• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.75-80
• /
• 2015

The wet spinning of silk solution has attracted researchers' attention because of 1) unique properties of silk as a biomedical material and 2) easy control of the structure and properties of the regenerated silk fiber. Recently, studies have reported that different silkworm varieties produce silk with differences in the molecular weight (MW) and other mechanical properties of the regenerated silk fibroin (SF) film. In this study, we look at the effect of different Bombyx mori varieties on the wet spinning of SF. Although five regenerated SFs from different silkworm varieties have different MWs and solution viscosity, the wet spinnability and post drawing performance of regenerated SFs were not different. This result is due to low variability in the MW of the regenerated SF samples from the different silkworm varieties. In addition, unlike regenerated SF films, the mechanical properties of wet spun regenerated SF filament were not affected by silkworm variety. This result suggests that the mechanical properties of wet spun SF filament are less affected by MW than those of SF film are.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2023

Mulberry (Morus spp.) production is a vital activity in sericulture along with rearing of silkworms (Bombyx mori L.) for silk production. The Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI) conducted a study that evaluated 11 mulberry varieties, including nine newly-evolved mulberry hybrids and two check varieties. These mulberry varieties were fed to silkworm hybrid, DMMMSU 115 x 100. The rearing performance of DMMMSU 115 x 100 was determined based on the silkworm economic traits such as weight of 10 matured larvae, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell percentage, cocoon yield, reelability percentage, filament length and filament size. Six silkworm rearing trials were conducted with 50 silkworm larvae per treatment in three replicates. The data were analyzed in a one-way Analysis of Variance. Significant differences were tested further using Tukey's Honest Significant Difference. Mulberry varieties that garnered an evaluation index value of higher than 50 were identified and selected. Results of the study revealed significant variations among the mulberry varieties based on the parameters gathered except on the reelability of cocoons, filament length and size. Matured silkworm larvae fed with Alf 55 were significantly heavier and higher cocoon yield compared to those fed with Alfonso and S₅₄. Alf 32, Alf 55, Alf 58, Bat 37 and Bat 73 were identified as potential varieties and highly recommended as feed for the silkworm hybrid, DMMMSU 115 x DMMMSU 100.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.10-13
• /
• 2000

The objective of this research was to characterize of the silkworm that might be recognized to the Korean native strains. The eleven strains of Korean race used in this study, which is cultured in Korea and Japan seri-cultural research organs. Most of Korean varieties were three molting and univoltine, comparatively longer larval duration than the trimolter general. The egg characters of varieties showed short-eliptic shape and dark brown egg color except for a few varieties which shows greenish dark brown. Also, most of varieties were showed the plain(p) and moricaud( $p_{M}$) in larval markings. Moric marking of the varieties also consist of innumerable dark grayish brown lines and dots, though somewhat darker and lighter than that of the wild silkworm, Bombyx mandarina. Cocoon characters variations of varieties were seen in the size, color and shape. 8 varieties were colored cocoon, i.e., yellow, greenish yellow and light green etc., the others were white cocon. The shape of cocons were consisted of constricted shallowly in the middle and attenuated at one or both ends of cocoon, i.e., spindle. The results of this study is sufficient evidence that Korean strains were shown as the one of regional origin strain of domesticated silkworm such as the Chinese and Japanese etc.c.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.18-23
• /
• 2019

Bombyx mori silkworm has many silkworm varieties and the structure and properties of silk can be varied depending on the silkworm variety. Therefore, the choice of proper silkworm variety can be an effective way to control and improve the performance of silk materials in biomedical and cosmetic applications. As a preliminary study, in the present study, thirty nine Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons were prepared and their molecular conformation and crystallinity were examined. Molecular conformation and the crystallinity of silkworm cocoons were different depending on the silkworm variety. Interestingly, the crystallinity index of outside of cocoon was different from that of inside of cocoon and the difference between the crystallinities of outside and inside of cocoon was varied depending on the silkworm variety. In this study, the silkworm variety cocoons were classified into three groups (Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3) based on the difference of crystallinities between outside and inside.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2022

Silkworms have recently attracted attention as healthy functional foods. Different varieties of silkworms have functional differences; thus, there is an emerging need for variety identification. In this study, we sequenced complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of ten government-recommended silkworm varieties (BaekHwang, BaekOk, DaeBaek, DaeBak, DaeHwang, GoldenSilk, HanSaeng, JooHwang, KumKang, and KumOk). Comparison of these sequences allowed us to select the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 34 sites that are specific to six silkworm varieties: 13 in DaeBak, 8 in GoldenSilk, 9 in KumKang, 2 in BaekHwang, 1 in BaekOk, and 1 in DaeHwang. Among these each one SNP per variety was amplified by preparing variety-specific primers and then using tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR (T-ARMS-PCR). As a result, it was possible to identify these six varieties among the ten silkworm varieties, evidencing that SNPs developed from mitogenomes are useful marker for the discrimination of genetically closer silkworm varieties.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 1997

