• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.349-353
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• 2015

Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.), Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis berlandi (=A. simplex sp. C), and Anisakis typica are the 4 major species of Anisakis type I larvae. In the Republic of Korea (Korea), A. pegreffii, A. berlandi, and A. typica larvae in fish hosts has seldom been documented. In this study, molecular analysis was performed on Anisakis larvae from the sea eels (Astroconger myriaster), the major source of human anisakiasis in Korea, collected from Tongyeong City, a southern coastal area of Korea. All 20 sea eels examined were infected with Anisakis type I larvae (160 larvae; 8 per fish). Their species were analyzed using PCR-RFLP patterns and nucleotide sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, 5.8 subunit gene, and ITS2) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 2 (cox2). Most (86.8%; 112/129) of the Anisakis type I larvae were A. pegreffii, and 7.8% (10/129) were A. typica. The remaining 5.4% (7/129) was not identified. Thus, A. pegreffii is the major species of anisakid larvae in sea eels of the southern coast of Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.141-144
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• 2012

Total 50 species, 80 strains: Eighty strains of yeasts were isolated from wild flowers of Daejeon city and its surroundings in Korea. Isolated yeasts were identified by comparison of their PCR-amplified 18s rDNA V3 region or internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) genes with BLAST database. Among them, 32 species, 54 strains of yeasts were isolated and identified from wild flowers of Daejeon city, and Cryptococcus species were dominant yeasts. Furthermore, 18 species, 26 strains of yeasts were isolated and identified from wild flowers of Geumsan-gun and Nonsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do in Korea, and also Candida species and Pseudozyma species were dominant yeasts.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 2014

Several isolates were collected from apple, pepper, strawberry, cucumber and tomato having typical gray mold symptoms. All the isolates were identified as Botrytis cinerea by using morphological characteristics and PCR-RFLP method. It was difficult to analyze the phylogenetic relationship of these isolates by using ITS region, HSP60 and G3PDH because these genes were highly homologous in their nucleotide in inter-species of B. cinerea and intra-species of genus Botrytis. However, phylogenetic analysis using combined sequences (RPB2, HSP60 and G3PDH genes) clearly showed that all isolate of B. cinerea were different from Botrytis spp. Furthermore, it was also confirmed that strawberry isolate was distantly related to apple, pepper, cucumber and tomato isolates that were closely related to each other in nucleotide level.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2001

The present study examines the expression and regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its receptor (GnRH-R) mRNA levels during mouse ovarian development. A fully processed, mature GnRH mRNA together with intron-containing primary transcripts was expressed in the immature mouse ovary as determined by Northern blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The size of ovarian GnRH mRNA was similar to that of hypothalamus, but its amount was much lower than that in the hypothalamus. Quantitative RT-PCR procedure also revealed the expression of GnRH-R mRNA in the ovary, but the estimated amount was a thousand-fold lower than that in the pituitary gland. We also examined the regulation of ovarian GnRH and GnRH-R mRNA levels during the follicular development induced by pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and/or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Ovarian luteinizing hormone receptor (LH-R) mRNA was abruptly increased st 48 h after the PMSG administration and rapidly decreased to the basal level thereafter. Ovarian GnRH mRNA level was slightly decreased at 48 h after the PMSG administration, and then returned to the basal value. GnRH-R mRNA level began to increase at 24 h after the PMSG treatment, decreased below the uninduced basal level at 48 h, and gradually increased thereafter. HCG administration did not alter ovarian GnRH mRNA level, while it blocked the PMSG-induced increase in GnRH mRNA level. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the expression of GnRH and GnRH-R mRNA are regulated by gonadotropin during follicular development, suggesting possible intragonadal paracrine roles of GnRH and GnRH-R in the mouse ovarian development.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.417-422
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• 2019

From October 2015 to August 2018, tapeworm proglottids were obtained from 10 patients who were residents of Daegu and Gyeongbuk provinces and had a history of raw beef consumption. Most of them had no overseas travel experience. The gravid proglottids obtained from the 10 cases had 15-20 lateral uterine branches. A part of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) DNA of the 10 cases, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digested with AleI restriction enzyme, produced the same band pattern of Taenia saginata, which differentiated from T. asiatica and T. solium. Sequences of ITS1 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) showed higher homology to T. saginata than to T. asiatica and T. solium. Collectively, these 10 cases were identified as T. saginata human infections. As taeniasis is one of the important parasitic diseases in humans, it is necessary to maintain hygienic conditions during livestock farming to avoid public health concerns.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2000

