• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

Ginseng has been well-known as a medicinal plant for thousands of years. Bacterial endophytes ubiquitously colonize the inside tissues of ginseng without any disease symptoms. The identification of bacterial endophytes is conducted through either the internal transcribed spacer region combined with ribosomal sequences or metagenomics. Bacterial endophyte communities differ in their diversity and composition profile, depending on the geographical location, cultivation condition, and tissue, age, and species of ginseng. Bacterial endophytes have a significant effect on the growth of ginseng through indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and siderophore production, phosphate solubilization, and nitrogen fixation. Moreover, bacterial endophytes can protect ginseng by acting as biocontrol agents. Interestingly, bacterial endophytes isolated from Panax species have the potential to produce ginsenosides and bioactive metabolites, which can be used in the production of food and medicine. The ability of bacterial endophytes to transform major ginsenosides into minor ginsenosides using β-glucosidase is gaining increasing attention as a promising biotechnology. Recently, metabolic engineering has accelerated the possibilities for potential applications of bacterial endophytes in producing beneficial secondary metabolites.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 2012

In order to investigate the diversity of endophytes, fungal endophytes in Panax ginseng Meyer cultivated in Korea were isolated and identified using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of ribosomal DNA. Three cultivars of 3-year-old ginseng roots (Chunpoong, Yunpoong, and Gumpoong) were used to isolate fungal endophytes. Surface sterilized ginseng roots were placed on potato dextrose agar plates supplemented with ampicilin and streptomycin to inhibit bacterial growth. Overall, 38 fungal endophytes were isolated from 12 ginseng roots. According to the sequence analysis of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, 38 fungal isolates were classified into 4 different fungal species, which were Phoma radicina, Fusarium oxysporum, Setophoma terrestris and Ascomycota sp. 2-RNK. The most dominant fungal endophyte was P. radicina in 3 cultivars. The percentage of dominant endophytes of P. radicina was 65.8%. The percentage of colonization frequency of P. radicina was 80%, 52.9%, and 75% in Chunpoong, Yunpoong, and Gumpoong, respectively. The second most dominant fungal endophyte was F. oxysporum. The diversity of the fungal endophytes was low and no ginseng cultivar specificity among endophytes was detected in this study. The identified endophytes can be potential fungi for the production of bioactive compounds and control against ginseng pathogens.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1119-1129
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• 2023

Seeds are colonized by diverse microorganisms that can improve the growth and stress resistance of host plants. Although understanding the mechanisms of plant endophyte-host plant interactions is increasing, much of this knowledge does not come from seed endophytes, particularly under environmental stress that the plant host grows to face, including biotic (e.g., pathogens, herbivores and insects) and abiotic factors (e.g., drought, heavy metals and salt). In this article, we first provided a framework for the assembly and function of seed endophytes and discussed the sources and assembly process of seed endophytes. Following that, we reviewed the impact of environmental factors on the assembly of seed endophytes. Lastly, we explored recent advances in the growth promotion and stress resistance enhancement of plants, functioning by seed endophytes under various biotic and abiotic stressors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.327-333
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• 2012

Fungal endophytes were isolated from 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old ginseng roots (Panax ginseng Meyer) cultivated in Korea. The isolated fungal endophytes were identified based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer and morphological characterization by microscopic observations. A total of 81 fungal endophytes were isolated from 24 ginseng roots. Fungal endophytes were classified into 9 different fungal species and 2 unknown species. Ginseng roots that were 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-years old were colonized by 2, 6, 8, and 5 species of fungal endophytes, respectively. While Phoma radicina was the most frequent fungal endophyte in 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old ginseng roots, Fusarium solani was the dominant endophyte in 1-year-old ginseng roots. The colonization frequencies (CF) varied with the host age. The CF were 12%, 40%, 31%, and 40% for 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old ginseng roots, respectively. We found a variety of fungal endophytes that were distributed depending on the age of ginseng plants.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.513-521
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• 2023

Seed-borne diseases reduce not only the seed germination and seedling growth but also seed quality, resulting in the significant yield loss in crop production. Plant seed harbors diverse microbes termed endophytes other than pathogens inside it. However, their roles and application to agricultures were rarely understood and explored to date. Recently, we had isolated from soybean seeds culturable endophytes exhibiting in-vitro antagonistic activities against common bacterial and fungal seed-borne pathogens. In this study, we evaluated effects of seed treatment with endophytes on plant growth and protection against the common seed-borne pathogens: four fungal pathogens (Cercospora sojina, C. kikuchii, Septoria glycines, Diaporthe eres) and two bacterial pathogens (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci). Our experiments showed that treatment of soybean seeds with seed endophytes clearly offer protection against seed-borne pathogens. We also found that some of the endophytes promote plant growth in addition to the disease suppression. Taken together, our results demonstrate agricultural potential of seed endophytes in crop protection.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.44-56
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• 2009

