• Title/Summary/Keyword: herbivore

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Reversibility and safety of KISS1 metastasis suppressor gene vaccine in immunocastration of ram lambs

  • Han, Yan-Guo;Liu, Gui-Qiong;Jiang, Xun-Ping;Xiang, Xing-Long;Huang, Yong-Fu;Nie, Bin;Zhao, Jia-Yu;Nabeel, Ijaz;Tesema, Birhanu
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.31 no.6
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    • pp.835-841
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    • 2018
  • Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the reversibility and safety of KISS1 metastasis suppressor (KISS1) gene vaccine in immunocastration. Methods: Six eight-week old ram lambs were randomly divided into vaccinated and control groups. The vaccine (1 mg/ram lamb) was injected at weeks 0, 3, and 6 of the study. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein before primary immunization and at weeks 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 22, and 30 after primary immunization. All ram lambs were slaughtered at 38 weeks of age, and samples were collected. Results: The specific anti-KISS1 antibody titers in vaccinated animals were significantly higher and the serum testosterone level was significantly lower than those in the control groups from week 4 to 14 after primary immunization (p<0.05). No significant difference was observed at weeks 22 and 30 after the primary immunization. Similar results were also found for scrotal circumference, testicular weight, length, breadth, and spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules in week 30 after primary immunization. KS (KISS1-hepatitis B surface antigen S) fusion fragment of KISS1 gene vaccine was not detected in host cell genomic DNA of 9 tissues of the vaccinated ram lambs by polymerase chain reaction. Conclusion: The effects of KISS1 gene vaccine in immunocastration were reversible and no integration events were recorded.

Insect Damage to Plants and Structure of Ecological Community: Indirect Interaction Mediated by Insect Damaged Plants (곤충의 가해와 생물군집 구조- 피해식물이 개재된 간접적 상호관계를 중심으로 -)

  • Hyun, Jai-sun
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.54 no.2
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    • pp.137-144
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    • 2015
  • Plants can affect adversely the interaction among herbivores by inducing insect resistance chemicals and change of attack behavior of natural enemies. Also, plants may induce favorable effects to herbivores by production of allelochemicals, nutritional variation, or morphological changes. In this review, we examined the effects of the interaction among herbivores mediated by plants and plant-response induced by insect attack, or the life history strategies of insects on the community structure of herbivore insects, and discussed its ecological significance in community level.

Review of Functional Volatile Component in Essential Oil of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (자원식물의 기능성 정유성분 이용 고찰)

  • 정해곤;방진기;성낙술;김성민
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.48
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    • pp.41-48
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    • 2003
  • The number of natural products obtained from plants has now reached over 100,000 and new chemical compounds are being discovered ever year. Medicinal and Aromatic plants and their extracts have been used for centuries to relieve pain, aid healing, kill bacteria and insects are important as the antifungal and anti-herbivore agents with further compounds being involved in the symbiotic associations. Although their functions in plants have not been fully established, it is Known that some substances have growth regulatory properties while others are involved in pollination and seed dispersal. The complex nature of these chemicals are usually produced in various types of secretory structures which is an important character of a plant family and also influenced and controlled by genetic and ecological factors. Detailed anatomical description of these structures ave relevant to the market value of the plants, the verification of authenticity of a given species and for the detection of substitution or adulteration. Volatile oils are used for their therapeutic action for flavoring of lemon, in perfumery of rose or as starting materials for the synthesis of other compounds of turpentine. For therapeutic purposes they are administered as inhalations of eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, as gargles and mouthwashes of thymol and transdermally many essential oils including those of lavender, etc. With these current trend for using volatile components in essential oil will be increasing in the future in Korea and in the world as well.

The Characterization of Fish Communities in Agricultural Reservoirs (농업용 저수지의 어류군집 특성)

  • Yoon, Ju-Duk;Jang, Min-Ho;Kim, Myoung-Chul;Nam, Gui-Sook;Hwang, Soon-Jin;Joo, Gea-Jae
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.39 no.1 s.115
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    • pp.131-137
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    • 2006
  • Most South Korean lakes are middle/small size artificial reservoirs, which are almost agricultural reservoirs (17,956). A total of 67 species (21 families) were recorded and collected from 65 agricultural reservoirs though field samplings and literature surveys. Dominant species was Pseudorasbora parva (relative abundance 24.5%), and Carassius auratur (41 sites) was the highest frequency. Feeding group of fish communities in the reservoirs was as follows: carnivorous (16.2%), omnivorous (79.5%) and herbivorous fish (4.3%). The number of individuals (P=0.024), species number (P=0.047) and carnivores number (P=0.024) were significantly correlated with reservoir ages. Reservoirs were classified into 3 groups according to feeding patterns of carnivore, omnivore and herbivore groups. The omnivores were dominant group in agricultural reservoirs. Detailed studies on fish community will be a base for the understanding of food web structure and biomanipulation in reservoir systems.

