• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 1994.06a
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• pp.11-26
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• 1994

Crown gall of stonefruit and nut trees is one of the very few plant diseases subject to efficient biological control. The disease is caused by the soil-inhabiting bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes and the original control organism was a non-pathogenic isolate of A. rhizogenes strain K84. Control is achieved by dipping planting material in a cell suspension of strain K84 which specifically inhibits pathogenic strains containing a nopaline Ti plasmid. Because the agrocin 84-encoding plasmid (pAgK84) is conjugative, it can be transmitted from the control strain to pathogenic strains which, as a result, become immune to agrocin 84 and cannot be controlled. To prevent this happening, the transfer genes on pAgK84 were located and then largely eliminated by recombinant DNA technology. The resulting construct, strain K1026, is transfer deficient but controls crown gall just as effectively as does strain K84. Field data from Spain confirm that pAgK84 can transfer to pathogenic recipients from strain K84 but not from strain K1026. The latter has been registered in Australia as a pesticide and is the first genetically engineered organism in the world to be released fro commercial use. It is recommended as a replacement for strain K84 to prevent a breakdown in the effectiveness of biological control of crown gall. Several reports indicate that both strains K84 and K1026 sometimes control crown gall pathogens that are resistant to agrocin 84. A possible reason for this is that both strains produce a second antibiotic called 434 which inhibits growth of nearly all isolates of A. rhizogenes, both pathogens and non-pathogens. Crown gall of grapevine is caused by another species, Agrobacterium vitis. It is resistant to agrocin 84 and cannot be controlled by strains K84 or K1026. It is different from other crown gall pathogens in several characteristics, including the fact that, although a rhizosphere coloniser, its also lives systemically in the vascular tissue of grapevine. Pathogen free propagating material can be obtained from tissue culture or, less surely, by heat therapy of dormant cuttings. A number of laboratories are searching for a biocontrol strain that will prevent, or at least delay, reinfection. A non-pathogenic A. vitis strain F/25 from South Africa looks very promising in this regard.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.378-383
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• 2009

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation procedure for the phalaenopsis orchid, established by using Protocorm-like bodies (PLBs), was aimed at the introduction of target genes into individuals with divergent genetic backgrounds. PLBs obtained from the axillary bud of a peduncle were maintained on a hyponex medium supplemented with 1 g/l of activated charcoal, 30 g/l of sucrose and 0.1 mg/l thiamine. The multiplication rate of PLBs was about 90% in case of subculture PLBs to be cut transversely into 1/3 part from top position. The PLBs were inoculated with Agrobacterium strain EHA105 harboring both $\beta$-glucuronidase (GUS) and hygromycin-resistant genes for 20 minutes after dipping treatment. Transformation efficiency was the highest with a Agrobacterium culture medium and dipping treatment of O.D. 0.8. Newly induced PLBs were put on selection medium containing 1 mg/l hygromycin for 2 months. Hygromycin-resistant phalaenopsis plants that regenerated after the selection culture of PLBs showed histochemical blue staining due to GUS. Transgene integration of the hygromycin-resistant plants was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot using GUS specific primers and probe.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.63-69
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• 2023

This study includes the transformation of genes such as ORE7, the increase of gene expression, and the use of the bar gene as a selectable marker that shows herbicide resistance with Agrobacterium tumefaciens using hypocotyls from the oilseed rape "Youngsan" cultivar. To establish an Agrobacterium transformation system for the production of oilseed rape with a high-yield trait, infection time and co-cultivation period with Agrobacterium were tested. Therefore, when hypocotyls from the oilseed rape "Youngsan" cultivar were infected with Agrobacterium for 20 min and co-cultivated for 3 days, approximately 32-36 putatively transformed hypocotyls with shoots including roots survived from 100 inoculated hypocotyls after 4 weeks of transformation on a selection medium containing 20 mg/L of phosphinothricin (PPT) as a selectable agent. Additionally, a PCR assay was performed to confirm the insertion of target genes and showed the presence of the ORE7 gene as a high-yielding trait and the bar gene as a selectable marker. Treatment with 0.5% (v/v) Basta solution as a selectable agent for 6 days with leaves from transformed oilseed rape expressed the bar gene. Therefore, this study can contribute to the development of special oilseed rapes containing agriculturally useful traits such as herbicide resistance, drought tolerance, high yielding traits, and high oleic acid content.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.56-62
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• 2023

