• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.225-231
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• 2023

Cold stress is one of the most vulnerable environmental stresses that affect plant growth and crop yields. With the recent advancements in genetic approaches using Arabidopsis and other model systems, genes involved in cold-stress response have been identified and the key cold signaling factors have been characterized. Exposure to low-temperature stress triggers the activation of a set of genes known as cold regulatory (COR) genes. This activation process plays a crucial role in enhancing the resistance of plants to cold and freezing stress. The inducer of the C-repeatbinding factor (CBF) expression 1-CBF module (ICE1-CBF module) is a key cold signaling pathway regulator that enhances the expression of downstream COR genes; however, this signaling module in Panax ginseng remains elusive. Here, we identified cold-signaling-related genes, PgCBF1, PgCBF3, and PgICE1 and conducted functional genomic analysis with a heterologous system. We confirmed that the overexpression of cold- PgCBF3 in the cbf1/2/3 triple Arabidopsis mutant compensated for the cold stress-induced deficiency of COR15A and salt-stress tolerance. In addition, nuclearlocalized PgICE1 has evolutionarily conserved phosphorylation sites that are modulated by brassinsteroid insensitive 2 (PgBIN2) and sucrose non-fermenting 1 (SNF1)-related protein kinase 3 (PgSnRK3), with which it physically interacted in a yeast two-hybrid assay. Overall, our data reveal that the regulators identified in our study, PgICE1 and PgCBFs, are evolutionarily conserved in the P. ginseng genome and are functionally involved in cold and abiotic stress responses.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.7-7
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• 2017

Unfavorable weather and soil conditions reduce rice yield and land and water productivity, aggravating existing encounters of poverty and food insecurity. These conditions are foreseen to worsen with climate change and with the unceasing irrational human practices that progressively debilitate productivity despite global appeals for more food. Our understanding of plant responses to abiotic stresses is advancing and is complex, involving numerous critical processes - each controlled by several genetic factors. Knowledge of the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved in signaling, response and adaptation, and in some cases the genes involved, is advancing. Moreover, the genetic diversity being unveiled within cultivated rice and its wild relatives is providing ample resources for trait and gene discovery, and this is being scouted for rice improvement using modern genomics and molecular tools. Development of stress tolerant varieties is now being fast-tracked through the use of DNA markers and advanced breeding strategies. Large numbers of drought, submergence and salt tolerant varieties were commercialized over recent years in South and Southeast Asia and more recently in Africa. These varieties are making significant changes in less favorable areas, transforming lives of smallholder farmers - progress considered incredulous in the past. The stress tolerant varieties are providing assurance to farmers to invest in better management of their crops and the ability to adjust their cropping systems for even higher productivity and more income, sparking changes analogous to that of the first green revolution, which previously benefited only favorable irrigated and rainfed areas. New breeding tools using markers for multiple stresses made it possible to develop more resilient, higher yielding varieties to replace the aging and obsolete varieties still dominating these areas. Varieties with multiple stress tolerances are now becoming available, providing even better security for farmers and lessening their production risks even in areas affected by complex and overlapping stresses. The progress made in these less favorable areas triggered numerous favorable changes at the national and regional levels in several countries in Asia, including adjusting breeding and dissemination strategies to accelerate outreach and enabling changes at higher policy levels, creating a positive environment for faster progress. Exploiting the potential of these less productive areas for food production is inevitable, to meet the escalating global needs for more food and sustained production systems, at times when national resources are shrinking while demand for food is mounting. However, the success in these areas requires concerted efforts to make use of existing genetic resources for crop improvement and establishing effective evaluation networks, seed production systems, and seed delivery systems to ensure faster outreach and transformation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.698-705
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• 2017

Environmental impact of a mobile phone charger containing recycled plastic was quantified using LCA and the environmental benefits from the use of recycled and virgin plastic were compared. The assessment considers potential environmental impacts across the whole life cycle of the charger including; pre-manufacturing; manufacturing; distribution; product use; and end-of-life stages and quantified six environmental impact categories; Abiotic depletion; Acidification; Eutrophication; Global warming; Ozone layer depletion; and Photochemical oxidants creation. The study showed that the environmental impacts of the use stage accounted for 94.4% and 70% in the resource depletion and global warming impact categories, respectively, and the environmental impacts of the pre - manufacturing stage accounted for more than 98% in the other impact categories. The main cause of the environmental impacts in the use stage was electricity consumed by the charger. The main cause in the pre-manufacturing stage was PBA (Printed Board Assembly) and external case manufacturing. In order to quantify the environmental benefits of recycled PC (Polycarbonate) in the exterior case, the environmental impacts of 1 kg production of recycled PC and virgin PC were evaluated. The environmental impact on the abiotic depletion of the recycled PC is estimated to be 30% compared to the virgin PC, and the impacts on the other impact categories of the recycled PC were less than 5% of the virgin plastic. Sensitivity analysis was performed for 12 items including site data and assumptions made. The sensitivity of each item was less than 10%. The results of this study confirm that designing compact and light PBA, improving charging efficiency, and use of recycled plastic are important design factors to reduce the environmental impact of a charger.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.395-401
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• 2009

