, amino acid, and mineral analyses, and to develop biomarkers that can discriminate between Japanese and Korean red seabream. To identify the differences between the two groups, 29 fatty acid families, 17 amino acids, and 4 minerals were analyzed in 60 fish samples (standard sample collected in autumn), and fatty acid profiles were analyzed using heatmap with hierarchical clustering analysis and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis. The top 10 fatty acids that were different between the two groups were selected from all seasonal fish samples by combining variable importance in projection scores and p-values. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis results, we proposed percentage linoleic acid (C18:2n-6, cis) as a candidate biomarker with excellent sensitivity and specificity. This study introduces a strategy to identify the origins of red seabream using linoleic acid obtained from fatty acid analysis.

Everyday Digital Literacy Questionnaire for Older Adults: Instrument Development and Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: The need for digital literacy in aging populations is increasing in the digitalizing society. Digital literacy involves the identification, evaluation, and communication of information through various digital devices or relevant programs. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to develop an Everyday Digital Literacy Questionnaire (EDLQ), a digital literacy assessment scale, and subsequently evaluate its psychometric properties using a population of community-dwelling older adults in South Korea. METHODS: The EDLQ was developed using an instrument development design. A nationwide survey was conducted, and the study included 1016 community-dwelling older adults (age ≥60 years). To evaluate the psychometric properties, the participants were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=508 each), and the internal consistency (Cronbach α and McDonald ω), structural validity (exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis), hypothesis-testing construct validity using the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and measurement invariance were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the initial 30 items of the EDLQ, 22 items with a 3-factor solution had a total explained variance of 77%. The domains included "information and communication" (9 items), "content creation and management" (4 items), and "safety and security" (9 items). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with this 3-factor solution (χ2206=345.1; normed χ2206=1.7; comparative fit index=0.997; Tucker-Lewis index=0.997; root-mean-square error of approximation=0.036; standardized root-mean-square residual=0.050; composite reliability=0.903-0.959; average variance extracted=0.699-0.724; R2=0.616-0.773). Hypothesis-testing construct validity with the eHEALS revealed a strong correlation (r=0.75). Cronbach α and McDonald ω coefficients were .98 and 0.98, respectively. The fit indices for measurement invariance, including the configural, metric, and scalar invariance models, demonstrated a satisfactory fit to the data. Our findings suggest that the psychometric properties of the 22-item EDLQ are valid and reliable for assessing digital literacy among older Korean adults. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we developed a digital literacy measure with strong psychometric properties that made it suitable for assessing the digital literacy of community-dwelling older adults in Korea. To broaden its applicability, however, further assessment of its feasibility for use with different languages and cultures is necessary. Moreover, more empirical research on digital literacy and related factors in older adults can facilitate the development of personalized digital health care services and educational interventions in the digital society.

Application of an Antioxidant Response Element-Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2 Luciferase Assay for Assessing the Skin Sensitization Potential of Agrochemicals.

The skin sensitization potential of agrochemicals can be assessed using laboratory methods such as the keratinocyte activation assay so that their use in regulatory toxicology might replace experimental animal testing. Here, we evaluated the skin sensitization potential of 11 agrochemicals by using an antioxidant response element-nuclear factor erythroid 2 luciferase assay in KeratinoSens and LuSens cells and applying a skin sensitization adverse outcome pathway (AOP). The KeratinoSens and LuSens assays consistently evaluated the skin sensitization potential of 10/11 agrochemicals with reference to animal testing databases. Benomyl, pretilachlor, fluazinam, terbufos, butachlor, and carbosulfan were correctly detected as sensitizers, and glufosinate ammonium, oxiadiazon, tebuconazole, and etofenprox were correctly detected as non-sensitizers. For diazinon, the skin sensitizing potential was positive in the KeratinoSens assay but not in the LuSens assay. These results suggest that the evaluation of in vitro skin sensitization using the AOP mechanism can be applied to assess active agrochemicals.

Identification of Essential Genes for the Establishment of Spray-Induced Gene Silencing-Based Disease Control in Fusarium graminearum.

