• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.347-363
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• 2009

The 15,389-bp long complete mitogenome of the endangered red-spotted apollo butterfly, Parnassius bremeri (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) was determined in this study. The start codon for the COI gene in insects has been extensively discussed, and has long remained a matter of some controversy. Herein, we propose that the CGA (arginine) sequence functions as the start codon for the COI gene in lepidopteran insects, on the basis of complete mitogenome sequences of lepidopteran insects, including P. bremeri, as well as additional sequences of the COI start region from a diverse taxonomic range of lepidopteran species (a total of 53 species from 15 families). In our extensive search for a tRNA-like structure in the A+T-rich region, one $tRNA^{Trp}$-like sequence and one $tRNA^{Leu}(UUR)$-like sequence were detected in the P. bremeri A+T-rich region, and one or more tRNA-like structures were detected in the A+T-rich region of the majority of other sequenced lepidopteran insects, thereby indicating that such features occur frequently in the lepidopteran mitogenomes. Phylogenetic analysis using the concatenated 13 amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences of PCGs of the four macrolepidopteran superfamilies together with the Tortricoidea and Pyraloidea resulted in the successful recovery of a monophyly of Papilionoidea and a monophyly of Bombycoidea. However, the Geometroidea were unexpectedly identified as a sister group of the Bombycoidea, rather than the Papilionoidea.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.193-197
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• 2014

To investigate the degree of individuals' likability of insects, a survey was conducted with students and adults living in Korea. Overall, for insect-related questions, positive responses were higher than negative ones. Among the positive responses, the personal rearing of insects scored lower than others. The unconditional dislike of insects scored highest in the negative responses. A significant differences and correlations were found between males and females, students and adults, people experienced in insect-related events and those who were not. In particular, previous experience in insect-related events significantly influenced insect likability. Subjects preferred coleopteran and lepidopteran insects to others. However, this preference of insects differed by gender: Male participants preferred coleopteran insects to lepidopteran insects, while female participants preferred lepidopteran insects to coleopteran ones. No significant differences in the preference of insects were found by participants' job, residence, or experience in insect-related events. These findings suggest that gender is the most important factor to consider in selecting insects to be used as therapeutic tools in mental health care.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.481-496
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• 2022

In order to establish an effective pest control strategy, we investigated the occurrence of lepidopteran insects in the major trees growing in urban forests from 2019 to 2021. In total, we recorded 76 species of 14 families in Prunus spp., 40 species of eight families in Acer spp., 43 species of 10 families in Zelkova serrata, 28 species of seven families in Rhododendron spp., and 10 species of four families in Hibiscus syriacus. Among these, Hyphantria cunea and Lymantria dispar were recorded from all five tree taxa monitored. The most frequently occurring species in the different tree groups were as follows: H. cunea and Phalera flavescens in Prunus yedoensis, Epinotia ulmicola in Z. serrata, and Rehimena surusalis in H. syriacus. H. cunea also occurred in Rhododendron spp. and Acer spp., although the numbers were lower than those recorded in Prunus spp. and Z. serrata. Our results highlight the importance of focusing on the frequency of occurrence of lepidopteran insects in Prunus spp. and Z. serrata, whereas the presence of these insects in both Acer spp. and Rhododendron spp. Appears to be less problematic. From the perspective of reducing the risks to human health, our findings indicate that the application of pheromones for monitoring lepidopteran species and the use of mating disruptors would be desirable approaches that would contribute to minimizing the spraying of pesticides in urban forests.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.42-55
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• 2007

We investigated the species richness of lepidopteran insects (excluding butterflies and microlepidoptera) of Mt. Seungdal-san, Muan-gun, Jeollannam-do, Korea, from 2003 to 2005 using two portable light traps. A total of species comprised 423 species belongs to 17 families were identified. The family Noctuidae with 209 species was dominant in the area followed by Geometridae with 132 species. Based on the number of individuals collected, Geometridae was the highest mostly due to an ennomine species (Alcis angulifera). Monthly fluctuations of moth species richness present an M-shaped curve with two high peaks at June and August. Comparisons of species diversity of yearly captures revealed that the diversity of 2003 was higher than that of 2004, but the diversities of between 2003 and 2005, and between 2004 and 2005 were no different.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2005

