• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2010

A virus isolate causing symptoms of yellow mosaic, fern leaves, malformation and plant necrosis on Rudbeckia bicolor was prevalent around Pyeongchang area in Korea. The causal virus was identified as Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) using characteristics from biological, serological and molecular analyses and named as CMV-Rb. CMV-Rb caused mosaic on Nicotiana benthamiana, N. tabacum, Capsicum annuum, and Lycopersicon esculentum. However, typical local lesions did not develop on inoculated Pisum sativum, Cucurbita moschata, Datura stramonium and Tetragonia expansa plants. Full-length genome sequences of CMV-Rb RNAs 1, 2 and 3 were obtained using 12 primer pairs by RT-PCR analysis. The genome of CMV-Rb RNA segments 1, 2, and 3 consists of 3363nt, 3049nt, and 2214nt in length, respectively. In order to ascertain their taxonomic identity, nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequence analyses RNAs 1, 2 and 3 of CMV-Rb isolates were conducted with previously reported sequences of CMV strains and/or isolates. CMV-Rb RNAs showed about 90 to 99% sequence identity to those of subgroup I strains suggesting that CMV-Rb is more closely related to CMV isolates belong to subgroup I. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CMV on Rudbeckia bicolor in Korea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.107-117
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• 2006

Freshwater algal studies in North polar environments are relatively few. This study presented the algal-flora, -biomass and genetic features of dominant cells collected from temporary ponds around the Polar Research Station (PRS), Norway. Water samples were collected from 4 stations around PRS, and analyzed for their environmental and biological variables. Water temperature, salinity and conductivity ranged from 5 to $10^{\circ}C$, 0.1 to $0.3%_{\circ}$ and 0.21 to $0.36{\mu}S/cm$, respectively. Chlorophyll a concentration ranged from 1.8 to $11.1{\mu}g/l$, and that of the size-fractionated cells was recorded from 0.7 to $1.1{\mu}g/l$ in picoplankton 0.3 to $6.5{\mu}g/l$ in nanoplankton, and 0.4 to $3.9{\mu}g/l$ in microplankton respectively. Algal flora in the present study was recorded as 10 genera, in which Chlamydomonas, particularly, was dominant in all studied sites. By comparison of Chlamydomonas 18S rDNA sequences, including two isolates from PRS, they formed a distinct clade against others: sequence similarity was significantly low (<97.2%) with C. noctigama, being the highest score by BLAST search in GenBank. This study was valuable for basic knowledge regarding the freshwater algae around PRS and their genetic information.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1995.07a
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• pp.133-170
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• 1995

The major objectives of fruit breeding lie in improvement of cultivar, easy to be cultivated and of high quality, in order to produce unexpensive, delicious fruit both for fresh fruit market and processing. Recently, fruit breeding in Korea has contributed to breeding of several superior cultivars in major fruit crops, resulting in appreciable improvement in qualities such as skin color, taste and fruit-bearing habit concerned with productivity. In spite of accomplishments mentioned above, the need for both highly disease-resistant cultivars and long-keeping, physiological disorder-resistant cultivars to meet long distance transsportation in the temperate fruit crops of apples, oriental pears, stone fruits such as peaches, and grapes grown in Korea is rapidly pressing more than ever, as cultivars of today susceptible to pests and diseases and vulnerable to physiological disorders are very expensive and time-consuming in post-harvest handling and management. Thus, imporvements made in the above problems through breeding level will lead to the really enhanced productivity in fruit industry. The major impediments of tree size, the long length of juvenile period and the highly heterogeneous genetic composition to the improvement of fruit crops are responsible for the lower amount and rate of improvements of fruit crops as compared to annuals. Considering the expected limitations of the above problems to be solved through conventional breeding methods and strategy, a turning point of breeding a near perfect cultivar would be laid down if innovative breakthroughs in biological technology will be realized in applying some of the techniques of genetic manipulation at the molecular level to the cultivar improvement of fruit crops, such as the selective insertion of DNA carrying genes that govern desirable characteristics. More than anything else, those traits such as fruiting habit deciding productivity, elements of fruit qualities conditioned by monogene, and disease-and pest-resistance of vital importance for successful fruit growing are urgently desired to be improved by advancement of biotechnology for they are more than difficult and need long period to be attained through conventional breeding method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.55-62
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• 2003

