• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.159-161
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• 2003

The coat protein (CP) gene of Apple mosaic virus (ApMV), a member of the genus Ilarvirus, was selected for the design of virus-specific primers for amplification and molecular detection of the virus in cultivated apple. A combined assay of reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed with a single pair of ApMV-specific primers and crude nucleic acid extracts from virus-infected apple for rapid detection of the virus. The PCR product was verified by restriction mapping analysis and by sequence determination. The lowest concentration of template viral RNA required for detection was 100 fg. This indicates that the RT-PCR for detection of the virus is a 10$^3$times more sensitive, reproducible and time-saving method than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The specificity of the primers was verified using other unrelated viral RNAs. No PCR product was observed when Cucumber mosaic virus (Cucumovirus) or a crude extract of healthy apple was used as a template in RT-PCR with the same primers. The PCR product (669 bp) of the CP gene of the virus was cloned into the plasmid vector and result-ant recombinant (pAPCP1) was selected for molecule of apple transformation to breed virus-resistant transgenic apple plants as the next step. This method can be useful for early stage screening of in vitro plantlet and genetic resources of resistant cultivar of apple plants.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.222-229
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• 2022

Apples are the most grown fruit crops in the fruit industry of Korea. However, virus or viroid infection such as apple mosaic virus (ApMV), apple stem grooving capillovirus (ASGV), apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) causes fruit yield reduction and poor fruit quality. Therefore, in this study, we examined to established an efficient virus-free system to eliminate the most infected ASGV virus in domestic apple orchard. We investigated that the shoot growth rate and the virus removal rate in ASGV infected potted apples that were treated with heat treatment in a growth chamber (constant temperature/humidity device) maintained at 36℃, 38℃ and 40℃ for 4 weeks. Here we found that the shoot growth rate was the highest in the heat treatment group (36℃) and the virus was removed in the middle and top of the shoot but not in the bottom. The virus was did not removed in the 38℃ and 40℃ heat treatment group in all section of shoots, and the heat treatment group (40℃) died after 4 weeks of heat treatment without growth of shoots. We performed in vivo shoot-tip grafting using the shoot-tip of potted apple heat-treated at 36 ℃, and we also investigated the viability and virus removal rate, which showed 94% viability and 20% virus removal rate. Collectively, our results suggest that it would be possible to produce the virus-free apple plants through heat treatment and shoot-tip grafting.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.288-293
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• 2013

In worldwide, viral diseases of apple plants has caused the serious problems like reduced production and malformation of fruits. Also, the damages of apple plants by virus and/or viroid infection (Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus, Apple stem grooving virus, Apple mosaic virus, and Apple scar skin viroid) were reported in Korea. However there is few report about the protection approach against the infection by apple viruses. Therefore, this paper introduced the experimental protocol for the development of virus-free apple cultivars (Danhong, Hongan, Saenara, Summerdream). Apple plants were treated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 4 weeks and shoot tips were cultured in vitro. After heat treatment, the detection of apple viruses was performed by RT-PCR using virusspecific detection primers in new apple cultivars. With the heat treatments followed by in vitro shoot tip culture, the proportion of virus-free stocks of 'Danhong', 'Hongan', 'Saenara', and 'Summerdream' was 28%, 16%, 12%, and 12%, respectively. Taken together, this approach can be a good tool for production of virus-free apple stocks.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.162-165
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• 2003

Transformation of Fuji apple (Malus domestica 'Fuji') was performed using Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring a coat protein (CP) gene of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). A plasmid DNA containing the virus CP and NPT II genes was introduced into the loaves of apple by th e Agrobacterium - mediated transformation procedure. Regenerated transformants of the apple were obtained by kanamycin resistance conferred by the introduced NPT II gene. PCR analysis showed that 3 out of 20 putatively selected R0 plant lines contain the CMV-CP gene. Nine putative transgenic lines out of 20 lines were investigated with the PCR analysis; 5 regenerants produced a 450 bp DNA band and 3 regenerants showed a 671 bp DNA band for the NPT II and CMV-CP genes, respectively. Southern hybyidization results demonstrate the successful integration of the CMV-CP gene into the genome of the apple. This is the first report on the generation of useful vius resistance source of transgenic apple for molecular breeding program.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2020

The investigation of the infection rate of domestic apple orchards by four types of apple viruses (Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus [ACLSV], Apple stem pitting virus [ASPV], Apple stem grooving virus [ASGV], Apple mosaic virus [ApMV]) and one type of viroid (Apple scar skin viroid, ASSVd) found that most apple trees were infected with viruses and viroid at the rate of 97.3%. By region, the infection rate in Jeongseon stood at 98.8%, Danyang at 100%, Yesan at 100%, Jangsu at 89.1%, and Muju at 98.1%. By each virus and viroid, the infection rate of ASGV was the highest at 93.4%, followed by ASPV at 85.7%, ACLSV at 59.0%, ASSVd at 6.7%, and ApMV at the lowest 3.6%. In addition, 84.8% of the cases were infected with two or more types of viruses and viroid, nearly seven times the single type infection rate of 12.4%, and the cases infected with three viruses, ASPV, ACLSV, and ASGV accounted for 56.2%, more than the half the total number of trees investigated.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.04a
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• pp.52-52
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• 2018

