• Mycobiology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2006

Chestnut blight disease caused by Cryphonectria parasitica is widely distributed throughout chestnut tree plantations in Korea. We surveyed 65 sites located at 9 provinces in South Korea, and isolated 248 virulent and 3 hypovirulent strains of chestnut blight fungus. Hypovirulent strains had dsRNA virus in the cytoplasm, which is one of the typical characteristics of hypovirulent strains. In addition, they showed more characteristics of hypovirulent strains, i.e., suppressed conidiation, reduced pigmentation in colony color, and reduced phenol oxidase activity as well as reduced pathogenicity. Hypovirulent strains, KCPH-22, KCPH-135 and KCPH-136, had a genomic dsRNA band with the molecular weight of 12.7 kb, which is the L-dsRNA of CHV1. They also had a 2.7 kb defective dsRNA band. Single conidia isolated from hypovirulent strains were cultured and various phenotypes and absence of dsRNA bands were obtained from single conidial cultures, which means that hypovirulence transmission is unstable in asexual reproduction and variations in viral heredity by asexual reproduction. Biocontrol trial using hypovirulent strains was also carried out in the chestnut tree plantations, and canker expansion in the treated trees was stopped and healed by callus formation at the margin of the canker. These results show the potentials in successful biocontrol of chestnut blight if the vegetatively compatible hypovirulent strains could be directly used around the canker formed by compatible virulent strains.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2008

An isolate of Peanut stunt virus (PSV), named as Tr-PSV, was isolated from white clover (Trifolium repens L) showing mosaic symptom. Tr-PSV systemically infected all plants tested in the Nicotiana spp. and induced local lesions on inoculated leaves of Chenopodium amaranticolor. However, Tr-PSV induced typical mosaic symptoms as ER-PSV on Vigna unguiculata 5 to 6 days after inoculation, while Fny-CMV used as a control virus of Cucumovirus produced local lesions on inoculated leaves. In dsRNA analysis, Tr-PSV consisted of four dsRNAs, but satellite RNA was not detected. The cDNA of coat protein gene of Tr-PSV was amplified by RT-PCR using a Cucumovirus-specific single pair primers that designed to amplify a DNA fragment of approximately 950 bp. By restriction mapping analysis using RFLP of the RT-PCR products and by serological properties of gel diffusion test, Tr-PSV belongs to a typical member of PSV subgroup I. This is the first report on the occurrence of PSV in white clover in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.224-228
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• 2004

A potyvirus causing chlorotic mottle and yellow spots on leaves of Dianthus barbatus was isolated and identified as an isolate of Carnation vein mottle virus (CVMV). Purified preparations of Chenopodium quinoa infected with CVMV-K showed filamentous particles between 695 and 785 om long. Many cytoplasmic inclusions were observed, and these consisted of pinwheels, dense bands, loops, and circles. The coat protein of CVMV-K was about 32 KDa in western blot analysis using a CVMV antibody. The nucleotide sequence of coat protein gene showed 97.6％ homology with a Japanese isolate. The genome size of CVMV-K was about 9.0 kb by dsRNA analysis. These results indicate that the virus is an isolate of CVMV. This is the first report on CVMV in Korea.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.15.1-15.16
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• 2022

Foreign molecules, including viruses and bacteria-derived toxins, can also induce airway inflammation. However, to the best of our knowledge, the roles of these molecules in the development of airway inflammation have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we investigated the precise role and synergistic effect of virus-mimicking double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in macrophages and epithelial cells. To identify cytokine expression profiles, both the THP-1-derived macrophages and BEAS-2B epithelial cells were stimulated with dsRNA or SEB. A total of 21 cytokines were evaluated in the culture supernatants. We observed that stimulation with dsRNA induced cytokine production in both cell types. However, cytokine production was not induced in SEB-stimulated epithelial cells, compared to the macrophages. The synergistic effect of dsRNA and SEB was evaluated observing cytokine level and intracellular phospho-signaling. Fifteen different types were detected in high-dose dsRNA-stimulated epithelial cells, and 12 distinct types were detected in macrophages; those found in macrophages lacked interferon production compared to the epithelial cells. Notably, a synergistic effect of cytokine induction by co-stimulation of dsRNA and SEB was observed mainly in epithelial cells, via activation of most intracellular phosphor-signaling. However, macrophages only showed an accumulative effect. This study showed that the type and severity of cytokine productions from the epithelium or macrophages could be affected by different intensities and a combination of dsRNA and SEB. Further studies with this approach may improve our understanding of the development and exacerbation of airway inflammation and asthma.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 1995

SH-14, a novel killer strain of Ustilago maydis was isolated in Korea. It has been reported in other papers that the toxin specificity and double-stranded RNA pattern of SH-14 strain were different from other laboratory strains. In this paper, we analyzed the biochemical characteristics of U. maydis SH-14 virus. Three distinctive peaks were isolated from CsCl density gradient, designated as top (T), intermediate (I) and bottom (B) components. We found that the densities of each components, 1.285, 1.408 g/cm$\^$3/, respectively, are very similar to those of other strains. As previously reported by the analysis of dsRNA in each component, the dsRNA segments are separately encapsidated. Capsid protein of SH-14 virus consists of two proteins about 70 Kd shown by SDS-PAGE analysis. Electron microscopic examination of the virus particles revealed that UmV particles are very similar in size and morphology to all isolates as well as all lab-strains. In order to test immunological cross reactivity of UmV, werstern bolt analysis was carriedout with antiserum against A8 virus. All capsid protein had positive reaction against A8 antibody which indicated that UmV are immunologically cross-reactive with all isolates from Korea. The results presented in this paper may show that UmV isolated from SH-14 strain has very similar biochemical characteristics to those of other UmV. However, the difference in the toxin specificity and the molecular weight of toxin protein from the SH-14 strain has us to conclude that U. maydis SH-14 strain is a new killer type.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1385-1389
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• 2005

