• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.143-154
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• 2022

Plant secondary metabolites play an important role in insect-plant interactions. Herbivorous insects have various strategies to cope with the plant defensive compounds. Polyphagous insects feed on a wide variety of plant species, and their detoxification mechanisms are more complex since they tend to respond to a large array of different plant-derived chemicals. Alternatively, oligophagous insects specialize on only a few related plant species and may be expected to have a more efficient form of adaptation. This adaptation could involve either the production of large quantities of enzymes to detoxify their defensive compounds or the sequestration of the compounds or their metabolites. The oriental tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa assulta, is a specialist herbivore, feeding on a few plants of Solanaceae, such as tobacco and hot pepper. Understanding its host-plant adaptation not provides an important insight on physiology, ecology and evolution of specialist herbivores, but also gives a clue to develop management strategies of the pest species such as H. assulta. This paper briefly reviews the specialist, H. assulta, focusing on its host range, larval associations with the host plants, and detoxification mechanisms to nicotine and capsaicin, two characteristic defensive compounds derived from its two major host plants, tobacco and hot pepper, respectively. It summarizes the relevant research over the last half century and provides a future perspective on this subject.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2022

Pseudomonas amygdali is a hemibiotrophic phytopathogen that causes disease in woody and herbaceous plants. Complete genomes of four P. amygdali pathovars were comparatively analyzed to decipher the impact of genomic diversity on host colonization. The pan-genome indicated that 3,928 core genes are conserved among pathovars, while 504-1,009 are unique to specific pathovars. The unique genome contained many mobile elements and exhibited a functional distribution different from the core genome. Genes involved in O-antigen biosynthesis and antimicrobial peptide resistance were significantly enriched for adaptation to hostile environments. While the type III secretion system was distributed in the core genome, unique genomes revealed a different organization of secretion systems as follows: type I in pv. tabaci, type II in pv. japonicus, type IV in pv. morsprunorum, and type VI in pv. lachrymans. These findings provide genetic insight into the dynamic interactions of the bacteria with plant hosts.

• 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.24 no.3
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• pp.337-351
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• 2008

Host-pathogen interaction in rice bacterial blight pathosystem was analyzed for a better understanding of their relationship and recognition of stable pathogenicity among the populations of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. A total number of 52 bacterial strains isolated from diseased leaf samples collected from 12 rice growing states and one Union Territory of India, were inoculated on 16 rice varieties, each possessing known genes for resistance. Analysis of variance revealed that the host genotypes(G) accounted for largest(78.4%) proportion of the total sum of squares(SS), followed by 16.5% due to the pathogen isolates(I) and 5.1% due to the $I{\times}G$ interactions. Application of the Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction(AMMI) model revealed that the first two interaction principal component axes(IPCA) accounted for 66.8% and 21.5% of the interaction SS, respectively. The biplot generated using the isolate and genotypic scores of the first two IPCAs revealed groups of host genotypes and pathogen isolates falling into four sectors. A group of five isolates with high virulence, high absolute IPCA-1 scores, moderate IPCA-2 scores, low AMMI stability index '$D_i$' values and minimal deviations from additive main effects displayed in AMMI biplot as well as response plot, were identified as possessing stable pathogenicity across 16 host genotypes. The largest group of 27 isolates with low virulence, small IPCA-1 as well as IPCA-2 scores, low $D_i$ values and minimal deviations from additive main effect predictions, possessed stable pathogenicity for low virulence. The AMMI analysis and biplot display facilitated in a better understanding of the host-pathogen interaction, adaptability of pathogen isolates to specific host genotypes, identification of isolates showing stable pathogenicity and most discriminating host genotypes, which could be useful in location specific breeding programs aiming at deployment of resistant host genotypes in bacterial blight disease control strategies.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.102-114
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• 2022

Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) is a gram-negative, broad host range bacterial pathogen which causes soft rot disease in potatoes as well as other vegetables worldwide. While Pectobacterium infection relies on the production of major cell wall degrading enzymes, other virulence factors and the mechanism of genetic adaptation of this pathogen is not yet clear. In the present study, we have performed an in-depth genome-wide characterization of Pcc strain ICMP5702 isolated from potato and compared it with other pathogenic bacteria from the Pectobacterium genus to identify key virulent determinants. The draft genome of Pcc ICMP5702 contains 4,774,457 bp with a G + C content of 51.90% and 4,520 open reading frames. Genome annotation revealed prominent genes encoding key virulence factors such as plant cell wall degrading enzymes, flagella-based motility, phage proteins, cell membrane structures, and secretion systems. Whereas, a majority of determinants were conserved among the Pectobacterium strains, few notable genes encoding AvrE-family type III secretion system effectors, pectate lyase and metalloprotease in addition to the CRISPR-Cas based adaptive immune system were uniquely represented. Overall, the information generated through this study will contribute to decipher the mechanism of infection and adaptive immunity in Pcc.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1896-1907
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• 2018

