• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2014

Robinia pseudoacacia has become invasively naturalized in Japan. We investigated the role of sexual reproduction in the development of R. pseudoacacia riparian forests along the Chikumagawa River in Japan, by using five chloroplast (cpSSR) and seven nuclear (nSSR) markers. We identified eight chloroplast haplotypes and 147 nuclear genotypes from 619 R. pseudoacacia trees sampled in three plots (Plots A, B, and C) and along two line transects (Lines D and E). CpSSR analyses showed that multiple maternal lines were distributed along the river, and that some haplotypes from different populations overlapped. In addition, while Plots A and B were separated by a short distance, only these two plots exhibited genetic differentiation in the haplotypes. In the nSSR analysis, all pairwise $F_{ST}$ values among the three plots were significantly different from zero. Kinship analysis based on nSSR markers revealed that kinship connected many individuals to another individual from the same plot. These results indicate that seed dispersal near to mother trees contributes to the fine-scale genetic structure of R. pseudoacacia riparian forests. Our results indicate that sexual reproduction, in addition to asexual reproduction, is a major contributor to the fine-scale formation of R. pseudoacacia forests.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.199-216
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• 2019

Platysiphon verticillatus and Punctaria glacialis are synonymized by mainly on the basis of shared genes, nine identical sequences. Our hypothesis is that synonymy is erroneous. We posit the many differences of biological features between the two species, their ecological preferences, and occurrences do not support synonymy. Arcticophycus (nov. gen.) is described and contains the new combination Arcticophycus glacialis. Asexual, vegetative, life histories are proposed. Novel reproductive structures are described including previously unknown features of thallus development in the life history of both species. Discovery of the novel Platysiphon cyst, and dual sporangia types in Arcticophycus, is critical in establishing a probable strategy for survival through the Arctic winter for each annual species. Pl. verticillatus is erect, tubular, ovoid to circular in X sections, flaccid, non-parenchymatous, light brown, 10-15 cm high with distinctive photosynthetic hairs in clusters or whorled on the upper one third of the thallus. A. glacialis is erect, planar, robust, parenchymatous, dark brown and hairs absent. The Halosiphon clade is named, consisting of four genera: Halosiphon, Platysiphon, Arcticophycus, and Stschapovia. Occurrence of these genera is identified. Emended are the genus Platysiphon, the family Platysiphonaceae and the order Stschapoviales.

• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2015

We have previously isolated ${\varepsilon}$-COP, the ${\alpha}$-COP interactor in COPI of Aspergillus nidulans, by yeast two-hybrid screening. To understand the function of ${\varepsilon}$-COP, the $aneA^+$ gene for ${\varepsilon}$-COP/AneA was deleted by homologous recombination using a gene-specific disruption cassette. Deletion of the ${\varepsilon}$-COP gene showed no detectable changes in vegetative growth or asexual development, but resulted in decrease in the production of the fruiting body, cleistothecium, under conditions favorable for sexual development. Unlike in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in A. nidulans, over-expression of ${\varepsilon}$-COP did not rescue the thermo-sensitive growth defect of the ${\alpha}$-COP mutant at $42^{\circ}C$. Together, these data show that ${\varepsilon}$-COP is not essential for viability, but it plays a role in fruiting body formation in A. nidulans.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.87 no.2
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• pp.201-210
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• 1998

Sex ratios, and patterns of tree size and growth variation, resource allocation, spatial and age class distribution between the sexes were investigated in natural populations of the sexual trees, R. trichocarpa and R. sylvestris, and the mainly asexual, clonal tree, R. javanica of the dioecious Rhus (Anacardiaceae) distributed in Korea. Sex ratios for three species exhibited a significant degree of female bias, but among the populations, sex ratios were seen to vary quite widely. The measurement of tree size and annual increment of male trees in R. trichocarpa and R. sylvestris were significantly higher than those of female trees, but not significantly different in R. javanica. In all of the species, flowering branch number per individual and inflorescence number per branch of males outnumbered those of females. Branch number per individual, rachis(leaf) number per branch and rachis(leaf) number per inflorescence were more in females than in males. These results were considered as reproductive efforts to increase the pollen supply in males and the fruit production in females. Spatial distribution analysis in two different populations of R. trichocarpa indicated that males and females were randomly distributed in space, but seedlings were clumped around parental trees. Analysis of age class distributions between the sexual reproduction trees, R. triclaocarpa and R. sylvestris, and the asexual, clonal tree, R. javanica showed a different distribution in frequencies of males and females in each age class. These results showed that sexual and asexual reproduction tree species had almost different preference of habitats, and different sex ratio and annual growth.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.193-205
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• 2017