Recently a cDNA clone of apoLp-III from Hyphantria cunea was isolated and subjected to computational analysis to compare with other available sequences. Multiple sequence alignments were carried out using the amino acid sequences of apoLp-III from six insects. It was found that the H. cunea apoLp-III has relatively high sequence identities to Spodoptera litura ($69.5\%$), Manduca sexta ($66.8\%$), Galleria mellonella ($65.1\%$), Bombyx mori N4 ($54.3\%$) but less identity to Locusta migratoria ($18.3\%$). The amino acid composition was compared with other insects using EXPASY tools; it shows that alanine (Ala), glutamine (Gln), leucine (Leu) and lysine (Lys) are the major amino acid components of apoLp-III in H. cunea as well as other lepidopterans. Homology modeling performed using PSI-BLAST (PDB template M. sexta) reveals that the apoLp-III molecules consist of five, long amphipathic alpha helical bundles with short loops connecting the helices and shows homology with other insects. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the orthopteran apoLp-III represented by locust was most distantly related to the lepidopteran insects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2003

1. To compare a full cDNA sequence of hemolin, a bacteria-induced protein of lepidopteran insects, from 4 geographically different strains of Bombyx mori. 2. To determine developmental profiles of hemolin gene expression in Bombp mori. (omitted)

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.553-557
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• 2007

In order to detect and identify the most toxic Bacillus thuringiensis strains against pests, we isolated a B. thuringiensis strain (Bn1) from Balaninus nucum (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the most damaging hazelnut pest. Bn1 was characterized via morphological, biochemical, and molecular techniques. The isolate was serotyped, and the results showed that Bn1 was the B. thuringiensis serovar, kurstaki (H3abc). The scanning electron microscopy indicated that Bn1 has crystals with cubic and bipyramidal shapes. The Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCRs) revealed the presence of the cry1 and cry2 genes. The presence of Cry1 and Cry2 proteins in the Bn1 isolate was confirmed via SDS-PAGE, at approximately 130 kDa and 65 kDa, respectively. The bioassays conducted to determine the insecticidal activity of the Bn1 isolate were conducted with four distinct insects, using spore-crystal mixtures. We noted that Bn1 has higher toxicity as compared with the standard B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (HD-1). The highest observed mortality was 90% against Malacosoma neustria and Lymantria dispar larvae. Our results show that the B. thuringiensis isolate (Bn1) may prove valuable as a significant microbial control agent against lepidopteran pests.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.35-50
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• 2022

In this review, the compositions of the sex pheromones of 22 lepidopteran species were analyzed and briefly arranged by comparing the research results conducted in different locations worldwide. These compositions can be used as monitoring tools for pests of rice, maize, leguminous crops, perilla, and sesame in Korea. The sex pheromone compounds and those compositions of four species were successfully identified within Korean populations. The optimal compositions of sex pheromones of three other species were selected through behavioral studies using synthetic chemicals of the known pheromone compounds in laboratories and fields, without chemical identification processes in the sex pheromone compounds of Korean populations. For a few species, the roles of the minor components of the sex pheromone volatiles should be re-assessed for use in the development of optimal monitoring lures.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.457-462
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• 1997

Antibacterial activity was induced in the haemolymph of the common cutworm, Spodoptera litura by the artificial injection of E, coli Ek132. Antibacterial peptides were purified from the immunized haemolymph by heat treatment, ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography, and reverse phase FPLC, and their physicochemical characteristics were investigated. These purified antibacterial peptides designated as spodopsin la and Ib were named after Spodoptera litura. Spodopsin la and Ib had the apparent molecular masses of 3, 823 Da and 3, 886 Da, respectively, and about 20% of the sequences had basic amino acids, such as lysine and arginine but no cysteine. Also, spodopsin l was confirmed to be a new member of cecropin family having a similar amino acid sequence to cecropin of lepidopteran insects, such as Bombyx mori and Hyalophora cecropia. The purified spodopsin was active against gram-positive as well as gram-negative bacteria.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.146-146
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• 2002

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