• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.121-129
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• 2017

The evolution of biotechnology is no longer strange to the hypothetical scenario of cloning human genes to make cloned human beings. The characters of are cloned humans made in the laboratory by the 100-year-old life planning. They are cohabited in a school called Hailsham, where they are secretly reared. The purpose of this project is to provide healthy organs to real human patients with incurable diseases. The main characters Cathy, Tommy, and Ruth experience the growth of body and consciousness here during adolescence, and they also know the secret of identity as a clone. As adults, they move to a second residence, Cottage and are ready to begin organ donation. The second stage is also part of a program to provide more genuine-like organs to real patients. Even though they know all the plans that humans have built, they do not resist them and fatefully accept their situation. However, their non-responsiveness is not a declaration of renunciation of life, but a self-sacrificing life extension for another future that is the extension of life through their organ donation. The film emphasizes the fraternity and sacrificial attitudes of the cloned human beings and shows that it is necessary to continue the discussions on cloned human beings from a bio-ethical point of view supported by philosophical reasons.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2018

Since fire blight disease on apple and pear was produced in Korea in 2015, there were no registered chemicals to control against this disease. Instead, several antibacterial chemicals that were registered for other bacterial diseases such as soft rot and bacterial spot have been authorized by Rural Development Administration (RDA). However, these chemicals are not tested efficacy for fire blight disease except damage by those treatments on apple and pear in Korea. Thus, we evaluated efficiency using in vitro and in planta assays of antibacterial chemicals such as antibiotics and copper compounds including kasugamycin, oxytetracycline, oxolinic acid and streptomycin, and copper hydroxide, copper sulfate, oxine copper and tribasic copper sulfate, respectively. We also tested two kinds of biological agents. As expected, significant antibacterial effect was observed in vitro test of both antibiotics and copper-based chemicals. In planta test based on disease severity including ooze and water-soaked formation on immature pears, bacterial populations on blooms, and blight lesion formation in artificially inoculated shoots, kasugamycin, oxytetracycline and streptomycin have been shown the most efficiency among tested antibiotics. Four copper-based chemicals tested in this study, control effects are little bit lower than agricultural antibiotics but they seem to be available to use in terms of winter season. Biocontrol agents were also shown possibility to treat in eco-friendly farms. In addition, there are no antibiotic resistance genes in Korean isolates against antibiotics, which were selected for suppression of fire blight in this study.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 1998

Total of 78 strains were characterized based on the morphological characteristics of colonies isolated on Schroth, and New & Kerr's media for selection of hypervirulent wild-type Agrobacterium spp from galls, hairy root-like process and soil of Populus, Malus, Salix and Diopyros in Korea. Among them, 48 strains were able to induce tumors in carrot disc. Hypervirulent A. tumefaciens SP101 and SM042 were identified as biotype 1 and biotype 2, respectively, These strains formed fast growing, larger tumors as compared to those induced by other strains. The binary vector pGA643 with kanamycin resistant gene was mobilized from E. coli MC100 into A. tumefaciens strain SM042 isolated from soil, and/or disarmed vector PC2760 using a triparental mating method with E. coli HB101/pRK2013, and transconjugants, A. tumefaciens SM643 and PC643 were obtained in minimal media containing kanamycin and tetracycline. Tobacco tissues were cocultivated with conjugant Agrobacterium and then transferred to selective medium with 2,4-D and kanamycin to induce the transformants. Calli were formed more efficiently in cocultivation with A. tumefaciens SM643 than that with A. tumefaciens PC643. Most of calli transformed with A. tumefaciens PC643 were friable and regenerated into normal plantlets, while the calli transformed with A. tumefaciens SM643 were compact, hard, and mixed with friable calli. The friable calli formed normal shoots, while compact calli did not form shoots but only grew to typical compact tumor calli. When the shoots formed directly from tobacco stems without callus induction after transformation by A. tumefaciens SM643 with wild-type Ti-plasmid, normal transformed plants can be induced without using disarmed Ti-plasmid.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2002

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) plays an important role in cellular defense against oxidative stress in plants. We have developed transgenic tomato plants overexpressing a cassava SOD in fruits. Three transgenic tomato plants (one from cv. Pink forcer and two from cv. Koko) using a new vector system, ASOp :: . mSOD1/pBI101, harboring ascorbate oxidase promoter (ASOp) expressing dominantly in cucumber fruits, CuZnSOD cDNA (mSOD1) isolated from cultured cells of cassava, and nptll gene as a selectable marker were successfully developed. SOD specific activity (units/mg protein) in transgenic fruits of both cultivars was increased with maturation of the fruits. SOD specific activity of well-mature fruits in transgenic Pink forcer and Koko showed approximately 1.6 and 2.2 times higher than control fruits, respectively. The strength of SOD isoenzyme bands well reflected the SOD activity during the fruit maturation. These results suggested that SOD gene was properly introduced into tomato fruits in a fruit-dominant expression manner by ASO promoter.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2022

