• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2004

Twelve mecoprop-degrading bacteria were isolated from soil samples, and their genetic and phenotypic characteristics were investigated. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the isolates were related to members of the genus Sphingomonas. Ten different chromosomal DNA patterns were obtained by polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) amplification of repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) sequences from the 12 isolates. The isolates were found to be able to utilize the chiral herbicide meco-prop as a sole source of carbon and energy. While seven of the isolates were able to degrade both (R)-and (S)-mecoprop, four isolates exhibited enantioselective degradation of the (S)-type and one isolate could degrade only the (R)-enantiomer. All of the isolates were observed to possess plasmid DNAs. When certain plasmids were removed from isolates MPll, MP15, and MP23, those strains could no longer degrade mecoprop. This compelling result suggests that plasmid DNAs, in this case, conferred the ability to degrade the herbicide. The isolates MP13, MP15, and MP24 were identified as the same strain; however, they exhibited different plasmid profiles. This indicates that these isolates acquired dif-ferent mecoprop-degradative plasmids in different soils through natural gene transfer.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.164-173
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• 2013

Genomic instability, which occurs through both genetic mechanisms (underlying inheritable phenotypic variations caused by DNA sequence-dependent alterations, such as mutation, deletion, insertion, inversion, translocation, and chromosomal aneuploidy) and epigenomic aberrations (underlying inheritable phenotypic variations caused by DNA sequence-independent alterations caused by a change of chromatin structure, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications), is known to promote tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Mechanisms involve both genomic instability and epigenomic aberrations that lose or gain the function of genes that impinge on tumor suppression/prevention or oncogenesis. Growing evidence points to an epigenome-wide disruption that involves large-scale DNA hypomethylation but specific hyper-methylation of tumor suppressor genes, large blocks of aberrant histone modifications, and abnormal miRNA expression profile. Emerging molecular details regarding the modulation of these epigenetic events in cancer are used to illustrate the alterations of epigenetic molecules, and their consequent malfunctions could contribute to cancer biology. More recently, intriguing evidence supporting that genetic and epigenetic mechanisms are not separate events in cancer has been emerging; they intertwine and take advantage of each other during tumorigenesis. In addition, we discuss the collusion between epigenetics and genetics mediated by heterochromatin protein 1, a major component of heterochromatin, in order to maintain genome integrity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.264-271
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• 1998

This study was conducted to investigate morphological characteristics of Korean local garlic varieties and to define the genetic variability and the correlations amongthe characters associated with yield. The plant height, the leaf sheath diameter, the nubmer of leaves, and bulb weight were significantly increased in the garlic plants from heavier seed bulbs. The proportation of six clove bulbs was more than 60% in Seosan variety and this was not realted with the number of cloves in seed bulb. While more than 70% bulbs in Jeoksung and Danyang varieties cultivated in paddy field were composed of 6 or 7 cloves, majority of the bulbs of Euisung and Danyang varieties cultivated in upland were composed of bulbs with 7 cloves or more. The highest genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were observed in bulb weight. GCV and PCV also showed high value in leaf sheath diameter. Thus, there is a greater scope for selection of these characters. The small difference between PCV and GCV values in plant height indicates that the environmental influence would be limited in this character. High heritability was observed of plant height (56.76%) and bulb weight (45.95%). And the weight per bulb (34.24%) exhibited highest genitic advance followed by leaf sheath diameter (18.8%) and plant height (9.61%), and those would be the ideal characters for selelction.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.471-488
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• 2019

Random genes were screened in two transforming ways to investigate the new genes of a ladybug using the Harmonia axyridis cDNA library stock cell cloned in the LITMUS 28i vector in a previous study. Phenotypic variation was observed after injection of the synthesized double-stranded RNA through the in vitro transcription process. The cDNA library of H. axyridis was transformed into E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ and 10B competent cells by heat shock. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the 42 clones with the insert DNAs revealed that 21 clones were homologous with the genes of insects, and only one clone had a gene from H. axyridis. Thirteen of the 21 insect genes were homologous with genes from coleopteran insects. Fourteen genes were selected, which were identified by the gene screening results, and were synthesized as double-stranded RNA through in vitro transcription. One microgram of the synthesized double-stranded RNA between segments T1 and T2 were injected using a syringe into each anesthetized fourth larvae which were under 2 days old. As a result, a phenotypic variation appeared in the larva injected with the two genes. While the eggs of H. axyridis injected with distilled water hatched out three days after oviposition, the eggs of H. axyridis injected with dsHma 06 did not hatch but become shrivel a week after oviposition. Most of the H. axyridis injected with dsHma 08 died and were unable to complete the pupation or eclosion during ecdysis.

• Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.444-453
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• 2018

The rice bran oil contained in brown rice is composed of highly valued ingredient. Improving the content of unsaturated fatty acids in rice seed, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, and ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid, would provide more benefit to human health. Fatty acid content is quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes. We have utilized high-density SNP data from highly advanced breeding populations to identify QTLs for fatty acid contents in brown rice. Here, we identified 51 major QTLs (M-QTLs) and 25 epistatic QTLs (EpQTLs) related to eleven fatty acid contents. Eight and four M-QTLs were pleiotropically associated with the content of different fatty acids in MT-RILs and DT-RILs, respectively. Total effect of M-QTLs for palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1), and linoleic acid (18:2), could explain phenotypic variations of 36.7%, 63.7%, and 41% in MT-RILs, respectively. Alpha-linolenic acid which is important for a human's health could be explained phenotypic variation of 15.7% by six M-QTLs. These QTLs identified in this study can be used to improve nutritious content in rice breeding programs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.4
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• pp.421-428
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• 2020

