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How the function of the JMJD2D epigenetic regulator is regulated or whether it plays a role in prostate cancer has remained elusive. We found that JMJD2D was overexpressed in prostate tumors, stimulated prostate cancer cell growth and became methylated by SET7/9 on K427. Mutation of this lysine residue in JMJD2D reduced the ability of DU145 prostate cancer cells to grow, invade and form tumors and elicited extensive transcriptomic changes. This included downregulation of CBLC, a ubiquitin ligase gene with hitherto unknown functions in prostate cancer, and upregulation of PLAGL1, a transcription factor with reported tumor suppressive characteristics in the prostate. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that CBLC expression was elevated in prostate tumors. Further, downregulation of CBLC largely phenocopied the effects of the K427 mutation on DU145 cells. In sum, these data have unveiled a novel mode of regulation of JMJD2D through lysine methylation, illustrated how this can affect oncogenic properties by influencing expression of the CBLC gene, and established a pro-tumorigenic role for CBLC in the prostate. A corollary is that JMJD2D and CBLC inhibitors could have therapeutic benefits in the treatment of prostate and possibly other cancers.

The histone demethylase JMJD2A/KDM4A facilitates prostate cancer development, yet how JMJD2A function is regulated has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that SET7/9-mediated methylation on 6 lysine residues modulated JMJD2A. Joint mutation of these lysine residues suppressed JMJD2A’s ability to stimulate the MMP1 matrix metallopeptidase promoter upon recruitment by the ETV1 transcription factor. Mutation of just 3 methylation sites (K505, K506, and K507) to arginine residues (3xR mutation) was sufficient to maximally reduce JMJD2A transcriptional activity and also decreased its binding to ETV1. Introduction of the 3xR mutation into DU145 prostate cancer cells reduced in vitro growth and invasion and also severely compromised tumorigenesis. Consistently, the 3xR genotype caused transcriptome changes related to cell proliferation and invasion pathways, including downregulation of MMP1 and the NPM3 nucleophosmin/nucleoplasmin gene. NPM3 downregulation phenocopied and its overexpression rescued, to a large degree, the 3xR mutation in DU145 cells, suggesting that NPM3 was a seminal downstream effector of methylated JMJD2A. Moreover, we found that NPM3 was overexpressed in prostate cancer and might be indicative of disease aggressiveness. SET7/9-mediated lysine methylation of JMJD2A may aggravate prostate tumorigenesis in a manner dependent on NPM3, implying that the SET7/9→JMJD2A→NPM3 axis could be targeted for therapy.

The classical biological control, which is the intentional introduction of exotic species to manage the biological invasion, is the standard measure if the human-mediated management is no longer effective. This method, however, involves a latent risk that the introduced exotic species brings about the nontarget effect on indigenous native species. Applying the native natural predator is the best alternative to control the invasive alien species without the substantial change into the ecosystem of the area invaded. Here, we introduced an indigenous Korean muricid gastropod Reishia bronni (Dunker, 1860), a potential natural predator of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819), a well-known invasive alien species successfully settled down in Korea. In the biomonitoring survey on the Korean ports of the east coast between 2007 and 2011, we have observed the spread of R. bronni within the Mytilus galloprovincialis community. The observed decrease of the mussel density around the gastropod assemblage led us to the idea that R. bronni is the natural predator of M. galloprovincialis. In order to clarify such a predator-prey interaction between both species, we performed a field observation from two Korean ports in August 2012, keeping R. bronni and M. galloprovincialis individuals together into the cages for 18 days. Then, we counted the number of latter ones consumed and estimated the average time spent feeding per individual of R. bronni. We observed the positions of the drill holes made on the consumed shells by it. Our results showed that R. bronni is the active natural predator of M. galloprovincialis with the high feeding intensity and the unique foraging behavior targeting the lateral margin of the shell, so-called “Marginal drilling”. Therefore, we could suggest the possibility that R. bronni can be applied to control the mass spread of M. galloprovincialis.