Perspectives provided by leopard and other cat genomes: how diet determined the evolutionary history of carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores

  • Kim, Soonok;Cho, Yun Sung;Bhak, Jong;O'Brian, Stephen J.;Yeo, Joo-Hong
    • BMB Reports
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    • v.50 no.1
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    • pp.3-4
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    • 2017
  • Recent advances in genome sequencing technologies have enabled humans to generate and investigate the genomes of wild species. This includes the big cat family, such as tigers, lions, and leopards. Adding the first high quality leopard genome, we have performed an in-depth comparative analysis to identify the genomic signatures in the evolution of felid to become the top predators on land. Our study focused on how the carnivore genomes, as compared to the omnivore or herbivore genomes, shared evolutionary adaptations in genes associated with nutrient metabolism, muscle strength, agility, and other traits responsible for hunting and meat digestion. We found genetic evidence that genomes represent what animals eat through modifying genes. Highly conserved genetically relevant regions were discovered in genomes at the family level. Also, the Felidae family genomes exhibited low levels of genetic diversity associated with decreased population sizes, presumably because of their strict diet, suggesting their vulnerability and critical conservation status. Our findings can be used for human health enhancement, since we share the same genes as cats with some variation. This is an example how wildlife genomes can be a critical resource for human evolution, providing key genetic marker information for disease treatment.

The Biology of Phenolic Containing Vesicles

  • Schoenwaelder, Monica E.A.
    • ALGAE
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    • v.23 no.3
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    • pp.163-175
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    • 2008
  • Phenolic compounds play a major role in the interaction of plants with their environment. They are thought to have been a feature of higher plants since early colonization of the land. Phenolics are crucial for many important aspects of plant life. They can play structural roles in different supporting or protective tissues, for example in cell walls, they can be involved in defence strategies, and signalling properties particularly in the interactions between plants and their environment. In brown algae, phenolic compounds are contained within membrane bound vesicles known as physodes, and their roles in algae are thought to be similar to those of higher plant phenolics. They can be stained using various histochemical stains, however, none of these stains are phenolic specific so care must be taken during interpretation of such results. Many, but not all phenolics are also autofluorescent under UV or violet light. Physodes are involved in cell wall construction, both in primary and secondary walls in brown algae. They bind together with other wall components to make a tough wall. They have also been found to play a role at fertilization, in blocking polyspermy in some species. Sperm are very quickly rendered immobile after phenolic release from newly fertilized zygotes seconds after fertilization. Phenolic compounds are thought to be important herbivore deterrents in some species due to their astringent nature. Phenolic compounds also offer effective UV protection in the early life stages and also the adults of many algal species. In the future, this factor may also make them an important player in the pharmaceutical and skincare industries.

Cucurbitacin B Activates Bitter-Sensing Gustatory Receptor Neurons via Gustatory Receptor 33a in Drosophila melanogaster

  • Rimal, Suman;Sang, Jiun;Dhakal, Subash;Lee, Youngseok
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.43 no.6
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    • pp.530-538
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    • 2020
  • The Gustatory system enables animals to detect toxic bitter chemicals, which is critical for insects to survive food induced toxicity. Cucurbitacin is widely present in plants such as cucumber and gourds that acts as an anti-herbivore chemical and an insecticide. Cucurbitacin has a harmful effect on insect larvae as well. Although various beneficial effects of cucurbitacin such as alleviating hyperglycemia have also been documented, it is not clear what kinds of molecular sensors are required to detect cucurbitacin in nature. Cucurbitacin B, a major bitter component of bitter melon, was applied to induce action potentials from sensilla of a mouth part of the fly, labellum. Here we identify that only Gr33a is required for activating bitter-sensing gustatory receptor neurons by cucurbitacin B among available 26 Grs, 23 Irs, 11 Trp mutants, and 26 Gr-RNAi lines. We further investigated the difference between control and Gr33a mutant by analyzing binary food choice assay. We also measured toxic effect of Cucurbitacin B over 0.01 mM range. Our findings uncover the molecular sensor of cucurbitacin B in Drosophila melanogaster. We propose that the discarded shell of Cucurbitaceae can be developed to make a new insecticide.

