• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.114.1-114
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• 2003

A new isolate of rod-shaped virus was identified from grafted cactus, Gymnocalycium mihanovichii grafted onto Hylocereus trigonus, in Korea. The virus proved to be a new Tobamovirus and called previously as Tobamovirus-Ca for which we suggest the name Cactus mild mottle virus(CMMoV), because it produced systemic mild mosaic symptoms on its original host. CMMoV is distantly related to known species of the genus Tobamovirus on the basis of host range, serological and sequence analyses. Western blot analysis showed that CMMoV is serologically unrelated to Summons' Opuntia virus which is the only known species of the genus found in cactus plants. The 3'-terminal 2,910 nucleotides have been sequenced for the virus. The coat protein (CP) and movement protein (MP) genes encode 161 and 306 amino acids residues, respectively. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the CP were 39.6 ％ to 49.2 ％ and 26.4 ％ to 40.3 ％ identical to other tobamoviruses, respectively. The MP and 3' noncoding region shared 16.3 ％ to 23.3 ％ and 44.6 ％ to 63.4 ％ identities, respectively, with the members of the genus. Phylogenetic tree analysis of the CP gene revealed that CMMoV clusters with members of subgroup I of Tobamovirus. CMMoV particles contained genomic RNA along with two subgenomic RNAs, and this characteristics is common in the members of the subgroup II. This is the first information of sequence and comparative analysis of a Tobamovirus that infects cactus.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2016

Determining the infection history of living organisms is essential for understanding the evolution of infection agents with their host, particularly for key aspects such as immunity. Viruses, which can spread between individuals and often cause disease, have been widely examined. The increasing availability of fish genome sequences has provided specific insights into the diversity and host distribution of retroviruses in fish. The shortspine spurdog (Squalus mitsukurii) is an important elasmobranch species; this medium-sized dogfish typically lives at depths of 100~500 m. However, the retroviral envelope polyprotein in dogfish has not been examined. Thus, the aim of the present study was to identify and analyze the retroviral envelope polyprotein in various tissues of dogfish. The 1334-base pair full-length novel cDNA of dogfish envelope polyprotein (dEnv) was obtained by 3' and 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA end analysis from S. mitsukurii. The open reading frame showed a complete coding sequence of 815 base pairs with a deduced peptide sequence of 183 amino acids that exhibited 34~50% identity with other fish and bird species. It was also expressed according to reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction in the kidney, liver, intestine, and lung, but not in the gill. This distribution can be assessed by identifying and analyzing endogenous retroviruses in fish, which consists of three main genes: gag, pol and env. Dogfish envelope polyprotein sequence is likely important in evolution and induces rearrangements, altering the regulatory and coding sequences. This is the first report of the identification and molecular characterization of retroviral envelope polyprotein in various tissues of S. mitsukurii.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.42.1-42.23
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• 2023

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis, one of the most deadly infections in humans. The emergence of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Mtb strains presents a global challenge. Mtb has shown resistance to many frontline antibiotics, including rifampicin, kanamycin, isoniazid, and capreomycin. The only licensed vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guerin, does not efficiently protect against adult pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to develop new vaccines to prevent infections caused by these strains. We used a subtractive proteomics approach on 23 virulent Mtb strains and identified a conserved membrane protein (MmpL4, NP_214964.1) as both a potential drug target and vaccine candidate. MmpL4 is a non-homologous essential protein in the host and is involved in the pathogen-specific pathway. Furthermore, MmpL4 shows no homology with anti-targets and has limited homology to human gut microflora, potentially reducing the likelihood of adverse effects and cross-reactivity if therapeutics specific to this protein are developed. Subsequently, we constructed a highly soluble, safe, antigenic, and stable multi-subunit vaccine from the MmpL4 protein using immunoinformatics. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the stability of the vaccine-bound Tolllike receptor-4 complex on a nanosecond scale, and immune simulations indicated strong primary and secondary immune responses in the host. Therefore, our study identifies a new target that could expedite the design of effective therapeutics, and the designed vaccine should be validated. Future directions include an extensive molecular interaction analysis, in silico cloning, wet-lab experiments, and evaluation and comparison of the designed candidate as both a DNA vaccine and protein vaccine.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.519-532
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• 1999

Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent of type B gastritis and plays a central role in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal ulcer and gastric cancer. To elucidate the host-parasite relationship of the H. pylori infection on the basis of molecular biology, we tried to evaluate the genomic diversity of H. pylori. An ordered overlapping bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of a Korean isolate, H. pylori 51 was constructed to set up a genomic map. A circular physical map was constructed by aligning ApaI, NotI and SfiI-digested chromosomal DNA. When the physical map of H. pylori 51 was compared to that of unrelated strain, H. pylori 26695, completely different restriction patterns were shown. Fifteen known genes were mapped on the chromosome of H. pylori 51 and the genetic map was compared with those of strain 26695 and J99, of which the entire genomic sequences were reported. There were some variability in the gene location as well as gene order among three strains. For further analysis on the genomic diversity of H. pylori, when comparing the genomic structure of 150 H. pylori Korean isolates with one another, genomic macrodiversity of H. pylori was characterized by several features: whether or not susceptible to restriction digestion of the chromsome, variation in chromosomal restriction fingerprint and/or high frequency of gene rearrangement. We also examined the extent of allelic variation in nucleotide or deduced amino acid sequences at the individual gene level. fucT, cagA and vacA were confirmed to carry regions of high variation in nucleotide sequence among strains. The plasticity zone and strain-specific genes of H. pylori 51 were analyzed and compared with the former two genomic sequences. It should be noted that the H. pylori 51-specific sequences were dispersed on the chromosome, not congregated in the plasticity zone unlike J99- or 26695-specific genes, suggesting the high frequency of gene rearrangement in H. pylori genome. The genome of H. pylori 51 shows differences in the overall genomic organization, gene order, and even in the nucleotide sequences among the H. pylori strains, which are far greater than the differences reported on the genomic diversity of H. pylori.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.375-382
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• 2009

Integration and expression of a target gene into chromosomal genomes of host cell by retrovirus mediated gene transfer system usually require complicate and laborious procedures. In the present study, we investigate a simple method to integrate a target gene into genome of BF-2 cells using ultraviolet (UV)-inactivated snakehead retrovirus (SnRV), a fish retrovirus. First of all, an optimization of transfection condition was determined with BF-2 cells using Lipofectamine 2000 and Transome. Using 0.5 $\mu\ell$ Lipofectamine 2000 resulted in 33.8, 40.6 and 40.2% of transfection efficacy with high survival rate (minimum 80%) in 0.5, 1 and 2 $\mu{g}$ DNA, respectively, and those of Transome were all less than 5%. It was confirmed that UV-treatment for 5 min was enough to inactivate infectivity of SnRV. Next, a cassette composed of GFP (green fluorescent protein) gene flanked by LTR (long terminal repeats) sequences derived from SnRV was constructed and transfected into BF-2 cells followed by treatment with UV-inactivated SnRV for optimization of integration and expression of the cassette gene. As the results, the fluorescence was expressed in BF-2 cells treated with UV-inactivated SnRV 3 and 5 times, while there was no expression in BF-2 cells with once and non treatment. Accordingly, it was confirmed that GFP gene was integrated into chromosomal genome of BF-2 cells with UV-inactivated SnRV.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.369-375
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• 2018

Mycoplasma genitalium has 367 conserved genes and the smallest genome among mono-culturable prokaryotes. Conservative metabolic pathways were examined among M. genitalium and 14 prokaryotes, one hyperthermophilic exosymbiotic archaeon Nanoarchaeum equitans and 13 intracellular eubacteria of plants or insects, with fewer conserved genes than M. genitalium. They have 11 to 71 metabolic pathways, however complete metabolic pathways ranged from 1 to 24. Totally, metabolic pathway hole is very high due to the lack of 45.8% of the enzymes required for the whole metabolic pathways and it could be suggested that the shared metabolic pathway with the host's enzyme would work or the essential substances are host dependent. The number of genes necessary for mass transfer through the cell membrane is also very low, and it may be considered that the simple diffusion or the protein of the host will function in the cell membrane of these prokaryotes. Although the tRNA charging pathway was distributed in all 15 prokaryotes, each has 5-20 tRNA charging genes. This study would give clues to the understanding of the metabolic pathways of intracellular parasitic bacteria of plant and endosymbiotic bacteria of insects, and could provide basic data for prevention of crop damage, development of insect pests and human medicines.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1461-1478
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• 2022

