• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2000

The genome of Hantaan virus, the prototype of the hantavirus genus, is composed of three segmented, single stranded negative sense RNA genome. The 5' and 3' termini of the Hantaan virus RNA genome contain noncoding regions (NCRs) that are highly conserved and complementary to form panhandle structures. There are some reports that these NCRs seems to control gene expression and viral replication in influenza virus and vesicular stomatitis virus. In this study, we examined whether NCRs in Hantaan virus playa role in expression of the viral nucleocapsid protein (Np) and foreign (luciferase) gene. The 5' and/or 3' NCR-deleted mutants were constructed and analysed. The Np expression of 5' NCR-deleted clone was similar to that of the clone containing full S genome. In the case of 3' NCR-deleted clone, it showed 40% reduction. To investigate the role of NCR in foreign gene expression, the clones which are replaced ORF of Hantaan viral Np gene with that of luciferase gene were constructed. The results were similar to those of the experiments using Np gene. These results suggest that 3' NCR is more important than 5' NCR in protein expression. To find out a critical region of 3' NCR in protein expression, several clones with a deleted part of 3' NCR were constructed and analyzed. The deletion of the conserved region in 3' NCR showed $20{\sim}30%$ decrease in Np expression. However there were no change in luciferase activities between clones with or without non-conserved region of 3' NCR. These results suggest that the 3' NCR of Hantaan virus S genome, especially conserved region in 3' NCR, plays an important role in the expression of Hantaan viral Np and foreign genes.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.271-277
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• 1995

The RNA nucleotide sequences of the 3/-noncoding regions (3'-NCRs) of two Korean strains of turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), Ca and cqs, have been determined from their cDNA clones that encompassed the 3'-terminal regions of the viral genomic RNAs. The 3'-NCRs of both strains were 209 nucleotides long, terminated with GAC residues and poly (A) tails. The potential polyadenylational signal motif, UAUGU, was located 140 nucleotides upstream from the poly (A) tail in each of the virus. A highly conserved hexanucleotide sequence [A G U G A/U G/C], which was common in the 3'-NCRs of the potyvirus RNAs, was also found at the regions of 119 bases upstream from the 3'-end. Comparison of the 3'-NCRs of the two Korean isolates with those of four strains from Canada, China and Japan showed significantly identical genotypes (94.3∼99.5%). The secondary structure of three loops with long stems was found within the 3'-NCRs by sequence analysis. The substituted bases in the region among the six TuMV strains did not alter their secondary structures. Length of the 3'-NCRs of the know 11 potyviral RNAs and TuMV RNAs was different from one another and their nucleotide sequences showed 55.7% to 24.0% of homology. The 3'-NCR, therefore, is considered to be useful for phylogenetic studies in potyviruses.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.123-130
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• 1999

Purpose : Meningitis is an inflammation of meninges by various kinds of organisms. Almost 85% of aseptic meningitis is caused by Enterovirus. This study was done to detect the causative virus of those with aseptic meningitis through sequencing the 5'-noncoding region to compare prototype and homology. Methods : RNA was extracted from Coxsackie Bl, Echovirus 3, 7, 9, 30. DNA was synthesized by RT-PCR and we compared homology with prototype from WHO by direct sequencing. Results : 1) PCR products from these viruses showed same bands of 155 bp and 440 bp on gel electrophoresis. 2) Coxsackievirus and Echovirus 11 prototype sequences were compared, which showed 12 bp changes with 92.1%. 3) Coxsackievirus B1 from a patient showed 94.1% homology when compared with prototype. 4) Echovirus 3 showed 92.8%, echovirus 7 92.8%, echovirus 30 82.9% homology. Conclusion : 5'-NCR of enterovirus has high homology which was good for use of diagnosis and more long sequencing requires for typing of viruses.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.144.1-144
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• 2003

Attenuated viruses can protect their hosts against challenge to their related viruses. Increasing evidence shows that mutations of the tobamoviral 126/183 kDa protein play a major role in the viral attenuation and contribute to the cross protection mechanism. In this study, four mutants of Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) have been constructed by mutagenesis; two mutants, pTPpoly348 and pTPpoly762, were substituted in the middle of replicase gene, and the others, pTPL3D:: $\Delta$6207 and pTPL3D:: $\Delta$6219, were deletion mutants made by deleting some parts of pseudoknot structures of the 3' noncoding region (NCR) of the virus. Progeny viruses generated from the four mutants were infectious on N. benthamiana plants with symptomless or mild mosaic symptom. Replication efficiency and viral product accumulations of four mutants were assessed by Northern and Western blot analyses on BY-2 protoplast cells. Accumulation of CP for the pTPL3D:: $\Delta$6207 and pTPL3D:: $\Delta$6219 were lower than that of other mutants and wild type virus. These data suggest that the 3'-NCR mutations contribute to the viral gene expression in host tissues, while mutants of replicase gene rather govern the symptom expression.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.141.1-141
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• 2003

