• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.429-434
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• 2014

This study describes the efficient method for the discrimination of 'Cheonryang' in Panax ginseng Meyer using a STS primer. A total of 208 STS primers were applied to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification for discriminating Korean ginseng cultivars. Co-dominant polymorphic band patterns were generated with two primers, MFGp 0019, MFGp 0248, and successful identification of 'Cheonryang' was achieved from out of 11 Korean ginseng cultivars. Two different sizes of DNA band patterns were detected with MFGp 0019 primer. Ten Korean ginseng cultivars shared the same size of amplified DNAs (389 bp), but 'Cheonryang' showed a different size. Thus 'Cheonryang' can be efficiently distinguished from the other ten ginseng cultivars by using the MFGp 0019 primer. In the case of MFGp 0248, two different sizes of DNA band patterns were detected in the eleven ginseng cultivars. Same sized amplified DNA bands (307 bp) were shown in five cultivars (Chunpoong, Gopoong, Kumpoong, Cheongsun, Sunhyang) and 254 bp sized DNA bands were identified in the other 6 cultivars (Yunpoong, Sunpoong, Sunun, Sunone, Cheonryang, K-1). In conclusion, the two STS primers, MFGp 0019, and MFGp 0248, provide a rapid and reliable method for the specific identification of 'Cheonryang' cultivar from a large number of samples.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2014

To study the cause of physiological disorder in leaf of ginseng cultivated at paddy soil, the degree of brown-colored symptom (BCS) and the contents of inorganic matter in leaf were investigated by irrigating the solution of ferric and ferrous iron of 0.1 ~ 2.0%, and citric acid of 1.0 ~ 4.0% on bed soil, respectively. Ratio of BCS by variety was as high as 85.0% in Yoenpoong, while it was as low as 5.4%, 7.5% in Chunpoong and Hwangsook, respectively. The contents of inorganic matter of leaf in Yoenpoong were lower in $P_2O_5$, Ca, and Mg, while it were higher in K, Fe, and Mn than other variety. Iron solution caused BCS more distinctly when each ferric and ferrous iron were dissolved with 1.0% citric acid than when each iron was dissolved without citric acid. Ferric iron caused BCS more effectively than ferrous iron. BCS occurred in 4.0% citric acid was as same as 2.0% ferric iron mixed with 1.0% citric acid. Low $P_2O_5$ and high Fe content in leaf appeared in both of artificial and natural symptoms. We concluded that excessive Fe uptake caused BCS to leaf because the solubility of iron was increased in condition of low soil pH.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.278-288
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• 2014

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer is a traditional medicinal plant famous for its strong therapeutic effects and serves as an important herbal medicine. To understand and manipulate genes involved in secondary metabolic pathways including ginsenosides, transcriptome profiling of P. ginseng is essential. Methods: RNA-seq analysis of adventitious roots of two P. ginseng cultivars, Chunpoong (CP) and Cheongsun (CS), was performed using the Illumina HiSeq platform. After transcripts were assembled, expression profiling was performed. Results: Assemblies were generated from ~85 million and ~77 million high-quality reads from CP and CS cultivars, respectively. A total of 35,527 and 27,716 transcripts were obtained from the CP and CS assemblies, respectively. Annotation of the transcriptomes showed that approximately 90% of the transcripts had significant matches in public databases.We identified several candidate genes involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis. In addition, a large number of transcripts (17%) with different gene ontology designations were uniquely detected in adventitious roots compared to normal ginseng roots. Conclusion: This study will provide a comprehensive insight into the transcriptome of ginseng adventitious roots, and a way for successful transcriptome analysis and profiling of resource plants with less genomic information. The transcriptome profiling data generated in this study are available in our newly created adventitious root transcriptome database (http://im-crop.snu.ac.kr/transdb/index.php) for public use.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2017

Background: Various Panax ginseng cultivars exhibit a range of diversity for morphological and physiological traits. However, there are few studies on diversity of metabolic profiles and genetic background to understand the complex metabolic pathway in ginseng. Methods: To understand the complex metabolic pathway and related genes in ginseng, we tried to conduct integrated analysis of primary metabolite profiles and related gene expression using five ginseng cultivars showing different morphology. We investigated primary metabolite profiles via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and analyzed transcriptomes by Illumina sequencing using adventitious roots grown under the same conditions to elucidate the differences in metabolism underlying such genetic diversity. Results: GC-MS analysis revealed that primary metabolite profiling allowed us to classify the five cultivars into three independent groups and the grouping was also explained by eight major primary metabolites as biomarkers. We selected three cultivars (Chunpoong, Cheongsun, and Sunhyang) to represent each group and analyzed their transcriptomes. We inspected 100 unigenes involved in seven primary metabolite biosynthesis pathways and found that 21 unigenes encoding 15 enzymes were differentially expressed among the three cultivars. Integrated analysis of transcriptomes and metabolomes revealed that the ginseng cultivars differ in primary metabolites as well as in the putative genes involved in the complex process of primary metabolic pathways. Conclusion: Our data derived from this integrated analysis provide insights into the underlying complexity of genes and metabolites that co-regulate flux through these pathways in ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.353-360
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• 2013