Transgenic lilies have been obtained using Agrobacterium tumefaciens (AGL1) with the plant scale explants, followed by DL-phosphinothricin (PPT) selection. In this study, scales of lily plants cv. "red flame" were transformed with the pCAMBIA3301 vector containing the gus gene as a reporter and the blpR gene as a selectable marker, as well as a gene of interest showing herbicide tolerance, both driven by the CaMV 35S promoter. Using a 20-minute infection time and a 5-day cultivation period, factors that optimized and demonstrated a high transformation efficiency were achieved. With these conditions, approximately 22-27% efficiency was observed for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in lilies. After transformation with Agrobacterium, scales of lilies were transferred to MS medium without selective agents for 2 weeks. They were then placed on selection MS medium containing 5 mg/L PPT for a month of further selection and then cultured for another 4-8 weeks with a 4-week subculture regime on the same selection medium. PPT-resistant scales with shoots were successfully rooted and regenerated into plantlets after transferring into hormone-free MS medium. Also, most survived putatively transformed plantlets indicated the presence of the blpR gene by PCR analysis and showed a blue color indicating expression of the gus gene. In conclusion, when 100 scales of lily cv. "red flame" are transformed with Agrobacterium, approximately 22-27 transgenic plantlets can be produced following an optimized protocol. Therefore, this protocol can contribute to the lily breeding program in the future.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2018

Brazzein is the smallest sweet protein and was isolated from the fruit pulp of Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon, native to tropical Africa. From ancient times, the indigenous people used this fruit in their diet to add sweetness to their daily food. Brazzein is 500 to 2000 times sweeter than sucrose on a weight basis and 9500 times sweeter on a molar basis. This unique property has led to increasing interest in this protein. However, it is expensive and difficult to produce brazzein other than in its native growing conditions which limits its availability for use as a food additive. In this study, we report high production yields of, brazzein protein in transgenic rice plants. An ORF region encoding brazzein and driven by the $2{\times}CaMV\;35S$ promoter was introduced into rice genome (Oryza sativa Japonica) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. After transformation, 17 regenerated plant lines were obtained and these transgene-containing plants were confirmed by PCR analysis. In addition, the selected plant lines were analyzed by Taqman PCR and results showed that 9 T0 lines were found to have a single copy out of 17 transgenic plants. Moreover, high and genetically stable expression of brazzein was confirmed by western blot analysis. These results demonstrate that recombinant brazzein was efficiently expressed in transgenic rice plants, and that we have developed a new rice variety with a natural sweetener.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.198-202
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• 2013

To produce transgenic cucumber expressing Nit gene coffering abiotic resistance, the cotyledonary-node explants of cucumber (cv. Eunsung) were inoculated with A. tumefaciens transformed with pPZP211 or pCAMBIA2300 carrying Nit gene, that has cis-acting element involved in resistance to various abiotic environmental stresses. After co-cultivation, the procedures of selection, shoot initiation, shoot elongation, and plant regeneration were followed by cotyledonary-node transformation method (CTM, Jang et al. 2011). The putative transgenic plants were selected when shoots were grown to a length greater than 3 cm from the cotyledonary-node explants on selection medium supplemented with 100 mg/L paromomycin as a selectable agent. The confirmation of transgenic cucumber was based on the genomic PCR, Southern blot analysis, RT-PCR, and Northern blot analysis. A 105 shoots (4.12%) selected from the selection mediums were obtained from 2,547 explants inoculated. Of them, putative transgenic plants were only confirmed with 45 plants (1.77%) by genomic PCR analysis. Transgenic plants showed that the Nit genes integrated into each genome of 39 plants (1.53%) by Southern blot analysis, and the expression of gene integrated into cucumber genome was only confirmed at 6 plants (0.24%) by RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis. These results lead us to speculate that the genes were successfully integrated and expressed in each genome of transgenic cucumber.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 2002

We are trying to develop a transgenic carrot with aims of production and delivery of oral vaccine against microbial enteropathogen using a K88ac pilin gene. A K88ac antigen (pilin) gene was isolated by PCR from the K88ac genomic DNA. The pilin gene was constructed in pGA748 and introduced via Agrobacterium tumefaciens to the explants of carrot hypocotyl and then 494 transgenic lines were established. The amounts of the K88ac antigen produced in each of the cell lines were determined by western and two elite cell lines (M1-17, Y14-1) were selected based on higher levels of expression of the antigens as well as rate of cell growth and efficiency of embryogenesis. In order to test an immunization induced by oral administration of the transgenic carrot, serum of the mice fed with the carrot vaccine were tested in ELISA. It tumed out that the mice fed with 3 g of transgenic carrot showed a similar level of antibody compared to those applied with 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$ of the purified recombinant pilin protein. Besides, various clinical responses were measured after challenging with ETEC K88ac strain to the piglets experiencing an oral immunization with the transgenic carrot. The piglets fed with carrot vaccine showed a lower level of diarrhea in fecal score compared to those fed with non-transgenic carrot. A higher level of increase in weight of the piglets fed with the transgenic carrot vaccine was observed comparing to those fed with non-transgenic carrot as control.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.402-409
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• 2006

