• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2014

Fungal pathogens have huge impact on health and economic wellbeing of human by causing life-threatening mycoses in immune-compromised patients or by destroying crop plants. A key determinant of fungal pathogenesis is their ability to undergo developmental change in response to host or environmental factors. Genetic pathways that regulate such morphological transitions and adaptation are therefore extensively studied during the last few decades. Given that epigenetic as well as genetic components play pivotal roles in development of plants and mammals, contribution of microbial epigenetic counterparts to this morphogenetic process is intriguing yet nearly unappreciated question to date. To bridge this gap in our knowledge, we set out to investigate histone modifications among epigenetic mechanisms that possibly regulate fungal adaptation and processes involved in pathogenesis of a model plant pathogenic fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. M. oryzae is a causal agent of rice blast disease, which destroys 10 to 30% of the rice crop annually. Since the rice is the staple food for more than half of human population, the disease is a major threat to global food security. In addition to the socioeconomic impact of the disease it causes, the fungus is genetically tractable and can undergo well-defined morphological transitions including asexual spore production and appressorium (a specialized infection structure) formation in vitro, making it a model to study fungal development and pathogenicity. For functional and comparative analysis of histone modifications, a web-based database (dbHiMo) was constructed to archive and analyze histone modifying enzymes from eukaryotic species whose genome sequences are available. Histone modifying enzymes were identified applying a search pipeline built upon profile hidden Markov model (HMM) to proteomes. The database incorporates 22,169 histone-modifying enzymes identified from 342 species including 214 fungal, 33 plants, and 77 metazoan species. The dbHiMo provides users with web-based personalized data browsing and analysis tools, supporting comparative and evolutionary genomics. Based on the database entries, functional analysis of genes encoding histone acetyltransferases and histone demethylases is under way. Here I provide examples of such analyses that show how histone acetylation and methylation is implicated in regulating important aspects of fungal pathogenesis. Current analysis of histone modifying enzymes will be followed by ChIP-Seq and RNA-seq experiments to pinpoint the genes that are controlled by particular histone modifications. We anticipate that our work will provide not only the significant advances in our understanding of epigenetic mechanisms operating in microbial eukaryotes but also basis to expand our perspective on regulation of development in fungal pathogens.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.34-34
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• 2014

Filamentous fungi of the genus Colletotrichum (teleomorph, Glomerella) are considered major plant pathogens worldwide. Cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruit trees may be seriously affected by this pathogen (1). Colletotrichum species cause typical disease symptoms known as anthracnoses, characterized by sunken necrotic tissue, where orange conidial masses are produced. Anthracnose appears in both developing and mature plant tissues (2). We investigated disease occurrence in apple orchards from 2013 to 2014 in northern Gyeongbuk province, Korea. Typical anthracnose with advanced symptoms was observed in all apple orchards studied. Of late, static fruit spot symptoms are being observed in apple orchards. A small lesion, which does not expand further and remains static until the harvesting season, is observed at the beginning of fruit growth period. In our study, static symptoms, together with the typical symptoms, were observed on apples. The isolated fungus was tested for pathogenicity on cv. 'Fuji apple' (fully ripe fruits, unripe fruits, and cross-section of fruits) by inoculating the fruits with a conidial suspension ($10^5$ conidia/ml). In apple inoculated with typical anthracnose fungus, the anthracnose symptoms progressed, and dark lesions with salmon-colored masses of conidia were observed on fruit, which were also soft and sunken. However, in apple inoculated with fungi causing static symptoms, the size of the spots did not increase. Interestingly, the shape and size of the conidia and the shape of the appressoria of both types of fungi were found to be similar. The conidia of the two types of fungi were straight and cylindrical, with an obtuse apex. The culture and morphological characteristics of the conidia were similar to those of C. gloeosporioides (5). The conidia of C. gloeosporioides germinate and form appressoria in response to chemical signals such as host surface wax and the fruitripening hormone ethylene (3). In this study, the spores started to germinate 4 h after incubation with an ethephon suspension. Then, the germ tubes began to swell, and subsequently, differentiation into appressoria with dark thick walls was completed by 8 h. In advanced symptoms, fungal spores of virtually all the appressoria formed primary hyphae within 16 h. However, in the static-symptom fungus spores, no primary hyphae formed by 16 h. The two types of isolates exhibited different growth rates on medium containing apple pectin, Na polypectate, or glucose as the sole carbon. Static-symptom fungi had a >10% reduction in growth (apple pectin, 14.9%; Na polypectate, 27.7%; glucose, 10.4%). The fungal isolates were also genetically characterized by sequencing. ITS regions of rDNA, chitin synthase 1 (CHS1), actin (ACT), and ${\beta}$-tubulin (${\beta}t$) were amplified from isolates using primer pairs ITS 1 and ITS 4 (4), CHS-79F and CHS-354R, ACT-512F and ACT-783R, and T1 and ${\beta}t2$ (5), respectively. The resulting sequences showed 100% identity with sequences of C. gloeosporioides at KC493156, and the sequence of the ${\beta}$t gene showed 100% identity with C. gloeosporioides at JX009557.1. Therefore, sequence data from the four loci studied proves that the isolated pathogen is C. gloeosporioides. We also performed random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR, which showed clearly differentiated subgroups of C. gloeosporioides genotypes. The clustering of these groups was highly related to the symptom types of the individual strains.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.101-104
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• 2016

