• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.89-119
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• 2020

Species invasions have rapidly increased due to the substantial growth of global trade in the recent past. As the awareness of the negative effects on natural ecosystems derived from alien species has grown, many countries and lawmakers have enacted rules and policies on the conservation of indigenous plants. Unfortunately, in Korea, research on species invasion is seriously lacking despite the growing number of alien species. In the current study, we report alien plants that have intentionally and/or unintentionally been introduced in Korea and also presented a checklist of invasive plants found both in the literature and in field surveys. We reviewed all documented records of alien plants, i.e., scientific papers, illustrated books, and annual reports. We also categorized alien plants by origin, time of introduction, naturalization, and the rate of their spread. The results revealed that there are 619 alien plant taxa (96 families, 353 genera, 595 species, 6 subspecies, 11 varieties, 1 forma, and 6 hybrids) occurring in Korea. Among these, 30 taxa are archaeophytes (Arc.), 214 are potentially invasive plants (PIPs), and 375 are invasive alien plants (IAPs). In addition, IAP taxa consist of grades 5 (widespread, WS) to 1 (potential spread, PS) of alien plants according to the rate of spread in Korea. Our results suggested that the number of alien plants is likely to keep growing; thus, the distribution should be regularly monitored and the list of alien plants must be updated.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.337-364
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• 2020

Mt. Taegi (1,261.4 m) located in Gangwon-do, is a geographically important region for plant biodiversity. But the biodiversity of Mt. Taegi has been seriously damaged by the invasion of foreign plants, the development of forests and so on. We conducted 21 field surveys between April and August in 2008 and March and October in 2018 to investigate the vascular flora in Mt. Taegi. Total 662 taxa were identified including 96 families, 338 genera, 580 species, 4 subspecies, 66 varieties and 12 formas. Among them, 28 taxa were Korean endemic plants and 8 taxa were rare plants designated by the Korea Forest Services, and 11 taxa were listed on the Red list of endangered plants and 127 taxa were designated as the floristic regional indicator plants according to the Ministry of Environment. The alien plants were 45 taxa, including R. acetosella that is the ecosystem disturbing species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.24-32
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• 2003

This study was carried out to select proper species for early stage replantation of forest road cut-slope. From one to fourteen year elapsed forest roads in Gangwon-do, sample plots were selected, and their vegetations and environmental factors were investigated. Invaded species with high frequency ordered Lespedeza cyrtobotrya, Lysimachia clethroides, Rubus crataegifolius, Patrinia villosa, Spodiopogon sibiricus, Pueraria thunbergiana, Youngia denticulata, Dactylis glomerata, Rhus chinensis, and Pinus densiflora. North cut-slope have the highest value of invaded species number and plant coverage, and so, north aspect could be best for plant invasion. According to ordination, distribution of species were influenced by elapsed year, cut-slope aspect, and cut-slope. Lespedeza bicolor, Lespedeza cyrtobotrya, Artemisia stolonifera, Miscanthus sinensis, Rubus crataegifolius, Rhus chinensis, Lindera obtusiloba, and Pinus densiflora were considered with proper species for replantation at south slope. Also, Lespedeza bicolor, Lespedeza cyrtobotrya, Arundinella hirta, Artemisia keiskeana, Astilbe chinensis var. davidii, Rubus crataegifolius, Weigela subsessilis, Stephanandra incisa, and Rhododendron mucronulatum were considered with proper species as replantation at north slope.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.699-705
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• 2015

Vemurafenib has recently been used as drug for treatment of melanomas with $BRAF^{V600E}$ mutation. Unfortunately, treatment with only vemurafenib has not been sufficiently effective, with recurrence after a short period. In this study, three vemurafenib-resistant $BRAF^{V600E}$ melanoma cell lines, $A375P^R$, $A375M^R$ and SKMEL-$28^R$, were established from the original A375P, A375M and SKMEL-28 cell lines. Examination of the molecular mechanisms showed that the phosphorylation levels of MEK and ERK, which play key roles in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, were reduced in these three cell lines, with increased phosphorylation levels of pAKTs limited to SKMEL-$28^R$ cells. Treatment of SKMEL-$28^R$ cells with 100 nM paclitaxel resulted in increased apoptosis and decreased cellular proliferation, invasion and colony formation via reduction of expression levels of EGFR and pAKTs. Moreover, vemurafenib-induced pAKTs in SKMEL-$28^R$ were decreased by treatment with an AKT inhibitor, MK-2206. Taken together, our results revealed that resistance mechanisms of $BRAF^{V600E}$-mutation melanoma cells to vemurafenib depended on the cell type. Our results suggested that paclitaxel should be considered as a drug in combination with vemurafenib to treat melanoma cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.785-791
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• 2014

Crude extracts or phytochemicals obtained from some plants have potential anti-cancer properties. Teucrium persicum is an Iranian endemic plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family which has traditionally been used to relieve abdominal pains. However, the anti-cancer properties of this species of the Teucrium genus have not been investigated previously. In this study, we have used a highly invasive prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, which is an appropriate cell system to study anti-tumor properties of plants. A methanolic extract obtained from T persicum potently inhibited viability of PC-3 cells. The viability of SW480 colon and T47D breast cancer cells was also significantly decreased in the presence of the T persicum extract. Flow cytometry suggested that the reduction of cell viability was due to induction of apoptosis. In addition, the results of wound healing and gelatin zymography experiments supported anti-cell invasion activity of T persicum. Interestingly, sublethal concentrations of T persicum extract induced an epithelial-like morphology in a subpopulation of cells with an increase in E-Cadherin and ${\beta}$-Catenin protein levels at the cell membrane. These results strongly suggest that T persicum is a plant with very potent anti-tumor activity.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.359-376
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• 2016