Abstract Swine abortion caused by viruses as well as bacteria has caused many economic losses in domestic farms over the years; however, bacterial abortion has not yet been studied in Korea. Several bacterial species were isolated from aborted fetuses (n = 103) for which the cause of death was not viral abortion. Among them, we focused on Aerococcus viridans, which had the highest positive rate within three provinces (Gangwon, Jeonnam and Gyeongnam). A total of 16 isolates were identified as A. viridans by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization‐time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS), and 13 were characterized by both antibiotic resistance and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Based on antibiotic susceptibility testing result, eight antimicrobials could not effectively eliminate the present isolation (more than 40% of isolates can resist these antibiotics), while all except two strains were susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Molecular analysis indicated genetic variation among these strains. This study is the first report detecting A. viridans from aborted fetuses in Korean domestic farms.

The ivory barnacle Amphibalanus eburneus is a marine crustacean, which presents near-cosmopolitan distribution due to extensive introduction and exhibits a wide spectrum of phenotypic variation. To elucidate geographical differentiation among populations through invasion, we investigated variation in genetic structure, shell morphology, and recruitment pattern for A. eburneus, from the southern Korean Peninsula where it has been established since the late 1980s. We selected samples from four populations in corresponding ecologically-relevant regions representing all surrounding South Korean waters. From these we amplified the mitochondrial genetic marker cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) from 57 individuals and performed a populational genetic analyses with 11 additional GenBank sequences to evaluate population structure. To examine morphological variation, we applied two-dimensional landmark-based geometric morphometrics to the scutum and tergum for 148 and 151 individuals, respectively. Furthermore, we estimated the density of year-old individuals in the field to compare recruitment responses among localities. We detected 33 haplotypes among the four locations belonging to three distinct clades based on moderate intraspecific pairwise genetic distance (≥3.5%). The haplotypes in these clades were not locality-specific in their distribution. In contrast, we did detect interpopulation variation in opercular shape and morphospace structure, and one population could be separated from the rest based on its distinct tergum morphotype alone. This morphologically distinct population was also differentiated by displaying the lowest mean recruitment density. Our results indicate that although there is no relationship between molecular variation in the COI gene and geographic regions in South Korea, association with locality for operculum morphology, and recruitment response suggest ecological adaptation by this barnacle in a new habitat.

A new species of the genus Henricia Gray, 1840 that belongs to the family Echinasteridae is described from South Korea. Henricia epiphysialis sp. nov. has epiphyseal ossicles at the ends of the abactinal and lateral plates, and the abactinal and lateral spines form a hooked crown. The partial sequence of the mitochondrial COXI gene (537 bp) of H. epiphysialis sp. nov. was obtained, and the new species was morphologically and genetically compared with other related Henricia species.

Abstract Background Antimicrobial resistance is becoming increasingly important in both human and veterinary medicine. According to the One Health concept, an important step is to monitor the resistance patterns of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and trends of bacteria isolated from stray cats, hospital-admitted cats, and veterinary staff in South Korea between 2017 and 2018 were investigated. Results The minimum inhibitory concentrations of different antibiotics for Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacteriaceae, and Enterococcus spp. were determined to establish representatives of different antibiotic classes relevant for treatment or surveillance. For Coagulase-positive and Coagulase-negative Staphylococci, resistance to fluoroquinolones was below 13%, but resistance to ampicillin and penicillin was high (20–88%). A total of 9.5, 12.1, and 40.3% of staphylococcal isolates from stray cats, hospital-admitted cats, and veterinary staff, respectively, were confirmed to be mecA positive. For Enterobacteriaceae, resistance to carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, and 3rd generation cephalosporins was low (0–11.1%). The Enterococcus spp. isolates showed no resistance to vancomycin. The antimicrobial resistance rates of the Staphylococcus spp. and Enterobacteriaceae isolates from stray cats were usually lower than those of isolates from hospital-admitted cats and veterinary staff, but the Enterococcus spp. isolates revealed the opposite. Thus, the antimicrobial resistance varied across bacterial species according to the source from which they were isolated. Conclusions Resistance to critically important compounds were low. However, the presence of antimicrobial resistance in cat isolates is of both public health and animal health concern.