Forty six isolates of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) collected from azuki bean, mungbean, kidney bean, cowpea, broad bean and peanut were classified into three groups based on biological, serological, cytopathological, and molecular characteristics. Group I induced vein-banding symptoms in cowpea which was similar to those produced by the BCMV-cowpea strain. Group II caused mosaic symptoms in azuki bean but not in peanut and tobacco. Since this character was different from that of previously described BCMV strain, group II may not belong to BCMV GroupIII induced vein-clearing symptoms in azuki bean, kidney bean and peanut, which are typical symptoms for BCMV-peanut stripe virus strain. Virus inclusion patterns of BCMV groups were similar to those of Potyvirus subdivision III with the scroll, pinwheel and long laminated inclusions. However, the inclusions of laminated aggregates were never observed in mungbean isolates. Multiple alignment as well as cluster dendrograms of 3'noncoding region (3'-NCR) and a part of coat protein gene (CP) suggested that group I belongs to the BCMV-cowpea strain, group II to the BCMV-azuki bean strain, and group III to the BCMV-peanut stripe virus strain. Since molecular phylogenesis of BCMV based on nucleotides of 3'-NCR and coat protein differed from the grouping based on virulence differentiation, and BCMV groups are more closely related to each other with the same host origin, other characteristics of those strains are under investigation.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.202-212
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• 2005

Purpose: Transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) is a newly discovered virus and to date the contribution of TTV to liver disease remains unclear. Little is known about the frequency of TTV infection in children in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and genotypic distribution of TTV carried by healthy children and patients with hepatitis in Korea. Methods: Eighty eight of healthy children and three groups of patients with hepatitis-14 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 12 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 25 patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology-were tested. TTV DNA was detected by semi-nested PCR using primer sets generated from N-22 region and from 5' noncoding region (NCR) of the viral genome. PCR products derived from 8 patients with hepatitis and from 11 healthy children were sequenced and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Results: TTV was found by PCR with N22 primer in 11.3% of healthy children, 28.5% of children with hepatitis B, 25% of children with hepatitis C, 24% of children with hepatitis of unknown etiology. TTV DNA was found by PCR with 5'NCR primer in 32.9% of healthy children, 71.4% of patients with chronic hepatitis B, in 50% of patients with hepatitis C and in 48% of patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology. TLMV DNA was found in 48.9% of healthy children, 21.4% of patients with hepatitis B, 16.6% of patients with hepatitis C, 40% of patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology. Among the sequenced isolates, 10(52%) belonged to genotype 1 (G1) and others belonged to genotype 2 (G2) or genotype 3 (G3). Among the G1 sequences, 7 were grouped as G1a. Conclusion: TTV infection was common in healthy children and in patients with hepatitis. But, the prevalence of TTV DNA by 5'NCR primer was relatively high in patients with hepatitis B and there may be some association between TTV and hepatitis B virus infection. G1 was the major genotype of the studied population.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2004

Purpose : Ttransfusion transmitted virus(TTV) is a circular DNA and consists of diverse genotypes and variants. The pathogenecity of TTV is still unclear. Recently another circular single stranded DNA virus, distantly related to TTV was isolated from the sera of blood donors, designated as Transfusion transmitted virus like minivirus(TLMV). TTV and TLMV show greater sequence divergence from each other than between genotypes of TTV. We planned to know the prevalence of TLMV in children. Methods : TLMV DNA was detected by PCR primers from noncoding region of the genome in 88 children without hepatitis, aged 0~15 years. PCR products derived from 10 children were directly sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was undertaken. Results : TLMV DNA was detected in 49% of 88 children without hepatitis. The prevalence of TLMV varied with age : <1 y, 16%(4/25); 1~3 y, 62%(18/29); 4~6 y, 43%(7/16); 7~9 y. 16%(1/6); 10~15 y, 66%(8/12). Mixed infection with TTV was confirmed in 22% of 88 children. Pyhlogenetic analysis of 10 TLMV sequences showed much heterogeneity compared to sequences of GenBank. Conclusion : TLMV prevalence in children was 49% in Korean children. Our TLMV sequence did not cluster in any sequence of TLMV in the GenBank.

• Plant Resources
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.92-97
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• 1998

An isolate of barley yellow mosaic virus(BaYMV-HN) obtained from Haenam, Korea was compared with two BaYMV strains. BaYMV-Ⅱ-1 from Japan and BaYMV-G from Germany. The sequence of the 3'-terminal 3817nucleotides[excluding the poly (A) tail] of RNA 1 of BaYMV-HN was determined to start within a long open reading frame coding for a part of the NIa-VPg polymerase(26 amino acids). NIa-Pro polymerase (343 amino acids), NIb polymerase(528 amino acids) and the entire capsid protein(297 amino acids), which is followed by a noncoding region(NCR) of 235 nucelotides. In the partial ORFs, BaYMV-HN shows higher sequence homology with BaYMV-Ⅱ-1(99.5%) than BaYMV-G(92.7%). The 3' non-coding regions of BaYMV-HN(235nt) shows higher nucleotide sequence homology with BaYMV-G(235nt)(99.6%) than BaYMV-Ⅱ-1(231nt)(97.0%). The 3' NIa-Pro protein sequence of BaYMV-HN shows higher amino acid sequence homology with BaYMV-Ⅱ-1(95.0%) than BaYMV-G(93.6%), but, NIb protein sequence of BaYMV-HN shows same all amino acid sequence. The capsid protein sequence of BaYMV-HN(297aa) shows same with BaYMV-Ⅱ-1, and shows higher nucleotide sequence homology with BaYMV-UK (from United Kingdom)(97.3%) than BaYMV-G(96.9%) and G2(96.9%). Difference of capsid protein amino acid were 0-9 between the Japan, United Kingdom and Germany and were 2-6 between all Korean isolates. Many of the amino acid differences are located in the N-terminal regions of the capsid proteins from 1 to 74 amino acid positions.