• Mycobiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2000

The nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the ribosomal DNA including the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) have been determined for 11 species in order to analyze their intrageneric relationships. The total length of these sequences ranged from 530 nucleotides for Trichoderma reesei KCTC 1286 to 553 nucleotide for Trichoderma koningii IAM 12534. Generally speaking, the length of ITS1 region was about 30 nucleotides longer than that of the ITS2 region. Also, the sequences of 5.8S rDNA were more conserved in length and variation than those of ITS regions. Although the variable ITS sequences were often ambiguously aligned, the conserved sites were also found. Thus, a neighbor-joining tree was constructed using the full sequence data of the ITS regions and the 5.8S rDNA. The Trichoderma genus used to be grouped on the basis of the morphological features and especially the shape of phialides needs to be reexamined. The phylogenetic tree displayed the presence of monophylogeny in the species of Trichoderma. Therefore, it was difficult to distinguish the intrageneric relationships in the Trichoderma genus.

• Mycobiology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.191-201
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• 2013

Distinguishing individual Russula species has been difficult due to extensive phenotypic plasticity and obscure morphological and anatomical discontinuities. Due to highly similar macroscopic features, such as the presence of a red-cap, species identification within the Russula subgenus Amoenula is particularly difficult. Three species of the subgenus Amoneula have been reported in Korea. We used a combination of morphology and three molecular markers, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 28S nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU), and RNA polymerase II gene (RPB2), for identification and study of the genetic diversity of Russula subgenus Amoenula in Korea. We identified only two species in Korea (R. mariae and R. violeipes); these two species were indistinguishable according to morphology and LSU, but were found to be reciprocally monophyletic species using ITS and RPB2. The markers, ITS, LSU, and RPB2, have been tested in the past for use as DNA barcoding markers, and findings of our study suggest that ITS and RPB2 had the best performance for the Russula subgenus Amoneula.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2020

From a moss sample, we isolated and identified Notohymena gangwonensis Kim et al., 2019 based on morphological and molecular data. The moss and type population has completely identical 18S rRNA (nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA) gene sequences and both are highly similar in morphological and morphometric attributes, except for the diameter and arrangement of the cortical granules. Thus, we reexamined the type materials(i.e., micrographs and gDNA) and resulted in finding mistakes made by the authors of the species. Based on these data and supporting materials newly obtained (i.e., internal transcribed spacer [ITS] 1, ITS2, 5.8S, and partial 28S rDNA sequences, and scanning electron micrographs), we provide improved diagnosis of the species to clarify its identity. In addition, a key for Notohymena species is provided.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2009

Root-knot nematode species, such as Meloidogyne hapla, M. incognita, M. arenaria, and M. javanica are the most economically notorious nematode pests, causing serious damage to a variety of crops throughout the world. In this study, DNA sequence analyses were performed on the D3 expansion segment of the 28S gene in the ribosomal DNA in an effort to characterize genetic variations in the three Meloidogyne species obtained from Korea and four species from the United States. Further, PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism), SCAR (Sequence Characterized Amplified Region) PCR and RAPD (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA) were also utilized to develop methods for the accurate and rapid species identification of the root-knot nematode species. In the sequence analysis of the D3 expansion segment, only a few nucleotide sequence variations were detected among M. incognita, M. arenaria, and M, javanica, but not M. hapla. As a result of our haplotype analysis, haplotype 5 was shown to be common in M. arenaria, M. incognita, M. javanica, but not in the facultatively parthenogenetic species, M. hapla. PCR-RFLP analysis involving the amplification of the mitochondrial COII and large ribosomal RNA (lrRNA) regions yielded one distinct amplicon for M. hapla at 500 bp, thereby enabling us to distinguish M. hapla from M. incognita, M. arenaria, and M. javanica reproduced via obligate mitotic parthenogenesis. SCAR markers were used to successfully identify the four tested root-knot nematode species. Furthermore, newly attempted RAPD primers for some available root-knot nematodes also provided some species-specific amplification patterns that could also be used to distinguish among root-knot nematode species for quarantine purposes.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.304-310
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• 2024

Ricin is a highly toxic protein which is produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant. Ricin toxin A chain has ribosomal RNA N-glycosylase activity that irreversibly hydrolyses the N-glycosidic bond of the adenine residue at position 4324 within the 28S rRNA. In this study, we developed non-toxic recombinant ricin vaccine(R51) in E. coli expression system, and evaluated efficacy of the R51 according to adjuvants. When the R51 was administered using aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant, the vaccine efficacy was higher than that of TLR agonists or aluminum phosphate. Because it is time-consuming to administer the vaccine three times at three-week intervals, we investigated the survival rate and antibody titer of mice according to the change of time interval of vaccination. Interestingly, there was no difference in survival rate and antibody titer when R51 was administered at 0, 1, and 3 weeks or 0, 2, and 4 weeks compared to when administered at 0, 3, and 6 weeks. Therefore, the developed R51 vaccine is promising to protect soldiers from Ricin attack.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.349-355
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• 2007