Curvularia leaf blight of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) putting green by caused Curvularia trifolii was observed in Hapcheon, Korea. In July to September 2014, curvularia leaf blight developed on leaf blades of creeping bentgrass as small water-soaked lesions that subsequently turned into dark-colored, necrotic spots. The spots were expanded and became gray, grayish-brown, or light brown, circular to oblong lesions with purple to dark brown borders that often were surrounded by a yellow halo. The necrotic lesions coalesced, became irregular in shape and caused tip or complete blighting of the leaves. Blighted leaf blades appeared grayish-white to tan. The fungus was identified by morphological characters and 16S rDNA sequencing as C. trifolii. Conidia of the pathogen were short, with predominantly 3-septa, straight or often curved, with end cells frequently paler than intermediate cells. Size of the 3-septate conidia in culture are $26{\sim}28{\times}11{\sim}12{\mu}m$. Pathogenicity of the fungus was proved by artificial inoculation on the host. This is the first report of C. trifolii causing leaf blight on creeping bentgrass in Korea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.689-695
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• 2004

This study was investigate the occurrence of bottom rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani at the crisphead lettuce fields in Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do from November to December in 2003. Incidence of bottom rot on crisphead lettuce was up to 5.3% at the six plastic houses. A total of 30 isolates of R. solani were obtained from diseased leaves of plants and were tested by artificial inoculation to the host. Among them, PY-1 isolate was selected showing highly virulent on the whole plant and was identified as R. solani AG1 (IB) based on the anastomosis test, morphological and cultural characteristics. Symptoms of bottom rot by PY-1 isolate produced small dark brown, depressed and elliptical spots on the lower part of leaves in the early stage as same as at the fields, were enlarged onto the upper part of leaves later, and the infected plant wilted and ultimately died in the end. For the pathogenicity test, triturated mycelia-inoculum (A$_{550}$=1.0) of PY-1 isolate was selected the most effective inoculum showing disease incidence of 51.1% for the mycelial inoculation at pot assay. Otherwise, WSRP media-inoculum (wheat brane ： sawdust ： rice brane ： PDB media=30 g ： 10 g ： 10 g ： 100 ml, w/w/w/v) of PY-1 isolate was effectual inoculum showing disease incidence of 61.6% for soil inoculation at the plastic house. Also, in selection of density and amount of inoculum, most suitable density of triturated mycelia-inoculum and amount of WSRP media- inoculum were determined as $A_{550}$=1.0 and 40 ml, respectively. This is the first report on the pathogenicity test using by WSRP media-inoculum of R. solani PY-1 isolate for the bottom rot of crisphead lettuce.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.833-838
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• 2015

