• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.285-291
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• 1999

To confirm the food quality of Urechis unicinctus which have been favored as a special raw seafood in southern area in Korea, the chemical composition of Urechis unicinctus and those glycoprotein were studied. Freeze dried Urechis unicinctus was composed of more than 70% of crude protein and 15% of total carbohydrate. The amino acids such as glycine(18.69%), glutamic acid(12.50%) and aspartic acid(9.37%) were noted as major components of total amino acids. The predominant free amino acids were alanine(32.98%), glycine(27.50%), asparagine(19.65%) and taurine(8.29%), and the sum of them were more than 88% to total free amino acids, so they may cause unique taste of Urechis unicinctus with sweetness. As the basis of sugar composition analysis, 56.35% of glucose and 30.49% of N acetylglucosamine were contained respectively, and they might also play an important role in a sweet taste. The leading carbohydrate moiety of glycoprotein from Urechis unicinctus was identified as glucose and N acetylglucosamine similarly to raw muscle, and they occupied more than 50% of total sugar content. Fucose(18.32%) and D glucuronic acid(12.31%) also detected in higher levels com pared to raw muscle. The total amino acid profile of glycoprotein showed a similar trend to raw muscle protein but glycine was detected a significantly lower than that in raw muscle. The glycoprotein from Urechis unicinctus was composed of 4 kinds of subunits, i.e. 25kDa, 20kDa, 18kDa and 12.5kDa of molecular weights through the SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. On the basis of the IR spectrum of absorptions appeared in 1,240cm-1 and 850cm-1, the glycoprotein had sulfate groups.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.193-196
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• 1999

In order to obtain the basic data for the effective seed production of Ureshis unicinctus sediment preference, burrow shape and burrowing depth in sediment were investigated in the laboratory. The highest valus in both sediment preference and burrowing rate of U. unicinctus were shown at fine and (0.11~0.50mm in the mean diameter). U. unicinctus made various types of burrows, such as J, L, S and U shapes. Generally only one individual inhabits in burrow with head-up.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 1999

In order to obtain the basic information for seeding production of Echiuroid worm, Urechis unicinctus, the influence of pH and salinity on egg development was investigated. Mature adult of U. unicinctus were collected at the Diving Cooperation of Yosu in Korea and reared during 5 weeks. We carried out the artificial insemination in the laboratory on Dec. 29, 1998, and reared the embryo under different pH and salinity. Treatments were carried out with different pH(4~10) and salinity($0~45\textperthousand$). Embryos in pH 4, salinity $0\textperthousand$, $10\textperthousand$, $40\textperthousand$ and $45\textperthousand$ tanks did not develope after fertilization and became deformed or dead, before swimming embryo. In these pH and salinity conditions, deformation rate of embryo was high at 8-cell stage and 16-cell stage. But embryos in pH 5~10, salinity $20~35\textperthousand$ tanks developed into swimming embryo stage. These result indicate that an echiuran inhabits in both intertidal and subtidal mudflates. After fertilization, sixteen-cell stage took 5.3~5.6 hours in pH 5~10 tanks, and 5.1~5.8 hours in $20~35\textperthousand$ tanks. And swimming embryo took 13.3~ 14.1 hours in all conditions. The desirable pH and salinity for egg development were 7~8 and $30\textperthousand$, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.917-923
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• 1999

To confirm therapeutic functionality of Urechis unicinctus which have been favored as a special seafood in Korea, the antitumor and immunological effect of those glycoprotein were studied. 4mg/kg dose of glycoprotein from Urechis unicinctus was most effective in solid tumor growth inhibition (43.63%) of sarcoma 180 cells. However, in case of mice injected with more than dose of 20mg/kg, tumor growth was not inhibited. The higher prolongation ratios were achieved at levels of 2mg/kg with 31.2% and 4mg/kg with 28.9%. The cytotoxic effect of glycoprotein on sarcoma 180 cells was increased slightly as administering level was increased. Number of total peritoneal exudate cells in all the glycoprotein administered groups increased remarkably meaning that Urechis unicinctus gly coprotein could help to improve immunity. Notable body weight change was not resulted in the glycoprotein treated mice compared with control group, but the ratios of both liver or spleen to body weight were increased in mice injected with 20mg/kg and 40mg/kg. These results suggest that the glycoprotein from Urechis unicinctus could stimulate immunity of the mouse bearing tumor cells. Furthermore, the number of leucocytes was also increased by 38.78% at the dose of 20mg/kg and by 46.30% of control at 40mg/kg, while the lower level of 2mg/kg or 4mg/kg showed no effect in increasing leucocyte number. The biochemical values such as GOT and GPT in serum were not changed in mice injected with glycoprotein in comparision with control group.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.175-179
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• 2000

Trochopore larvae of U. unicinctus were exposed to selected settlement stimuli. Within 5 - 10 min after addition of the UM, the settlement stimuli derived from the skin of adult echiuran, induced metamorphosis of trochopores to pelagosphera. However, the trochopores did not positively respond for settlement, when stimulated with normal sea water, sticky fluid drawn from Tegillarca granosa or blood of U. unicinctus. The thermo-sensitive UM was relatively stable at ambient temperature, but was destroyed at 70$^{\circ}$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2001

This study was performed to observe the cytotoxic effect of the various salted fish extracts against cancer cell line, human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) using MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) method. Urechis unicinctus was the strongest cytotoxic effects among any other traditional salted fish products. The growth inhibition ratio of Urechis unicinctus hot-water extracts was 94.5% at the concentration of 1000$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. On the other hand, in case of salted fish methanol extracts, salt-fermented shad gizzard was showed the strongest cytotoxic effects. The growth inhibition ratio of salt-fermented shad gizzard methanol extracts was investigated 90% at the concentration of 1000$\mu\textrm{g}$/.$m\ell$.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2003

