• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2020

During the monitoring of fungal pests in 2016 and 2017, Acrodontium crateriforme, Naganishia friedmannii, Pestalotiopsis trachicarpicola, Penicillium wollemiicola, and Trichoderma thailandicum were isolated from indoor air, mushroom flies (Phytosciara flavipes), and media materials in the cultivation houses of oak wood mushroom (Lentinula edodes) located in Seocheon, Jangheung, Buyeo, and Yeoju, Korea. These fungal species were identified based on their morphological characteristics after their growth on PDA and subsequent molecular analyses of the 26S rDNA, 28S rDNA, β-tubulin gene, and translation elongation factor 1-α gene using PCR amplification and nucleotide sequencing were performed. The results showed that these fungi were previously undocumented in Korea. This study reports descriptions of their taxonomical and known properties.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.191-194
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• 2020

Free-living amoebas (FLAs) can cause severe disease in humans and animals when they become infected. However, there are no accurate survey reports on the prevalence of FLAs in Korea. In this study, we collected 163 tap water samples from buildings, apartments, and restrooms of highway service areas in 7 Korean provinces with high population density. All these buildings and facilities have water storage tanks in common. The survey was separated into categories of buildings, apartments, and highway service areas. Five hundred milliliters of tap water from each building was collected and filtered with 0.2 ㎛ pore filter paper. The filters were incubated in agar plates with heated E. coli at 25℃. After axenization, genomic DNA was collected from each FLA, and species classification was performed using partial 18S-rDNA PCR-sequencing analysis. We found that 12.9% of tap water from buildings with storage tanks in Korea was contaminated with FLAs. The highway service areas had the highest contamination rate at 33.3%. All of the FLAs, except one, were genetically similar to Vermamoeba vermiformis (Hartmannella vermiformis). The remaining FLA (KFA21) was very similar to Acanthamoeba lugdunensis (KA/E26). Although cases of human infection by V. vermiformis are very rare, we must pay attention to the fact that one-third of tap water supplies in highway service areas have been contaminated.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2010

For the research of the natural marine antioxidant, an antioxidant-producing marine actinomycetes was isolated from sea water in Jeju coastal area. The strain was identified based on 16S rDNA sequencing, the morphology by a method of scanning electron microscopy, physiological and biochemical characteristics and cellular fatty acid analysis. The isolated strain ACT-18 was gram positive, aerobic, non-motile spores. Substrate mycelia are dark green and yellow gray aerial mycelia. The cell size of the strain was $0.5{\sim}1.0\;{\mu}m$. 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that were Gram-positive bacteria grouped on Streptomyces sp. Results of cellular fatty acid analysis showed that major cellular fatty acids were $C_{15:0}$ anteiso (39.33%), $C_{16:1}$ cis 9 (11.96%), $C_{16:0}$ (13.08%) and $C_{17:0}$ anteiso (10.99%). The antioxidant activity of methanol extract from Streptomyce sp. ACT-18 was evaluated by measuring 1,1-diphenyl- 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, and alkyl radical scavenging activity using an electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer. DPPH radical scavenging activity of SBME (Streptomyces Broth Methanol Extract) A-18 was 46% at 0.1 mg/mL. Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of SBME A-18 was 63% at 0.1 mg/mL. Alkyl radical scavenging activity of SBME A-18 was 39% at 0.1 mg/mL.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2002

We describe a riboprinting scheme for identification of unknown Acanthamoeba isolates at the species level. It involved the use of PCR-RFLP of small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (riboprint) of 24 reference strains by 4 kinds of restriction enzymes. Seven strains in morphological group I and III were identified at species level with their unique sizes of PCR product and riboprint type by Rsa 1. Unique RFCP of 17 strains in group II by Dde I. Taq I and Hae III were classified into: (1) four taxa that were identifiable at the species level. (2) a subgroup of 4 taxa and a pair of 2 taxi that were identical with each other. and (3) a species complex of 7 taxa assigned to A. castellanii complex that were closely related. These results were consistent with those obtained by 18s rDNA sequence analysis. This approach provides an alternative to the rDNA sequencing for rapid identification of a new clinical isolate or a large number of environmental isolates of Acanthamoeba.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.322-328
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• 2010

Fermented skate is a traditional Korean food popular in Southwestern area of Korea. It has a characteristic flavor and alkaline pH. In this study we tried to determine the microbial flora in fermented skate using two different approaches. In culture-independent method, we amplified V2 region of 16S rRNA gene by PCR and cloned them into pUC18 plasmid to construct 16S rDNA fragment library. BLAST searches for the sequences obtained from this library revealed that uncultured bacterium clone 054E11.b was the most dominant flora in this fermented fish. In culture-dependent method, we diluted suspension of skate and spreaded on MRS, PCA, and MacConkey plates. We identified colonies grown on those plates by using PCR amplification of V2 region of 16S rRNA and DNA sequencing. BLAST searches of those DNA sequences resulted in totally different species with the observations from the 16S rDNA library analysis. Discrepancies of results obtained from both approaches suggest that the agar plates used in culture-dependent method may be different from the real condition of fermented skate. Therefore, results from culture-independent approach using 16S rDNA fragment library analysis may reflect real microbial flora in fermented skate.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.18.1-18.5
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• 2019

