• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2021

Background: Ranavirus is an emerging infectious disease which has been linked to mass mortality events in various amphibian species. In this study, we document the first mass mortality event of an adult population of Dybowski's brown frogs (Rana dybowskii), in 2017, within a mountain valley in South Korea. Results: We confirmed the presence of ranavirus from all collected frogs (n = 22) via PCR and obtained the 500 bp major capsid protein (MCP) sequence from 13 individuals. The identified MCP sequence highly resembled Frog virus 3 (FV3) and was the same haplotype of a previously identified viral sequence collected from Huanren brown frog (R. huanrenensis) tadpoles in South Korea. Human habitat alteration, by recent erosion control works, may be partially responsible for this mass mortality event. Conclusion: We document the first mass mortality event in a wild Korean population of R. dybowskii. We also suggest, to determine if ranavirus infection is a threat to amphibians, government officials and researchers should develop continuous, country-wide, ranavirus monitoring programs of Korean amphibian populations.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2000

The genetic variations among six species of Rana from Korea (R. nigro-maculata, R. piancyi, R. dybowskii, R. sp, R. rugosa type A, B and R. amurensis) were investigated using 499 bases of mitochondrial DNA sequences for ND2 (NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2) gene and $tRNA^{Trp}$ gene. Partial sequences of ND2 gene (427 bp) and full sequences of $tRNA^{Trp}$ gene (73 bp) were identified. The level of sequence divergences ranged from 0.2 to 5.2% within species and 4.9-28.0% among 6 species of the genus Rana. The $tRNA^{Trp}$ gene of the genus Rana was composed of 77 nucleotides which showed a two dimensional "cloverleaf" structure. The secondary structure of $tRNA^{Trp}$ was not found compensatory changes which could potentially confound phylogenetic inference. In the neighborjoining tree, brown frogs were clustered first with the level of sequence divergence of 13.20% between R. amurensis and R. dybowskii, and 9% between R. dybowskii and R. sp. supported by 99% bootstrap iterations, respectively. R. nigromaculata and R. plancyi were clustered into another group with 5.1% divergence supported by 100% bootstrap iteration. R. rugosa A 8nd B types were grouped by 4.9% divergence and clustered into the last group with other two groups with 100% bootstrap iterations.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2000

Genetic relationships among six species of the genus Rana from Korea were investigated by complete nucleotide sequence analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1143 bp). Based on Kimura-2-parameter distance, the interspecific sequence differences of cytochrome b gene within the genus Rana were ranged from 7.83% to 25.00%. The genetic distances were 7.83% between R. nigromaculata and R. plancyi, 8.47% between two types of R. rugosa (type A and B), 10.42% between the brown frogs (R. amurensis and R. dybowskii), 16.11% between R. dybowskii types 1 and 2 and 12.36% between pond frogs (R. nigromaculata and R. plancyi) and R. catesbeiana. In the neighbor-joining and parsimony trees, R. catesbeiana was more closely related to pond frogs than brown frogs. R. dybowskii types 1 and 2 were considered to be at a distinct and specific level of differentiation (16.11%), while two types of R. rugosa were suspected to be at a subspecific level (8.47%).

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 1999

The nucleotide sequences of a 504 bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene were analyzed to survey the intraspecific variation of the brown frog, Rana dybowskii, collected from nine populations in South Korea. Comparisons of sequence divergence of the cytochrome b gene suggest that the populations examined are clearly classified into two types (type 1 and type 2), diverged from each other by a high value of 14.3-15.9% sequence divergence. The two types are distributed allopatrically in most populations, but only one population occurs sympatrically. In the Tonghae population, their spawning grounds differ in that type 1 spawns in the puddle and type 2 spawns in the mountain creek. Based on the genetic divergences of the cytochrome b gene sequences, the phylogenetic status of Korean R. dybowskii is elucidated by comparing it with related brown frogs distributed in an area adjacent to the Korean Peninsula. Interspecific sequence divergences among type 1, type 2 and other related brown frog species (Russian R. dybowskii, R. pirica, R. ornativentris, R. chensinensis: 2n=24 chromosomes) used in this study ranged from 11.7 to 16.3%. R. dybowskii in Tsushima is very similar to our type 1 (sequence divergence＝0-1.6%) and R. chensinensis in western China is closest to our type 2 (sequence divergence＝6.8-7.5%).