As resistance to chemical fungicides continues to increase inFusarium graminearum, there is a growing need to develop novel disease control strategies. To discover essential genes that could serve as new disease control targets, we selected essential gene candidates that had failed to be deleted in previous studies. Thirteen genes were confirmed to be essential, either by constructing conditional promoter replacement mutants or by employing a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-mediated editing strategy. We synthesized double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting these essential genes and analyzed their protective effects in plants using a spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) method. When dsRNAs targeting Fg10360, Fg13150, and Fg06123 were applied to detached barley leaves prior to fungal inoculation, disease lesions were greatly reduced. Our findings provide evidence of the potential of essential genes identified by a SIGS method to be effective targets for the control of fungal diseases.

Biomarker Development for Identifying Mud Loach (Misgurnus mizolepis) Origin Country Using Untargeted Metabolite Profiling.

Mud loach (Misgurnus mizolepis) has long been consumed in Korea. Recently, Chinese mud loaches were replaced with expensive Korean mud loaches, owing to taste and preference. Such issues occur in aquatic food distribution processes, leading to inferior food delivery. Previously, a study was conducted to confirm the origin of mud loaches using genetic analysis. However, untargeted metabolites profiling of mud loaches has not been reported. Untargeted metabolomics provides information on the overall metabolic profiling of a sample, allowing the identification of new metabolites. Here, we analyzed the metabolites of mud loaches of different geographical origins using liquid chromatography (LC)-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS). Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis from LC/MS datasets showed a clear distinction between Korean and Chinese mud loaches, and univariate statistical analysis showed significantly different metabolites between them. N-acetylhistidine and anserine were selected as biomarkers for geographical origin discrimination using the receiver operating characteristic curve. N-acetylhistidine and anserine levels were significantly higher in Chinese than in Korean mud loaches. These results indicate that metabolic analysis can be used to discriminate between the geographical origins of mud loaches, curtailing the inadvertent substitution of mud loaches from different regions.

Analysis of metabolite differences between South Korean and Chinese yellow goosefish (Lophius litulon) using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The yellow goosefish is a benthic fish that belongs to the family Lophiidae and order Lophiiformes and is distributed in the Yellow and East China Seas. This study aimed to distinguish between yellow goosefish from different geographical origins by analyzing their metabolites. Capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to analyze metabolite profiles in the muscle tissues of yellow goosefish to distinguish between Korean and Chinese yellow goosefish. In total, 271 putative metabolites were extracted using 50% acetonitrile in water. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to distinguish different geographical origins using the metabolite profiles obtained. The R2 and Q2 values of the OPLS-DA model were 0.856 and 0.695, respectively, indicating that the model was well-fitted and had good predictability. The heat map revealed that nucleic acid and amino compounds differed between the Korean and Chinese fish, and the variable importance in the projection scores obtained from OPLS-DA showed that there were geographical differences in the primary metabolites (5'-methylthioadenosine, adenosine, uridine 5-diphosphate, guanosine 5-diphosphate, urea, homocarnosine, O-acetylcarnitine, cycloleucine, cycloleucine S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, ethanolamine, myo-inositol 1-phosphate), which were identified as potential candidate biomarkers.

Genetic and Transcriptional Regulatory Mechanisms of Lipase Activity in the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Fusarium graminearum.

Lipases, which catalyze the hydrolysis of long-chain triglycerides, diglycerides, and monoglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol, participate in various biological pathways in fungi. In this study, we examined the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of fungal lipases via two approaches. First, we performed a systemic functional characterization of 86 putative lipase-encoding genes in the plant-pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. The phenotypes were assayed for vegetative growth, asexual and sexual reproduction, stress responses, pathogenicity, mycotoxin production, and lipase activity. Most mutants were normal in the assessed phenotypes, implying overlapping roles for lipases in F. graminearum. In particular, FgLip1 and Fgl1 were revealed as core extracellular lipases in F. graminearum. Second, we examined the lipase activity of previously constructed transcription factor (TF) mutants of F. graminearum and identified three TFs and one histone acetyltransferase that significantly affect lipase activity. The relative transcript levels of FgLIP1 and FGL1 were markedly reduced or enhanced in these TF mutants. Among them, Gzzc258 was identified as a key lipase regulator that is also involved in the induction of lipase activity during sexual reproduction. To our knowledge, this study is the first comprehensive functional analysis of fungal lipases and provides significant insights into the genetic and regulatory mechanisms underlying lipases in fungi. IMPORTANCE Fusarium graminearum is an economically important plant-pathogenic fungus that causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat and barley. Here, we constructed a gene knockout mutant library of 86 putative lipase-encoding genes and established a comprehensive phenotypic database of the mutants. Among them, we found that FgLip1 and Fgl1 act as core extracellular lipases in this pathogen. Moreover, several putative transcription factors (TFs) that regulate the lipase activities in F. graminearum were identified. The disruption mutants of F. graminearum-lipase regulatory TFs all showed defects in sexual reproduction, which implies a strong relationship between sexual development and lipase activity in this fungus. These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic mechanisms regulating lipase activity as well as its importance to the developmental stages of this plant-pathogenic fungus.

