• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.6-15
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• 2020

Silk has attracted the attention of numerous research groups because of its unique properties as a biomedical material. Recently, studies on the biomedical application of silk cocoon, such as membranes for guided bone regeneration, have been conducted. As a preliminary study on silkworm cocoons, the morphological structure and crystallinity of cocoon of nine silkworm varieties with different sides are examined in this study. The morphological structure of the silkworm cocoon is shown to be dependent on silkworm variety and the cocoon layer (i.e. outside or inside). It is also shown that the silk filaments of the out layer are more bent and twisted compared to those of the inner layer. Furthermore, the crystallinity of the outer surface of all silkworm cocoons is found to be higher than that of the inner surface, regardless of the silkworm variety. Lastly, it is shown that the crystallinity index of the cocoon depends on the silkworm variety, implying that the structure of the cocoon varies with silkworm variety.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2017

Gastric ulcer is a clinical symptom characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Stress and alcohol consumption have been identified as the major cause of gastric ulcer. However, the effects of silkworms on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer have not been studied yet. The mature silkworms that are difficult to eat have become easier to ingest due to recent technological development to make steaming and freeze-drying mature silkworm larval powder (SMSP). In this study, we investigated whether three silkworm varieties, Baekokjam, Golden-silk and Yeonnokjam could alleviate ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage in vivo. Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with 3 SMSPs (0.1 or 1 g/kg BW) or normal diet (AIN-76A) were exposed to absolute ethanol (3 g/kg BW, 3 h) by oral gavage. Morphological examination included ulcer index as a measurement of hemorrhages and hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to analyze the severity of gastric ulcer. Results of macroscopic examination suggested that all 3 SMSPs pretreatment significantly protected gastric mucosa against ethanol-induced damage. Microscopic observations demonstrated significant mucosal erosion and inflammation in ethanol-treated rats, which was abrogated in rats pretreated with 3 SMSPs. In addition, pretreatment with all 3 SMSPs showed significant decreases the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, IL-6 and cyclooxygenase-2. Among SMSP from 3 varieties of silkworm, preadministration of 1 g/kg Baekokjam SMSP showed the most effective protective effect against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. These results suggest that Baekokjam SMSP can be a potential gastroprotective agent against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2017

Increased alcohol consumption is a burden on the world because it is associated with various health problems. However, the effects of silkworms on alcohol metabolism have not been studied yet. The hard-to-eat mature silkworms have become easier to ingest recently due to the development of technology, steam-lyophilising mature silkworm larvae. In this study, we investigated and compared the effects of SMSPs from three silkworm varieties, Baekokjam, Golden-silk and Yeonnokjam weaving white, golden, and light green cocoons on alcohol metabolism in vivo. Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with three SMSPs (0.1 g/kg or 1 g/kg body weight) or normal diet (AIN-76A) for 2 weeks were subjected to intragastric administration of absolute ethanol (3 g/kg body weight, 3 h). Three SMSPs did not affect the final body weight and liver weight. All 3 SMSPs were effective to reduce the enzymes in alcohol metabolism, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), and liver damage and enzymes involved in liver damage, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Among SMSP from 3 varieties of silkworm, preadministration of 1 g/kg Baekokjam SMSP showed the most effective suppressive effect on the activities of ADH, ALDH, AST and ALT. The Baekokjam SMSP contained higher amounts of beneficial amino acids than Golden-silk or Yeonnokjam SMSP. These results suggest that Baekokjam SMSP might be used as a new and promising candidate for improving alcohol metabolism and liver injury through promoting rapid alcohol metabolism.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.84-92
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• 2022

White-Jade silkworm (previously also known as Baegokjam) variety is the most popular silkworm variety that produces white cocoons. In 2021, the market share of White-Jade variety in Korea is very high, accounting for 88% of the silkworm production. Daebaekjam, Dodamsilkworm, Kumkangjam, and Kumokjam varieties, which have recently been established, make white cocoons like White-Jade. In this study, we found that 5 types of HongJams produced from 5 varieties of silkworms producing white cocoons did not show any severe difference in proximate analysis. The amounts of crude proteins, the most abundant nutrient, were between 71.05 ~ 73.38%, and those of crude lipids were 13.89 ~ 14.69% in 5 types of HongJams. In addition, there was no difference between White-Jade HongJam (WJ) and Daebaekjam HongJam in amino acid compositions. The amount of unsaturated fatty acid was significantly higher in WJ than in the other four types of HongJams, but the omega-6 fatty acids/omega-3 fatty acids ratio was higher in the four types of HongJams. Most of the minerals were higher in four types of HongJams than in WJ, and three heavy metal were not detected in all 5 types of HongJams. Phytochemicals were also most abundant in WJ, but the difference in the amounts were not severe. And pepsin digestibility was the highest for Kumokjam HongJam and the lowest for Dodam-silkworm HongJam, but the difference was not severe. The nutritional component analysis results of this study suggested that four new varieties can be used for producing HongJams, and Daebaekjam can replace White-Jade the most as the protein source.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.101-105
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• 1976

The study was carried out to investigate the variations in the fibroin hydrolysis of leading silkworm varieties in Korea, and the relationship between the fibroin hydrolysis of the silkworm varieties with some characteristics and silk morphological property. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1) The fibroin hydrolyzing ratio of both parent silkworm cocoons was reduced in the F$_1$hybrids. 2) A positive corelation (r=＋0.86) was approved between the mid-parent value and the F$_1$hybrid in the fibroin hydrolysis. 3) It was disclosed that the fibroin hydrolyzing ratio of Jam 103${\times}$Jam 104 was the lowest among the leading silkworm F$_1$hybrids. 4) The fibroin hydrolysis was affected by the silk morphological property, showing a positive corelation between the size of cocoon filament and the fibroin hydrolyzing ratio. 5) It was thought that the determination of the fibroin hydrolyzing ratio was useful as a marker for the selection of its related economical characters in silkworm breeding, because the fibroin hydrolysis of parents silkworm cocoons was heritable in their F$_1$hybrids.