The mucosal immune system provides a first line of defense against invasion of infectious agents via inhalation, ingestion and sexual contact. For the induction of protective immunity at these invasion sites, one must consider the use of the CMIS, which interconnects inductive tissues, including PP and NALT, and effector tissues of the intestinal, respiratory and genitourinary tracts. In order for the CMIS to induce maximal protective mucosal immunity, co-administration of mucosal adjuvant or use of mucosal antigen delivery vehicle has been shown to be essential. When vaccine antigen is administered via oral or nasal route, antigen-specific Th 1 and Th2 cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CTLs) and IgA B cell responses are effectively induced by the CMIS. In the early stages of induction of mucosal immune response, the uptake of orally or nasally administered antigens is achieved through a unique set of antigen-sampling cells, M cells located in follicle-associated epithelium(FAE) of inductive sites. After successful uptake, the antigens are immediately processed and presented by the underlying DCs for the generation of antigen-specific T cells and IgA committed B cells. These antigen-specific lymphocytes are then home to the distant mucosal effector tissues for the induction of antigen-specific humoral(e.g., IgA) and cell-mediated (e.g., CTL and Th1) immune responses in order to form the first line of defense. Elucidation of the molecular/cellular characteristics of the immunological sequence of mucosal immune response beginning from the antigen sampling and processing/presentation by M cells and mucosal DCs followed by the effector phase with antigen-specific lymphocytes will greatly facilitate the design of a new generation of effective mucosal antigen-specific lymphocytes will greatly facilitate the design of a new generation of a new generation of effective mucosal adjuvants and of a vaccine deliver vehicle that maximizes the use of the CMIS.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2007

The survival strategies of polar organisms at permanently or extremely cold temperatures and their application to cryobiology were reviewed here. In addition, ongoing studies on psychrophiles also were described. Psychrophiles are extremophiles that can grow and reproduce in cold temperatures, typically at -10 to $20^{\circ}C$. These organisms developed various mechanisms of adaptation to extremely cold environments. Polar organisms cope with these extreme physicochemical conditions using strategies such as avoidance, protection and partnership with other organisms. Understanding on the strategies adopted by polar organisms may provide insight on the physiological process that cells can go through during freezing. Cryopreservation may be able to take advantage of the findings described above. Currently, genomes of many cold-loving organisms have been sequenced and comparative genomics has revealed, at a molecular level, the characteristics of these organisms. The investigation of microorganisms on the polar glaciers may expand our understanding on the origin of life on Earth and other planets.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.1 s.141
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

The endosymbionts of 4 strains of Acanthamoeba(KA/E9, KA/E21, KA/E22, and KA/E23) isolated from the infected corneas of Korean patients were characterized via orcein stain, transmission electron microscopic examination, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Double membrane-bound, rod-shaped endosymbionts were distributed randomly throughout both the trophozoites and cysts of each of Acanthamoeba isolates. The endosymbionts of KA/E9, KA/E22, and KA/E23 were surrounded by electron-translucent areas. No lacunae-like structures were observed in the endosymbionts of KA/E21, the bacterial cell walls of which were studded with host ribosomes. Comparative analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences showed that the endosymbionts of KA/E9, KA/E22 and KA/E23 were closely related to Caedibacter caryophilus, whereas the KA/E21 endosymbiont was assigned to the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides(CFB) phylum. In the 4 strains of Acanthamoeba, the hosts of the endosymbionts were identified as belonging to the Acanthamoeba castellanii complex, which corresponds to the T4 genotype. Acanthamoeba KA/E21 evidenced characteristics almost identical to those of KA/E6, with the exception of the existence of endosymbionts. The discovery of these endosymbionts from Acanthamoeba may prove essential to future studies focusing on interactions between the endosymbionts and the amoebic hosts.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.334-336
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• 2015

Sclerotium rot on Pulsatilla koreana was observed in the exhibition field of Jinju Agriculture Technology Center in July 2013. The infected plants showed water-soaked, blighted and rotted symptoms. White mycelial mats spread over lesions, and then numerous sclerotia were formed on flower stalk and flower stem near the soil line. The sclerotia were globoid in shape, 1-3 mm in size and white to brown in color. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth and sclerotia formation on PDA was $30^{\circ}C$ and the hyphal width was $4-8{\mu}m$. The typical clamp connections were observed in the hyphae of the fungus grown on PDA. For molecular identification, the complete ITS rDNA sequence of the causal fungus was sequenced and analyzed. On the basis of mycological characteristics, ITS rDNA sequence analysis, and pathogenicity to host plants, this fungus was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii Saccardo. This is the first report of sclerotium rot on Pulsatilla koreana caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.167-171
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• 2001