Ruptured Pancreaticoduodenal Artery Aneurysm in a Patient With Celiac Artery Dissection: A Case Report.

Unlike other visceral artery aneurysms, pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysms (PDAAs) should be treated regardless of their size. There are no reports on PDAA associated with celiac artery (CA) dissection. We, here, report the case of a patient with a ruptured PDAA with concomitant CA dissection. A 44-year-old Korean man presented to the emergency room of another hospital 29 days ago due to a sudden onset of abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a large right retroperitoneal hematoma and CA dissection. Subsequently, aortography revealed no specific bleeding focus. He underwent conservative treatment for 16 days, including a transfusion, and then was referred to us. His abdominal CT angiography revealed a diminishing retroperitoneal hematoma, a 7 mm × 8 mm PDAA at the anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm (PDA), and CA dissection. Selective celiac angiography revealed sluggish and diminished blood flow to the true lumen of the CA, and the hepatic, gastroduodenal, and splenic arteries were supplied by collaterals arising from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). We performed elective coil embolization of the anterior PDA using the right femoral approach.We believe that postprocedural surveillance is required after CA dissection because of the potential risk of recurrent PDAA. Additionally, we suggest that hidden PDAA rupture should be considered for spontaneous retroperitoneal bleeding.

In vivo surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanosensor for the real-time monitoring of multiple stress signalling molecules in plants.

When under stress, plants release molecules to activate their defense system. Detecting these stress-related molecules offers the possibility to address stress conditions and prevent the development of diseases. However, detecting endogenous signalling molecules in living plants remains challenging due to low concentrations of these analytes and interference with other compounds; additionally, many methods currently used are invasive and labour-intensive. Here we show a non-destructive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based nanoprobe for the real-time detection of multiple stress-related endogenous molecules in living plants. The nanoprobe, which is placed in the intercellular space, is optically active in the near-infrared region (785 nm) to avoid interferences from plant autofluorescence. It consists of a Si nanosphere surrounded by a corrugated Ag shell modified by a water-soluble cationic polymer poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), which can interact with multiple plant signalling molecules. We measure a SERS enhancement factor of 2.9 × 107 and a signal-to-noise ratio of up to 64 with an acquisition time of ~100 ms. To show quantitative multiplex detection, we adopted a binding model to interpret the SERS intensities of two different analytes bound to the SERS hot spot of the nanoprobe. Under either abiotic or biotic stress, our optical nanosensors can successfully monitor salicylic acid, extracellular adenosine triphosphate, cruciferous phytoalexin and glutathione in Nasturtium officinale, Triticum aestivum L. and Hordeum vulgare L.-all stress-related molecules indicating the possible onset of a plant disease. We believe that plasmonic nanosensor platforms can enable the early diagnosis of stress, contributing to a timely disease management of plants.

Risk factors for prolonged hospitalization and delayed treatment completion after laparoscopic appendectomy in patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis.

