• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

We isolated and cultured bacteria inhabiting solar saltern ponds in Taean-Gun, Chungnam Province, Korea. All of the isolated 64 strains were found to be moderately halophilic bacteria, growing in a salt range of 2-20 %, with an optimal concentration of 5% salt. Bacterial diversity among the isolated halophiles was evaluated via RFLP analyses of PCR-amplified 16S rDNAs, followed by phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rDNA sequences. The combination of restriction enzyme digestions with HaeIII, CfoI, MspI and RsaI generated 54 distinct patterns. A neighbor-joining tree of the partial 16S rDNA sequences resulted in the division of the 64 strains into 2 major groups, 45 strains of ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ (70.3%) and 19 strains of Firmicutes (29.7%). The ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$ and Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacterioides groups, which were repeatedly found to exist in thalassohaline environments, were not represented in our isolates. The ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ group consisted of several subgroups of the Vibrionaceae (37.5%), Pseudoalteromonadaceae (10.9%), Halomonadaceae (7.8%), Alteromonadaceae (7.8%), and Idiomarinaceae (6.3%). Members of Salinivibrio costicola (29.7%) were the most predominant species among all of the isolates, followed by Halobacillus treperi (12.5%). Additionally, three new species candidates were found, based on similarities of the 16S rDNA sequences to those of previously published species.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1439-1445
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• 2016

A yellow, rod-shaped, non-motile, gram-negative, and strictly aerobic bacterial strain, designated LPB0005^T, was isolated from a marine gastropod, Reichia luteostoma. Here the genome sequence was determined, which comprised 3,395,737 bp with 2,962 protein-coding genes. The DNA G+C content was 36.3 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolate represents a novel genus and species in the family Flavobacteriaceae, with relatively low sequence similarities to other closely related genera. The isolate showed chemotaxonomic properties within the range reported for the family Flavobacteriaceae, but possesses many physiological and biochemical characteristics that distinguished it from species in the closely related genera Ulvibacter, Jejudonia, and Aureitalea. Based on phylogenetic, phenotypic, and genomic analyses, strain LPB0005^T represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Cochleicola gelatinilyticus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LPB0005^T (= KACC 18693^T = JCM 31218^T).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.237-242
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• 2015

Analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA) extracted from Ascaris is very important for understanding the phylogenetic lineage of the parasite species. When aDNAs obtained from a Joseon tomb (SN2-19-1) coprolite in which Ascaris eggs were identified were amplified with primers for cytochrome b (cyt b) and 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene, the outcome exhibited Ascaris specific amplicon bands. By cloning, sequencing, and analysis of the amplified DNA, we obtained information valuable for comprehending genetic lineage of Ascaris prevalent among pre-modern Joseon peoples.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.89-103
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• 2006

Population structure was investigated in Reticulitermes speratus populations in the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago. All trees derived from analyses of the combined sequence dataset of two mitochondrial genes, COII and COIII, showed that R. speratus populations cluster into two major clades comprising the Korean/southern Japanese populations and the northern Japanese populations. Analysis of population genetic structure showed strong genetic partitioning between populations of the two clades. To understand historical migration routes and current distributions, the phylogeographic history of R. speratus was inferred from intra-/interspecific phylogeny and divergence times estimated between the clades of the phylogenetic tree. The estimated migration route and divergence time of ancestral R. speratus are congruent with recent paleogeographic hypotheses involving land-bridge connections between the Asian continent and the Japanese Archipelago. We suggest that ancestral R. speratus separated into northern and southern Japanese populations after its migration into the Japanese main islands from East China during the early Pleistocene via the East China Sea basin, which may have been exposed during that period. The Korean populations seem to have diverged recently from southern Japanese populations; this may explain the current distribution of R. speratus in the Japanese Arachipelago, and account for why it is restricted to northern areas of the Tokara Strait.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.319-328
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• 2019

Cytospora is a genus including important phytopathogens causing severe dieback and canker diseases distributed worldwide with a wide host range. However, identification of Cytospora species is difficult since the currently available DNA sequence data are insufficient. Aside the limited availability of ex-type sequence data, most of the genetic work is only based on the ITS region DNA marker which lacks the resolution to delineate to the species level in Cytospora. In this study, three fresh strains were isolated from the symptomatic branches of Elaeagnus angustifolia in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Morphological observation and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, LSU, ACT and RPB2) support these specimens are best accommodated as a distinct novel species of Cytospora. Cytospora elaeagnicola sp. nov. is introduced, having discoid, nearly flat, pycnidial conidiomata with hyaline, allantoid conidia, and differs from its relatives genetically and by host association.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2011

