• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.230-236
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• 2009

An extract of Allomyrina dichotoma larva (ADL), one of the insects used most frequently in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of liver diseases such as hepatocirrhosis and hepatofibrosis, was assessed for antioxidant bioactivity in this study. In the current work, we have investigated the protective effects of ADL extracts on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced hepatotoxicity in cultured hepa1c1c7 cells and in the mouse liver. The treatment of the hepa1c1c7 cells with ADL extracts induced a significant reduction of t-BHP-induced oxidative injuries, as determined by cell cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reactive oxygen species contents, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ADL extracts evidenced a protective effect against t-BHPinduced oxidative DNA damage, as revealed by the results of the Comet assay in hepa1c1c7 cells. ADL extracts also protected against hydroxyl radical-induced 2-deoxy-d-ribose degradation by ferric ion-nitrilotriacetic acid and $H_2O_2$. In addition, ADL extracts were shown to be able to quench 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. Our in vivo study revealed that ADL extracts pretreatment applied prior to t-BHP administration significantly prevented an increase in the serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers and reduced LPO in the mouse liver in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that the protective effects of ADL extracts against t-BHP-induced hepatotoxicity may be attributable, at least in part, to its ability to scavenge free oxygen radicals, and to protect against DNA damage due to oxidative stress.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.687-695
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• 2019

In a previous work, we performed de novo RNA sequencing of Allomyrina dichotoma using next generation sequencing and identified several antimicrobial peptide candidates based on transcriptome analysis. Among them, a cationic antimicrobial peptide, allomyrinasin, was selected bioinformatically based on its physicochemical properties. Here, we assessed the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of allomyrinasin against microorganisms and mouse macrophage Raw264.7 cells. Allomyrinasin showed antimicrobial activities against various microbes and decreased the nitric oxide production of the lipopolysaccharide-induced Raw264.7 cells. Furthermore, quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA revealed that allomyrinasin reduced cytokine expression levels in the Raw264.7 cells. We also identified inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 expression, and $PGE_2$ production through western blot analysis and ELISA. We confirmed that allomyrinasin bound to bacterial cell membranes via a specific interaction with lipopolysaccharides. Taken together, these data indicate that allomyrinasin has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities as exemplified in lipopolysaccharide-induced Raw264.7 cells. We have provided a potentially useful antimicrobial peptide candidate that has both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.36 no.2 s.141
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• pp.129-135
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• 2005

Lectins from Allomyrina dichotoma (ADL) and Bombyx mori (BML) were partially purified by physiological saline extraction, ammonium sulfate fractionation, anion exchange column chromatography on DEAE Sephadex A-50 and gel filtration column chromatography on Sephadex G-200. An assay for cytokine expression was carried out by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). mRNA isolated from PBMC(human peripheral blood mononuclear cells) were stimulated with ADL(O.D.=0.2) and BML(O.D.=0.1) for various times(1,4,8,24,48 and 72 h) and various cytokine mRNA assessed by RT-PCR were shown as follows: The patterns of bands for IL-1 mRNA of BML were very similar with those from ADL and these bands were decreased along the increasing reaction times after showing a strong band at 1 h. However mRNA expressions for IL-2, IL-6, $IFN{\gamma}$ and $TNF{\alpha}$ showed different patterns between ADL and BML. With the effect of ADL, the expression of IL-2 and IL-6 mRNA were continuously detected until 72 h with the strongest band of IL-2 mRNA at 24 h. The strong bands of $IFN{\gamma}$ mRNA were observed from 4 to 8 h but the strongest one of $TNF{\alpha}$ was just observed at 1 h. Meanwhile with BML, the bands for IL-2 and $IFN{\gamma}$ were increased along the increasing reaction times until 72 h. The strongest bands were showed from 4 to 8 h with IL-6 and at 8 h with $TNF[\alpha}$. To verify quantitatively ELISA was used for assay of protein secretions of the cytokine gene with IL-2 and $IFN{\gamma}$ expressed markedly different in RT-PCR. The highest cytokine secretion for IL-2 was demonstrated at 48 h. The production of $IFN{\gamma}$ was markedly increased at 24 h and secreted highest at 72 h. These result suggest that ADL and BML, as inducers of cytokines, can elicit detectable cytokine mRNA from PBMC within the first few hours of stimulation and maintain the production of cytokines for a few days by the methods of RT-PCR and ELISA.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.210-221
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• 2020

This research was executed to select beneficial antagonists from digestive organ of Allomyrina dichotoma larva that can be put on environment friendly control against phytopathogenic fungi. We screened 38 bacterial strains inhibiting mycelial growth against eight plant pathogens through dual culture assay. The 10 strains among 38 bacterial strains were selected as beneficial microbes showing antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, Plasmodiophora brassicae, Colletotrichum acutatum and Phytophthora capsici through under greenhouse pot trials. The 10 bacterial strains that shown strongest antifungal activity were classified into 3 genera and 10 species, and identified as the genus Bacillus (DM146, DM152, DH2, and DH16), Paenibacillus (DF30, DH14, and DM142) and Streptomyces (DF137, DM48, and DH92) by morphological characteristics and 16s rRNA gene sequence. The 10 bacterial strains had solubilizing activity of insoluble phosphates, production of IAA (indole-3-acetic acid), β-1,3-glucanase and protease. Among the 10 bacterial strains, DM152 strain was produced significant enhancement of all growth parameters of chili pepper and tomato seedlings under greenhouse condition. Thus, this study demonstrated that gut microbes of Allomyrina dichotoma larva will be useful as a potential biocontrol agent against plant pathogens and biofertilizer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1501-1506
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• 2018