PURPOSE: We sought to identify the risk factors for prolonged hospitalization and delayed treatment completion after laparoscopic appendectomy in patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis. METHODS: The study retrospectively analyzed 497 patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomies for uncomplicated appendicitis between January 2018 and December 2020. The patients were divided into an early discharge group (≤2 days) and a late discharge group (>2 days) based on the length of hospital stay (LOS). The patients were also divided into uneventful and complicated groups according to the need for additional treatment after standard follow-up. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (7.4%) were included in the late discharge group. The mean LOS of the late discharge groups was 3.9 days. There were significant differences according to age, preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP), and operative time between the 2 groups. Only operative time was significantly associated with prolonged LOS in multivariate analysis. Thirty-five patients (7.0%) were included in the complicated group. The mean duration of treatment in the uneventful and complicated groups was 7.4 and 25.3 days, respectively. Significant differences existed between the uneventful and complicated groups in preoperative body temperature, preoperative CRP levels, maximal appendix diameter, and the presence of appendicoliths. In multivariate analysis, preoperative CRP levels and maximal appendix diameter were independent predictors of delayed treatment completion. CONCLUSION: Shorter operative time is desirable to ensure minimal hospital stay in patients with uncomplicated appendicitis. Further efforts are needed to ensure that patients with uncomplicated appendicitis do not experience delayed treatment completion after laparoscopic appendectomies.

Interpretable deep learning translation of GWAS and multi-omics findings to identify pathobiology and drug repurposing in Alzheimer's disease.

Translating human genetic findings (genome-wide association studies [GWAS]) to pathobiology and therapeutic discovery remains a major challenge for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We present a network topology-based deep learning framework to identify disease-associated genes (NETTAG). We leverage non-coding GWAS loci effects on quantitative trait loci, enhancers and CpG islands, promoter regions, open chromatin, and promoter flanking regions under the protein-protein interactome. Via NETTAG, we identified 156 AD-risk genes enriched in druggable targets. Combining network-based prediction and retrospective case-control observations with 10 million individuals, we identified that usage of four drugs (ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, cholecalciferol, and ceftriaxone) is associated with reduced likelihood of AD incidence. Gemfibrozil (an approved lipid regulator) is significantly associated with 43% reduced risk of AD compared with simvastatin using an active-comparator design (95% confidence interval 0.51-0.63, p < 0.0001). In summary, NETTAG offers a deep learning methodology that utilizes GWAS and multi-genomic findings to identify pathobiology and drug repurposing in AD.

Transcriptomics-based network medicine approach identifies metformin as a repurposable drug for atrial fibrillation.

Effective drugs for atrial fibrillation (AF) are lacking, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. This study demonstrates that network proximity analysis of differentially expressed genes from atrial tissue to drug targets can help prioritize repurposed drugs for AF. Using enrichment analysis of drug-gene signatures and functional testing in human inducible pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived atrial-like cardiomyocytes, we identify metformin as a top repurposed drug candidate for AF. Using the active compactor, a new design analysis of large-scale longitudinal electronic health record (EHR) data, we determine that metformin use is significantly associated with a reduced risk of AF (odds ratio = 0.48, 95%, confidence interval [CI] 0.36-0.64, p < 0.001) compared with standard treatments for diabetes. This study utilizes network medicine methodologies to identify repurposed drugs for AF treatment and identifies metformin as a candidate drug.

Effects of tiotropium on the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with COPD: a nationwide cohort study.

Inhaled long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) is recommended for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there is still concern that LAMA may cause cardiovascular adverse events in COPD patients. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether the administration of tiotropium, the first commercially available LAMA, could increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in COPD patients through a nationwide cohort study. We used the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) database between 2002 and 2014 for the analysis. We applied a washout period of COPD diagnosis during 2002-2003 and excluded the patients who used an inhaler before the diagnosis of COPD. We also excluded patients who were diagnosed with CHD before inhaler use. Among a total of 5787 COPD patients, 1074 patients were diagnosed with CHD. In the Cox regression models with time-dependent tiotropium usage, we found that tiotropium significantly increased the risk of CHD in a subgroup of age [Formula: see text]55 years compared to non-users of tiotropium (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.003-1.54). When analyzed by dividing into tertiles (high/middle/low) according to the cumulative tiotropium exposure, the high tertile exposure group of tiotropium was associated with a higher risk of CHD compared with the low tertile exposure group of tiotropium. Additionally, the risk of CHD was higher in the high tertile exposure group of tiotropium in the age 55 and older group and in the never smoker group. When prescribing tiotropium for COPD patients, particularly those over 55 years of age and never-smokers, it is desirable to evaluate the risk of CHD in advance and closely follow-up for CHD occurrence.

Intron turnover is essential to the development and pathogenicity of the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum.

