• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1135-1144
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• 2018

Background and Objectives: Mitochondria play a key role in the pathophysiology of heart failure and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) play a critical role in cell death and a critical target for cardioprotection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of cyclosporine A (CsA), one of MPTP blockers, and morphological changes of mitochondria and MPTP related proteins in monocrotaline (MCT) induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Methods: Eight weeks old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to control, MCT (60 mg/kg) and MCT plus CsA (10 mg/kg/day) treatment groups. Four weeks later, right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and morphological changes of right ventricle (RV) were done. Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for MPTP related protein were performed. Results: In electron microscopy, CsA treatment prevented MCT-induced mitochondrial disruption of RV. RVH was significantly increased in MCT group compared to that of the controls but RVH was more increased with CsA treatment. Thickened medial wall thickness of pulmonary arteriole in PAH was not changed after CsA treatment. In western blot, caspase-3 was significantly increased in MCT group, and was attenuated in CsA treatment. There were no significant differences in voltage-dependent anion channel, adenine nucleotide translocator 1 and cyclophilin D expression in western blot and RT-PCR between the 3 groups. Conclusions: CsA reduces MCT induced RV mitochondrial damage. Although, MPTP blocking does not reverse pulmonary pathology, it may reduce RV dysfunction in PAH. The results suggest that it could serve as an adjunctive therapy to PAH treatment.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.170-178
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• 2020

The Lily mottle virus (LMoV) impedes the growth and quality of lily crops in Lanzhou, China. Recently Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV) has been detected in LMoV-infected plants in this region, causing plant stunting as well as severe foliar symptoms, and likely posing a threat to lily production. Consequently, there is a need to develop simple, sensitive, and reliable detection methods for these two viruses to prevent them from spreading. Reverse transcription (RT) loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays have been developed to detect LMoV and ArMV using two primer pairs that match six conserved sequences of LMoV and ArMV coat proteins, respectively. RT-LAMP assay results were visually assessed in reaction tubes using green fluorescence and gel electrophoresis. Our assays successfully detected both LMoV and ArMV in lily plants without the occurrence of viral cross-reactivity from other lily viruses. Optimal conditions for LAMP reactions were 65℃ and 60℃ for 60 min for LMoV and ArMV, respectively. Detection sensitivity for both RT-LAMP assays was a hundredfold greater than that of our comparative RT-polymerase chain reaction assays. We have also found this relatively rapid, target specific and sensitive method can also be used for samples collected in the field and may be especially useful in regions with limited or no laboratory facilities.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2022

Oxypetalum coeruleum, commonly known as Tweedia, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Apocynaceae family native to southern Brazil and Uruguay. Tweedia plants are grown as one of the most popular ornamental flowers for floral arrangement in Korea. In May 2021, several tweedia plants in a single greenhouse in Gimje, Jeollabuk-do were found to show virus-like symptoms including necrotic rings, vein-clearing, chlorotic mottle, and mosaic on the leaves, and necrosis on the stems. Here, we have identified tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in symptomatic tweedia leaves by applying high-throughput RNA sequencing. In the result, a single infection by TSWV was verified without mixed infections of different virus species. To confirm the presence of TSWV, a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed with a specific primer set to the N gene of TSWV. The complete genomic sequence of L, M, and S segments of TSWV 'Oxy' isolate were determined and deposited in GenBank under accession numbers LC671525, LC671638, and LC671639, respectively. In the phylogenetic tree analysis by maximum likelihood method, 'Oxy' isolate showed a high relationship with TSWV 'Gumi' isolate from Gerbera jamesonii in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea; for all three RNA segments. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TSWV infection of O. coeruleum in Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2001

An isolate of Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus(CMV) was isolated from Hydrangea macrophylla for. otaksa(Sieb. et Zucc. ) Wils. showing mosaic symptoms, and designated as Hm-CMV. Hm-CMV was characterized by the tests of host range, physical properties, serological properties, RNA and coat protein compositions, and reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Twelve species in 4 families were used in the host range test of Hm-CMV and could be differentiated from Y-CMV used as a control CMV by the ringspot and line pattern on inoculated leaves of several tobacco plants. Thevirus produced local lesions on inoculated leaves of Chenopodium amarticolor, C. quinoa and Vigna unguiculata. The physical properties of the virus were as follows; thermal inactivation point(TIP) was 60$\^{C}$, dilution end point (DEP) was 10$\^$-3/, and longevity in vitro (LIP) was 3∼4 days. Hm-CMV was serologically identical to Y-CMV. SDS-polyaciylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE) showed one major protein band of about 28 kDa. In RNA or dsRNA analysis, Hm-CMV consisted of four RNA or dsRNA species, but satellite RNA was not detected. In RT-PCR using CMV-common primer and CMV subgroup I-specific primer, bothe amplified expected size of about 490 bp and 200 bp DNA fragments from Hm-CMV, respectively. Restriction enzyme analysis of the 490 bp RT-PCR products using EcoR I and Msp I showed that Hm-CMV belonged to CMV subgroup I. However, Hm-CMV could be differentiated from other CMV subgroup I isolates by RNA fingerprinting by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (RAP-PCR).