Solanum brevicaule is one of the tuber-bearing wild Solanum species. Because of its resistance to several important pathogens infecting potatoes during cultivation, it can be used for potato breeding. However, the fact that S. brevicaule used in this study has an EBN value of two causes the sexual reproduction barriers between the species and cultivated potatoes. In this study, specific markers for discriminating S. brevicaule from other Solanum species were developed on the basis of the results of sequence alignments with the whole chloroplast genomes of S. brevicaule and seven other Solanum species. The chloroplast genome of S. brevicaule was completed by next-generation sequencing technology described in other recent studies. The total sequence length of the chloroplast genome of S. brevicaule is 155,531 bp. Its structure and gene composition are similar to those of other Solanum species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that S. brevicaule was closely grouped with other Solanum species. BLASTN search showed that its genome sequence had 99.99% and 99.89% identity with those of S. spegazzinii (MH021562) and S. kurtzianum (MH021495), respectively. Sequence alignment identified 27 SNPs that were specific to S. brevicaule. Thus, three PCR-based CAPS markers specific to S. brevicaule were developed on the basis of these SNPs. This study will facilitate in further studies on evolutionary and breeding aspects in Solanum species.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2022

Ginseng is an important medicinal plant cultivated in East Asia for thousands of years. It is typically cultivated in the same field for 4 to 6 years and is exposed to a variety of pathogens. Among them, ginseng root rot is the main reason that leads to the most severe losses. In this study, endophytic bacteria were isolated from healthy ginseng, and endophytes with antagonistic effect against ginseng root rot pathogens were screened out. Among the 17 strains, three carried antagonistic effect, and were resistant to radicicol that is a mycotoxin produced by ginseng root rot pathogens. Finally, Bacillus velezensis CH-15 was selected due to excellent antagonistic effect and radicicol resistance. When CH-15 was inoculated on ginseng root, it not only inhibited the mycelial growth of the pathogen, but also inhibited the progression of disease. CH-15 also carried biosynthetic genes for bacillomycin D, iturin A, bacilysin, and surfactin. In addition, CH-15 culture filtrate significantly inhibited the growth and conidial germination of pathogens. This study shows that endophytic bacterium CH-15 had antagonistic effect on ginseng root rot pathogens and inhibited the progression of ginseng root rot. We expected that this strain can be a microbial agent to suppress ginseng root rot.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.34-44
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• 2023

The tetraploid Solanum hjertingii, a wild tuber-bearing species from Mexico is a relative of potato, S. tuberosum. The species has been identified as a potential source of resistance to blackening for potato breeding. It does not exhibit enzymatic browning nor blackspot which are physiological disorders. However, due to their sexual incompatibility, somatic hybridization between S. hjertingii and S. tuberosum must be used to introduce various traits from this wild species into potato. After somatic hybridization, molecular markers are essential for selecting fusion products. In this study, the chloroplast genome of S. hjertingii was sequenced by next-generation sequencing technology and compared with those of other Solanum species to develop specific markers for S. hjertingii. The chloroplast genome has a total sequence length of 155,545 bp, and its size, gene content, order and orientation are similar to those of the other Solanum species. Phylogenic analysis including 15 other Solanaceae species grouped S. hjertingii with S. demissum, S. hougasii, and S. stoloniferum. After detailed comparisons of the chloroplast genome sequence with eight other Solanum species, we identified one InDel and seven SNPs specific to S. hjertingii. Based on these, five PCR-based markers were developed for discriminating S. hjertingii from other Solanum species. The results obtained in this study will aid in exploring the evolutionary aspects of Solanum species and accelerating breeding using S. hjertingii.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.45-55
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• 2023

