• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2010

Low-molecular-weight secondary metabolites from plants play an important role in reproductive processes and in the defense against environmental stresses or pathogens. In the present study, we isolated various volatiles and phenolic compounds from white Rosa rugosa flowers, and evaluated the pharmaceutical activities of these natural products in addition to their ability to increase survival in response to environmental stress and pathogen invasion. The DPPH and hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidation assay revealed that the white rose flower extract (WRFE) strongly scavenged free radicals in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, WRFE inhibited the growth of E. coli and fatally attacked those cells at higher concentration (>0.5 mg/mL). FITC-conjugated Annexin V stain provided further evidence that WRFE had strong antimicrobial activity, which may have resulted from a cooperative synergism between volatiles (e.g. 1-butanol, dodecyl acrylate and cyclododecane) and phenolic compounds (e.g. gallic acid) retained in WRFE. In conclusion, secondary metabolites from white rose flower hold promise as a potential natural source for antimicrobial and non-chemical based antioxidant agents.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.322-329
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate host and non-host disease resistances of kimchi cabbage plants to bacterial infection. Kimchi cabbage leaves responded differently to infections with a virulent strain of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) 8004 and two strains (85-10 and Bv5-4a.1) of non-host bacteria X. campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv). Non-host bacteria triggered a rapid tissue collapse of the leaves showing as brown coloration at the infected sites, highly increased ion leakage, lipid peroxidation and accumulation of UV-stimulated autofluorescence materials at the inoculated sites. During the observed interactions, bacterial proliferations within the leaf tissues were significantly different. Bacterial number of Xcc 8004 progressively increased within the inoculated leaf tissues over time, while growths of two non-host bacteria Xcv strains were distinctly limited. Expressions of pathogenesis-related genes, such as GST1, PR1, BGL2, VSP2, PR4 and LOX2, were differentially induced by host and non-host bacterial infections of X. campestris pathovars. These results indicated that rapid host cellular responses to the non-host bacterial infections may contribute to an array of defense reactions to the non-host bacterial invasion.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.285-292
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• 1993

Cellular compatibility in the self-parasitism of Cuscuta australis R. Brown was studied at the ultrastructural level. The front cells of the haustorium penetrated the host stems independently grew within the host tissues and transformed into elongate, filamentous hyphae. Each hyphal cells contained a large nucleus and dense cytoplasm with abundant cell organelles. Multilamellar structures were contained in the cytoplasm and cell walls of the penetrating hyphal cells. When the hyphal cells did not yet invade the host cells, the middle lamella and the fused cellulosic cell walls of the two partners at the host-parasite interface were preserved well. As the invasion of the parasitic hyphal cells progressed, however, the middle lamella was not found at the interface and the host cell walls and plasma membranes were partially broken down. A hyphal cell penetrated deeply into the host cell had a more darkly stained cytoplasm with numerous of cell organelles. In the host cells attacked by the hyphal cells the limiting membranes of plastids were broken down and several vesicles were arrayed near the cell walls. No plasmodesmatal connections between the host and parasite cell walls were found; however, half-plasmodesmata were observed frequently on the side of the hyphal cell walls. These results suggested that the compatibility response in the self-parasitism of Cuscuta was expressed by cell walls, not by plasmodesmata, between the host and the parasite cells.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.04a
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• pp.9-9
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• 2018