The maintenance of poultry gut health is complex depending on the intricate balance among diet, the commensal microbiota, and the mucosa, including the gut epithelium and the superimposing mucus layer. Changes in microflora composition and abundance can confer beneficial or detrimental effects on fowl. Antibiotics have devastating impacts on altering the landscape of gut microbiota, which further leads to antibiotic resistance or spread the pathogenic populations. By eliciting the landscape of gut microbiota, strategies should be made to break down the regulatory signals of pathogenic bacteria. The optional strategy of conferring dietary fibers (DFs) can be used to counterbalance the gut microbiota. DFs are the non-starch carbohydrates indigestible by host endogenous enzymes but can be fermented by symbiotic microbiota to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This is one of the primary modes through which the gut microbiota interacts and communicate with the host. The majority of SCFAs are produced in the large intestine (particularly in the caecum), where they are taken up by the enterocytes or transported through portal vein circulation into the bloodstream. Recent shreds of evidence have elucidated that SCFAs affect the gut and modulate the tissues and organs either by activating G-protein-coupled receptors or affecting epigenetic modifications in the genome through inducing histone acetylase activities and inhibiting histone deacetylases. Thus, in this way, SCFAs vastly influence poultry health by promoting energy regulation, mucosal integrity, immune homeostasis, and immune maturation. In this review article, we will focus on DFs, which directly interact with gut microbes and lead to the production of SCFAs. Further, we will discuss the current molecular mechanisms of how SCFAs are generated, transported, and modulated the pro-and anti-inflammatory immune responses against pathogens and host physiology and gut health.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.113.2-114
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• 2003

Five pepper-infecting potyviruses, Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV), Chilli veinal mottle virus (CVMV), Pepper veinal mottle virus (PVMV), Pepper severe mosaic virus (PSMV) and Tobacco each virus (TEV), are known filamentous virus and can be infected pepper crops systemically. To understand pathology and genome information of the five viruses on pepper plants, host reactions and sequences were compared to the 5 viruses. Five potyviruses were inoculated onto some typical cultivars of hot peppers and compared their symptoms, and virus accumulations. A set of degenerate primers for potyviruses were applied to 5 viruses and RT-PCR was performed. RT-PCR products containing partial nuclear inclusion b and coat protein (CP) genes were cloned. Then, oligo dT primer and species-specific primer were redesigned to amplify the C-terminal part of CP and 3' noncoding regions of each viruses. Sequences of the viruses were analyzed and compared to serological relationships among the viruses. The data can be useful for screening of potyviruses in pepper plants and pathogen-derived transgenic pepper plant development.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 1991

The yeast L-A virus (4.6 kb dsRNA genome) encodes the major coat protein and a "gag-pol" fusion minor coat protein that separately encapsidate itself and $M_{1}$, a 1.8 kb dsRNA satellite virus encoding a secreted protein toxin (the killer toxin). The teast chromosomal SKI genes prevent viral cytopathology by lowering the virus copy number. Thus, $ski^{-}$ mutants are ts and cs for growth. We transformed a ski2-2 virus-infested mutant with a yeast bank in a high copy cloning vector and selected the rare healthy transformants for analysis. One type of transformant segregated M-O L-A-O cells with high frequency. Elimination of the DNA clone from the ski2-2 strain eliminated this phinotype and introduction of the DNA clone recovered from such transformants into the parent ski2-2 strain, or into ski3 or ski6 mutants gave the same phenotype. This killer-curing phenotype was due to the curing of the helper L-A dsRNA virus. The 6.5 kb insert only had this activity when carried on a high copy vector and in $ski^{-}$ cells (not in $SKI^{+}$ cells). This 6.5 kb insert acts as a mutagen on L-A dsRNA producing a high rate of deletion mutations.mutations.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.488-492
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• 2016

Rhodococcus species have become increasingly important owing to their ability to degrade a wide range of toxic chemicals and produce bioactive compounds. Here, we report isolation of the Rhodococcus sp. KB6, which is a new leaf-inhabiting endophytic bacterium that suppresses black rot disease in sweet potato leaves. We determined the 7.0 Mb draft genome sequence of KB6 and have predicted 19 biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites, including heterobactins, which are a new class of siderophores. Notably, we showed the first internal colonization of host plants with Rhodococcus sp. KB6 and discuss its potential as a biocontrol agent for sustainable agriculture.