Histone methylation plays important roles in regulating chromatin dynamics and transcription in eukaryotes. Implication of histone modifications in fungal pathogenesis is, however, beginning to emerge. Here, we report identification and functional analysis of a putative JmjC-domain-containing histone demethylase in Magnaporthe oryzae. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified seven genes, which encode putative histone demethylases containing JmjC domain. Deletion of one gene, MoJMJ1, belonging to JARID group, resulted in defects in vegetative growth, asexual reproduction, appressorium formation as well as invasive growth in the fungus. Western blot analysis showed that global H3K4me3 level increased in the deletion mutant, compared to wild-type strain, indicating histone demethylase activity of MoJMJ1. Introduction of MoJMJ1 gene into ${\Delta}Mojmj1$ restored defects in pre-penetration developments including appressorium formation, indicating the importance of histone demethylation through MoJMJ1 during infection-specific morphogenesis. However, defects in penetration and invasive growth were not complemented. We discuss such incomplete complementation in detail here. Our work on MoJMJ1 provides insights into H3K4me3-mediated regulation of infection-specific development in the plant pathogenic fungus.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.224-231
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• 2003

The null pigmentation mutant (npgA1) of Aspergillus nidulans was previously characterized by its production of no pigment at any stage of its life cycle, its reduction in hyphal branching, and its delay in the asexual spore development. The chemical composition of the cell wall was also altered in npgA1 mutants that became more sensitive to Novozyme 234$\^$TM/, which is possibly due to a structural defect in the cell wall. To investigate the effects of the cell wall structure on these pleiomorphic phenomena, we examined the ultrastructure of the cell wall in the npgA1 mutant (WX17). Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) showed that after being cultured for six days, the outermost layer of the conidial wall of WX17 peeled off. Although this phenotype suggested that the cell wall structure in WX17 may be modified, examination using TEM of the fine structure of cross-sectioned hyphal wall of WX17 did not show any differences from that of FGSC4. However, staining for carbohydrates of wall layers showed that the electron-translucent layer of the cell wall was missing in WX17. In addition, the outermost layer H1 of the hyphal wall was also absent in WX17. The ultrastructural observation and cytochemical analysis of cell walls suggested that the pigmentation defect in WX17 may be attributed to the lack of a layer in the cell wall.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2000

At fertilization, sperm penetrates into oocyte, male and female pronuclei are fused together, and mitotic division follows. However, little information is available on the interactive roles and dynamic processes between cytoplasmic and nuclear components during the pronuclear formation, migration and cell division. The assisted reproductive technologies such as, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and round spermatid injection(ROSI) could provides new treatments for the male infertility as well as tools for the study of basic mechanism during fertilization. Nuclear transfer can also provide a mechanism on the interactive roles between nucleus and cytoplasm since the process includes nuclear reprogrammming of differentiated cells in the enucleated oocytes. Recently, I have investigated developmental processes in porcine oocytes following fertilization parthenogenesis, ICSI, ROSI and nuclear transfer using indirect immunocytochemical and electron microscopic studies. The results could provide an insight into biological questions related with epigenesis as well as strategies for the enhancement of embryology in general such as ICSI and nuclear transfer.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.564-574
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• 2019