Phylogeny of the species mainly from the genus Amynthas in family Megascolecidae was inferred at the molecular level using ITS regions in rDNA. With 26 species of earthworms from 10 genera in 2 families, a stretch comprising the 3'-end of the 18S rRNA, ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS2, and 5' end of 28S rRNA was amplified by applying the primers ITS-1, ITS-2. Phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences with a help of MP, NJ, and QP yielded 5 groups similarly. Genus Amynthas was separated largely into two groups, Korean and Philippine origins. Species grouped into the 1st were Amynthas jirensis, A. agrestis, A. gucheonensis, A. sopaikensis, A. bubonis, A. multimaculatus, A. koreanus, A. dageletensis, A. heteropodus, A. odaesanensis, Pontoscolex sp., Pheretima sp. 1, and Dendropheretima banahawensis. Amynthas halconensis, A. isarogensis, A. mindrooensis, Pithemera sp. 2, Pithmera sp. 1, and Pleionogaster sp. clustered into one clade forming the 2nd group. Polypheretima sp. 1 and polypheretima. sp. 2 stayed closely together representing a separate monophyletic status, forming the 3rd group, apart from species in other genera. Archipheretima sp. falls into the 4th group. Distinct morphological characteristics from Archipheretima also coinsides with its branching away from others in the previously reported molecular analyses. Similar to Perionyx excavatus that has been selected as an outgroup, Aporrectodea tuberculata also showed a long branch in the phylogram, but it differed from other 24 species included in the analyses. Unlike others, for example, its habitat is very closely related to that of man.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.164-169
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• 2004

We had screened the Monascus strain capable of producing monacolin K dominantly among 29 Monascus strains. Red yeast rice was prepared by culturing each Monascus sp. with 200 g of steamed rice (12$0^{\circ}C$, 20 min) at 3$0^{\circ}C$ for 10 days and drying at 8$0^{\circ}C$ for 20 min. As a result, red yeast rice cultured by M. purpureus ATCC16457, M. purpureu IFO 32316, M. purpureus IFO 32228, M. kaoliang ATCC 46595 and M. kaoliang ATCC 46596 produced lots of red pigment and monacolin K. An unidentified Monascus sp. showed the highest productivityof red pigment and monacolin K among 29 Monascus strains. Its production of red pigment and monacolin K was 1.3∼39 times and 2.4∼8 times higher than other strains, respectively. Although the morphological characteristics of unidentified Monascus strain were a little different from the typical M. purpureus, it was identified as M. purpureus CBS 281.34 from the result of sequencing of ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) and 28S ribosomal RNA (partial).

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.28-41
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• 2023

Non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus oryzae and aflatoxigenic A. flavus cannot be clearly identified by partial sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 18S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (18S rRNA) regions. This study aimed to compare the accuracy among three aflatoxin detection methods using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and to select the non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus sp. isolated from soybean paste. All analytical methods were suitable according to the international standards of Codex Alimentarius FAO-WHO (CODEX) or the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). UPLC exhibited the best of limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). Based on UPLC, HPLC, and the ELISA kit assay, the P5 and P7 strains isolated from soybean paste had 1,663.49, 1,468.12, and >20 ㎍/kg and 1,470.08, 1,056.73, and >20 ㎍/kg, respectively, detected and re-identified as A. flavus. In contrast, the P3 and P4 strains (A. oryzae), which were detected below the MFDS standards in all assays, were confirmed as non-aflatoxigenic fungi. Among the methods evaluated for quantitative analysis of aflatoxin, UPLC and HPLC are superior in terms of accuracy, and the ELISA kit rapidly detects low concentrations of aflatoxin. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that any Aspergillus sp. isolated for use as a fermentation starter should be analyzed for potential aflatoxin production using UPLC and HPLC for accurate quantitative analysis or ELISA for the rapid detection of low-level concentrations of aflatoxin.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.695-702
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• 2003

Nucleolus Organizer Regions (NORs) are the specific chromosome sites where ribosomal genes are located and highly expressed. We have applied the AgNOR staining to identify the distribution of NORs in the chromosomes of Korean Cattle. We have also studied the NORs pattern on the cells originated from different breeds, tissues and sex. Peripheral blood from forty-four Korean Cattle and Holstein was cultured for chromosme preparation. The fibroblast culture from biopsied ear skins was also conducted for chromosome analysis. The distribution of NORs was analyzed by sequential Ag staining and G-banding on metaphases of the cells. In Korean Cattle, the NORs are localized on the telomeres of the five chromosome pairs number 2, 3, 4, 11 and 28. The number of NORs per metaphase ranged from 2 to 10 giving a mean value of 5.6. The number of NORs per cell varied among individuals and cells within same individual. The size of NORs also differed in NO-chromosomes. The number of NORs was significantly different between Korean Cattle and Holstein, fibroblasts and lymphocytes, and male and female. However, the distribution and frequency of NORs were similar among the cells regardless of breeds, tissues, and sex.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.3
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• pp.165-178
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• 2016

Background: Although recent metagenomic approaches have characterized the distinguished microbial compositions in airways of asthmatics, these results did not reach a consensus due to the small sample size, non-standardization of specimens and medication status. We conducted a metagenomics approach by using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of the induced whole sputum representing both the cellular and fluid phases in a relative large number of steroid $na{\ddot{i}}ve$ asthmatics. Methods: Induced whole sputum samples obtained from 36 healthy subjects and 89 steroid-$na{\ddot{i}}ve$ asthma patients were analyzed through T-RFLP analysis. Results: In contrast to previous reports about microbiota in the asthmatic airways, the diversity of microbial composition was not significantly different between the controls and asthma patients (p=0.937). In an analysis of similarities, the global R-value showed a statistically significant difference but a very low separation (0.148, p=0.002). The dissimilarity in the bacterial communities between groups was 28.74%, and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) contributing to this difference were as follows: OTU 789 (Lachnospiraceae), 517 (Comamonadaceae, Acetobacteraceae, and Chloroplast), 633 (Prevotella), 645 (Actinobacteria and Propionibacterium acnes), 607 (Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus otakiensis, Lactobacillus sunkii, and Rhodobacteraceae), and 661 (Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Leptotrichiaceae), and they were significantly more prevalent in the sputum of asthma patients than in the sputum of the controls. Conclusion: Before starting anti-asthmatic treatment, the microbiota in the whole sputum of patients with asthma showed a marginal difference from the microbiota in the whole sputum of the controls.