• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2012

It has been known that endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum) is beneficial to tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix Scop.) because the mutualistic endophyte is able to confers tolerance against abiotic and biotic stresses to tall fescue. However, this fungal endophyte produces toxic alkaloid resulting in negative effects on animal performance. Recently, Non-toxic endophyte have been developed and inserted into tall fescue to avoid detrimental effect on animal but remaining positive influence on tall fescue. In order to keep this beneficial impact, it is essential to have endophyte infected tall fescue through vertical transmission from maternal plants to seeds. Little research has been carried out on endophyte transmission. To get basic information related to endophyte transmission, experiment was conducted to examine the effect of plant genotype on endophyte transmission under water stresses. Overall endophyte concentration in seeds was higher than that in panicles and endophyte concentration in seeds and panicles relied on plant. This study revealed that drought is not a critical component to control the endophyte transmission from maternal plants to seeds. Plant genotype is an important factor controlling the endophyte transmission from plant to seed.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.220-228
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• 2017

Many crops including cereals, tuber crops, feeds, and turf grasses are often damaged by various environmental stresses such as drought, salt, cold, and high temperature, causing the reduction of their productivity. Plants are sessile and cannot escape from environmental stresses. Thus, plants evolve in the direction of overcoming the environmental stresses. Some plant genes such as ARF, ABI3, NAC, HSF, and WRKY are known to respond to environmental stresses as they transcriptionally regulate the stress response pathways. For example, the OsWRKY76 gene contributes to the enhanced resistance to low temperatures and pathogenic infections. The AtWRKY28 also plays a role in environmental stresses. Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) is popularly grown for gardens and golf courses. However, the function of the WRKY gene, another environmental stress-related gene, is not known in zoysiagrass. In this study, the ZjWRKY3 and ZjWRKY7 genes with one shared WRKY domain have been isolated in zoysiagrass. The expression of these genes increased in response to low temperature, drought, and salt stresses. Furthermore, the infection of the brown patch-causing Rhozoctonia solani induced the expression of ZjWRKY3 and ZjWRKY7. The corresponding proteins bind to the W-box of the Zjchi promoter, possibly regulating their transcriptions. The researchers suggest that the ZjWRKY3 and ZjWRKY7 genes transcriptionally regulate abiotic and biotic stress related downstream genes.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.466-485
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• 2023

Crop productivity can be obstructed by various biotic and abiotic stresses and thus these stresses are a threat to universal food security. The information on the use of viruses providing efficacy to plants facing growth challenges owing to stress is lacking. The role of induction of pathogen-related genes by microbes is also colossal in drought-endurance acquisition. Studies put forward the importance of viruses as sustainable means for defending plants against dual stress. A fundamental part of research focuses on a positive interplay between viruses and plants. Notably, the tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) possess the capacity to safeguard tomato host plants against severe drought conditions. This study aims to explore the combined effects of TYLCV, ToCV, and drought stress on two tomato cultivars, Money Maker (MK, UK) and Shalala (SH, Azerbaijan). The expression of pathogen-related four cellulose synthase gene families (CesA/Csl) which have been implicated in drought and virus resistance based on gene expression analysis, was assessed using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method. The molecular tests revealed significant upregulation of Ces-A2, Csl-D3,2, and Csl-D3,1 genes in TYLCV and ToCV-infected tomato plants. CesA/Csl genes, responsible for biosynthesis within the MK and SH tomato cultivars, play a role in defending against TYLCV and ToCV. Additionally, physiological parameters such as "relative water content," "specific leaf weight," "leaf area," and "dry biomass" were measured in dual-stressed tomatoes. Using these features, it might be possible to cultivate TYLCV-resistant plants during seasons characterized by water scarcity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.394-408
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• 2007

Several genes/QTLs governing resistance/tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses have been reported and mapped in rice. A QTL for submergence tolerance was found to be co-located with a major QTL for broad-spectrum bacterial leaf blight (bs-blb) resistance on the long arm of chromosome 5 in indica cultivars FR13A and IET8585. Using the Nipponbare (japonica) and 93-11 (indica) genome sequences, we identified, in silico, candidate genes in the chromosomal region [Kottapalli et al. (2006)]. Transcriptional profiling of FR13A and IET8585 using a rice 22K oligo array validated the above findings. Based on in silico analysis and arraying we observed that both cultivars respond to the above stresses through a common signaling system involving protein kinases, adenosine mono phosphate kinase, leucine rich repeat, PDZ/DHR/GLGF, and response regulator receiver protein. The combined approaches suggest that transcription factor EREBP on long arm of chromosome 5 regulates both submergence tolerance and blb resistance. Pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase, co-located in the same region, are candidate downstream genes for submergence tolerance at the seedling stage, and t-snare for bs-blb resistance. We also detected up-regulation of novel defense/stress-related genes including those encoding fumaryl aceto acetate (FAA) hydrolase, scramblase, and galactose oxidase, in response to the imposed stresses.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2006

WRKY family proteins are a class of plant-specific transcription factors involved in stress response signaling pathways. In this study a gene encoding a putative WRKY protein was isolated from a pepper EST database (http://genepool.kribb.re.kr). The cDNA, named Capsicum annuum WRKY2 (CaWRKY2), encodes a putative polypeptide of 548 amino acids, containing two WRKY domains with zinc finger motifs and two potential nuclear localization signals. Northern blot analyses showed that CaWRKY2 mRNA was preferentially induced during incompatible interactions of pepper plants with PMMoV, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 61, and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria race 3. Furthermore, CaWRKY2 transcripts were strongly induced by wounding and ethephon treatment, whereas only moderate expression was detected following treatment with salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. CaWRKY2 was translocated to the nucleus when a CaWRKY2-smGFP fusion construct was expressed in onion epidermal cells. CaWRKY2 also had transcriptional activation activity in yeast. Taken together our data suggest that CaWRKY2 is a pathogen-inducible transcription factor that may have a role in early defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.189-203
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• 2016