To elucidate the novelty of Hyphantria cunea nucleopolyhedrovirus (HcNPV) isolated in Korea, polyhedrin and inhibitor of apoptosis (iap) gene structures were determined and analyzed. The analysis of HcNPV polyhedrin showed a little difference with 97.6% at the nucleotide level but no difference at the amino acid level when compared with that of previously reported H. cunea NPV (HycuNPV). On the other hand, iap genes showed variable differences with 89.0-99.6% nucleotide and 90.0-99.6% amino acid sequence identities. Especially, the 5' and 3' non-coding flanking sequences of iap1 gene had lower degree of identity with those of HycuNPV. Although the phylogenetic analyses using polyhedrin and iap genes showed that HcNPV is closely related with HycuNPV, we could provide that HcNPV is a novel isolate having novel gene structures.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.258-267
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• 2021

Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) is a widely cultivated and commercially important fruit crop, which is occasionally subject to severe economic losses due to latent viral infections. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine and provide a comprehensive overview of virus populations infecting a major pear cultivar ('Singo') in Korea. From June 2017 to October 2019, leaf samples (n = 110) of pear trees from 35 orchards in five major pear-producing regions were collected and subjected to RNA sequencing. Most virus-associated contigs matched the sequences of known viruses, including apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) and apple stem pitting virus (ASPV). However, some contigs matched the sequences of apple green crinkle-associated virus and cucumber mosaic virus. In addition, three complete or nearly complete genomes were constructed based on transcriptome data and subjected to phylogenetic analyses. Based on the number of virus-associated reads, ASGV and ASPV were identified as the dominant viruses of 'Singo.' The present study describes the virome of a major pear cultivar in Korea, and looks into the diversity of viral communities in this cultivar. This study can provide valuable information on the complexity of genetic variability of viruses infecting pear trees.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.2064-2070
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• 2018

Pseudomonas tolaasii 6264 is a representative strain that causes bacterial blotch disease on the cultivated oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus. Bacteriophages are able to sterilize the pathogenic P. tolaasii strains, and therefore, they can be applied in creating disease-free mushroom cultivation farms, through a method known as "phage therapy". For successful phage therapy, the characterization of phage-resistant strains is necessary, since they are frequently induced from the original pathogenic bacteria in the presence of phages. When 10 different phages were incubated with P. tolaasii 6264, their corresponding phage-resistant strains were obtained. In this study, changes in pathogenic, genetic, and biochemical characteristics as well as the acquired phage resistance of these strains were investigated. In the phylogenetic analyses, all phage-resistant strains were identical to the original parent strain based on the sequence comparison of 16S rRNA genes. When various phage-resistant strains were examined by three different methods, pitting test, white line test, and hemolytic activity, they were divided into three groups: strains showing all positive results in three tests, two positive in the first two tests, and all negative. Nevertheless, all phage-resistant strains showed that their pathogenic activities were reduced or completely lost.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.440-447
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• 2018

Dual biocontrol of both insects and plant pathogens has been reported for certain fungal entomopathogens, including Beauveria bassiana and Lecanicillum spp. In this study, we demonstrate, for the first time, the dual biocontrol potential of two fungal isolates identified by morphological and phylogenetic analyses as Isaria javanica. Both these isolates caused mortality in the greater wax moth, and hence can be considered entomopathogens. Spores of the isolates were also pathogenic to nymphs of the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), with an $LC_{50}$ value of $10^7spores/mL$ 4 days after inoculation and an $LT_{50}$ of 4.2 days with a dose of $10^8spores/mL$. In vitro antifungal assays also demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect on the growth of two fungi that are pathogenic to peppers, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Phytophthora capsici. These results indicate that I. javanica isolates could be used as novel biocontrol agents for the simultaneous control of aphids and fungal diseases, such as anthracnose and Phytophthora blight, in an integrated pest management framework for red pepper.

• Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2017

Production of spring wheat, the major crop in Mongolia, accounts for 98% of the cultivated area. Understanding genetic variability in existing gene bank accessions is critical for collection, conservation and use of wheat germplasms. To determine genetic diversity and population structure among a representative collection of Mongolian local wheat cultivars and lines, 200 wheat accessions were analyzed with 15 SSR markers distributed throughout the wheat genome. A total of 85 alleles were detected, with three to five alleles per locus and a mean genetic richness of 5.66. Average genetic diversity index was 0.69, with values ranging from 0.37-0.80. The 200 Mongolian wheat accessions were mainly divided into two subgroups based on structure and phylogenetic analyses, and some phenotypes were divergent by the subgroups. Results from this study will provide valuable information for conservation and sustainable use of Mongolian wheat genetic resources.