• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2012

This study's aim was to isolate microorganisms producing agarase with a high activity, with possible applications in improving the performance of the pretreatment processes for bioethanol production. Marine algaes were collected from the south coast of Korea, from which three kinds of microorganisms were isolated. After a 4-day culture of these strains at $25^{\circ}C$, crude enzymes were obtained from culture supernatant or cell-free extract by ammonium sulfate precipitation and membrane dialysis. Agarase activity was observed in these crude enzymes. Notably higher specific activity was observed in the crude enzyme obtained from the culture supernatant rather than that from the cell-free extract. This indicates that a secreted enzyme has a much greater activity than a cellular enzyme. Crude enzymes from the GNUM08122 strain were inferred to have ${\alpha}$-agarase activity because release of p-nitrophenol was observed, possibly due to the cleavage of p-nitrophenyl-${\alpha}$-D-galactopyranoside. The 16S rRNA sequence of GNUM08122 showed a close relationship to Pseudoalteromonas issachenkonii KMM 3549 (99.8%) and Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis IMA 14160 (99.7%), which led us to assign it to the genus Pseudoalteromonas. Biochemical and physiological study revealed that this strain can grow well at $40^{\circ}C$ under a wide range of pH (pH 4~8) in high-salt conditions (10% NaCl).

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.50-57
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• 2015

Control of nematode has become difficult owing to the restricted use of effective soil fumigant, methyl bromide, and other non-fumigant nematicides. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to develop microbial nematicide to replace chemical nematicides. In this study, the 50% aqueous methanol extraction solution of fermentation broths of 2,700 actinomycete strains were tested for their nematicidal activity against second stage of juveniles (J2s) of Meloidogyne incognita. As the results, only the 50% aqueous methanol extraction solution of AN110065, at 20% equivalent to 10% fermentation broth, showed strong nematicidal activity with 78.9% of mortality 24 h after treatment and 94.1% of mortality at 72 h. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the strain sequence was 99.78% identical to Streptomyces netropsis. The extract of S. netropsis AN110065 fermentation broth was successively partitioned with ethyl acetate and butanol and then the ethyl acetate, butanol and water layers were investigated for their nematicidal activity against the M. incognita. At $1000{\mu}g/ml$, ethyl acetate layer showed the strongest activity of 83.5% of juvenile mortality 72 h after treatment. The pot experiment using the fermentation broth of AN110065 on tomato plant against M. incognita displayed that it evidently suppressed gall formation at a 10-fold diluent treatment. The tomato plants treated with the fermentation broth of S. netropsis AN110065 did not show any phytotoxicity. The results suggest that S. netropsis AN110065 has a potential to serve as microbial nematicide in organic agriculture.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.115-128
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• 2019

Lactic acid bacteria obtained from traditional Kimchi were selected on the basis of their caseinolytic activity and lactose usability and examined for availability as a starter in probiotic activity. Thirty-two strains were selected as lactic acid producing bacteria in BCP agar, and two strains (KC23 and KF26) with more than 90% resistance for both acid and bile salts were selected. The two strains were identified as L. plantarum (KC23) and L. paracasei (KF26) by API 50 CHL system and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. L. plantarum (KC23) was finally selected based on its biochemical characteristics for lactose and raffinose usability. Free tyrosine content increased rapidly in 10% skimmed milk medium, from $24.1{\mu}g/mL$ after 8 h to $43.9{\mu}g/mL$ after 16 h. Additionally, the caseinolytic clear zone of 12 mm of L. plantarum (KC23) was greater than the 9 mm zone of commercial L. acidophilus CSLA. The bacterium exhibited mesophilic growth and yielded $8.9{\times}10^8CFU/mL$ when incubated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 12 h at pH 4.25. Moreover, L. plantarum KC23 exhibited antibacterial activity as it formed a clear zone of 8-13 mm for the 5 pathogens. Adherent activity was 2.23 fold higher than that of LGG. The acidity of 10% skimmed milk fermented for 12 h was 0.74%.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.861-870
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• 2019