Brassica oleraceae var capitata is a member of the Brassicaceae family and is widely used as an horticultural crop. In the present study, transcriptome analysis of B. oleraceae L. var capitata was done for the first time using eight-week old seedlings treated with $50{\mu}m$ MeJA, versus mock-treated samples. The complete transcripts for both samples were obtained using the GS-FLX sequencer. Overall, we obtained 275,570 and 266,457 reads from seedlings treated with or without $50{\mu}m$ MeJA, respectively. All the obtained reads were annotated using biological databases and functionally classified using gene ontology (GO), the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomics (KEGG). By using GO analyses, putative transcripts were examined in terms of biotic and abiotic stresses, cellular component organization, biogenesis, and secondary metabolic processes. The KEGG pathways for most of the transcripts were involved in carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, and secondary metabolite synthesis. In order to double the sequenced data, we randomly chose two putative genes involved in terpene biosynthetic pathways and studied their transcript patterns under MeJA treatment. This study will provide us a platform to further characterize the genes in B. oleracea var capitata.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2015

Endophytic fungi are microorganisms inhabiting living plant tissues without causing apparent harm to the host. They are drawing increasing attention due to their ability to produce various bioactive compounds as well as their effects on host growth and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. As a first step to assess biodiversity of plant associated fungi in Korea and the following evaluation on diverse biological activities, we are collecting endophytic fungi from plant in wild followed by systematic long-term storage in liquid nitrogen. Molecular identification using ITS sequences was also incorporated for pure culture by hyphal tip isolation. As of April 2015, about 1,400 fungal strains had been isolated from about 170 plant taxa. Fungal isolates belonging to Pleosporales, Diaporthales, Glomerellales, Hypocreales, and Xylariales were the most abundant. These collections are being used for several complementary researches, including screening of isolates with novel bioactive compounds or conferring drought stress resistance, phylogenetic and genomic study. Genome sequencing was performed for 3 isolates, one Xylaria sp. strain JS573 producing griseofulvin, an antifungal compound, and two Fusarium spp. strains JS626 and JS1030, which are assumed to be new species found in Korea. More detailed analysis on these genomes will be presented. These collections and genome informations will serve as invaluable resources for identifying novel bioactive materials in addition to expand our knowledge on fungal biodiversity.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.272-279
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• 2011

Root colonization of Arabidopsis thaliana with Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 induces systemic tolerance against diverse pathogens, as well as drought and salt stresses. In this study, we demonstrated that 11 genes in the leaves were up-regulated, and 5 genes were down-regulated as the result of three- to five-days root colonization by P. chlororaphis O6. The identified priming genes were involved in cell signaling, transcription, protein synthesis, and degradation. In addition, expression of selected priming genes were induced in P. chlororaphis O6-colonized plants subjected to water withholding. Genes encoding defense proteins in signaling pathways regulated by jasmonic acid and ethylene, such as VSP1 and PDF1.2, were additional genes with enhanced expression in the P. chlororaphis O6-colonized plants. This study indicated that the expression of priming genes, as well as genes involved in jasmonic acid- and ethylene-regulated genes may play an important role in the systemic induction of both abiotic and biotic stress due to root colonization by P. chlororaphis O6.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.249-256
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• 2011

Tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix Scop.) is resistant to abiotic and biotic stresses through a symbiotic relationship with Neotyphodium coenophialum. However, this endophyte has been considered detrimental since it produces toxic alkaloids to animals. It is vital to understand mutuality between these two to maximize positive impact of the endophyte on agri-ecosystem. Little research has been conducted on endophyte transmission mechanism in planta. To provide basic information related to endophyte transmission, an experiment was conducted to examine the effect of endophyte genotype and water stress on endophyte transmission by imposing soil moisture deficits at different stages of panicle development. There was water stress effect on endophyte frequency but not on concentration, whereas endophyte genotype significantly influenced endophyte concentration in pseudostem of tall fescue at boot stage. Reproductive tillers showed greater endophyte frequency and concentration. Endophyte frequency in florets or seeds depended on position within panicle. There was no drought effect on endophyte concentration, but showed the effect of endophyte genotype on endophyte concentration in florets and seeds. Overall endophyte concentration in seeds was higher. From this study, we may conclude that although water stress reduced endophyte frequency in vegetative tiller, water stress does not have effect on endophyte transmission, suggesting that drought is not an important factor controlling the endophyte transmission from plant to seed. Endophyte genotype and seed position in a panicle affected endophyte transmission, indicating that these two factors are involved in endophyte transmission and may determine seed transmission of endophyte in tall fescue.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.179-183
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• 2010

Ethylene is a key gaseous hormone that controls various physiological processes in plants including growth, senescence, fruit ripening, and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. In spite of some of these positive effects, the gas usually inhibits plant growth. While chemical fertilizers help plants grow better by providing soil-limited nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate, overusage often results in growth inhibition by soil contamination and subsequent stress responses in plants. Therefore, controlling ethylene production in plants becomes one of the attractive challenges to increase crop yields. Some soil bacteria among plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) can stimulate plant growth even under stressful conditions by reducing ethylene levels in plants, hence the term "stress controllers" for these bacteria. Thus, manipulation of relevant genes or gene products might not only help clear polluted soil of contaminants but contribute to elevating the crop productivity. In this article, the beneficial soil bacteria and the mechanisms of reduced ethylene production in plants by stress controllers are discussed.