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.258-263
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• 1989

Nuclear Transplantation between Rana pipiens and Rana dybowskii When diploid blastula nuclei of Rana pipiens are traraplanted into enucleated eggs of Rana dybowskii the resulting nucleocytoplasmic hybrids are lethal-those development were arrested around the stage of the dorsal lip formation For the improvement of developmental capacity, serial nuclear transplantation was carried out. Even though serial transplantation of 15 generations showed normal development in each generation until gastrula stage, there was no sign of fundamental improvement in development afterward. This results implied that up to gastrulation normal DNA replication and cell division can take place in foreign cytoplasm. Since chromosomal aberrations both in shape and number were usually observed, the nuclei must have been modifted while resided in the foreign cytoplasm. Those nuclei didn't participate in normal development and led the embryos to early death. Tissue graft experiment indicated that the abnormal behavior of this lethal nucleocytoplasmic hybrid is an inherent property which is not corrected by the contact with its own tissue.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.193-202
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• 1983

Inversion at variable time of the uncleaved eggs of Rana nigromaculata and Rana dybowskii was emplyed to study the mechanisms of early embryogenesis. The response to inversion varied between those two spcies. If the eggs were inverted at early time it was possible to change the site of the first cleavage furrow of Rana nigromaculata-it appeared on the original vegetal hemisphere (OpG side). However, the first cleavage furrow of Rana dybowskii was not changed at all no matter what its inversin time was-it always appeared on the original animal hemisphere (G. side). In the inverted Rana nigromaculata embryos the size of the blastomeres on the vegetal hemisphere was always smaller than those of animal hemisphere. On the ocntrary, the cleavage pattern of Rana dybowskii was not altered. Results of the histological works for the inverted eggs suggest that the different responses to inversion might be caused by the fact that the extent to which the redistribution of the egg components such as cleavage nuclei and yolk platelets are different.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 1996

Comparing hibernation with active periods, the regional distribution and relative frequencies of gastrointestinal endocrine cells were studied immunohist-ochemically in the GITs of the Rana dybowskii. Six kinds of endocrine cells were identified in this study. In this study, several novel findings were emerged: in hibernation period, the perdominant presence of immunoreactive cells; the widely distributional regions of glucagon-, Gas/CCK- and BPP-immunoreactive cells; the intense reaction of immunostaining against the antiserum; and the existence of 5-HT- and somatostat-in-immunoreactive cells in upper regions of the fundic glands. These results suggest that the gastro-entero-endocrine cells in hibernation period synthesize continuously its gut hormones and accumulate in their cytoplasms.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 2000

Since specific types and physical characteristics of anuran calls can represent reproductive qualities of a calling male, anuran calls have been studied in context of mate choice. We in here report call types of Rana dybowskii and their variations from two different recording sites. Calls of R. dybowskii are classified to three types based on their physical characteristics and behavioral observations; 'A-call'functions to advertise locations of a calling male and to attract potential mates. A territorial male emits 'B-call'only during male-male interaction. 'C -call'is released when a male frog was clasped by another male. The A-call from two recording sites, Miwon and Wonju, shows high variations in their call characteristics.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.87-91
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• 1998

The present study investigated the involvement of the phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways during progesteroneinduced meiotic maturation in amphibian (Rana dybowskii) oocytes. Prosesterone-induced germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) of oocytes was significantly inhibited by a PKC inhibitor, staurosporine and a PLC inhibitor, U73122, in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, U73343, an inactive analogue of U73122, was ineffective in suppressing GVBD. PKC activity in oocytes reached a maximum level at 30 min after progesterone stimulation and this elevated PKC activity was effectively suppressed by U73122 or staurosporine, suggesting that the activation of PKC enzyme is closely linked to PLC signaling during oocyte maturation. In addition, these inhib itors blocked the maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity which appeared in oocytes in response to progesterone, suggesting that PKC activation is an important signal for MPF activity. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the activation of PKC via PLC signaling is directly linked to an intracellular protein kinase cascade related to the appearance of MPF activity during meiotic maturation in amphibian (Rana dybowskii) oocytes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.401-405
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• 1999

Comprehensive collecting survey were performed fer study on ovipositioning habits and developmental process of Rana temporaria dybowskii from mid February 1998 to late May 1998 from Kyunggi-do, Kangwon-do and other areas in South Korea. Oviposition occurred in both running water and pool between late February and late May. In lotic habitat, they laid egg mass in irregularly ball shaped, and eggs were sticked to substrates such as stone or macrophytes. On contrary, in the pool, they laid an oval shaped egg mass not sticked to any other substrates. Every egg was hatched at day 7, and all developmental processes were completed at days 71 after oviposition. Developmental process of this species was relatively short, and this may increase predation activities during abundant prey season.