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Dilophus okamurae, a common species of brown alga in the warm temperate western Pacific Ocean (Philippines, Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan), is characterized by a typical vegetative morphology that would support its traditional placement in the genus Dilophus. The species has a unilayered cortex, and the medulla is multilayered at least near the margins of the thallus. Sporangia on a two-celled stalk, without an involucrum, however, indicate a close relationship with the recently described genus Rugulopteryx. Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on three separate loci, large subunit rDNA (LSU), rbcL and psbA confirm the close phylogenetic relationship between D. okamurae and R. radicans, and R. marginatus and R. suhrii. A transfer of D. okamurae to the genus Rugulopteryx is therefore proposed. Contrary to the expected diplobiontic life cycle, typically encountered in Dictyotales, the species exhibits an asexual life cycle consisting of sporophytes only in the populations studied on the east and south coast of Korea. Gametophytes were only obtained by culturing field collected specimens.

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Seventy two Hanwoo steers in final fattening period (585.87±41.02kg) were randomly assigned to 3 groups, LPLT (relatively low protein and low energy; CP 12%, TDN 73%), LPHT (relatively low protein and high energy; CP 12%, TDN 75%) and HPHT (relatively high protein and high energy; CP 14%, TDN 75%) in concentrate feed for 163 days in order to investigate the effects on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and longissimus dorsi muscle's chemical compositions. Rice straw was also fed as a roughage. Because ADGs were higher in LPLT and HPHT than LPHT, feed efficiencies were improved in LPLT and HPHT group (P<0.05). Feeding concentrates with different CP and TDN levels had affected to improve back fat thickness and rib eye area in HPHT group but had no effect on carcass weight and meat yield index. Carcass weight for LPLT, LPHT and HPHT were 420.75±30.56, 417.05±32.03 and 418.32±32.03 kg, respectively. Meat quality grade was improved in HPHT (P<0.001), because the marbling score was highest in HPHT group. Auction prices (carcass/kg) of LPLT, LPHT and HPHT group were 17,904 won, 18,094 won and 18,899 won, respectively. The percentage of animals over grade 1 appeared in LPLT, LPHT and HPHT were 79.2, 72.7 and 90.8%, respectively. The results of chemical analysis of longissimus dorsi muscle showed no difference between groups but crude fat composition tended to be higher in HPHT group (P=0.088) than the other groups. Stearic acid contents in the muscle was significantly increased in HPHT group than LPLT group (P<0.05). Myristoleic acid and oleic acid composition in HPHT group was higher than LPLT and LPHT group. These results supported the hypothesis that supplementation of higher levels of crude protein and energy in concentrates to Hanwoo steers' during final fattening period improved the growth performance and the carcass quality grade.

To better understand organelle genome evolution of the ulvophycean green alga Capsosiphon fulvescens, we sequenced and characterized its complete chloroplast genome. The circular chloroplast genome was 111,561 bp in length with 31.3% GC content that contained 108 genes including 77 protein‐coding genes, two copies of rRNA operons, and 27 tRNAs. In this analysis, we found the two types of isoform, called heteroplasmy, were likely caused by a flip‐flop organization. The flip‐flop mechanism may have caused structural variation and gene conversion in the chloroplast genome of C. fulvescens. In a phylogenetic analysis based on all available ulvophycean chloroplast genome data, including a new C. fulvescens genome, we found three major conflicting signals for C. fulvescens and its sister taxon Pseudoneochloris marina within 70 individual genes: (i) monophyly with Ulotrichales, (ii) monophyly with Ulvales, and (iii) monophyly with the clade of Ulotrichales and Ulvales. Although the 70‐gene concatenated phylogeny supported monophyly with Ulvales for both species, these complex phylogenetic signals of individual genes need further investigations using a data‐rich approach (i.e., organelle genome data) from broader taxon sampling.