Increase in world trade commodities along with climate change entails frequent pest insect invasions from subtropical to temperate zones. Tephritidae is one of two families in fruit flies along with Drosophilidae and consists of more than 5,000 species. Some tephritid flies in genera Anastrepha, Rhagoletis, Ceratitis, and Bactrocera are highly invasive and give serious economic damages on fruits and vegetables in temperate zones. This review focuses mainly on Bactrocera fruit flies, which have been well studied in control techniques to defend their invasion and colonization. Though various control techniques against Bactrocera fruit flies have been developed, less efforts have been paid to establish efficient integrated pest management (IPM) programs. This review introduces current control techniques of fruit flies and some successful IPM programs implemented in subtropical islands. In addition, major fruit flies infesting crops in Korea have been also reviewed in their occurrence and control programs.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1987.07a
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• pp.149-155
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• 1987

Growth and development of a higher plant, or any living organism for that matter, could be defined as an orderly expression of the genome in time and space in close interaction with the environment. During differentiation and development of a tissue or organ a group of genes must be selectively turned on or turned off mainly by trans-acting regulators. In this general concept of regulation of regulation of gene expression, a DNA molecule is recognized at a specific nucleotide sequence by DNA-binding factors. Molecular biology of the regulatory factors such as hormones, and their receptors, target DNA sequences and DNA-binding proteins are well advanced. What is not clearly understood is the molecular basis of the interactions between DNA and binding factors, expecially of the usages of the dyad symmetry of the target DNA sequences and the dimeric nature of the DNA-binding proteins. A unique 3-dimensional structure of DNA has been proposed that may play an important role in the orderly expression of the gene. A foldback intercoil (FBI) DNA configuration which was originally found by electron microscopy among mtDNA molecules from pearl millet has some unique features. The FBI configuration of DNA is believed to be formed when a flexible double helix folds back and interwines in the widened major grooves resulting in a four stranded, intercoil DNA whose thickness is the same as that of double stranded DNA. More recently, the FBI structure of DNA has been also induced in vitro by a novel enzyme which was purified from pearl millet mitochondria. It has been proposed that the FBI DNA could be utillized in intramolecular recombination which leads to inversion or deletion, and in intermolecular recombination which can lead to either site-specific recombination, genetic recombination via single strand invasion, or cross strand recombination. The structure and function of DNA in 3-dimensional aspect is emphasized for better understanding orderly expression of genes during growth and development.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.712-718
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• 2011

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is frequently used in Asian countries as a traditional medicine. The major components of ginseng are ginsenosides. Among these, ginsenoside compound K has been reported to prevent the formation of malignancy and metastasis of cancer by blocking the formation of tumor and suppressing the invasion of cancer cells. In this study, ginsenoside $Rb_1$ was converted into compound K, via secreted ${\beta}$-glucosidase enzyme from the Leuconostoc lactis DC201 isolated, which was extracted from Kimchi. The strain DC201 was suspended and cultured in MRS broth at $37^{\circ}C$. Subsequently, the residue from the cultured broth supernatant was precipitated with EtOH and then dissolved in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) to obtain an enzyme liquid. Meanwhile, the crude enzyme solution was mixed with ginsenoside $Rb_1$ at a ratio of 1:4 (v/v).The reaction was carried out at $30^{\circ}C$ and 190 rpm for 72 hours, and then analyzed by TLC and HPLC. The result showed that ginsenoside Rb1 was transformed into compound K after 72 hours post reaction.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.394-401
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• 2010

Resin flow, symptom development, and lignin biosynthesis in response to wounding and fungal inoculation were investigated in Pinus rigida and Pinus densiflora. The two-year-old seedling stems were subjected to three types of treatments: (i) wounding without inoculation, (ii) wound-inoculation with a conidial suspension of Fusarium circinatum, and (iii) pre-wounding woundinoculation with the fungus 20 days after the initial wounding. Resin flow from wounding sites was more evident in P. rigida than P. densiflora in all treatments. The wound-inoculation with the fungus induced almost two-fold higher levels of resin flow than the other treatments in both species. The pre-wounding woundinoculation appeared to result in a decrease in pitch canker development in the two pine species. Some reductions in disease severity were observed in the prewounding wound-inoculated P. rigida, showing a mean disease severity of less than 85%, compared with approximately 100% in the wound-inoculated stems. Disease severity was approximately 50% in the woundinoculated P. densiflora, whereas 10% in the pre-wounding wound-inoculated stems. Higher amounts of lignin were found from bark (ca. 40%) than from xylem (ca. 30%). The wound-inoculated bark and the pre-wounding wound-inoculated bark exhibited higher amounts of lignin among the other treatments. These results suggest that the wound-inoculation apparently prompt the increase in resin flow and lignin biosynthesis from the two pine species, and the prior wounding may be involved in decreased disease severity against the further invasion of F. circinatum.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2017

korean Sacbrood Virus (kSBV) was firstly found since 2008 in Korea, and it might be a main reason why 99% of populations belonged to Apis cerana in Korea were disappeared now. In this study, full length, reported DNA sequences of 32 Sacbrood Viruses (SBVs) were analysed based on alignments using nucleotides and/or deduced amino acid sequeces. In this analysis, variable deletions were found that are located around 2,100 bases in each CDS of SBVs. The genotyping depended on these deletions might be related with infection-patterns by these pathogens. In addition, it is not escaped our notice that the genotyping we have proposed immediately suggests a possible origin of kSBV for the quarantine and protection against further invasion.