The diploid Solanum cardiophyllum, a wild tuberbearing species from Mexico is one of the relatives to potato, S. tuberosum. It has been identified as a source of resistance to crucial pathogens and insects such as Phytophthora infestans, Potato virus Y, Colorado potato beetle, etc. and is widely used for potato breeding. However, the sexual hybridization between S. cardiophyllum and S. tuberosum is limited due to their incompatibility. Therefore, somatic hybridization can introduce beneficial traits from this wild species into the potato. After somatic hybridization, selecting fusion products using molecular markers is essential. In the current study, the chloroplast genome of S. cardiophyllum was sequenced by next-generation sequencing technology and compared with those of other Solanum species to develop S. cardiophyllum-specific markers. The total length of the S. cardiophyllum chloroplast genome was 155,570 bp and its size, gene content, order and orientation were similar to those of the other Solanum species. Phylogenic analysis with 32 other Solanaceae species revealed that S. cardiophyllum was expectedly grouped with other Solanum species and most closely located with S. bulbocastanum. Through detailed comparisons of the chloroplast genome sequences of eight Solanum species, we identified 13 SNPs specific to S. cardiophyllum. Further, four SNP-specific PCR markers were developed for discriminating S. cardiophyllum from other Solanum species. The results obtained in this study would help to explore the evolutionary aspects of Solanum species and accelerate breeding using S. cardiophyllum.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2012

Characteristics related to grain quality and physiochemical components such as mineral, total amino acid, free amino acid, and free sugar composition were investigated in Protox inhibitor resistanttransgenic rice (MX, PX, and AP37) and its nontransgenic counterpart (WT). Head rice, palatability, protein, and whiteness (except for MX and AP37) of milled transgenic rice were high or similar to those of the non-transgenic counterpart. Immature rice, unfilled grain, and cracked kernels (PX and AP37) of milled transgenic rice were lower than those of its non-transgenic counterpart. However, there were no significant differences in damaged grain between the transgenic rice lines and its counterpart. Potassium content in PX and copper contents in PX and AP37 were only low compared with their non-transgenic counterparts, but other mineral contents in transgenic rice lines were high or showed no significant differences compared with non-transgenic counterparts. Contents of most total amino acid composition in transgenic rice lines were high or similar to those in non-transgenic counterparts, but the content of isoleucine in AP37 was only low compared with its non-transgenic counterpart. On the other hand, free amino acid, leucine and tyrosine in PX and AP37, and total free amino acid in PX were low compared with their non-transgenic counterparts. However, the content of free amino acid in other kinds in transgenic rice lines were similar to those in their non-transgenic counterparts. Contents of sucrose in MX and PX were low compared with non-transgenic counterpars, but contents of fructose, glucose, and maltose in transgenic rice lines were high or similar compared with their non-transgenic counterparts. This results indicated that Protox genes had no negative affect on the nutritional composition of rice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.3 s.70
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• pp.479-485
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• 2005

The 994 throat swabs obtained from 688 adults and 306 children patients with respiratory diseases were examined for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection by culture method. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the resulting 123 M. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated by testing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of erythromycin, minocycline, tetracycline, josamycin, sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin by a broth micro-dilution method. The erythromycin resistant strains of M. pneumoniae was determined above $1.0{\mu}g/ml$ of MIC for erythromycin. The erythromycin resistant strains of M. pneumoniae was confirmed resistant gene mutation of the portions of genes 23S rRNA (domain II and V), and ribosomal protein 14 and L22 by PCR amplified and their nucleotide sequenses were compared to those of the susceptible strain M129. The isolation rate of M. pneumoniae was $12.9\%$ (89/688) for the adults and $11.1\%$ (34/306) for the children. The $MICs_{90}$ of the M. pneumoniae isolates were $0.12{\mu}g/ml$ for minocycline, $0.25{\mu}g/ml$ for sparfloxacin, $0.5{\mu}g/ml$ for ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and tetracycline, respectively, and $2.0{\mu}g/ml$ for josamycin and erythromycin, respectively. The isolation rate of erythromycin resistant M. pneumoniae from patients was $49.4\%\;(44/89)$ for the adults, $47.1\%\;(16/34)$ for children, and $48.8\%\;(60/123)$ for the total. No mutation could be detected in the ribosomal protein L22 region, but all strains were mutated in the ribosomal protein L4 as two point mutation M144V. Two point mutations in domain V of 23S rRNA were selected in the presense of erythromycin resistant M. pneumoniae isolates, such as one strain was G2057C mutant, two strains were A2059C mutants, three strains were C2611G mutants, four strains were A2058C mutants, five strains were A2058T mutants, twenty strains were A2059G mutants, and twenty-five strains were A2058G mutants, respectively. These results show that erythromycin was not the most active compound against M. pneumoniae infection in Korea and clinical studies of macrolides in human patients are demanded.