Multidrug-resistant super bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections are major health threaten pathogens. However, to overcome the present healthcare situation, among the leading alternatives to current drugs are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are abundantly produced via various species in nature. AMPs, small host defense proteins, are in charge of the innate immunity for the protection of multicellular organisms such as fish, amphibian, reptile, plants and animals from infection. The number of AMPs identified per year has increased steadily since the 1980s. Over 2,000 natural AMPs from bacteria, protozoa, fungi, plants, and animals have been listed into the antimicrobial peptide database (APD). The majority of these AMPs (>86%) possess 11–50 amino acids with a net charge from 0 to +7 and hydrophobic percentages between 31–70%. This report classified AMP into several categories including biological source, biological functions, peptide properties, covalent bonding pattern, and 3D structure. AMP functions not only antimicrobial activity but facilitates cell biological activity such as chemotatic activity. In addition, fibroblastic reticular cell (FRC) originated from mouse lymph node stroma induced the expression of AMP in inflammatory condition. AMP induced from FRC contained whey acidic protein (WAP) domain. It suggests that the classification of AMP will be done by protein domain.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.686-692
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• 2015

Cancer is subject to dynamic interactions between contrary immune reactions that drive both tumor growth and suppression. Forkhead box p3 positive T cells (Foxp3 positive T cells) might support tumor promotion, while CD8 positive T cells might protect the host. The present study examined the distributions of CD8- and Foxp3-positive T cells and CD8 positive T cells/ Foxp3 positive T cells ratio in skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and its precancerous lesions; it also compared this with data for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Iimmunohistochemical staining for CD8 and Foxp3 was conducted in 20 cases of SCC, Bowen's disease (BD), actinic keratosis (AK) and BCC. The BD and SCC cases exhibited significantly increased numbers of both CD8- and Foxp3-positive T cells in their advancing regions compared with the AK and BCC cases, and the BD cases exhibited significantly lower CD8 positive T cells / Foxp3 positive T cells ratio in these regions than did the AK and BCC cases. There was no significant difference in both T cells and the ratio between BD and SCC. The degree of both T cells infiltration differed between the advancing and central areas in SCC and BCC. Immune micro-environments differ between cutaneous squamous cell tumors and BCC and differ as well among tumor compartments.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.347-354
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• 2013

Innate immunity is the ability to differentiate infectious agents from self. The innate immune system is comprised of a complicated network of recognition and effector molecules that act together to protect the host in the early stage of an infectious challenge. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL or mannose-binding protein, MBP) belongs to the family of $Ca^{2+}$-dependent lectins (C-type lectin with a collagen-like domain), which are considered an important component of innate immunity. While it is associated with increased risk and severity of infections and autoimmunity, the most frequent immuno-deficiency syndrome was reported to be low MBL level in blood. Deficiency of human MBL is caused by mutations in the coding region of the MBL gene. Rat homologue gene of human MBL gene was used to study functions of wild type and mutant MBL proteins. Although extensive studies have yielded the structural information of MBL, the functions of MBL, especially mutant MBL, still require investigation. We previously reported the cloning of rat wild-type MBL gene and the production of a truncated form of MBL protein and its antibody. Here, we present the cloning of mutant MBL cDNA in collagen-like domain (R40C, G42D, and G45E) using site-directed mutagenesis and differential behaviors of wild type and mutant MBL in cells. The major difference between wild type and mutant MBL was that while wild type MBL was secreted, mutant MBL was inhibited for secretion, retained in endoplasmic reticulum, and still functioned as a lectin.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1074-1081
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• 2016

Mistletoes are hemi-parasitic plant growing on different host tree and shrubs. They are traditionally used in folkloric medicine for the treatment of diarrhea, cough, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and skin infection. The purpose of this study was to determine the contents of phenolics and antioxidant activity of 70% ethanol, 100% methanol and hot water extracts of Jeju camellia mistletoe (Korthalsella japonica Engl.). Ethanol was most effective in extracting total phenols (7,427 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g) and flavonoid (1,777 mg rutin equivalent (RE)/100 g). The free radical scavenging activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) (EC₅₀ = 7.8 mg/ml) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) (EC₅₀ = 1.4 mg/ml), and the capacity for chelating metal ions (EC₅₀ = 8.0 mg/ml) and reducing power (EC₅₀ = 14.9 mg/ml) of the samples also higher in ethanolic extracts. The strong correlation (r² = −0.996～−0.881) between antioxidant capacities and the phenolic contents implied that phenolic compounds are a major contributor to the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extracts of Jeju camellia mistletoe. As conclusions, Jeju camellia mistletoe contains bioactive substances with a potential for reducing the physiological as well as oxidative stress and this could explain the suggested cancer preventive effect of these plants as well as their protective role on other major diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.482-499
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• 2017