Studies of the seed production of Urechis unicinctus were conducted under the laboratory conditions to obtain some information for the U.unicinitus culture. The experiment included developmental studies of the egg development, larval culture, sediment preference and growth of young U.unicinctus. The experiment were conducted from March to August, 2000. The adults of U.unicinctus collected in Namhae-do, Korea. The developments of the fertilized eggs were observed under a light-microscope at intervals of one hour after containing with density of one individual per 1 $m\ell$. The larvae were fed with Phaeodactylum tricornutum cultured at the laboratory. The concentration of the phytoplankton for the feed was 30,000 cells per individual larva. With progress of development, the food concentration was gradually increased, up to 10,000 cells per individual for the young U.unicinctus. Trochophore larvae appeared on the 68 hours after hatching. On the 32 days after hatching, over 50% of fertilized eggs developed into young U.unicinctus. In order to investigate the effect of sediment on the growth and burrowing of U.unicinctus, the young worms were reared in tanks with different grain sizes. The highest value of sediment preference and survival rate of U.unicinctus was shown in the mixture sediment group with below 0.10 mm, 1.01∼12.00 mm, over 3.01 mm and shell. The lowest value in both sediment preference and survival rate of U.unicinctus was observed in 1.0l∼2.00 mm grain size.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.300-306
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• 2018

Lysozymes are innate immune factors that play a critical role in the defense against pathogens in various invertebrate animals including spoon worms. In this study, an invertebrate-type lysozyme was isolated from the body wall of spoon worm, Urechis unicinctus. The acidified body wall extract was partially separated using a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. Among the fractions, the materials that were eluted with 60% methanol/0.1% trifluoroacetic acid showed the most potent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis KCTC 1021. A series of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) steps were then utilized to isolate a single antimicrobial absorbance peak. The molecular weight of the antimicrobial peak was approximated using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), which was approximately 13 to 14 kDa. The partial primary structure of this antimicrobial protein that was analyzed, using LC-MS/MS, was CTGGRPPTCEDYAK (1611.69 Da). Homology search of these fourteen residues, using the National Center for Biotechnology Information Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (NCBI BLAST), revealed that the isolated protein was similar to the invertebrate-type lysozymes described in other animals. Then, the antimicrobial and lysozyme enzymatic (muramidase) activities of this protein were assessed. The isolated protein possessed antimicrobial activity and potent muramidase activity, which were comparable to those of hen egg white lysozyme. Therefore, the isolated protein was designated as Urechis unicinctus invertebrate-type lysozyme from the body wall, Uu-iLysb.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.159-164
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• 2003

Effect of the benthic echiurid Urechis unicinctus juveniles on the chemical characteristics of organically enriched sediment, as well as the individual survival rate and growth in various sediments, was investigated in this study to ascertain the effectiveness of U. unicinctus in the bioremediation of organically polluted sediment. The content of acid volatile sulfide (AVS) in the sediment of three coastal areas was 0.4±0.1 mg/gㆍdry sediment in Seonso, 0.1±0.01 mg/gㆍdry sediment in Myo-do, 0.02±0.01 mg/gㆍdry sediment in Dolsan-do, respectively. 500 juveniles with average body length of 1.2±0.3 mm were bred in these sediments. After 30 days, the AVS content of three places decreased to 0.29±0.3, 0.08±0.01 and 0.0l±0.01 mg/gㆍdry. After 60 days, the content was 0.23±0.03, 0.0l±0.01, 0.0l±0.01 mg/gㆍdry. The AVS content in the control (sediment from Seonso without juveniles) was 0.39±0.75 mg/gㆍdry sediment (after 30 days) and 0.45±0.01 mg/gㆍdry sediment (after 60 days). At the same time, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total ingition loss (TIL) of these sediments showed the same trend with that of AVS. Furthermore, 60 days later, the survival rate and growth of juveniles were 71.2%, 11.1±l.0 mm in Seonso, 89.8%, 12.0±1.3 mm in Myo-do and 81.6%, 11.9±1.9 mm in Dolsan-do. It was suggested that U. unicinctus can survive better in less polluted environment. Under different U. unicinctus juvenile density (100, 300, 500, 700, 900 individuals), after 60 days cultivation, the AVS content decreased from 0.4±0.1, 0.4±0.1, 0.4±0.3, 0.4±0.3, 0.4±0.3 mg/gㆍdry to 0.4±0.2, 0.3±0.2, 0.2±0.1, 0.2±0.1, 0.2±0.1 mg/gㆍdry. Therefore, the higher the density of juveniles, the greater the effect in improving the sediment. In comparison to different initial AVS concentration (0.40±0.01, 0.35±0.01, [I can't find a reference to this number above], 0.29±0.02, [I can't find a reference to this number above], 0.18±0.03, [I can't find a reference to this number above], 0.06±0.02 mg/gㆍdry sediment [I can't find a reference to this number above] and the control 0.0±0.0[I can't find a reference to this number above]), after 30 days cultivation with 500 juveniles, the AVS content was 0.29±0.03, 0.19±0.0, 0.15±0.01, 0.12±0.02, 0.05±0.0mg/gㆍdry and 0(control). After 60 days cultivation, the content was 0.23±0.03, 0.12±0.4, 0.10±0.01, 0.18±0.03, 0.06±0.02 mg/gㆍdry and 0 (control). Use % decrease in AVS content to state: The impact of U. unicinctus on the sediments was greater with higher concentrations of AVS. The results of this study indicate that U. unicinctus is effective in the biological treatment of sediments polluted by AVS and other organics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.302-303
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• 2002