This study was undertaken to establish optimum medium compositions for cost-effective mannitol production by Leuconostoc mesenteroides SRCM201425 isolated from kimchi. L. mesenteroides SRCM21425 from kimchi was selected for efficient mannitol production based on fructose analysis and identified by its 16S rRNA gene sequence, as well as by carbohydrate fermentation pattern analysis. To enhance mannitol production by L. mesenteroides SRCM201425, the effects of carbon, nitrogen, and mineral sources on mannitol production were first determined using Plackett-Burman design (PBD). The effects of 11 variables on mannitol production were investigated of which three variables, fructose, sucrose, and peptone, were selected. In the second step, each concentration of fructose, sucrose, and peptone was optimized using a central composite design (CCD) and response surface analysis. The predicted concentrations of fructose, sucrose, and peptone were 38.68 g/l, 30 g/l, and 39.67 g/l, respectively. The mathematical response model was reliable, with a coefficient of determination of $R^2=0.9185$. Mannitol production increased 20-fold as compared with the MRS medium, corresponding to a mannitol yield 97.46% when compared to MRS supplemented with 100 g/l of fructose in flask system. Furthermore, the production in the optimized medium was cost-effective. The findings of this study can be expected to be useful in biological production for catalytic hydrogenation causing byproduct and additional production costs.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2019

Plum pox virus (PPV) is a significant viral disease in Prunus spp. worldwide. A nationwide survey was started in Prunus spp. orchards, since PPV was first detected from peach in Korea, 2015. During 2016-2017, samples were collected from 30,333 trees in 1,985 orchards of stone fruits in 8 provinces and 4 cities, Korea and tested by RT-PCR using specific PPV primer set. As a result, 21 trees including peach (9 trees), Japanese apricot (4 trees), plum (1 tree), apricot (7 trees) in 10 orchards were infected and controlled by eradication program. Amplicons of the expected size (547 bp) were obtained from total RNA of seven peach trees in 2016, and directly sequenced. BLAST analysis revealed the highest nucleotide (NT) identity (99%) with a PPV D isolates (LC331298, LT600782) in Genbank. The seven isolates from shared nt sequence identities of 98 to 100% with one another. Phylogenetic analysis showed the isolates in peach clustered closely with the PPV-D isolates from Korea, Japan, USA, and Canada. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of the presence of PPV in Prunus spp. orchards in Korea, 2016-2017, we hope that our results and efforts will contribute to effective measures for eradication of PPV.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.922-929
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• 2019

Objective: Mutations in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), which encodes a critical protein for cholesterol homeostasis and lipid metabolism in mammals, are involved in cardiometabolic diseases, such as familial hypercholesterolemia in pigs. Whereas microRNAs (miRNAs) can control LDLR regulation, their involvement in circulating cholesterol and lipid levels with respect to cardiometabolic diseases in pigs is unclear. We aimed to identify and analyze LDLR as a potential target gene of SSC-miR-20a. Methods: Bioinformatic analysis predicted that porcine LDLR is a target of SSC-miR-20a. Wild-type and mutant LDLR 3'-untranslated region (UTR) fragments were generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into the pGL3-Control vector to construct pGL3 Control LDLR wild-3'-UTR and pGL3 Control LDLR mutant-3'-UTR recombinant plasmids, respectively. An miR-20a expression plasmid was constructed by inserting the porcine premiR-20a-coding sequence between the HindIII and BamHI sites in pMR-mCherry, and constructs were confirmed by sequencing. HEK293T cells were co-transfected with the miR-20a expression or pMR-mCherry control plasmids and constructs harboring the corresponding 3'-UTR, and relative luciferase activity was determined. The relative expression levels of miR-20a and LDLR mRNA and their correlation in terms of expression levels in porcine liver tissue were analyzed using reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. Results: Gel electrophoresis and sequencing showed that target gene fragments were successfully cloned, and the three recombinant vectors were successfully constructed. Compared to pMR-mCherry, the miR-20a expression vector significantly inhibited wild-type LDLR3'-UTR-driven (p<0.01), but not mutant LDLR-3'-UTR-driven (p>0.05), luciferase reporter activity. Further, miR-20a and LDLR were expressed at relatively high levels in porcine liver tissues. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that porcine liver miR-20a and LDLR levels were significantly negatively correlated (r = -0.656, p<0.05). Conclusion: LDLR is a potential target of miR-20a, which might directly bind the LDLR 3'-UTR to post-transcriptionally inhibit expression. These results have implications in understanding the pathogenesis and progression of porcine cardiovascular diseases.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2024