The viruses of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1), Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) and Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) which belong to the alpha herpes subfamily are important human pathogens. When eruptions were not fully developed from these viral infections, clinical diagnosis was not always easy and required virological confirmation test. The above viruses were reactivated in individuals who were compromised in immune competence for one reason or another. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enables rapid and sensitive detection of HSV and VZV DNAs. Its sensitivity was largely influenced by choice of primers. Authors conducted a study to detect of those three viruses in human specimens including vesicle fluid and joint fluid and serum using PCR methods. Primers used for this study were the general primer pair GPHV-RU which was known to amplify within the genes enjoying the highest degree of homology between UL15 of HSV and UL42 of VZV. PCR with primers hybridized pair GPHV-RU amplifies a 396 bp with THP-1 and HSV-2 standard strain DNA and 405 bp with VZV standard strain DNA. Restriction enzyme cleavage with HpaII and DdeI were used to detect and distinguish DNAs of THP-1 and HSV-2 and VZV. The purpose of this study was a rapid and easy detection of VZV and THP-1 or HSV-2 from various clinical specimens (vesicle fluid, serum and joint fluid) by PCR method. Used methods were: HSV PCR with primer 1, 2 and HpaII RE digestion; VZV nested PCR; HSV PCR with primer A, Band BssHII RE digestion. 1) In 33 cases (33/42, 78.6%) VZV was detected single or mixed infection from 42 clinical specimens which included vesicle fluid (5), serum form respiratory infected children (10), serum from immune suppressed adult cancer patients (7) and joint fluid from arthritis patients (20). 2) In 20 cases (20/42, 47.6%) HSV was detected singly or mixed infection and 19 of those cases were HSV-2 and 1 case was THP-1. 3) In 19 cases (19/42, 45.2%) VZV was singly detected which included serum from respiratory infected children (6 cases), joint fluid from arthritis patients (9 cases), vesicle fluid (2 cases) and serum form immunosuppressed cancer patients (2 cases). 4) HSV was singly detected in 6 cases (6/42, 14.3%) which included joint fluid from arthritis patients (5 cases) and serum form respiratory infected children (1 cases). 5) 14 cases of VZV and HSV mixed infection (14/42, 33.3%) were detected. They included vesicle fluid (3 cases), serum form immunosuppressed cancer patients (4 cases), serum from respiratory infected children (2 cases) and joint fluid from arthritis patients (5 cases). 6) HSV-1 and HSV-2 detection and typing by HSV PCR with primer A, Band BssHII RE digestion method was more sensitive and the results were easier to detect than on other method.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2000

ITSI-5.8S-ITSII rDNA region was amplified from the reference strains and clinical isolates with ITS1 and ITS4 primers. These primers amplified DNA fragments of 550 bp in Microsporum audouinii and Trichophyton violaceum, 700 bp in Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton tonsurans, and 750 bp in Microsporum ferreugineum and Microsporum canis. The restriction enzyme patterns of PCR products digested with 13 restriction enzyme including PstI were distint among the genera, whereas identical in the same species. Examination of the ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacers)1 nucleotide sequence revealed that there was the genetic difference in each genera and species. Phylogenetic relationship among each species showed that the Trichophyton mentagrophytes was more closely related Trichophyton tonsurans than Trichophyton rubrum, and Microsporum gypseum was less related than Microsporum spp..