The smectite-illite (SI) reaction is a ubiquitous process in siliciclastic sedimentary environments. For the last 4 decades the importance of smectite to illite (S-I) reaction was described in research papers and reports, as the degree of the (S-I) reaction, termed "smectite illitization", is linked to the exploration of hydrocarbons, and geochemical/petrophysical indicators. The S-I transformation has been thought that the reaction, explained either by layer-by-layer mechanism in the solid state or dissolution/reprecipitation process, was entirely abiotic and to require burial, heat, and time to proceed, however few studies have taken into account the bacterial activity. Recent laboratory studies showed evidence suggesting that the structural ferric iron (Fe(III)) in clay minerals can be reduced by microbial activity and the role of microorganisms is to link organic matter oxidation to metal reduction, resulting in the S-I transformation. In abiotic systems, elevated temperatures are typically used in laboratory experiments to accelerate the smectite to illite reaction in order to compensate for a long geological time in nature. However, in biotic systems, bacteria may catalyze the reaction and elevated temperature or prolonged time may not be necessary. Despite the important role of microbe in S-I reaction, factors that control the reaction mechanism are not clearly addressed yet. This paper, therefore, overviews the current status of microbially mediated smectite-to-illite reaction studies and characterization techniques.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 2011

To estimate the effects of limitation nutrients for phytoplankton growth and its influences on short-term variations of a winter phytoplankton community structure, we investigated the abiotic and biotic factors of surface and bottom waters at 20 stations of inner and offshore areas from 6 to 7 February in Gwangyang Bay, Korea. Also, several algal bio-assay studies were conducted to identify any additional nutrient effects on phytoplankton assemblage using surface water for the assay. The dominant species in the bay was diatom Skeletonema costatum, which occupied more than 70% of total species in most stations (St.1-16) of the inner bay. According to a cluster and multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis based on phytoplankton community data from each station, the bay was divided into three groups. The first group included stations from the south-western parts of Myodo lsland, which can be characterized as a semien-closed eutrophic area with high phytoplankton abundance. The second group included most stations from the north-eastern part of Myodo lsland, influenced indirectly by surface water currents from offshore of the bay. The standing phytoplankton crops were lower than those of the first group. The other cluster was restricted to samples collected from offshore of the bay. In the bay, silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) were not a major limiting factor for phytoplankton production. However, since the DIN: DIP and DSi: DIN ratios clearly demonstrated that there were potential stoichiometric N limitations, nitrogen (N) was considered as a limiting factor. Based on the algal bio-assay, in vivo fluorescence values in N (+) added experiments were higher compared to control and P added experiments. Our results suggested that nitrogen may act as one of the most important factors in controlling primary production during winter in Gwangyang Bay.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.65-78
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• 2011

Ozone ($O_3$) is a main component of photochemical oxidants, and a phytotoxic anthropogenic air pollutant. In North America and Europe, the current concentration of $O_3$ has been shown to have significant adverse effects on vegetation. In this review, we summarize the experimental studies on the effects of $O_3$ on the growth and photosynthetic activity of Japanese forest tree species to understand the present knowledge and provide sound basis for future research toward the assessment of $O_3$ impacts on Japanese forest ecosystem. Since the 1990s, several Japanese researchers have conducted the experimental studies on the effects of ambient levels of $O_3$ on growth and physiological functions such as net photosynthesis of Japanese forest tree species. Although the sensitivity to $O_3$ of whole-plant growth is quite different among the species, it was suggested that the current ambient levels of $O_3$ in Japan are high enough to adversely affect growth and photosynthetic activity of Japanese forest tree species classified into high $O_3$ sensitivity group such as Japanese beech. The N load to soil has been shown to reduce the sensitivity to $O_3$ of Japanese larch and increase that of Japanese beech. To establish the critical level of $O_3$ for protecting Japanese forest tree species, therefore, it is necessary to take into account the N deposition from the atmosphere. There is little information on the combined effects of $O_3$ and other environmental factors such as elevated $CO_2$ and drought on growth and physiological functions of Japanese forest tree species. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the experimental study and accumulate the information on the combined effects of $O_3$ and any other abiotic environmental factors on Japanese forest tree species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.130-141
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• 2016