The development of sex-specific genetic assays in a species provides both a method for identifying the system of sex determination and a valuable tool to address questions of conservation and management importance. In this study, we focused on the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that differentiate genetic sex in burbot Lota lota. Burbot are the only true freshwater representative of the cod family and a species of conservation and management importance throughout Eurasia and North America. To identify sex-specific SNPs, we utilized restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to interrogate thousands of SNPs in burbot samples of known phenotypic sex. We discovered 170,569 biallelic SNPs, none of which fit the pattern expected under female heterogamety. However, we identified 22 SNPs that fit the pattern expected under male heterogamety (males heterozygous XY, females fixed XX) and, from these, developed two genetic assays that robustly (~ 97% genotyping success) and accurately (> 99% correct) sexed burbot samples. These sex-specific genetic assays will benefit growing conservation aquaculture programs for this species and allow future assessments of sex-specific migration, growth, and mortality.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.38.1-38.12
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• 2023

Background: Poor disease management and irregular vector control could predispose sheltered animals to disease such as feline Bartonella infection, a vector-borne zoonotic disease primarily caused by Bartonella henselae. Objectives: This study investigated the status of Bartonella infection in cats from eight (n = 8) shelters by molecular and serological approaches, profiling the CD4:CD8 ratio and the risk factors associated with Bartonella infection in shelter cats. Methods: Bartonella deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was detected through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer gene, followed by DNA sequencing. Bartonella IgM and IgG antibody titre, CD4 and CD8 profiles were detected using indirect immunofluorescence assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. Results: B. henselae was detected through PCR and sequencing in 1.0% (1/101) oral swab and 2.0% (1/50) cat fleas, while another 3/50 cat fleas carried B. clarridgeiae. Only 18/101 cats were seronegative against B. henselae, whereas 30.7% (31/101) cats were positive for both IgM and IgG, 8% (18/101) cats had IgM, and 33.7% (34/101) cats had IgG antibody only. None of the eight shelters sampled had Bartonella antibody-free cats. Although abnormal CD4:CD8 ratio was observed in 48/83 seropositive cats, flea infestation was the only significant risk factor observed in this study. Conclusions: The present study provides the first comparison on the Bartonella spp. antigen, antibody status and CD4:CD8 ratio among shelter cats. The high B. henselae seropositivity among shelter cats presumably due to significant flea infestation triggers an alarm of whether the infection could go undetectable and its potential transmission to humans.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.8 no.3_4
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• pp.93-97
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• 2001

Heterosigma akashiwo has been reported as red-tide causing phytoplankton in the Korean coastal area during summer when they are exposed to high light. It also shows photosynthetic adaptability to strong light during culture in the laboratory. On the basis of these observations, we tried to find out some genes specifically expressed in Heterosimga akashiwo during exposure to high light, assuming that they might have some resistant mechanisms associated with light adaptation. For this purpose, we carried out DD-PCR to detect differentially expressed mRNAs from cells that had been illuminated under high light for 3 days. We found eight cDNA clones that had been expressed specificically for high light. When they were further screened by reverse Northern hybridization, three of them were identified to be positive cDNA clones. When these cDNA fragments were subjected to DNA sequencing and then their base sequences were compared to GenBank database, one of them showed sequence homology 86% identical to the partial sequence of 16S rRNA gene of eubacterium CRO-18.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.160-180
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• 2012

We have studied the eukaryotic plankton species diversity to compare the community structure of fresh and brackish waters in the lower reaches of the Nakdong River using metagenomic methods. We constructed 18S rDNA clone libraries of total DNAs extracted from environmental water samples collected at Mulgeum (MG100929, fresh) and Eulsukdo bridge (ES, brackish). Through the steps of colony PCR, PCR-RFLP, sequencing and similarity analysis, we discovered the diverse species composition of eukaryotic plankton. Total 338 clones (170 at MG100929 and 168 at ES) were analyzed, and then we found 74 phylotypes (49 for MG100929 and 25 for ES). From the phylogenetic analysis, we confirmed various eukaryotic plankton of broad range of taxonomic groups, including Stramenopiles, Cryptophyta, Viridiplantae, Alveolata, Rhizaria, Metazoa, and Fungi. We also found several unreported species in Korea and candidates of new taxonomic entities at levels higher than genus. Especially, the cryptic species diversity including unreported phylotypes of Pirsonia (Stramenopiles) and Perkinsea (Alveolata) suggests that the molecular monitoring method can produce new informative biological data in monitoring the changes in the Nakdong River Mouth ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax), a wasp species, has attacked honey bee populations and affected the beekeeping industry in Korea over the past 15 years. However, little research has been done with this invasive species. In this study, we investigated the intestine bacterial microbiota of Asian hornets and honey bees to design an attractive trap for Asian hornets. METHODS AND RESULTS: Genomic DNAs isolated from the intestine microorganisms of Asian hornets and honey bees were utilized to amplify bacterial 16S rDNA for the comparative sequence analysis. The next generation sequencing analysis identified that the orders Flavobacteriales as the most abundant intestinal microorganisms in Asian hornets, showing a clear difference compared to honey bees in which Aeromonadales are dominant. We also report five newly identified 16S rDNA sequences of Asian hornet intestinal bacteria. According to the sequence blast search, these five bacteria belong to the genera Thalassomonas, Caedobacter, Vampirovibrio, Alkaliphilus and Calothrix. CONCLUSION: While Asian hornets and honey bees show similar intestine bacterial diversity, the relative ratio of bacterial populations is different. providing useful information to design pest control agents specifically targeting Asian hornets.