Intron lariats excised during the splicing process are rapidly degraded by RNA lariat debranching enzyme (Dbr1) and several exonucleases. Rapid turnover of lariat RNA is essential to cellular RNA homeostasis. However, the functions of Dbr1 have not been investigated in filamentous fungi. Here, we characterized the molecular functions of Dbr1 in Fusarium graminearum, a major fungal plant pathogen. Deletion of FgDBR1 resulted in pleiotropic defects in hyphal growth, conidiation, sexual reproduction, and virulence. Through transcriptome analysis, we revealed that the deletion mutant exhibited global accumulation of intron lariats and upregulation of ribosome-related genes. Excessive accumulation of lariat RNA led to reduced overall protein synthesis, causing various phenotypic defects in the absence of FgDBR1. The results of this study demonstrate that a compromised intron turnover process affects development and pathogenesis in this fungus and that Dbr1 function is critical to plant pathogenic fungi.

Complete mitochondrial genome of scorpionfish Scorpaena neglecta (Actinopterygii).

Scorpaena neglecta (Temminck and Schlegel, 1843) is a marine fish, in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes, class Actinopterygii of the phylum Chordata. The first species of Scorpaena with a complete mitochondrial genome is described in the present study. The circular mitochondrial genome of S. neglecta has 17,202 bp with 54.75% A + T content and encodes 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA), and two ribosomal RNA (rRNA). The phylogenetic tree indicates S. neglecta clustered into one branch and is closely related to other Scorpaenidae species. The mitochondrial genome structure and gene content of S. neglecta will support the study of evolution and phylogenetic relationships among Scorpaenidae species.

Analysis of metabolites of red seabream (Pagrus major) from different geographical origins by capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Red seabream (Pagrus major), a migratory fish, is characterized by high protein levels in the muscle. South Korean and Japanese red seabreams have a general distribution pattern; however, distinguishing them based on their geographical origin is difficult. In this study, we used capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOF/MS) to analyze the red seabream muscle metabolome to investigate how can distinguish the origin of the fish. The metabolites were extracted using 50% acetonitrile in water. Chromatographic separation was successfully used to classify the metabolite profiles of Japanese and South Korean red seabream. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis showed good ability to categorize the samples according to their origin. Amino acids showed the greatest quantitative difference in South Korean and Japanese muscle samples. Specifically, the L-alanine, L-glutamic acid, L-isoleucine, dimethylglycine, and L-valine levels in Japanese red seabream samples were significantly higher than those in South Korean samples. In contrast, the levels of trimethylamine N-oxide and inosine monophosphate in South Korean muscle samples were significantly higher than those in Japanese red muscle samples. The monitored metabolite profiles suggest that South Korean and Japanese red seabreams can be identified on the basis of amino acid levels.

Complete mitochondrial genome of marine Petrale sole Eopsetta jordani (Pleuronectiformes: Pleuronectidae) flatfish.

Petrale sole Eopsetta jordani (Pleuronectiformes: Pleuronectidae) is a species of flounder, found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea of the United States and Canada. The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of E. jordani has 16,483 bp with an overall A + T content of 61% and consists of 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a non-coding control region. It has incomplete stop codon genes in ND2, COII, ATPase6, COIII, ND3, and ND4. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that E. jordani is not monophyletic with cogeneric Eopsetta grigorjewi and is separated from other species in the same family by a large distance. Present study results provide useful data for further research on genetic diversity and evolution of the Eopsetta and the Pleuronectidae.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of demersal flatfish Eopsetta grigorjewi (Pleuronectiformes: Pleuronectidae) from South Korea.

Eopsetta grigorjewi (Pleuronectiformes: Pleuronectidae) is a demersal flatfish found in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, and the Yellow Sea. E. grigorjewi complete mitochondrion DNA (mtDNA) consists of 16,921 bp and a 54% A + T content. It includes 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA), 13 protein-coding genes, and 1 non-coding regulatory area. ND2, ND3, ND4, COII, COIII, ATPase6, and CytB all have incomplete stop codon genes. The evolutionary analysis of 13 species from the same family indicated a close relationship. This work will be valuable for future research on molecular evolution and the creation of biomarker databases for determining the originality of E. grigorjewi.