Bombyx mori, silkworm powder has been studied for blood-glucose lowering activity by National Sericulture & Entomology Research Institute(NSERI) and Kyung Hee University group in 1995. To obtain the optimum preparative condition of silkworm powder for lowering blood-glucose levels in postprandial time, blood-glucose lowering activity of mulberry & silkworm varieties were examined. In mulberry varieties, Samkwangjam showed the highest activity. Activity for lowering blood-glucose levels of autumn rearing silkworm was higher than that of spring silkworm and hybrid silkworm showed higher activity than that of parent silkworm. In the silkworm lines, Chinese lines showed higher activity than that of Japanese lines. In experiments to see the difference in blood-glucose lowering activity between either male and female or larvae and pupae, activity of larvae was higher than that of pupae and the male was higher than female. The heating dry and artificial diet showed lower than mulberry diet and normal freeze dry of the 5th instar 3rd day. Among the sericultural products, larvae showed the highest activity.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.6-14
• /
• 2016

The mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori has been one of the most important domestic animals which have provided with silk fibers for weaving fabrics and a food for a protein and lipid source. In addition, various health improvement effects of diverse silkworm larval powders were reported. Recently we found that steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworm larval powder (SMSP) generated using white-jade (also known as Backokjam) silkworm variety extended healthspan and increased resistance to Parkinson's disease in animal models. Because the colors of cocoons in silkworm varieties were caused by altered signal transduction pathways transporting phytochemicals from intestinal lumens to silk glands, we performed the proximate, amino acid, mineral, carbohydrates, fatty acid, and cholesterol composition analyses of SMSPs of 3 silkworm varieties which were weaving light yellow, golden, and red cocoons. Although most of nutrient compositions among 3 SMSPs were similar, there were significant differences in certain amino acids, minerals, and fatty acid compositions. Red silk silkworm (RS)-SMSP had higher contents of crude proteins and total amino acids than other SMSPs. In addition, the ratio of n-3/n-6 unsaturated fatty acids were higher than the other SMSPs. In contrast Golden silk silkworm (GS)-SMSP had higher ratio of potassium/sodium than the other SMSPs. These nutrient analysis results suggested that 3 SMSPs might have common and unique health improvement effects. Thus, further studies in the functionalities of the 3 SMSPs will reveal unknown their health improvements effects.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.81-85
• /
• 2015

Recently, many researchers have studied silk sericin because of its high water retention, good wound healing, good cyto-compatibility, and blood-glucose- and cholesterol-lowering effects. Although sericin film can be used in wound dressing and cosmetic packs, its poor mechanical properties have prevented its use in industrial fields. In the present study, sericin was obtained from different silkworm varieties, and the effect of silkworm variety on the structure and properties of sericin was examined. Except for a small difference in serine content, no significant difference in sericin was noted among the silkworm varieties. In addition, silkworm variety almost had no effect on solution viscosity, implying that it does not influence the molecular weight of sericin. Mechanical properties of sericin film were strongly affected by silkworm variety. Wonwon 126 showed the best mechanical properties, while N74 and Geumgwangju displayed the worst properties.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.167-173
• /
• 1999

Survival analysis with life span of silkworm moth was investigated from 277 varieties preserved and maintained in Korea. Ten varieties showed long and short life span were selected for the investigation of the longevity in response to mating and surviving. The density distributions of average life span of female and male in all varieties used was 8.3days about 13%. The frequency of average survival according to life span survived 178 varieties(64.3%)for 5-10 days in male, but the female was survived 147 varieties(53%) for 10-15days. Average longevity of unmated female and male were respectively 9.5days and 9.0 days, and female survived 0.5 days longer than male. On the other hand, average longevity of mated female and male were 8.8 days and 7.7 days, respectively. It was found that mating activities affected significantly to the adult life span, especially to that of males than that of females.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.154-166
• /
• 1999

General characteristics and life span of silkworm moth were investigated amongst 277 gene resources preserved and maintained in Korea. Silkworm varieties were classified according to the commercial characteristics and the viability of tested varieties. There were significant differences among the eight different commercial characteristics of silkworm such as whole larval period, duration of 5th instar, pupal body weight, single cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, cocoon yield and longevity, Tropical race showed the longest life span among the other five geographical races, and followed by Japanese, European, Chinese and Korean race in order. In the longevity of each variety, Daizo(sdi) showed the shortest life span with 4.3days, and J037 was the longest as 16.0 days. Average longevity of female was 11.1 days as showed 3.0 days longer than that of male which was 8.2 days. Total average longevity of the whole varieties was 9.7days. In the correlation between the longevity and commercial characteristics, there was a tendency that the commercial characteristics became better when the life span was longer. According to the result of Complete Linkage Cluster Analysis, the genetic resources of 277 silkworm varieties classified into 5 groups such as “Group I”for short life span with low cocoon yielding “Group II”for middle life span with middle cocoon yielding,“Group III”for the shortest life span with low cocoon yielding, “Group IV”for high pupation rate and the highest cocoon yielding with comparatively long life span, and “Group V”for the longest life span with comparatively high cocoon yielding.