In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Anneissia pinguis was examined by next-generation sequencing analysis. The complete mitogenome of A. pinguis has 15,912 bp in length and 37 genomes consist of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and 1 control region (D-loop). Both gene orders and characteristics were in accordance with other species belonging to the phylum Echinodermata. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the establishment of molecular taxonomic relationship in class Crinoidea based on complete mitogenome.

Anneissia intermedia (A.H. Clark, 1916) is a common crinoid found in waters along the coastlines of China, Japan, and Korea. In this study, we determined the complete mitogenome of A. intermedia. The genome was found to be 15,874 bp in length and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs. With the exception of Antedon mediterranea, the gene order and genetic characteristics of the A. intermedia mitogenome are identical with those of the mitogenomes of other crinoids. The complete mitogenome of A. intermedia will contribute to enhance our understanding of the phylogeny of crinoids.

Coronavirus, an important zoonotic disease, raises concerns of future pandemics. The bat is considered a source of noticeable viruses resulting in human and livestock infections, especially the coronavirus. Therefore, surveillance and genetic analysis of coronaviruses in bats are essential in order to prevent the risk of future diseases. In this study, the genome of HCQD-2020, a novel alphacoronavirus detected in a bat (Eptesicus serotinus), was assembled and described using next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The comparison of the whole-genome sequence and the conserved amino acid sequence of replicated proteins revealed that the new strain was distantly related with other known species in the Alphacoronavirus genus. Phylogenetic construction indicated that this strain formed a separated branch with other species, suggesting a new species of Alphacoronavirus. Additionally, in silico prediction also revealed the risk of cross-species infection of this strain, especially in the order Artiodactyla. In summary, this study provided the genetic characteristics of a possible new species belonging to Alphacoronavirus.

Next-generation sequencing was used to obtain the complete mitogenome of Henricia pachyderma (Hayashi, ). The mitogenome form was found to be a circular molecule 16,192 bp long with a 57.1% AT bias. Gene arrangement and composition of H. pachyderma were exactly the same as those of previously reported mitogenomes from other species of the family Echinasteridae, including H. leviuscula and Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis. Phylogenetic analysis with maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference revealed that H. pachyderma formed a monophyletic clade with H. leviuscula and E. (O.) brasiliensis belonging the same taxon, family Echinasteridae.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) method used by many ecologists as effective investigation tool can detect endangered species, rare species, and invasive species. In case of invasive species, eDNA method help to monitor the target species when the species was hard to detect through the traditional survey such as the early stage of invasion, low abundance, and larva or juvenile stage. The bryozoan, Bugulina californica, was known as a marine fouling invasive species in Korea since its first reported in 1978. This species expanded nationwide, and damages to ascidian aquaculture through attached on the ship hulls and artificial facilities. To monitor the distribution and biomass of invasive bryozoan, B. californica, the qPCR analysis of environmental DNA was performed on seawater samples from 12 harbors. In this study, we designed species-specific markers which can calculate the detected DNA copies of B. californica, and the presence and monitoring of this species can be more accurately estimated by environmental DNA analysis than by traditional survey, in which it is difficult to identify the species. Real-time PCR analysis using environmental DNA is an effective monitoring method that can determine both the distribution and the monthly change in biomass of B. californica in Korea.