Korean ginseng (P. ginseng C. A. Meyer) is one of the most important medicinal plant in the world. Understanding genetic variability among the assortment of Korean ginseng is important for breeding. The aim of this study was to molecularly characterize Korean ginseng cultivar and breeding lines through the use of eight previously reported STS markers (MFGp183, MFGp130, MFGp110, UFGp74, UFGp163, MFGp108, MFGp81 and UFGp156). All STS markers produced interpretable electropherograms from 31 accessions consisting of 11 Korean ginseng cultivars and 20 breeding lines. When eight STS markers were combined, we identified to total 19 genetic patterns; in particular, nine cultivars (Chunpoong, Yunpoong, Gopoong, Gumpoong, Sunpoong, Sunone, Cheongseon, Sunhyang, Cheonryang) and 5 breeding lines (G08012, G04079, G04075, G08036, G04110) in ginseng samples can be discriminated from the others. Together with other available markers, these STS markers will contribute to the management of ginseng genetic resources and the protection of breeders' rights.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Panax ginseng (Ginseng or Korean ginseng) is one of the most important medicinal herbs in the world. We made a high-quality whole genome sequence of P. ginseng using 'Chunpoong' cultivar, which is the first cultivar registered in Korea Seed and Variety Service (KSVS) with relatively similar genotypes and superior phenotypes, representing approximately 3 Gbp and 60,000 genes. Genome sequence analyses of P. ginseng and related speciesrevealed the origin of Korean ginseng and the ecological adaptation of 18 Panax species around the world. Korean ginseng and American ginseng (P. quinquefolius) are tetraploid species having 24 chromosome pairs, while the other 16 species are diploid species with 12 chromosome pairs. Panax and Aralia are the closest genera belonging to the Araliaceae family that diverged approximately 8 million years ago (MYA). All Panax species evolved as shade plants adapting to cool climates and low light conditions under the canopy of deep forests from Southeast Asia such as Vietnam to Northeast Asia such as Russia approximately 6 MYA. However, through recurrent ice ages and global warming, most diploid Panax species disappeared due to the freezing winter, while tetraploid P. ginseng may have appeared by allotetraploidization, which contributed to the adaptation to cold temperaturesin Northeast Asian countries including the Korea peninsula approximately 2 MYA. American ginseng evolved by the adaptation of P. ginseng in Northeast America after the intercontinental migration 1 MYA. Meanwhile, most of diploid Panax species survived in high-altitude mountains over 1,600 meters in Southeast Asia because they could not endure the hot temperature and freezing cold. The genome sequence provides good basisto unveil the origin and evolution of ginseng and also supports practical gene chips which is useful for breeding and the ginseng industry.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.631-641
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• 2021

Background: Main bioactive constituents and pharmacological functions of ripened red ginseng berry (Panax ginseng Meyer) have been frequently reported. Yet, the research gap targeting the beneficial activities of transformed green ginseng berries has not reported elsewhere. Methods: Ginsenosides of new green berry cultivar K-1 (GK-1) were identified by HPLC-QTOF/MS. Ginsenosides bioconversion in GK-1 by bgp1 enzyme was confirmed with HPLC and TLC. Then, mechanisms of GK-1 and β-glucosidase (bgp1) biotransformed GK-1 (BGK-1) were determined by Quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction and Western blot. Results: GK-1 possesses highest ginsenosides especially ginsenoside-Re amongst seven ginseng cultivars including (Chunpoong, Huangsuk, Kumpoong, K-1, Honkaejong, Gopoong, and Yunpoong). Ginseng root's biomass is not affected with the harvest of GK-1 at 3 weeks after flowering period. Then, Re is bioconverted into a promising pharmaceutical effect of Rg2 via bgp1. According to the results of cell assays, BGK-1 shows decrease of tyrosinase and melanin content in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone challenged-murine melanoma B16 cells. BGK-1 which is comparatively more effective than GK-1 extract shows significant suppression of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation and inflammatory target genes, in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusion: These results reported effective whitening and anti-inflammatory of BGK-1 as compared to GK-1.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.488-494
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• 2010

In this study, the major agronomic traits were investigated and RAPD technique was applied for the analysis of the genetic relations between the native ginsengs collected from Poonggi and Geumsan provinces in Korea. The main morphological traits were measured for a total of 54 collections of native ginseng from two areas based on UPOV standard. A total of 58 collections consisting of twenty-one native ginsengs collections from Poonggi area, twenty-nine collections from Geumsan area and four varieties of P. quinquefolium, P. japonicum, Chunpoong and Hwangsuk as controls were analyzed and clustered by RAPD. The results indicated that 01-9, 01-35 and 01-44 collections from Poonggi area were grouped into Geumsan area, while 332001, 332002 and 332003 collections from Geumsan area were grouped into Poonggi area. On comparison to the similarity of Poonggi collections (73-95%), the Geumsan collections showed 65-86% similarity in the population. Thus, the cluster should be applied according to the number of stem, number of leaves per stem and leaflet shape on the regionally native ginseng collections. The fourteen primers such as OPA02, OPA07, OPC08, OPD11, OPD20 and so on, will be used to select the native ginseng in the future studies.