Like many fungal pathogens, the conidium and appressorium play key roles during polycyclic dissemination and infection of Magnaporthe oryzae. Ran-binding protein microtubule-organizing center (RanBPM) is a highly conserved nucleocytoplasmic protein. In animalia, RanBPM has been implicated in apoptosis, cell morphology, and transcription. However, the functional roles of RanBPM, encoded by MGG_00753 (named MoRBP9) in M. oryzae, have not been elucidated. Here, the deletion mutant ΔMorbp9 for MoRBP9 was generated via homologous recombination to investigate the functions of this gene. The ΔMorbp9 exhibited normal conidial germination and vegetative growth but dramatically reduced conidiation compared with the wild type, suggesting that MoRBP9 is involved in conidial production. ΔMorbp9 conidia failed to produce appressoria on hydrophobic surfaces, whereas ΔMorbp9 still developed aberrantly shaped appressorium-like structures at hyphal tips on the same surface, suggesting that MoRBP9 is involved in the morphology of appressorium-like structures from hyphal tips and is critical for development of appressorium from germ tubes. Taken together, our results indicated that MoRBP9 played a pleiotropic role in polycyclic dissemination and infection-related morphogenesis of M. oryzae.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2001

This research was carried out to establish the large quantity propagation system for Kalopanax pictus using root cutting. The results are as follows. As there was no significant difference in the promotion of adventitious shoot development from the root cuttings of Kalopanax pictus among kinds (IBA, NAA and Kinetin) and concentrations (0 to 2000 mg/L) of growth regulators, no application is recommended, which showed more than 90% of shoot development. Horizontal and vertical placement of rooting showed more than 93% of shoot occurrence, but the latter showed more desirable growth traits in the number of shoot development, number of leaf, petiole length, and leaf length and leaf width Polarity was observed and thus normal vertical placement of root cutting is preferred. However, root cuttings placed upside down showed the shoot development at the distal end, which indicates further sophisticated test is necessary to investigate this phenomenon.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2014

Fungal pathogens have huge impact on health and economic wellbeing of human by causing life-threatening mycoses in immune-compromised patients or by destroying crop plants. A key determinant of fungal pathogenesis is their ability to undergo developmental change in response to host or environmental factors. Genetic pathways that regulate such morphological transitions and adaptation are therefore extensively studied during the last few decades. Given that epigenetic as well as genetic components play pivotal roles in development of plants and mammals, contribution of microbial epigenetic counterparts to this morphogenetic process is intriguing yet nearly unappreciated question to date. To bridge this gap in our knowledge, we set out to investigate histone modifications among epigenetic mechanisms that possibly regulate fungal adaptation and processes involved in pathogenesis of a model plant pathogenic fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. M. oryzae is a causal agent of rice blast disease, which destroys 10 to 30% of the rice crop annually. Since the rice is the staple food for more than half of human population, the disease is a major threat to global food security. In addition to the socioeconomic impact of the disease it causes, the fungus is genetically tractable and can undergo well-defined morphological transitions including asexual spore production and appressorium (a specialized infection structure) formation in vitro, making it a model to study fungal development and pathogenicity. For functional and comparative analysis of histone modifications, a web-based database (dbHiMo) was constructed to archive and analyze histone modifying enzymes from eukaryotic species whose genome sequences are available. Histone modifying enzymes were identified applying a search pipeline built upon profile hidden Markov model (HMM) to proteomes. The database incorporates 22,169 histone-modifying enzymes identified from 342 species including 214 fungal, 33 plants, and 77 metazoan species. The dbHiMo provides users with web-based personalized data browsing and analysis tools, supporting comparative and evolutionary genomics. Based on the database entries, functional analysis of genes encoding histone acetyltransferases and histone demethylases is under way. Here I provide examples of such analyses that show how histone acetylation and methylation is implicated in regulating important aspects of fungal pathogenesis. Current analysis of histone modifying enzymes will be followed by ChIP-Seq and RNA-seq experiments to pinpoint the genes that are controlled by particular histone modifications. We anticipate that our work will provide not only the significant advances in our understanding of epigenetic mechanisms operating in microbial eukaryotes but also basis to expand our perspective on regulation of development in fungal pathogens.