The emergence of extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant Gram-negative bacteria is of great concern in both human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate ESC-resistant bacterial isolates from companion animals in South Korea between 2017 and 2019. Isolates with ESC resistance genes, which were identified by PCR, were assessed for genetic relatedness by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In total, 91 ESC-resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Serratia spp., and Enterobacter cloacae isolates harbored the blaTEM gene. Among other ESC resistance genes, blaCTX-M-15, blaCIT, and blaCTX-M-55 were predominantly detected in E. coli isolates, whereas blaSHV and blaDHA were more frequently detected in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. In addition, all blaEBC-positive isolates were classified as E. cloacae. From the MLST results, blaCTX-M-9-carrying ST131, blaCIT-carrying ST405, and blaCTX-M-1-carrying ST3285 strains were dominant among E. coli isolates. ST273 and ST275 strains harboring blaSHV were frequently detected in K. pneumoniae isolates. Various sequence types were obtained in E. cloacae and Klebsiella oxytoca isolates. All isolates demonstrated unique PFGE profiles (

The spleen is occasionally referred to as the ‘forgotten organ’ because splenic lesions are less common and encountered rarely compared to pathologies of other abdominal solid organs. Therefore, although well-demonstrated using various abdominal imaging modalities, radiologists tend to be less familiar with splenic diseases, making interpretation challenging. This study aimed to review common and uncommon splenic diseases and illustrate the multimodal imaging (including ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and PET/CT) features of these lesions in correlation with their histopathology. Recognizing the radiological findings of various splenic lesions helps narrow down the differential diagnosis and guide appropriate clinical decision-making for radiologists.

In this study, next-generation sequencing was used to obtain the complete mitogenome of Henricia leviuscula (Stimpson, 1857). The mitogenome form was found to be a circular molecule 16,119-bp long with a 60.4% AT bias. The gene arrangement of H. leviuscula was exactly the same as that of previously reported mitogenome for another species of Echinasteridae, such as Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis, containing 37 genes (13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs). A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA sequences. Henricia leviuscula formed a monophyletic clade with E. (O.) brasiliensis and this clade formed a larger clade with species of the Paxillosida and Valvatida.

Holothuria (Stauropora) pervicax was a common, widespread tropical holothuroid. The complete mitogenome of H. (S.) pervicax was 15,790 bp in length and consisted of 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs. The gene order and genetic characteristics were same with other mitogenomes of Holothuria. The phylogenetic tree revealed that clade of Holothuria was clearly monophyletic, included H. (S.) pervicax.

In this study, we determined the complete mitochondrial genome sequences of Distolasterias nipon belonging to the class Asteroidea in the phylum Echinodermata. The complete mitogenome of D. nipon was 16,193 bp in length and consisted of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs. The orders of PCGs and rRNAs were identical to those of the eight recorded mitogenomes of asteroids. The phylogenetic tree determined by the maximum likelihood method revealed that D. nipon was clearly grouped with Aphelasterias japonica and Asterias amurensis, which belong to the family Asteriidae.

In this study, we determined the complete mitochondrial genome sequences of Aquilonastra batheri. This is the first study on mitochondrial genome sequencing of the genus Aquilonastra belonging to the family Asterinidae, order Valvatida, and class Asteroidea. The complete mitogenome of A. batheri was 16,463 bp and consisted of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs. The orders of PCGs and rRNA genes were identical to those of nine recorded mitogenomes of asteroids. The phylogenetic tree determined by the maximum likelihood method revealed that A. batheri was clearly grouped with Patiria pectinifera, which belongs to the family Asterinidae.

Sea urchins were collected from waters adjacent to Daludo Island and Mohang harbor in the Yellow Sea, and were identified into Glyptocidaris crenularis A. Agassiz, 1864, of the family Stomopneustidae within the order Stomopneustoida, based on morphological characteristics. This species has two unique morphological characteristics: the ambulacral plate is composed of three primary plates and two demi-plates, and a valve of globiferous pedicellaria consists of with a well-developed long terminal hook and a unique stalk equipped with one to six long lateral processes covering membranes, resembling fins. It is newly recorded in Korea and is described with photographs. This brings the total number of sea urchins reported from the Yellow Sea, Korea, to seven.