In 2023, symptoms like damping-off disease were observed in 74 paprika growing in greenhouses in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea. In this study, we tried to find the cause of the damping-off disease outbreak. We collected symptomatic seedlings and observed the typical crescent-shaped conidia of Fusarium oxysporum by microscope. To confirm the presence of F. oxysporum in the samples, polymerase chain reaction was performed using primers specific for F. oxysporum; the resulting sequence showed 99.11% identity with F. oxysporum. To confirm the pathogenicity of the F. oxysporum (CW) isolated from the samples, healthy paprika plants were inoculated with F. oxysporum CW and damping-off symptoms were observed 2 weeks later. To investigate whether the damping-off disease outbreak in Cheorwon-gun was caused by F. oxysporum-contaminated seeds, 100 paprika seeds were disinfected and placed in Murashige and Skoog medium. Typical pink F. oxysporum hyphae were found only in control non-disinfected seeds. An 18S rRNA-based and a TEF genebased phylogenetic analysis showed that the F. oxysporum CW isolate was not grouped with a F. oxysporum isolate reported from Cheorwon-gun in 2019. This study is the first report that an outbreak of damping-off disease in paprika in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea, was caused by contamination of F. oxysporum seeds.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.219-233
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• 1999

Purpose : Respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) is the major cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children. This study was performed to analyze antigenic and genetic variation of G protein of subgroup A RSV. Methods : One hundred seventy-nine strains isolated at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital over 8 years-period from 1990 through 1998 were analysed for antigenic and genetic variability. Analysis was made by reactivity with monoclonal antibodies raised against RSV, and by restriction mapping and, for selected strains, nucleotide sequencing following amplification of full sequence of G gene by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results : Restriction fragment analysis of the amplified G protein gene revealed 23 restriction patterns, 12 of which included more than 2 isolate, and the most frequent genetic type comprised 30% of the strains. Indirect immunofluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies revealed 6 antigenic types with one predominant pattern accounting for 91% of the total strains. The most frequent antigenic type had 21 restriction patterns, and some viruses with same restiction pattern had different monoclonal antibody reaction pattern. Nucleotide sequence homology of subgroup A was 91~93% between reference(A2, Long) and Korean isolates, 93~99% among Korean isolates. Maximum-parsimony analysis demonstrated that Korean isolates were distinct from reference strains and subgroup A strains were clustered in 4 groups. Conclusion : The restriction analysis pattern of G protein gene identified greater diversity within subgroup A than was seen with the monoclonal analysis and a variety of antigenic and genetic types of RSV are circulating in Korea which are different from reference strains or strains isolated from other countries.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2005

Corynebacterial clones which exert regulatory effects on the expression of the glyoxylate bypass genes were isolated using a reporter plasmid carrying the enteric lacZ fused to the aceB promoter of Corynebacterium glutamicum. Some clones carried common fragments as turned out by DNA mapping technique. Subcloning analysis followed by the measurement of $\beta-galactosidase$ activity in Escherichia coli identified the region responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. Sequence analysis of the DNA fragment identified two independent ORFs of ORF1 and ORF2. Among them, ORF2 was turned out to be responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. ORF1 encoded a 23,216 Da protein composed of 206 amino acids. Sequence similarity search indicated that the ORF may encode a ECF-type $\sigma$ factor and designated sigH. To identify the function of sigH, C. glutamicum sigH mutant was constructed by gene disruption technique and the sigH mutant showed growth retardation as compared to the wild type strain. In addition, the mutant strain showed sensitivity to oxidative-stress generating agent plumbagin. This result imply that sigH is probably involved in the stress response occurring during normal cell growth.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.547-554
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• 2010

Low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS) in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is important for quality processing of bread and noodles. The objectives of this study were to clarify the composition of LMW-GSs and to identify their corresponding proteins. Using LMW-GS specific primers we cloned and characterized 43 LMW-GS genes in the wheat cultivar 'Jokyoung'. Some of these genes contain polypeptides different in size due to the presence of various deletions or insertions within repetitive and glutamine-rich domains. The comparison of deduced amino acid sequence of the LMW-GS genes in Jokyoung with that of 12 groups LMW-GSs of wheat cultivar Norin 61 showed that the deduced amino acid sequences were nearly the same to LMW-GS groups of 1, 2, 3/4, 5, 7, 10 and 11. All LMW-GS genes contain eight cysteine residues, which are conserved among all of the typical LMW-GS sequences. The relative positions of cysteine residues are also conserved, except those of the first and seventh. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the 43 sequences with the same N-terminal and C-terminal amino acid sequences were clustered in the same group. To identify the proteins containing the corresponding amino acid sequences, we determined the N-terminal amino acid sequence of 7 spots of LMW-GSs of Jokyoung separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). Of them, Glu-B3 (LMW-m and LMW-s) and Glu-D3 (LMW-m) were detected in two and three spots, respectively and the others were not clear. Collectively, we classified diverse LMW-GSs and identified their corresponding protein products. These results will be helpful in breeding programs for improvement of wheat flour quality.