Although microorganisms are, in fact, the most diverse and abundant type of organism on Earth, the ecological functions of microbial populations remains poorly understood. A variety of bacteria including marine Vibrios encounter numerous ecological challenges, such as UV light, predation, competition, and seasonal variations in seawater including pH, salinity, nutrient levels, temperature and so forth. In order to survive and proliferate under variable conditions, they have to develop elaborate means of communication to meet the challenges to which they are exposed. In bacteria, a range of biological functions have recently been found to be regulated by a population density-dependent cell-cell signaling mechanism known as quorum-sensing (QS). In other words, bacterial cells sense population density by monitoring the presence of self-produced extracellular autoinducers (AI). N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-dependent quorum-sensing was first discovered in two luminescent marine bacteria, Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi. The LuxI/R system of V. fischeriis the paradigm of Gram-negative quorum-sensing systems. At high population density, the accumulated signalstrigger the expression of target genes and thereby initiate a new set of biological activities. Several QS systems have been identified so far. Among them, an AHL-dependent QS system has been found to control biofilm formation in several bacterial species, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aeromonas hydrophila, Burkholderia cepacia, and Serratia liquefaciens. Bacterial biofilm is a structured community of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced polymeric matrix that adheres to an inert or living surface. Extracellular signal molecules have been implicated in biofilm formation. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain NT1(traR, tra::lacZ749) and Chromobacterium violaceum strain CV026 are used as biosensors to detect AHL signals. Quorum sensing in lactic acid bacteria involves peptides that are directly sensed by membrane-located histidine kinases, after which the signal is transmitted to an intracellular regulator. In the nisin autoregulation process in Lactococcus lactis, the NisK protein acts as the sensor for nisin, and NisR protein as the response regulator activatingthe transcription of target genes. For control over growth and survival in bacterial communities, various strategies need to be developed by which receptors of the signal molecules are interfered with or the synthesis and release of the molecules is controlled. However, much is still unknown about the metabolic processes involved in such signal transduction and whether or not various foods and food ingredients may affect communication between spoilage or pathogenic bacteria. In five to ten years, we will be able to discover new signal molecules, some of which may have applications in food preservation to inhibit the growth of pathogens on foods.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.170-179
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• 2017

Plant molecular farming has attracted a lot of attention lately in the field of mass production of industrially valuable materials by extending application of the plant as a kind of factory concept. Among them, protein expression system using rice(Oryza sativa L.) callus is a technology capable of mass culture and industrialization because of a high expression rate of a target protein. This study was carried out to develop an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system to increase the utilization of rice callus. The transformation efficiency was improved by using the hand when seeds were de-husked for callus induction. Furthermore, we were possible induction of callus from 6 years old seed smoothly. Selection of the callus contained the target gene was required a cultivation period of at least 3 weeks, and the most efficient selection period was after 6 weeks of culture including one passage. This selection was confirmed that the gene was stably inserted into the genomic DNA of the plant cell by the southern blot analysis and progeny test. Such an efficient selection system of rice callus that can be cultured in the long term will be contribute to the industrialization of useful recombinant proteins using rice.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.221-225
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• 2001

Some factors of wounding methods, solidifying agents, origin of leaf explants, cone. of acetosyring-one, and MES affecting regeneration and transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens were investigated to establish an efficient transformation system of apple. Wounding by cutting the leaves merely showed the tendency of regeneration and transformation with higher efficiency compared with that of wounding by non-traumatic forcep when carrying out co-cultivation for three days after bacterial inoculation. While examining the solidifying agents of medium with the combination of agar (A)＋Gelrit $e^{ }$ (G) in g. $L^{-1}$ , the higher concentration of Gelrit $e^{ }$ increased the efficiency of regeneration. However, there was no difference in the efficiency of transformation from the treatments of 2.5 G, 3.5 A+1.2 G, and 7.0 G. The origin of leaf explants showed no difference statistically in the efficiency of regeneration and transformation, but that from the shoots of proliferation medium showed the tendency with higher efficiency. The concentration of above 0.1 mM acetosyringon had an increase in the efficiency of regeneration and transformation and the concentration of 0.15 mM had the highest efficiency of transformation in the treatment of acetosyringone with different concentration. There was no effect of MES on regeneration and transformation.ion.