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a pathogen related to the development of liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the efficient methods to suppress HBV replication have not been developed yet. Therefore, we have used RNA interference (RNAi) as a potential tool for the suppression of HBV replication. Here, we designed a 21 nt small intefering dsRNA (siRNA) against hepatitis B virus X (HBx) RNA with 3' overhanging ends derived from T7 promoter. It has been reported that HBV X protein plays an important role in HBV gene expression and viral replication. The suppression of HBx gene expression by the 21 nt siRNA was investigated by Northern blot analysis and chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) assay. The level of HBx mRNA was decreased by siRNA in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that the 21 nt siRNA inhibited the HBV replication in hepatocellular carcinoma cell.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2006

An isolate of Peanut stunt virus (PSV) isolated from black locust tree (Robinia pseudo-acacia L.) showing severe mosaic and malformation symptoms, was designated as PSV-Rp. PSV-Rp was characterized by the tests of host range, physical properties, RNA and coat protein composition and RT-PCR analysis. Nucleotide sequences of the cucumoviruses CP genes were also used for identification and differentiation of PSV-Rp. Six plant species were used in the host range test of PSV-Rp. PSV-Rp could be differentiated from each Cucumovirus strain used as a control by symptoms of the plants. The physical properties of PSV-Rp virus were TIP $65^{\circ}C$, DEP $10^{-3}$, and LIP $2{\sim}3$ days. In dsRNA analysis, PSV-Rp consisted of four dsRNAs, but satellite RNA was not detected. Analysis of the coat proteins by SDS-PAGE showed one major protein band of about 31 kDa. RT-PCR using a part of Cucumovirus RNA3 specific primer amplified ${\sim}950bp$ DNA fragments from the crude sap of virus-infected black locust leaves. RFLP analysis of the RT-PCR product could differential PSV-RP from CMV The nucleotide sequence identity between the PSV-Rp CP and the TAV-P CP genes and the PS-V-RP CP and CMV-Y CP genes were 61.6% and 40.5%, respectively. On the other hand, the nucleotide sequence identity of the PSV-Rp CP gene was $70.9%{\sim}73.4%$ in comparison with those of PSV subgroup I (PSV-ER and PSV-J) and 67.3% with that of PSV subgroup II(PSV-W). Especially, the nucleotide sequence identity of PSV-Rp CP gene and that of PSV-Mi that was proposed recently as the type member of a novel PSV subgroup III was 92.4%.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.169-173
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• 2001

Virus disease occurred up to 62% in average in the greenhouse production of table tomato Seokwang in Suwon, Korea. From symptomatic transition of the labeled tomatoes, two different symptoms, mosaic and bud necrosis, were developed independently. Cucumber mosaic virus necrosis strain (CMV-N) was isolated from table tomato showing bud necrosis symptoms. The isolate caused the bud necrosis on four tomato cultivars and locally infected Chenopodium spp. and Vicia faba by mechanical inculation. The 5th RNA segment, satellite RNA, was identified from CMV-N-infected plants by dsRNA analysis. Crystals of virus particles were observed in cytosols and vacuoles. The virus particles of CMV-N presented abundantly in xylem vessel.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.254-258
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• 2009

An isolate of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), called as Lag-CMV, was identified from Lagenaria leucantha var. gourda showing mosaic symptom, and its properties was compared to Fny-CMV (subgroup IA) and As-CMV (subgroup IB) by host reaction in several indicator plants, dsRNA analysis, RT-PCR analysis, restriction enzyme profile of the PCR products and nucleotide sequence of coat protein gene. Lag-CMV was similar to As-CMV used as a control CMV by the induced chlorotic spot on inoculated leaves and mosaic symptoms on upper leaves of N. tabacum. cv. Xanthi nc. In the cucumber and zucchini squash, Lag-CMV and As-CMV induced a mild mosaic symptoms than that of Fny-CMV. Size and shapes of local lesions on Chenophodium amaranticolor and Vigna unguiculata induced by Lag-CMV was similar those by Fny-CMV or As-CMV. In experiments of dsRNA profiles and RT-PCR analysis of coat protein gene, Lag-CMV was come within subgroup I CMV. Moreover, restriction enzyme analysis using EcoRI, SalI, MspI, XhoI, and HindIII of the RTPCR products and nucleotide sequence analysis of the coat protein gene showed that Lag-CMV belong to a member of CMV subgroup IB of the same to As-CMV.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1184-1192
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• 2019

The influenza A virus is a highly infectious respiratory pathogen that sickens many people with respiratory disease annually. To prevent outbreaks of this viral infection, an understanding of the characteristics of virus-host interaction and development of an anti-viral agent is urgently needed. The influenza A virus can infect mammalian species including humans, pigs, horses and seals. Furthermore, this virus can switch hosts and form a novel lineage. This so-called zoonotic infection provides an opportunity for virus adaptation to the new host and leads to pandemics. Most influenza A viruses express proteins that antagonize the antiviral defense of the host cell. The non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of the influenza A virus is the most important viral regulatory factor controlling cellular processes to modulate host cell gene expression and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated antiviral response. This review focuses on the influenza A virus NS1 protein and outlines current issues including the life cycle of the influenza A virus, structural characterization of the influenza A virus NS1, interaction between NS1 and host immune response factor, and design of inhibitors resistant to the influenza A virus.