A Modified Esophageal Fistulation Technique with Sheep and Goats (개량(改良)된 방법(方法)에 의한 면(緬), 산양(山羊)의 식도루관형성술(食道瘻管形成術))

  • Kim, Myung Cheol;Kim, Kyo Joon;Lee, In Duk
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.186-190
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    • 1987
  • Three sheep and 3 Korean native goats, raised in animal farm in Agricultural College of Chungnam National University, were esophageally fistulated for herbivore dietary composition studies. The results obtained were as follows. 1. Esophageal fistulation with improved method was relatively convenient in surgical operation and it was also suitable for the study of forage material in sheep and goats. 2. Excellent animal health was maintained over one year during which animals were utilized periodically in diet studies.

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Feeding behaviors of a sea urchin, Mesocentrotus nudus, on six common seaweeds from the east coast of Korea

  • Yang, Kwon Mo;Jeon, Byung Hee;Kim, Hyung Geun;Kim, Jeong Ha
    • ALGAE
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    • v.36 no.1
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    • pp.51-60
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    • 2021
  • The sea urchin, Mesocentrotus nudus, is widely distributed in North West Pacific regions. It has a substantial impact on macroalgal communities as a generalist herbivore. This study examined various aspects of its feeding ecology, including algal preference, foraging behaviors, and possible effects of past feeding history on its algal preference. We used six common algal species (Ulva australis, Undaria pinnatifida, Sargassum confusum, Dictyopteris divaricata, Grateloupia elliptica, and Grateloupia angusta) from the east coast of Korea as food choice in a series of indoor aquarium experiments. The first choice of starved M. nudus was exclusively U. pinnatifida, followed by G. elliptica and S. confusum. Unlike large urchins, small urchins equally preferred U. pinnatifida and G. elliptica. On the other hand, Undaria-fed urchins preferred to feed only G. elliptica, although its preference slightly differed over time. We then grouped sea urchins into three categories (starved, Undaria-fed, mixed species-fed) to observe 12-days feeding preference as well as early foraging movements. Foraging behaviors of the three groups were distinctively different, although they could not completely reflect the actual consumption. For example, U. australis was highly attractive, but rarely eaten. Undaria-fed urchins seemed to stay with only S. confusum and U. australis. This study demonstrates that M. nudus shows high flexibility in food preference depending on past feeding history and body size. Its foraging behaviors are also affected by past feeding conditions, exhibiting active chemoreceptive movements.

G1 the common Echinococcus granulosus genotype infected domestic cat (Felis catus) in Iraq

  • Musafer H. Al-Ardi
    • Journal of Veterinary Science
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.7.1-7.7
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    • 2024
  • Background: Infections of cats with Echinococcus granulosus is uncommon because the cat is not part of the parasite life cycle that a carnivorous and another herbivore represent. Nevertheless, it occurs incidentally when eating food or drinking water contaminated with the worm's larva, especially with the presence of the definitive host (dogs), in this case, the infections are concentrated in stray or outside cats. For this reason, this study examined the possibility of cat infection with E. granulosus and diagnosed the common genotype of this infection. Objective: This study examined the possibility of cat infection with E. granulosus and diagnosed the common genotype of this infection. Methods: Four of the 37 cats that had died in different accidents developed cystic echinococcosis (CE). The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1) gene was initially amplified and sequenced to determine if these cysts belonged to E. granulosus, in beginning. The DNA fragments resulting from sequencing were then compared and aligned with other sequences using the Gene Bank database. Finally, a phylogenetic tree was drawn according to the sequence data obtained from cox1 genes sequencing, and the MEGA 7.0 phylogenetic analysis program was utilized. Results: Four different sequences were deposited in the Gen Bank with accession numbers (ON795961 to ON795964), all of which belong to the G1 genotype. Approximately 84% and 100% of these sequences aligned with G1 (AB622277.1) and G1 (MG722980.1), respectively. Conclusions: G1 is the dominant genotype that causes cat infections, even though the cat's EC infection was incidental.