• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.224-239
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• 2019

Species identification for the Korean tribe Desmodieae was conducted using the DNA barcoding genes rbcL, matK (from chloroplast DNA) and ITS (from nuclear ribosomal DNA). A total of 25 taxa (n = 75) in five genera were sequenced, and neighbor-joining trees were constructed using different combinations of DNA barcodes. When comparing these phylogenetic trees, a tree with all loci combined (rbcL + matK + ITS) showed the highest rate of identification success (72%). On this tree, two subtribes and five genera within the tribe were supported as monophyletic. In the Desmodiinae clade, Desmodium and Hylodesmum were more closely related to each other than to Ohwia. In the Hylodesmum clade, H. oldhamii was found to be a sister to H. podocarpum complex, and all taxa within the complex were identified successfully. Subsp. fallax, regarded as a variety of subsp. oxyphyllum, is closely clustered with subsp. podocarpum. Although var. mandshuricum has been regarded as a synonym of var. oxyphyllum, this taxon is supported as a distinct variety. For the Lespedezinae clade, all species of Kummerowia were monophyletic, while nine of 16 Lespedeza taxa were identified successfully. In particular, the resolution of Macrolespedeza (28.5%) was lower than that of Junceae (77.8%). Among the Lespedeza taxa, L. cuneata was distinguishable from L. lichiyuniae, despite morphological similarities. It has been suggested that both L. maritima and L. inschanica are hybrids. The former is thought to be an independent species. While it is difficult to determine whether the latter originated via hybridization, this study showed that it is closely related to L. juncea.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.71-76
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• 2021

Angelica is a perennial plant used widely for medicinal purposes. Information on the genetic diversity of Angelica populations is important for their conservation and germplasm utilization. Although Angelica is an important medicinal plant genus registered in South Korea, no molecular markers are currently available to distinguish individual species from other similar species in different countries, in particular, China and Japan. In this study, we developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers derived from internal transcribed spacer regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA to identify a distinct domestic species, Angelica gigas Nakai, via a high-resolution melting (HRM) curve analyses. We also performed HRM curve analysis of intentionally mixed genomic DNA samples from five Angelica species. Finally, we investigated A. gigas Nakai and A. sinensis using varying ratios of mixed genomic DNA templates. The SNP markers developed in this study are useful for rapidly identifying A. gigas species from different countries.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.306-317
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• 2015

This study was conducted to address the taxonomic status of the Korean endemic species Saxifraga octopetala, which is sometimes considered conspecific to Micranthes manchuriensis. Extensive molecular phylogenetic analysis using nrITS sequences as well as morphological examination of type specimens of the two species were undertaken to ascertain the phylogenetic position and species delimitation of S. octopetala. In the resulting nrITS trees, a total of 65 accessions representing S. octopetala grouped together and nested within the Micranthes clade, exhibiting a close relationship with M. nelsoniana and M. manchuriensis. Multiple accessions of M. manchuriensis collected from China and Russia also formed a clade, showing a sister group relationship with M. nelsoniana var. pacifica and M. fusca. The ambiguous species entity of S. octopetala is thought to have originated from Nakai's misinterpretation of Wilford's collection (type specimens of M. manchuriensis), which is a complex collection including an inflorescence of M. nelsoniana. In spite of apparent morphological similarity between S. octopetala and M. manchuriensis, they differ in the presence and absence of underground stolons. The distinct position of S. octopetala within the Micranthes clade on the nrITS tree suggests that it should retain species status in Micranthes. Thus a new combination (Micranthes octopetala) is proposed.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2007

Background: Photodynamic therapy is a viable option for lung cancer treatment, and many studies have shown that it is capable of inducing cell death in lung cancer cells. However, the precise mechanism of this cell death has not been fully elucidated. To investigate the early changes in cancer cell transcription, we treated A549 cells with the photosensitizer DH-I-180-3 and then we illuminated the cells. Methods: We investigated the gene expression profiles of the the A549 lung cancer cell line, using a DEG kit, following photodynamic therapy and we evaluated the cell viability by performing flow cytometry. We identified the genes that were significantly changed following photodynamic therapy by performing DNA sequencing. Results: The FACS data showed that the cell death of the lung cancer cells was mainly caused by necrosis. We found nine genes that were significantly changed and we identified eight of these genes. We evaluated the expression of two genes, 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and ribosomal protein S29. The expressed level of carbonic anhydrase XII, clusterin, MRP3s1 protein, complement 3, membrane cofactor protein and integrin beta 1 were decreased. Conclusion: Many of the gene products are membrane-associated proteins. The main mechanism of photodynamic therapy with using the photosensitizing agent DH-I-180-3 appears to be necrosis and this may be associated with the altered production of membrane proteins.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 2022

The plant "Hong-do-go-deul-ppae-gi" has been considered as Crepidiastrum × muratagenii, a hybrid between C. denticulatum and C. lanceolatum, based on its morphological traits and geographical distribution. To reveal the hybrid origin of Hong-do-go-deul-ppae-gi, we examined additional morphological traits of this plant and its putative parents (C. denticulatum, C. lanceolatum, C. platyphyllum) and analyzed one nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and four chloroplast regions (trnT-L, trnL-F, rpl16 intron, and rps16 intron). As a result of examining the morphological traits, putative hybrid individuals were classified into three types based on the habit, cauline leaf, outer phyllary, and achene beak traits. A molecular analysis found that the ITS sequences of Type 1 and Type 2 individuals showed additive species-specific sites of C. denticulatum and C. lanceolatum. Plastid sequences of Type 1 and Type 2 individuals showed C. denticulatum and C. lanceolatum sequences, respectively. However, Type 3 individuals had ITS and plastid sequences corresponding to C. denticulatum. Accordingly, Type 1 and Type 2 individuals not only share morphological traits with C. denticulatum and C. lanceolatum but also show additive species-specific sites for C. denticulatum and C. lanceolatum, and not C. platyphyllum, supporting its origin as a hybrid between C. denticulatum and C. lanceolatum. Type 3 had morphological traits similar to other hybrid types but was distinguished with respect to outer phyllaries and demonstrated some resemblance to C. denticulatum. In a molecular analysis, Type 3 was found to be identical with regard to the sequence of C. denticulatum and was judged to be an ecological variation of C. denticulatum.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.226-239
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• 2021

Sebastes minor, Sebastes trivittatus, Sebastes owstoni, and Sebastes steindachneri are indigenous fish species inhabiting the central part of the East Sea, Korea. In order to understand the molecular evolution of these four rockfishes, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of S. minor and S. trivittatus. To further analyze the phylogeny of Sebastes species, the mitogenomes of 16 rockfishes were comparatively investigated. The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) nucleotide sequences of S. minor and S. trivittatus were 16,408 bp and 16,409 bp in length, respectively. A total of 37 genes were found in mtDNA of S. minor and S. trivittatus, including 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, which exhibited similar characters with other Sebastes species in the East Sea, Korea. In addition, we detected a conserved motif "ATGTA" in the control region of the four Sebastes species, but no tandem repeat units. Comparative analyses of the congeneric mitochondrial genomes were performed, which showed that control regions were more variable than the concatenated protein-coding genes. As a result of analysing phylogenetic relationships of four Sebastes species by using concatenated nucleotide sequences of 13 protein-coding genes, S. minor, S. trivittatus, S. owstoni and S. steindachneri were clustered into three clades. The phylogenetic tree exhibited that S. minor and S. steindachneri shared a closer relationship, whereas S. trivittatus and S. vulpes formed another distinct clade. Our results contribute to a better understanding of evolutionary patterns of Sebastes species inhabiting the middle East Sea, Korea.