The introduction of genetically modified crops has raised concerns regarding safety issues over the insertion of foreign genes into plant genomes using recombinant DNA technology. Since 1991 in Japan, 29 foods and 6 food additives have been evaluated, based on the "Guideline for Safety Assessment", before these foods were marketed. The MHW, however, decided that safety assessment of such foods and food additives should be legally imposed. because soon such foods and food additives are expected to circulate globally and a new system for assessing safety of such foods and food additives at a pre-market stage is necessary, in order to avoid the distribution of any genetically modified foods that have had no safety assessment. The MHW published relevant announcements to amend existing regulations on 1 May 2000. "Standards for safety assessment of seed plant" is established based on a concept of substantial equivalence, and applicable to the products which are regarded as equivalent to the existing products used as foods and food additives. The characterization of the food products entails consideration of the molecular characterization. phenotypic and compositional characteristics, key nutrients and toxicants, and toxicity and allergenicity of the introduced proteins, and if there are indications of unintended effects of the modification, whether further safety testing (animal studies etc.) is needed should be considered. Safety and wholesomeness studies with whole foods should be care fully designed in order to avoid nutritional imbalances causing artifacts and uninterpretable results as was the case of Dr. Pusztaiis report. A case study of genetically modified soybeans (glyphosate-tolerant soybeans) on the immune system of rats and mice is shown. Chemical compositions were also compared with those of the non-GM soybeans. The studies failed to detect any differences in immuno-toxic activity.muno-toxic activity.

• Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2008

Korean cultivated bramble, which is known as Bokbunja-ddal-gi is regarded to be originated from Korea native Rubus coreanus. However, little scientific evidence and significant morphological differences between Korean cultivated bramble(KCB) and R. coreanus throw doubt on the ancestry of KCB. This study was carried out to obtain phylogenetic information on KCB by comparing its nuclear genomic background with those of R. coreanus, black(R. occidentalis) and red(R. idaeus) raspberry, blackberry(R. lanciniatus) and R. crataegifolius. A total of 99 random amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD) markers were generated and used for phylogenetic analysis of 76 Rubus accessions. Accessions of each species were grouped into each distinct subclade by the RAPD markers at a similarity coefficient of about 0.59. The KCB subclade formed a clade with R. occidentalis and R. crataegifolius subclades at a similarity coefficient of 0.47. The R. coreanus subclade formed a clade with R. idaeus, R. lanciniatus and R. crataegifolius subclades at a similar similarity coefficient. Only one KCB accession from Hoengsung was included in R. coreanus subclade. The accession shows leaf and flower characteristics different from the rest of the KCB accessions. The phylogenetic relationship inferred from the RAPD markers suggests that the nuclear genomic background of KCB accessions which show morphological similarity to black raspberry is more closely related to black raspberry than to R. coreanus. This brings about the need for close scientific evaluations on the ancestry of KCB at both morphological and molecular levels.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 2017

Seed storage proteins are used as carbon and nitrogen sources for the nutritional improvement of seeds. Since the composition of proteins from the Korean cultivars of proso millet is unknown, this study was conducted to obtain a reference map of millet seed proteins and identify the functional characteristics of the identified proteins. Proteins extracted from proso millet seeds of various cultivars were investigated using proteomic techniques such as 2-D electrophoresis coupled with mass fingerprinting; 1152 (differentially expressed) protein spots were detected on the 2-D gels. Among them, 26 reproducible protein spots were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Out of the 26 proteins, 2 proteins were upregulated in all the millet cultivars, while 13 proteins were upregulated and 11 proteins were downregulated in 2 cultivars. Abundance of most of the identified protein species associated with polysaccharide and starch metabolism, transcription, and pathogenesis was significantly enhanced, while that of other protein species involved in glycolysis, stress response, and transduction was severely reduced. Taken together, the results suggest that the differential expression of the proteins from the four millet cultivars may be cultivar-specific. By conducting a proteomic investigation of millet seeds from different cultivars, we sought to better understand the functional categorization of individual proteins on the basis of their molecular functions. We believe that the identified proteins may help in investigating genetic variations in millet cultivars.