$Epichlo\ddot{e}$ endophytes, including Neotyphodium spp. and $Epichlo\ddot{e}$ spp., enhance plant growth, mediate more plant tolerance or resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and also synthesis various biologically active compounds in their host plants, and important in many areas. In early stages, most of $epichlo\ddot{e}$ endophytes were described during surveys practiced by American, European and Oceania scientists, while fungal endophytes within native Asian plants were poorly investigated. In recent years, an $Epichlo\ddot{e}$ sp. and 4 Neotyphodium spp. were described in cool season Chinese native gramineous plants. Most of Chinese native Neotyphodium spp. were presumed as hybrids originated from members of ETC and EBY. Investigation on NRPS genes shows lack of toxic ergopeptines and potential production of peramine. Biological and ecological roles of Chinese native $epichlo\ddot{e}$ endophytes should be investigated in future, and it will be very valuable if we can have some joint projects with Korean scientists for Asian native $epichlo\ddot{e}$ endophytes.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.306-312
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• 2014

Endophytes are microorganisms that live in the internal tissues of plants without harming the host plants. In this symbiotic relationship, the host plants provide nutrients and shelter to the endophytes, in turn, endophytes can promote the growth of host plants and act as a biological control agents against plant pathogens. Plant-microbe interactions like this are noted for natural methods for sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation. However, in spite of the infinite potential, there are only a few reports on the endophytes present in ginseng. In this study, we isolated and identified the endophytes from Panax ginseng seeds and evaluated the biological activities (IAA production ability, nitrogen fixation ability, phosphate solubilization capacity, siderophore production ability, and antifungal activities) of the endophyte isolates. Eight different endophytes were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Most of the endophytes have antibiotic and plant growth promoting (PGP) activities. Particularly, PgSEB5-37E have the highest antibiotic activity, both PgSEB5-37B and PgSEB5-37H have high PGP traits such as an abilities to produce IAA, solubilize phosphate and fix nitrogen. These results indicated that the endophytes from P. ginseng seeds may have applicable value to many industries. In order to use the isolated endophytes, quantitative analysis and field tests are needed to be performed.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 2015

The three endophytes, Blastophysa rhizopus, Bolbocoleon piliferum, Ulvella leptochaete, were isolated in a laboratory culture from a Grateloupia lanceolata thallus collected in Jeju. Effects of temperature and irradiance on growth and infection of the three species, were examined. Based on the unialgal cultures, their growth was examined under six temperatures (9, 13, 17, 21, 25, $29^{\circ}C$) and two irradiance levels (60, $100{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$). Also, infection experiments to the five hosts (Ulva intestinalis, Scytosiphon lomentaria, Gracilaria verimiculophylla, Chondrus ocellatus, and Grateloupia elliptica) with three endophytes were carried out under four temperatures (10, 15, 20, $25^{\circ}C$) and two irradiance levels (60, $100{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$). In culture of the endophytes, optimum growth was found in $100{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ in combination with $21^{\circ}C$. At the end of infection experiment, endophytes were observed at all the hosts. Among three endophytes, U. leptochaete was the most common at the five hosts. However, we did not observe any endophytes at all hosts tested under $10^{\circ}C$ condition. Based on this result, it appears that temperature acts as a limiting factor to infection of the three species.

• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 2014

To examine the effects of water stress and Cenangium ferruginosum (CF) on the fungal endophytic community of needles of Pinus koraiensis (PK), fungal endophytes isolated from the needles of 5-year-old PK seedlings were compared before and after exposure to water stress conditions and artificial inoculation with CF ascospores. Artificial CF inoculation was successfully confirmed using PCR with CF-specific primers (CfF and CfR). For comparison of the degree of water deficit in water-stressed and control groups of PK seedlings infected with CF, the water saturation deficit and water potential were measured. Lower water potential estimates were found in the water-stressed seedlings than in the control group. The fungal endophytes isolated from the second-year needles of non-water-stressed seedlings before and after CF inoculation revealed that primary saprobes were approximately 30% and 71.7%, respectively, and the remaining endophytes were rot fungi or pathogens. Sixty days after CF inoculation, diverse fungal endophytes in the first-year needles were isolated from the water-stressed seedlings. However, some fungal endophytes isolated from the non-water-stressed seedlings were also identified. Fungal endophytes in the second-year needles of the water-stressed and non-water-stressed seedlings were approximately 8% and 71.7% of saprobes, respectively, and the remaining endophytes were rot fungi or pathogens. On the basis of the results, we conclude that water deficit and CF can have an effect on fungal endophytic communities in the needles of PK seedlings.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.415-429
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• 2019

Soil contamination by metals is of particular interest, given that their retention times within the profile can be indefinite. Thus, phytostabilization can be viewed as a means of limiting metal toxicity in soils. Due to their ability to grow on contaminated soils, alders have repeatedly been used as key species in phytostabilization efforts. Alder ability to grow on contaminated sites stems, in part, from its association with microbial endophytes. This work emphasizes the fungal endophytes populations associated with Alnus incana ssp. rugosa and Alnus alnobetula ssp. crispa (previously A. viridis ssp. crispa) under a phytostabilization angle. Fungal endophytes were isolated from alder trees that were growing on or near disturbed environments; their tolerances to Cu, Ni, Zn, and As, and acidic pH (4.3, 3, and 2) were subsequently assessed. Cryptosporiopsis spp. and Rhizoscyphus spp. were identified as fungal endophytes of Alnus for the first time. When used as inoculants for alder, some isolates promoted plant growth, while others apparently presented antagonistic relationships with the host plant. This study reports the first step in finding the right fungal endophytic partners for two species of alder used in phytostabilization of metal-contaminated mining sites.