• Mycobiology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2010

This study was conducted out to select a silkworm variety suitable for synnemata production of Isaria tenuipes. Four kinds of the mulberry silkworm varieties, Bombyx mori, were hybridized using a Japanese parental line and a Chinese parental line, and used to test for synemata formation in I. tenuipes. The larval period of normal silkworms was 22 hr longer than the silkworms inoculated with this fungus. Among the silkworm varieties tested, Hachojam had the shortest larval period with 23.02 days. The non-cocooning silkworm had a shorter larval period than the cocoon producing silkworms. The pupation rate of normal silkworms was about 9% higher than that of silkworms sprayed with I. tenuipes. Hachojam had the highest infection rate at 99.8%, but no significant difference was observed for the infection rate by silkworm variety. The production of synnemata was the best in JS171 $\times$ CS188 with an incidence rate of 99.3%, followed by Hachojam, and Chugangjam. The synnemata produced from Hachojam were the heaviest and showed white or milky-white in color.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

We investigated the selection and sensitivity to environmental mutagen of silkworm reared artificial diet to develop all-year-round operation system using a specific locus mutation of Bombyx mori. In the system, mutagenicity could be detected by the egg colour manifested by the pe and/or re genes, which is a kind of recessive visible mutation of the insect. Among, hi, Backokjam, C5, and N12, varieties of silkworm, AT was higher than other varieties in eclosion rate of female, and C5 and N12 were higher in fertility of male. Bakokjam was higher in eclosion rate of female, rate of moth to lay eggs normally in female and male, no. of eggs layed in female and fertility of female. As above results, Bakokjam was finally selected as the most fitness one among varieties of silkworm reared artificial diet. But the sensitivity to mutagen was lower than other varieties. In the sensitivity to mutagen, AT was the most sensitivity to mutagen in tested varieties of silkworm. To use AT variety in this system, AT was improved major characteristics, eclosion rate, fertility, rate of moth to lay eggs normally, and so on, by crossing of other varieties including Bakokjam.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.20-27
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• 1985

This study was carried out to investigate the histological changes after the infection of nuclear and cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses(NPV, CPV) and the resistance to the viruses in various varieties of the silkworm fed on artificial diet. The results obtained were as follows; Among four varieties of silkworm tested, Jam 107$\times$Jam 108 was more resistant than the other varieties tested and Jam 119$\times$Jam 120 was the most resistant to CPV. In case of peroral infection with NPV, Jam 107$\times$Jam 108 showed lower mortality than the remained varieties in low concentration (104/ml). However, all varieties showed high mortality as the concentration of viruses was increased. With infection of CPV, the varieties showed high mortality at the concentration of 107 and 108/ml, while Jam 119$\times$Jam 120 showed the lowest mortality at virus concentration of 104/ml. The fat bodies, epidermal cells and tracheal epithelial cells showed high susceptibility to NPV to break the cells completely and liberate the debris to the body cavity. The CPV infected only the cylindrical cells of mid-gut and formed polyhedrons. In some cells, CPV was liberated to gastral cavity. In the electrophoretic pattern of hemolymph protein of silkworm larvae infected with NPV, bands were dimmed and disappeared as symptom aggravated after infection. Electrophoretic pattern of homolymph proteins of silkworm larvae infected with CPV showed no numerical difference at the later stage of infection, and one or two bands was observed along with lowering the concentrations.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.92-96
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• 2015

It is known that silk protein supports effectively proliferation of cell such as insect cell and hybridoma cell. Although there are many varieties of Bombyx mori silkworm, the effect of silkworm varieties on cell proliferation has not been considered in detail. We studied that characteristics of silk cocoon obtained from Baegokjam, Kumokjam, Daeseongjam silkworm varieties and whether silk protein affected cell proliferation or not. Silk sericin was prepared under high temperature and high pressure condition. Silk fibroin was prepared using $CaCl_2:H_2O:EtOH$ with different dissolution time. As a result, there are differences in silk cocoon from different silkworm varieties about cell proliferation. The proliferation was accelerated in the presence of Baegokjam silk sericin and Kumokjam silk fibroin with 5hr dissolution time. We expect that silk proteins could be a preferable culture medium supplement for stimulating the proliferation of cell. Then, this results suggest silk as a new material for medium supplement replacing with fetal bovine serum.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2000

A mutagenicity testing system using a specific locus mutation of Bombyx mori was introduced from National Institute of Genetics in Japan. In the system, mutagenicity could be detected by the egg color manifested by the pe and/or re genes, which is a kind of recessive visible mutation of the insect. The efficiency to detect mutagenicity of the system was examined and improved. To promote the sensitivity of the system to mutagens, eight varieties of Bombyx mori were tested for their sensitivity to two mutagens, EMS and MMC. Two varieties of the silkworm, N12 and C5, were finally selected as the most sensitive ones. The most sensitive development stage of the silkworm to mutagens was mid and late pupal stages for female and male, respectively. The system will be applied to test unknown mutagens after some more detail examination about its sensitivity.