Apple (Malus domestica) is one of the most economically important fruits in Korea. But virus infection has decreased sustainable production of apple and caused the serious problems such as yield loss and poor fruit quality. Virus or viroid infection including Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV), Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) and Apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) has been also reported in Korea, furthermore, its damages and economic losses have increased constantly. In our research, we tried to survey virus infection for commercial nursery trees of major apple cultivars, especially dwarfing rootstocks 'M.9' and 'M.26' as well as scions. Trees were collected from 11 locations which have produced a great amount of apple nursery stocks in Korea. Infection degree was investigated in apple cultivars, 'Hongro' and 'Fuji' using RT-PCR method. In the scion of cultivar 'Hongro', infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV and ASGV were 100%, 81.8% and 100% respectively. In the rootstock of cultivar 'Hongro', infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV, ASGV and ApMV were 90.9%, 81.8%, 100% and 9.1% respectively. In the scion of cultivar 'Fuji', infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV and ASGV were 81.8%, 90.9% and 100% respectively. In the rootstock of cultivar 'Fuji', infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV, ASGV and ApMV were 81.8%, 90.9%, 100% and 9.1% respectively. Infection of ASSVd was not detected in both cultivars. From our results, it was found that most of apple rootstocks and scions had multiple infections by apple viruses which have caused economic damage in fruit production.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 2019

Apple (Malus pumila) is one of the most economically important fruits in Korea. but virus infection has decreased the sustainable production of apples and caused serious problems such as yield loss and poor fruit quality. Virus or viroid infection including apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), apple stem grooving virus (ASGV), apple mosaic virus (ApMV) and apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) have been also reported in Korea. In many cases, as apple gets infected with virus and viroid with no specific symptoms, the damage and symptoms caused by the viruses are not detected. In our research, viruses in the rootstock were eliminated for a virus-free apple dwarfing rootstock of M.9 and M.26. The virus elimination methods were apical meristem culture, thermotherapy ($37^{\circ}C$, 6 weeks) and chemotherapy($Ribavirin^{(R)}$). The detection of apple viruses was accomplished by Enzyme-linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELlSA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RT- PCR method was 10 ~ 30% more sensitive than the ELISA method. The efficiency of virus elimination was enhanced in apical meristem culture method. The acquisition rate of virus-free apple dwarfing rootstocks was 30 ~ 40% higher in apical meristem culture. After the meristem culturing of M.9, the infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV and ASGV was 45%, 60% and 50%, respectively. In the apple dwarfing rootstock of M.26, the infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV and ASGV was 40%, 55% and 55%, respectively. Based on this study, the best method for the production of virus-free apple dwarfing rootstocks was the apical meristem culture.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.46-60
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• 2022

The genetic variability and population structure of apple mosaic virus (ApMV) have been studied; however, synonymous codon usage patterns influencing the survival rates and fitness of ApMV have not been reported. Based on phylogenetic analyses of 52 ApMV coat protein (CP) sequences obtained from apple, pear, and hazelnut, ApMV isolates were clustered into two groups. High molecular diversity in GII may indicate their recent expansion. A constant and conserved genomic composition of the CP sequences was inferred from the low codon usage bias. Nucleotide composition and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis indicated that the ApMV CP gene is AU-rich, but G- and U-ending codons are favored while coding amino acids. This unequal use of nucleotides together with parity rule 2 and the effective number of codon (ENC) plots indicate that mutation pressure together with natural selection drives codon usage patterns in the CP gene. However, in this combination, selection pressure plays a more crucial role. Based on principal component analysis plots, ApMV seems to have originated from apple trees in Europe. However, according to the relative codon deoptimization index and codon adaptation index (CAI) analyses, ApMV exhibited the greatest fitness to hazelnut. As inferred from the results of the similarity index analysis, hazelnut has a major role in shaping ApMV RSCU patterns, which is consistent with the CAI analysis results. This study contributes to the understanding of plant virus evolution, reveals novel information about ApMV evolutionary fitness, and helps find better ApMV management strategies.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.220-228
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• 2022

Pollen is a vector for viral transmission. Pollenmediated viruses cause serious economic losses in the fruit industry. Despite the commercial importance of pollen-associated viruses, the diversity of such viruses is yet to be fully explored. In this study, we performed metatranscriptomic analyses using RNA sequencing to investigate the viral diversity in imported apple and kiwifruit pollen. We identified 665 virus-associated contigs, which corresponded to four different virus species. We identified one virus, the apple stem grooving virus, from pear pollen and three viruses, including citrus leaf blotch virus, cucumber mosaic virus, and lychnis mottle virus in kiwifruit pollen. The assembled viral genome sequences were analyzed to determine phylogenetic relationships. These findings will expand our knowledge of the virosphere in fruit pollen and lead to appropriate management of international pollen trade. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of pollen-associated viruses in fruit trees should be further investigated.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.04a
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• pp.54-54
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• 2019

Apple (Malus domestica) is one of the most economically important fruits in Korea. But virus infection has decreased sustainable production of apple and caused the serious problems such as yield loss and poor fruit quality. Virus or viroid infection including Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV), Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) and Apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) has been also reported in Korea. In many cases, apple is infected with virus and viroid with no specific symptoms, the damage caused by the virus are unaware significantly. In our research, we tried to eliminate viruses in the rootstock for the disease-free seedlings of the apple dwarfing rootstock M.9 and M.26. The method of virus elimination was meristem culture, heat($37^{\circ}C$, 6weeks) treatment and chemistry($Ribavirin^{(R)}$) treatment. The analytical methods commonly used for the detection of virus is Enzyme-linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay(ELlSA) and Reverse Transcription-polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR). RT-PCR method was more 30% sensitive than ELISA method. Efficiency of method eliminate virus appeared meristem method > heat treatment > chemistry treatment. The higher acquisition rate of disease-free seedlings is 30~40% on meristem treatment. In meristem treatment, the apple dwarfing rootstock M.9 gained infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV and ASGV were 45%, 60% and 50% respectively. In the apple dwarfing rootstock M.26, infection ratio of ACLSV, ASPV and ASGV were 40%, 55%, 55%, respectively. Based on our results, it was found that most effective method of disease-free seedlings apple dwarfing rootstocks was by meristem treatment than heat method and chemistry treatment.