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.992-996
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• 2011

Endophytic fungi were isolated from the roots of plants growing naturally on the island of Dokdo. Plant samples, such as Miscanthus sinensis, Achyranthus japonica and Echinochloa crusgali were isolated from Dongdo, and those such as Honkenya peploides and Artemsia koidzumii were isolated from Seodo. Twenty one strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from these plants. To identify the strains, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification of the partial ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) regions was done with universal primers ITS-1 and ITS-4 to determine the nucleotide sequence of the ITS regions. Of the strains isolated from Miscanthus sinensis, 75% were Penicillium sp. and 25% were Aspergillus sp. Fifty five percent of strains isolated from Achyranthus japonica were Penicillium sp., 30% were Aspergillus sp. and 15% were Zygorhynchus sp. Strains isolated from Echinochloa crusgali were Penicillium sp. (50%), Aspergillus sp. (12%), Giberella sp. (13%), Talaromyces sp. (9%) and Umbelopsis sp. (8%). Of the strains isolated from Honkenya peploides, 76% were Penicillium sp. and 24% were Pestalotiopsis sp. Strains isolated from Artemisia koidzumii were Penicillium sp. (81%) and Mucor sp. (19%). As a result of bioassay, Ec-3-1 strain isolated from Echinochloa crusgalli showed plant growth-promotion activity. Of all the endophytic fungi isolated, Penicillium sp. was the most abundantly distributed fungal strain in all plants used in this study.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1619-1624
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• 2011

Endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the roots of six species plants in the Dokdo islands. Native plant samples, such as Artemisia japonica, Chenopodium album and Solanum nigrum were isolated from Dongdo, and those such as Cyrtomium falcatum, Dianthus longicalyx and Tetragonia tetragonoides were isolated from Seodo. In total, thirty two fungal strains were isolated from these native plants. To identify the fungal strains, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of internal transcribed spacer (ITS: containing ITS1, 5.8s and ITS2 region) regions was done with universal primers ITS1 and ITS4. Endophytic fungi of four species were isolated from A. japonica, eight species from C. album, three species from S. nigrum, three species from C. falcatum, three species from D. longicalyx and eleven species from T. tetragonoides. Culture filtrates (CF) of isolated endophytic fungi were used to treatwaito-c rice seedlings to test plant growth-promoting activity. As a result of bioassay, Ca-5-2-2 strain isolated from C. album expressed highest plant growth-promotion activity. Of all the endophytic fungi isolated, Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp. and Aspergillus sp. were the most abundantly distributed fungal strains in the six plants used in this study.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.45-59
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• 2020

To investigate the spatio-temporal distributions of the mixotrophic dinoflagellate Yihiella yeosuensis in Korean coastal waters and its grazing impact on prey populations, water samples were seasonally collected from 28 stations in the East, West, and South Seas of Korea and Jeju Island from April 2015 to October 2018. The abundances of Y. yeosuensis in the water samples were quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Simultaneously, the physical and chemical properties of water from all sampled stations were determined, and the abundances of the optimal prey species of Y. yeosuensis, the prasinophyte Pyramimonas sp. and the cryptophyte Teleaulax amphioxeia, were quantified using qPCR. Y. yeosuensis has a wide distribution, as is reflected by the detection of Y. yeosuensis cells at 23 sampling stations; however, this distribution has a strong seasonality, which is indicated by its detection at 22 stations in summer but only one station in winter. The abundance of Y. yeosuensis was significantly and positively correlated with those of Pyramimonas sp. and T. amphioxeia, as well as with water temperature. The highest abundance of Y. yeosuensis was 48.5 cells mL^-1 in Buan in July 2017, when the abundances of Pyramimonas sp. and T. amphioxeia were 917.6 and 210.4 cells mL^-1, respectively. The growth rate of Y. yeosuensis on Pyramimonas sp., calculated by interpolating the growth rates at the same abundance, was 0.49 d^-1, which is 37% of the maximum growth rate of Y. yeosuensis on Pyramimonas sp. obtained in the laboratory. Therefore, the field abundance of Pyramimonas sp. obtained in the present study can support a moderate positive growth of Y. yeosuensis. The maximum grazing coefficient for Y. yeosuensis on the co-occurring Pyramimonas sp. was 0.42 d^-1, indicating that 35% of the Pyramimonas sp. population were consumed in 1 d. Therefore, the spatio-temporal distribution of Y. yeosuensis in Korean coastal waters may be affected by those of the optimal prey species and water temperature. Moreover, Y. yeosuensis may potentially have considerable grazing impacts on populations of Pyramimonas sp.