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is one of the multipurpose tree species distributed in the tropical and sub-tropical climates. It is an important fruit yielding tree that supports the livelihood and has high social and cultural values for rural communities. The vegetative, reproductive, qualitative, and quantitative traits of tamarind vary widely. Characterization of phenotypic and genetic structure is essential for the selection of suitable accessions for sustainable cultivation and conservation. This study aimedto examine the genetic relationship among the collected accessions of sweet, red, and sour tamarind by using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers. Nine accessions were collected from germplasm gene banks and subjected to marker analysis. Fifteen highly polymorphic primers generated a total of 169 fragments, out of which 138 bands were polymorphic. The polymorphic information content of RAPD markers varied from 0.10 to 0.44, and the Jaccard's similarity coefficient values ranged from 0.37 to 0.70. The genetic clustering showed a sizable genetic variation in the tamarind accessions at the molecular level. The molecular and biochemical variations in the selected accessions are very important for developing varieties with high sugar, anthocyanin, and acidity traits in the ongoing tamarind improvement program.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.78-87
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• 2021

Background: To understand shade and wind effects on seedling traits of common reed (Phragmites australis), we conducted a mesocosm experiment manipulating day length (10 h daytime a day as open canopy conditions or 6 h daytime a day as partially closed canopy conditions) and wind speed (0 m/s as windless conditions or 4 m/s as windy conditions). Results: Most values of functional traits of leaf blades, culms, and biomass production of P. australis were higher under long day length. In particular, we found sole positive effects of long day length in several functional traits such as internode and leaf blade lengths and the values of above-ground dry weight (DW), rhizome DW, and total DW. Wind-induced effects on functional traits were different depending on functional traits. Wind contributed to relatively low values of chlorophyll contents, angles between leaf blades, mean culm height, and maximum culm height. In contrast, wind contributed to relatively high values of culm density and below-ground DW. Conclusions: Although wind appeared to inhibit the vertical growth of P. australis through physiological and morphological changes in leaf blades, it seemed that P. australis might compensate the inhibited vertical growth with increased horizontal growth such as more numerous culms, indicating a highly adaptive characteristic of P. australis in terms of phenotypic plasticity under windy environments.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2022

A study was designed to investigate the pattern of sexual dimorphism in a plantation of Garcinia kola. Twenty trees were randomly selected for the study and have been observed to flower regularly. A total of 100 inflorescence were randomly collected from the crown of each tree and 500 flowers randomly assessed within the period of four (4) flowering seasons. Floral sex assessment was done visually and with a hand magnifying lens; floral morphometric measurements (i.e. pedicel and perianth length and breadth), inflorescence length, and breadth) was taken using a veneer caliper; number of flowers per inflorescence and inflorescence per twig was counted; while, data analysis was conducted on excel using analysis of variance and pairwise t-test comparison. Four floral sexes were identified in the G. kola plantation studied which were unisexual male flowers, unisexual female flowers, cosexual unisexual male flowers, and cosexual hermaphrodite flowers. Three tree sexes were identified viz: inconstant male, invariant female, and cosexual trees. The plantation was significantly sexually dimorphic in floral sex and phenotypic traits (i.e. pedicel and perianth size), and as well as sexually dimorphic in tree sex and reproductive phenotypic traits (i.e. inflorescence size, number of inflorescences per twig, and number of flower bud per inflorescence). The sexual system of the plantation was therefore trioecious with features suggestive of evolving dioecy through the gynodioecious pathway.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2023

During cancer treatment, the patient's response to drugs appears differently at the cellular level. In this paper, an image-based cell phenotypic feature quantification and key feature selection method are presented to predict the response of patient-derived cancer cells to a specific drug. In order to analyze the viability characteristics of cancer cells, high-definition microscope images in which cell nuclei are fluorescently stained are used, and individual-level cell analysis is performed. To this end, first, image stitching is performed for analysis of the same environment in units of the well plates, and uneven brightness due to the effects of illumination is adjusted based on the histogram. In order to automatically segment only the cell nucleus region, which is the region of interest, from the improved image, a superpixel-based segmentation technique is applied using the fluorescence expression level and morphological information. After extracting 242 types of features from the image through the segmented cell region information, only the features related to cell viability are selected through the ReliefF algorithm. The proposed method can be applied to cell image-based phenotypic screening to determine a patient's response to a drug.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.235-244
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• 2023

Acidovorax citrulli (Ac) is a phytopathogenic bacterium that causes bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) in cucurbit crops, including watermelon. However, there are no effective methods to control this disease. YggS family pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme acts as a coenzyme in all transamination reactions, but its function in Ac is poorly understood. Therefore, this study uses proteomic and phenotypic analyses to characterize the functions. The Ac strain lacking the YggS family pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme, AcΔyppAc(EV), virulence was wholly eradicated in geminated seed inoculation and leaf infiltration. AcΔyppAc(EV) propagation was inhibited when exposed to L-homoserine but not pyridoxine. Wild-type and mutant growth were comparable in the liquid media but not in the solid media in the minimal condition. The comparative proteomic analysis revealed that YppAc is primarily involved in cell motility and wall/membrane/envelop biogenesis. In addition, AcΔyppAc(EV) reduced biofilm formation and twitching halo production, indicating that YppAc is involved in various cellular mechanisms and possesses pleiotropic effects. Therefore, this identified protein is a potential target for developing an efficient anti-virulence reagent to control BFB.