Arctii Fructus (AF), which contains arctigenin (ARC) as a major constituent, is traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory medicine to treat inflammatory sore throat. Although several studies have proven its anti-inflammatory effects, there have been no reports on its use in inflammation related disorders such as obesity, cancer metastasis, and allergic responses. This study investigated the anti-obesity effect and anti-metastasis effect of AF and ARC. AF and ARC inhibited weight gain by reducing the mass of white adipose tissue in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Serum cholesterol levels were also improved by AF and ARC. In in vitro experiments, AF and ARC decreased differentiation of white adipocytes. Furthermore, AF induced differentiation of brown adipocytes, which are able to consume surplus energy through non-shivering thermogenesis. Also, AF and ARC inhibited colon cancer and lung metastasis of colon cancer. They suppressed not only colorectal cancer cell progression by inhibiting cell growth, but also prohibited lung metastasis by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and the invasion. These effects were confirmed in an experimental metastasis mouse model. In addition, AF and ARC inhibited mast cell mediated allergic responses. Collectively, our study suggests that AF and ARC might show inhibitory effects on inflammation related diseases, including obesity, cancer, cancer metastasis, and allergic responses.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.89.1-89
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• 2003

Disease suppression by ectomycorrhizal(ECM) fungi has been demonstrated on red pine seedlings. Culturing of pathogenic fungi on petri plates containing culture filtrates of ECM fungi showed that culture filtrates of the ECM fungus Hebeloma cylindrosporum may inhibit the mycelial growth of all tested soil-borne plant pathogenic(SBPP) fungi upto 60％, In order to examine the effects of ECM fungi on SBPP fungi and on red pine seedlings, both symbiotic and pathogenic fungi were inoculated into the soil with red pine seedlings by three inoculation methods; pre-inoculation of SBPP fungi 10 days before inoculation of ECM fungi, simultaneous inoculation of both fungi, post-inoculation of SBPP fungi 60 days after inoculation of ECM fungi. Seedling mortality, seedling growth, and ectomycorrhizal formation by the combined treatments were examined and compared. Pine seedlings were dead by the pre-inoculation of pathogenic fungi, except Rhizina undulate which required 9-12 days, within 6 days after inoculation. Among pathogenic fungi tested, Fusarium oxysporum was the most pathogenic with the mortality of 44％. However, no dead seedlings were shown by simultaneous inoculation of both fungi or pre-inoculation of ECM fungi. In addition, pine seedlings treated by simultaneous or post-inoculation of SBPP fungi were relatively higher than those treated by pre-inoculation in diameter at root crown and the number of ectomycorrhizal roots. There were no significant differences among inoculation methods in root length and dry weight of treated seedlings. It means that ECM fungi somehow play a role in protecting primary roots of red pine seedlings against invasion by the SBPP fungi.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.238-244
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• 2010

Rhizobia are well-known for their ability to infect and nodulate legume roots, forming a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis of agricultural importance. In addition, recent studies have shown that rhizobia can colonize roots and aerial plant tissues of rice as a model plant of the Graminaceae family. Here we show that rhizobia can invade tobacco, a model plant belonging to the Solanaceae family. Inoculation of seedling. roots with five GFP-tagged rhizobial species followed by microscopy and viable plating analyses indicated their colonization of the surface and interior of the whole vegetative plant. Blockage of ascending epiphytic migration by coating the hypocotyls with Vaseline showed that the endophytic rhizobia can exit the leaf interior through stomata and colonize the external phyllosphere habitat. These studies indicate rhizobia can colonize both below- and above-ground tissues of tobacco using a dynamic invasion process that involves both epiphytic and endophytic lifestyles.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.549-559
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• 2007

Vegetation surveys were performed at 45 plots along 10 highways cut slopes in South Korea. Total floral inventory, species richness and exotic plant percentage were obtained within each plot. Life history and life form of each species appeared were analyzed. Community types were classified using hierarchical cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling were conducted from vegetation matrix. 292 species of vascular plants were discovered and the number of natives and exotics were 226 and 66, respectively. There were no significant differences of species richness and exotic plant percentage between cut slopes and rest areas. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated five clear vegetation associations in cut slopes and rest areas. Detrended correspondence analysis indicated that species composition of total and native plants were similar along the highway cut slopes whereas exotic plants were distributed differentially along the highway cut slopes. in non-metric multidimensional scaling, the studied sites were more separated from each other on the basis of their species composition than the results of detrended correspondence analysis with respect to total, native and exotic plants. The both ordination represented that exotic plants have not been made uniform yet on cut slopes and rest areas by highway corridor in spite of diverse chronosequences after highway construction termination (1 to 22 years). This study showed that the distribution of species composition in exotic plants was different and localized on cut slopes and rest areas of highway in this representative peninsula area of North East Asia and the invasion of exotic plants can retard the process of plant species homogenization.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-31
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• 2009