Edible insects have recently been increasingly promoted as a source of protein. As the number of farms rearing these insect increases, it is important to develop safe and nutritious feed sources to improve their commercial quality. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of food by-products as feed supplements for the Korean rhinoceros beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma, which has been registered as a general food ingredient in Korea. We compared the effects of waste citrus peel, soybean curd cake, soybean oil meal, and brewers' dried grain on the growth of third instar larvae of A. dichotoma. Groups of larvae were fed with fermented sawdust and nine different combinations of the above by-products and the effects on their growth were measured until pupation. The highest survival rate was with feed supplemented with 10% brewers' dried grain (66.7%, p<0.05), and these larvae were also 26% heavier (p<0.05) than the control group that received no supplementation. In the 10% brewers' dried grain group, the larval period of third instar was shortened by almost 28 days (p<0.01) compared to the control group. Of all the groups, only that which was fed the brewers' dried grain supplement showed more than a 90% pupation rate (p<0.05). Therefore, brewers' dried grain may be useful as a source of feed for A. dichotoma.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.417-425
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• 2021

The use of edible insects to replace meat protein is important to ensure future global food security. However, processed foods using edible insects require development to enhance consumer perception. Here, we examined the physicochemical characteristics and rheological properties of emulsions prepared from different edible insect larvae. Three edible insect species (Tenebrio molitor, Allomyrina dichotoma and Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis) were used to prepare larval emulsions that were formulated with 65% of insect larvae, 20% of pork back fat, and 15% ice. The A. dichotoma emulsion had the highest pH and lightness, redness, and yellowness values, while the T. molitor emulsion had the lowest pH and lightness, redness, and yellowness values. The T. molitor emulsion had the highest hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and apparent viscosity values but the lowest springiness and cohesiveness values. According to the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis, T. molitor had the thickest bands, followed by P. brevitarsis seulensis. The differential scanning calorimetry distributions for the T. molitor and A. dichotoma emulsions showed one peak, while that of the P. brevitarsis seulensis emulsion had two peaks. The collective results suggest that T. molitor was the most suitable candidate (of the three tested species) for use as a meat replacement in terms of its physicochemical and rheological properties. It is important that such properties of insect-based emulsions are maintained using various technologies.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.264.3-265
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.384-388
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• 2007

Aerodynamic characteristics of Coleoptera species of Epilachna quadricollis and Allomyrina dichotoma are experimentally and numerically investigated. Using digital high speed camera and smoke wire technique, we visualized the continuous wing kinematics and the flight motion of free-flying coleoptera. The experimental visualization shows that the elytra flapped concurrently with the main wing both in the downstroke and upstroke motions. The wing motion of Epilachna quadricollis was captured and analyzed frame by frame to identify the kinematics of the wings and to implement it in the movement of a model wing (thin plate) in the simulation. The two-dimensional simulation of Epilachna quadricollis hovering flight was performed by assuming the wing cross section shape as a thin plate, even though most of insect's wings are made of curved corrugated membrane. The effect of Reynolds number are investigated by the simulation. Meanwhile, in order to investigate the role and effect of elytra, the flow visualization of Allomyrina dichotoma was carried on using smoke wire visualization technique. Here, we confirmed that the vortex generated by elytra due to its movement is strongly influence the vortex dynamic generated by hind wings.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.31-39
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• 2016

The reasons for selecting insects as future food are high growth and feed conversion rates, reproduce quickly, low environmental footprint, valuable source of nutrients, and source of a various undeveloped functional materials. Since 2014, Tenebrio molitor larva, Protaetia brevitarsis larva, Allomyrina dichotoma larva, and Gryllus bimaculatus were registered as new food in Korea because it has been scientifically proven that they are not harmful to eat and nutritious. Therefore they can be legally produced and sold as food. Accordingly, there are 7 species of edible insects including grasshopper, silkworm pupa, and Baekgangjam in Korea. To improve aversion to edible insects, using their powder, chop, and gravy hidden their morphology, we developed more than 100 different kinds of recipes for general food menu, held several times tasting events to be familiar with edible insect food, and published cookbooks. Moreover, we developed more than 50 kinds of recipes for patients. To eat the insect food more and more people, we have been analyzed various function of insects. If health food based on the results of functional analysis is developed, edible insect's value will be raised. If various insect foods are developed and consumed by people, edible insect market will grow up more than 100 billion won in 2020.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.996-1001
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• 2019

Edible insects are reported to be rich in protein, minerals and vitamins, and much attention has been paid to them as a future food source. In Korea, they were massively reared and sold. In order to enhance the market value of edible insects for industrialized mass production, it is important to develop the safe and nutritious feed sources for rearing them are needed. In this study, a chlorella-free control feed (Exp1) and six experimental feeds supplemented with 0.5~2.0% liquid or powder types of chlorella were formulated. Protaetia brevitarsis and Allomyrina dichotoma, registered as food ingredients in Korea, were fed with the designed feeds and parameters of growth including larval survivorship, larval body weight, and larval period were analyzed. When chlorella added, larval survivorship was increased 2~13%(p>0.05) and 9~22%(p<0.05) in each beetle compared to the control. Interestingly, the larval period of chlorella powder-added groups was shortened by 24 days (Exp3, p<0.05) in P. brevitarsis and 19 days (Exp4, p<0.01) in A. dichotoma. Meanwhile, some parameters, crude protein, crude fiber, copper, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorous, in chlorella-added groups of P. brevitarsis were also higher than the control group. Therefore, chlorella could promote the larval growth performance of these two beetles and be used as a feed additive in rearing them.