A sea urchin was collected from Geomundo Island of Jeollanam-do, Korea on July 3, 2009. This specimen was classified as Spatangus luetkeni A. Agassiz 1872 belonging to the family Spatangidae of order Spatangoida based on the morphological characteristics. This genus and species are newly recorded in Korea. It is distinct morphological characters that test is thick and strong, six to eight primary tubercles are in 1 and 4 interambulacra, sternum is equipped with little keel, and color in alcohol is dark violet. This species inhabits tropical waters and usually distributes over the West Pacific from southern Japan to New Zealand.

Micronesia is an island nation located north of Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean. A survey was executed on Kosrae, which is one of the four main islands of Micronesia, during January 23-30, 2011 and January 8-15, 2012. The echinoderms were collected at eight intertidal areas and at 12 SCUBA diving points at depths of 10-50 m in the subtidal zone. They were identified based on morphological characteristics. In total, 50 species from 276 individuals were identified: three crinoids, 11 asteroids, seven ophiuroids, 10 echinoids, and 19 holothuroids. Among them, two crinoids, five asteroids, three ophiuroids, four echinoids and two holothuroids were newly recorded from Kosrae.

Echinoids were collected at depths of 5-10 m in Munseom, Jeju Island by SCUBA diving on November 23, 2008 and September 15, 2009. Two specimens were identified as Echinometra mathaei (Blainville, 1825) based on morphological characteristics and molecular analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I partial sequences. Echinometra mathaei collected from Korea was redescribed with photographs and was compared with other species from GenBank based on molecular data. Phylogenetic analyses showed that no significant differences were between base sequences of E. mathaei from Korea and that from GenBank. To date, 13 echinoids including this species have been reported from Jeju Island, and 32 echinoids have been recorded in Korea.

JMJD2D, also known as KDM4D, is a histone demethylase that removes methyl moieties from lysine 9 on histone 3 and from lysine 26 on histone 1.4. Here, we demonstrate that JMJD2D forms a complex with the p53 tumor suppressor in vivo and interacts with the DNA binding domain of p53 in vitro. A luciferase reporter plasmid driven by the promoter of p21, a cell cycle inhibitor and prominent target gene of p53, was synergistically activated by p53 and JMJD2D, which was dependent on JMJD2D catalytic activity. Likewise, overexpression of JMJD2D induced p21 expression in U2OS osteosarcoma cells in the absence and presence of adriamycin, an agent that induces DNA damage. Furthermore, downregulation of JMJD2D inhibited cell proliferation in wild-type and even more so in p53(-/-) HCT116 colon cancer cells, suggesting that JMJD2D is a pro-proliferative molecule. JMJD2D depletion also induced more strongly apoptosis in p53(-/-) compared to wild-type HCT116 cells. Collectively, our results demonstrate that JMJD2D can stimulate cell proliferation and survival, suggesting that its inhibition may be helpful in the fight against cancer. Furthermore, our data imply that activation of p53 may represent a mechanism by which the pro-oncogenic functions of JMJD2D become dampened.

Existing hormone replacement therapy for menopause has drawbacks, necessitating new treatment agents. Silkworms have demonstrated estrogenic properties, offering promising alternatives. We assessed the therapeutic effects of freeze-dried silkworm powder (SWP) on menopausal symptoms using an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model. The experimental design comprised a sham surgery group (Sham), an OVX control group, a low-dose SWP group post-OVX (80 mg/kg, OVX-SWP-L), a high-dose SWP group post-OVX (160 mg/kg, OVX-SWP-H), and an estradiol treatment group post-OVX (OVX-E2). Treatments were administered orally thrice weekly over eight weeks; body weight was monitored weekly. The SWP-treated groups (SWP-L and SWP-H) exhibited less weight gain and increased uterine thickness than the OVX control. Molecular analyses demonstrated that SWP significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), ERK, and AKT. Furthermore, biochemical assays revealed reduced serum neutral lipids across all SWP treatment groups. Notably, HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly increased in the SWP-L group compared to the OVX group. Serum estradiol concentrations were elevated in all the SWP groups, with significant increases in the high-dose group. These findings indicate that SWP may promote the activation of estrogen receptor signaling and improve symptoms associated with estrogen deficiency during menopause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]