This study was conducted to elucidate the structure of river ecosystem in the watershed of the Seom River and Hoengseong Reservoir located in Hoengseong of Kangwon Province from February to October 2007. Topics of the survey were mainly rainfall, discharge, water quality in abiotic factors and attached algae, benthic macroinvertebrates, fish, birds and mammals of flora and fauna in a biotic factors, respectively. Specifically, the Seom River could be seen as a typical flow rate of the stream is controlled to the effect of the dam. Basic water qualities were great to seasonal effects, it was relatively clean. Diatom Achnanthes, Cymbella, Gomphonema, and Navicula were distributed predominantly in the periphytic algae. Benthic macroinvertebrates were mostly aquatic insects and freshwater shellfish, the aquatic insects were abundant Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera. Freshwater fish was the dominant Zacco platypus, fish species varied toward the downstream. Birds were mainly observed in four species, and species Egretta garzetta, which was distributed in a wide area of the Seom River. In mammals, Lutra lutra of Mustelidae was identified that the number of inhabit widely. In aspects of the ecological trophic level, the Seom River was maintained at a relatively stable state in the producer and the consumer relationship. The results of this study will expected to be utilized as a useful data for understanding the structure and function of the lotic and lentic ecosystems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.168-168
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• 2017

Drought conditions during cultivation reduce agricultural production yield less than a theoretical maximum yield under normal condition. Plant specific NAC transcription factors in rice are known to play an essential roles in stress resistance transcriptional regulation. In this study, we report the rice (Oryza sativa L japonica) NAM, AFTF and CUC transcription factor OsNAC17, which is predominantly induced by abiotic stress in leaf, was contribute to the drought tolerance mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in transgenic rice plants. Constitutive (PGD1) promoter was introduced to overexpress OsNAC17 and produced the transgenic PDG1:OsNAC17. Overexpression of OsNAC17 throughout the whole plant improved drought resistance phenotype at the vegetative stage. Morphological characteristics such as grain yield, grain filling rate, and total grain weight improved by 22~64% over wild type plants under drought conditions during the reproductive stage. The improved drought tolerance in transgenic rice was involved in reducing stomatal density up to 15% than in wild type plants and in increasing reactive oxygen species-scavenging enzyme. DEG profiling experiment identified 119 up-regulated genes by more than twofold (P<0.01). These genes included UDP-glycosyltransferase family protein, similar to 2-alkenal reductase (NADPH-dependent oxireductase), similar to retinol dehydrogenase 12, Lipoxygenase, and NB-ARC domain containing protein related in cell death. Furthermore, OsNAC17 was act as a transcriptional activator, which has an activation domain in C-terminal region. These result demonstrate that the overexpression of OsNAC17 improve drought tolerance by regulating ROS scavenging enzymes and by reducing stomatal density

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2000

To investigate the variations of physicochemical factors and microbial populations in seven stations at water region of Gangjin bay, nutritive salts, water temperature, transparency, suspended solid, salinity, COD, DO, pH, heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and fecal coliform were analysed four times from February to October, 1999. Total fecal coliform and heterotrophic bacterial population during investigation periods ranged 16.1~166.0 CFU/ml and $5.0{\times}10^3$~$13.1{\times}10^3$CFU/ml, respectively. Stational mean values of these bacterial population showed higher densities at the inlet of fresh water inflow than those of other stations. When the aspects of abiotic and biotic parameters measured were analyzed, ecosystem of Gangjin bay was regulated by factors such as inflow of fresh water, nutrient salts, salinity and variation of water temperature during four seasons.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.855-863
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• 2007

In order to understand the temporal distribution of pico- and nanoplankton and factors controlling its distribution at a station in Okkye Bay of Masan Bay located in the southern part of Korea, this study was conducted on two weeks interval from April 2005 to April 2006, and several abiotic and biotic factors were measured. During the study, picoplankton consisted of picoflagellates, cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria, and nanoplankton consisted of nanoflagellates excluding dinoflagellates. The concentration of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) was a mean of $4.33\;{\mu}g/L$, and the nanoplanktonic ($<20\;{\mu}m$) chl-a size fraction was a mean of 39.5 % and significantly correlated with water temperature. The abundances of cyanobacteria and photosynthetic flagellates (PF) were means of $24.4{\times}10^{3}\;cells/mL\;and\;2.87{\times}10^{3}\;cells/mL$, respectively. The contribution of picoflagellates to the PF abundance varied among the sampling occasions and was a mean of 29 %, but to the PF carbon biomass was 2.6 % only. The PF abundance had significant relationships with water temperature, and silicate and TIN concentrations, suggesting that the PF abundance seemed to be primarily bottom-up regulated. The abundance of heterotrophic bacteria was a mean of $3.18{\times}10^{6}\;cells/mL$ and unlike other ecosystems it did not have relationships with chl-a and heterotrophic flagellates (HF), suggesting that bacterial abundance did not seem to be bottom-up or top-down regulated. HF mostly consisted of cells less than $5{\mu}m$ and its abundance was a mean of $2.71{\times}10^{3}\;cells/mL$. Of the HF abundance, picoflagellates occupied about 31 %, and occupied about 9 % of the HF carbon biomass. HF grazing activity on heterotrophic bacteria was relatively low and removed about 10 % of bacterial abundance, suggesting that HF might not be major consumers of bacteria and there seems to be other consumers in Okkye Bay. These results suggest that Okkye Bay may have a unique microbial ecosystem.