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 1998

We investigated the rate of hepatitis G virus infection among 50 patients who were not infected with the hepatitis C virus but showed symptoms of hepatitis. Viral RNA was extracted from the patients' sera and cDNA was synthesized and amplified by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) using random hexamer and 5 primers (470-20-1-77F, 470-20-1-211R, 470-20-1-211R-biotin, GV57-4512MF, GV57-4657MR). The amplified PCR products were confirmed by electrochemiluminescence (ECL), liquid hybridization (LH) and Southern blotting (SB). Among the 50 PCR products, by means of ECL, we found 4 samples to be positive and 5 samples to be indeterminate. The GV45-89M probe (5'-CYCGCTGRTITGGGGTGTACfGGAAGGC-3') was end-labelled with gamma-$^{32}P$ ATP and used for liquid hybridization with the PCR products. By using liquid hybridization, we detected specific bands from 4 positive sera and also from one indeterminate serum as determined by ECL. An 1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis of the 9 PCR products which were HGV positive or indeterminate as determined by ECL showed a 160bp band from 4 positive and one indeterminate serum. The 5 PCR products proved to be positive when SB was applied with the GV45-89M probe as well as when LH was applied. LH and SB were shown to have higher sensitivity and specificity than ECL. Two cases among 5 positive cases had relatively high SGOT, SGPT, ALP values when compared with other 48 cases. In summary, we confirmed hepatitis G virus infection in 5 cases among 50 Korean patients showing symptoms of viral hepatitis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.184-189
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• 2008

The proto-oncogene protein DEK has been implicated in various human disease including cancer. We have shown that DEK induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in Drosophila by regulating histone acetylation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method based on annealing control primers was used to screen and identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in DEK overexpressed HeLa cells. Among the genes identified, clusterin and fibrillarin have major role in apoptosis pathway regulation. TFIIIC and RPS24 are implicated in HAT mediated transcriptional initiation and cololectal cancer, respectively. To further analyze DEK's role in apoptosis, multiplex PCR was performed. Caspase-3, -7, and -10 and proapoptotic gene bid were newly identified as possible target genes regulated by DEK expression.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2020

A survey was conducted to investigate viral infections in 184 whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) collected from nine farms and one wholesale fish vendor during 2018 and 2019. Gill and abdominal muscle of shrimp were tested for the presence of five viruses, viz. infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus, taura syndrome virus, infectious myonecrosis virus, yellow head virus genotype 1, and covert mortality nodavirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and PCR. These viruses were not detected in any of 184 samples, screened under the study.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.294-298
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• 2007

The actinidin (EC 3.4.22. 14) found in kiwifruit is a cysteine protease. In order to obtain the actinidin gene from the Chinese wild kiwifruit, primers were designed on the basis of the actinidin gene of Actinidia deliciosa, the New Zealand kiwifruit. The 1.2 kb DNA fragment was acquired from the total RNAs of Chinese wild kiwifruit via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and its DNA sequence was analyzed. Its sequence was determined to share 98.4% homology with the actinidin gene of A. deliciosa. In order to verity the actinidin gene isolated from the Chinese wild kiwifruit in Escherichia coli, the mature gene was amplified via PCR and expressed in E. coli under the control of the T7lac promoter. The actinidin was expressed in E. coli as inclusion bodies, which were solubilized with urea and refolded. The protease activity of the refolded protein was approximately twice as high as that of E. coli BL2l (DE3).

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.438-440
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• 2015

We developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to rapidly diagnose Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) during quarantine inspections of imported wheat, corn, oats, and millet. The LAMP method was developed as a plant quarantine inspection method for the first time, and its simplicity, quickness, specificity and sensitivity were verified compared to current reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR quarantine methods. We were able to quickly screen for WSMV at quarantine sites with many test samples; thus, this method is expected to contribute to plant quarantine inspections.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.743-748
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to determine the molecular characteristics of the horse vascular endothelial growth factor alpha gene ($VEGF{\alpha}$) by constructing a phylogenetic tree, and to investigate gene expression profiles in tissues and blood leukocytes after exercise for development of suitable biomarkers. Using published amino acid sequences of other vertebrate species (human, chimpanzee, mouse, rat, cow, pig, chicken and dog), we constructed a phylogenetic tree which showed that equine $VEGF{\alpha}$ belonged to the same clade of the pig $VEGF{\alpha}$. Analysis for synonymous (Ks) and non-synonymous substitution ratios (Ka) revealed that the horse $VEGF{\alpha}$ underwent positive selection. RNA was extracted from blood samples before and after exercise and different tissue samples of three horses. Expression analyses using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) showed ubiquitous expression of $VEGF{\alpha}$ mRNA in skeletal muscle, kidney, thyroid, lung, appendix, colon, spinal cord, and heart tissues. Analysis of differential expression of $VEGF{\alpha}$ gene in blood leukocytes after exercise indicated a unimodal pattern. These results will be useful in developing biomarkers that can predict the recovery capacity of racing horses.