The objectives of this study were to offer the basic data for the restoration and conservation of forest wetland by surveying systematically the vascular plants of Sandeul wetland in Mt. Jaeyak, Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. The vascular plants in this wetland were recorded as 232 taxa; 74 families, 178 genera, 200 species, 27 varieties and 5 forma. The major communities were Quercus mongolica, Tripterygium regelii, Alnus japonica, Molinia japonica, Salix gracilistyla and Stephanandra incisa. The numbers of plant species by routes were 168 taxa in A-route, 126 taxa in B and 132 taxa in C. The ecological problems in Sandeul wetland were the afforestation of Pinus koraiensis and P. thunbergii, the appearance of naturalized plants, the invasion of species and the scour of valley. The Korean endemic plants were 5 taxa; Salix hallaisanensis, Hepatica insularia; Chrysosplenium barbatum, Ajuga spectabilis and Weigela subsessilis. The rare plants designated by Korea Forest Service were 3 taxa; Aristolochia manshuriensis, Chrysanthemum lineare and Iris ensata var, spontanea. The naturalized plants were 8 taxa; Rumex acetocella, R. crispus, Trifolium repens, Oenothera lamarckiana, Ambrosia artemisifolia var. elatior, Helianthus tuberosus, Erigeron annuus and Phleuum pratense.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.212-219
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• 2022

Fusarium root rot caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium solani is one of the most important fungal diseases of cassava in Thailand, resulting in high yield losses of more than 80%. This study aimed to investigate if the exogenous application of salicylic acid formulations (Zacha) can induce resistance in cassava against Fusarium root rot and observe the biochemical changes in induced cassava leaf tissues through synchrotron radiation based on Fourier-transform infrared (SR-FTIR) microspectroscopy. We demonstrated that the application of Zacha11 prototype formulations could induce resistance against Fusarium root rot in cassava. The in vitro experimental results showed that Zacha11 prototype formulations inhibited the growth of F. solani at approximately 34.83%. Furthermore, a significant reduction in the disease severity of Fusarium root rot disease at 60 days after challenge inoculation was observed in cassava plants treated with Zacha11 at a concentration of 500 ppm (9.0%). Population densities of F. solani were determined at 7 days after inoculation. Treatment of the Zacha11 at a concentration of 500 ppm resulted in reduced populations compared with the distilled water control and differences among treatment means at each assay date. Moreover, the SR-FTIR spectral changes of Zacha11-treated epidermal tissues of leaves had higher integral areas of lipids, lignins, and pectins (1,770-1,700/cm), amide I (1,700-1,600/cm), amide II (1,600-1,500/cm), hemicellulose, lignin (1,300-1,200/cm), and cellulose (1,155/cm). Therefore, alteration in defensive carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins contributed to generate barriers against Fusarium invasion in cassava roots, leading to lower the root rot disease severity.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.335-340
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• 2022

After detection of red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) at Gamman port in Busan in September of 2017, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency has surveilled invasive ants in the area with a high invasion risk of ants. However, existing surveillance traps have several limitations such as captured ants could escape easily or it is very hard to set up the trap on a hard ground like concrete or asphalt. To solve these problems, we developed a new trap using multiple narrow tubes to attract ants to the inside of the trap and make it hard for ants to escape. The new trap can be easily set up under various conditions. The new trap has more than four times ant capturing efficacy compared to conventional pitfall traps. Our results confirmed that the new trap could prevent captured ants from escaping. We hope that this newly developed trap would contribute to the prevention of invasive ants.