Allergic diseases have increased over the past several decade worldwide including developing countries. Allergic inflammatory responses are caused by Th (T helper)2 immune responses, triggered by allergen ingestion by antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs). Intestinal microorganisms control the metabolism and physiological functions of the host, contribute to early immune system maturation during the early life, and homeostasis and epithelial integrity during life. Bifidobacteria have strain-specific immunostimulatory properties in the Th1/Th2 balance, inhibit TSLP (thymic stromal lymphopoietin) and IgE expression, and promote Flg (Filaggrin) and FoxP3 (Treg) expression to alleviate allergies. In addition, unmethylated CpG motif ODN (oligodeoxynucleotides) is recognized by TLR (toll-like receptors)9 of B cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) to induce innate and adaptive immune responses, while the butyrate produced by Clostridium butyricum activates the GPR (G-protein coupled receptors)109a signaling pathway to induce the expression of anti-inflammatory gene of pDCs, and directly stimulates the proliferation of thymically derived regulatory T (tTreg) cells through the activation of GPR43 or inhibits the activity of HADC (histone deacetylase) to differentiate naive $CD4^+$ T cells into pTreg cells through the histone H3 acetylation of Foxp3 gene intronic enhancer.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.89-211
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• 1993

The Korean government embarked upon ambitious economic development plans in the 1960's the goals of development policy at that time were the elimination of absolute poverty and the alleviation of unemployment. With scant natural resources, the government had to push for industrialization based upon borrowed foreign raw materials with surplus local labor. Preoccupation with the economic goals of industrialization and export expansion left little room for considering environmental protection. It is evident that Korea's exported industrialization strategy of the past three decades has been a success in terms of income, production, and other macroeconomic indicators, but it cannot be denied that a host of undesirable side-effects have been created. These include environmental problems. congestion in several large cities, poor wealth distribution, and regional disparities. The environmental problems were recognized even in the early stage of development, but preoccupation with the pending economic goals of industrialization and export expansion left little room for considering environment protection. The perceived and actual seriousness of the problems, however, has reached such a level that further negligence may imperil political stability and developmental problems facing the world arise from a world economic order characterized by ever expanding consumption and production, which exhausts and contaminates natural resources and creates and perpetuates gross inequalities between and within nations. It will be necessary to develop new culture and ethical values, transform economic structures, and reorient, our lifestyles. Changing lifestyles can not be promoted by government policy initiative alone but through self=generated educational efforts and mutual training by people themselves. The citizens group for environment (NGOs) should assume these educational and training responsibilities starting from grass-root level of people. It must be reawakened to the reality that the environmental preservation for better quality of life is based on the development of human relationships, creativity, spirituality, reverance for the natural world and celebration of life, and is not dependent upon increased consumption of non-basic material goods. To carry on such environment education social movements and NGOs should (1) provides educational methodologies, which focus on values clarification and moving beyond clarification and moving beyond blame to constructive action. (2) provide training for leaders of business and industry, government, union and others on consumption and production. (3) initiate and support the training and work of environmental counselor who encourage responsible consumption. (4) cooperative with media to initiate and strengthen educational programs on the social environmental programs on the social environmental impacts of consumption and production and to build awareness of consumer responsibility and potential. Economic and social development can be compatible with environment protection : both can be achieved simultaneously. Effective environmental management depends on the various factors : political will, institutional arrangements, appropriate legislation, and availability of the requistite financial and technological resources, which is possible with a strong public awareness of the importance of environmental preservation.