Salmonellosis is commonly associated with meat and poultry products, but an increasing number of Salmonella outbreaks have been attributed to contaminated vegetables and fruits. Enteric pathogens including Salmonella enterica spp. can colonize diverse produce and persist for a long time. Considering that fresh vegetables and fruits are usually consumed raw without heat treatments, Salmonella contamination may subsequently lead to serious human infections. In order to understand the underlying mechanism of Salmonella adaptation to produce, we investigated the transcriptomics of Salmonella in contact with green vegetables, namely cabbage and napa cabbage. Interestingly, Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI)-1 genes, which are required for Salmonella invasion into host cells, were up-regulated upon contact with vegetables, suggesting that SPI-1 may be implicated in Salmonella colonization of plant tissues as well as animal tissues. Furthermore, Salmonella transcriptomic profiling revealed several genetic loci that showed significant changes in their expression in response to vegetables and were associated with bacterial adaptation to unfavorable niches, including STM14_0818 and STM14_0817 (speF/potE), STM14_0880 (nadA), STM14_1894 to STM14_1892 (fdnGHI), STM14_2006 (ogt), STM14_2269, and STM14_2513 to STM14_2523 (cbi operon). Here, we show that nadA was required for bacterial growth under nutrient-restricted conditions, while the other genes were required for bacterial invasion into host cells. The transcriptomes of Salmonella in contact with cabbage and napa cabbage provided insights into the comprehensive bacterial transcriptional response to produce and also suggested diverse virulence determinants relevant to Salmonella survival and adaptation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.2
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• pp.305-308
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• 2012

The box tree pyralid, Glyphodes perspectalis, was reared on an artificial diet based on dried powder of box tree leaves, Buxus microphylla var. koreana, and INSECTA F-II (Nihon Nosan Co., Ltd) at a ratio of 3:7 (w:w) and analyzed in their developmental characteristics from $1^{st}$ to $4^{th}$ generation. The developmental period of larva reared on artificial diet was longer than that of larva reared on host plant. Significant difference in larval period was also observed between $1^{st}$ and other generation groups. Pupation rate was the highest in $4^{th}$ generation followed by $3^{rd}$, $2^{nd}$, $1^{st}$ and host plant group. Significant difference in pupal period was noted between $1^{st}$ and 3rd generation group. Emergence rate was the highest in $4^{th}$ generation group followed by $3^{rd}$, host plant, $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ generation group. There is a significant difference in male and female size between $1^{st}$ and $4^{th}$ generation group. Our result indicated that stable rearing of box tree pyralid through the year is possible by artificial diet, and the best adaptation to artificial diet was achieved at $4^{th}$ generation.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.383-394
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• 2022

In Japan, the P1 protein (S-type) encoded by leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) isolates detected in Honshu and southward is shorter than the P1 (N-type) of LYSV isolates from garlic grown in Hokkaido due to a large deletion in the N-terminal half. In garlic fields in Hokkaido, two types of LYSV isolate with N- and S-type P1s are sometimes found in mixed infections. In this study, we confirmed that N- and S-type P1 sequences were present in the same plant and that they belong to different evolutionary phylogenetic groups. To investigate how LYSV with S-type P1 (LYSV-S) could have invaded LYSV with N-type P1 (LYSV-N)-infected garlic, we examined wild Allium spp. plants in Hokkaido and found that LYSV was almost undetectable. On the other hand, in Honshu, LYSV-S was detected at a high frequency in Allium spp. other than garlic, suggesting that the LYSV-S can infect a wider host range of Allium spp. compared to LYSV-N. Because P1 proteins of potyviruses have been reported to promote RNA silencing suppressor (RSS) activity of HC-Pro proteins, we analyzed whether the same was true for P1 of LYSV. In onion, contrary to expectation, the P1 protein itself had RSS activity. Moreover, the RSS activity of S-type P1 was considerably stronger than that of N-type P1, suggesting that LYSV P1 may be able to enhance its RSS activity when the deletion is in the N-terminal half and that acquiring S-type P1 may have enabled LYSV to expand its host range.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.15-15
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• 2015

Aspergillus fumigatus is a major cause of invasive aspergillosis (IA), a significant health issue worldwide with high mortality rates up to 95%. Our lab is interested in how A. fumigatus adapts to low oxygen conditions 'hypoxia', which is one of the important host microenvironments. A. fumigatus SrbA is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcriptional regulator and belongs to sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) family members. Loss of SrbA completely blocks growth in hypoxia and results in avirulence in murine models of IA suggesting an essential role of SrbA in hypoxia adaptation and virulence in A. fumigatus. We conducted chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) with A. fumigatus wild type using a SrbA specific antibody, and 97 genes were revealed as SrbA direct targets. One of the 'SrbA regulons' (AFUB_099590) was a putative bHLH transcriptional regulator whose sequence contained a characteristic tyrosine substitution in the basic portion of the bHLH domain of SREBPs. Therefore, we designated AFUB_099590 SrbB. Further characterization of SrbB demonstrated that SrbB is important for radial growth, biomass production, and biosynthesis of heme intermediates in hypoxia and virulence in A. fumigatus. A series of quantitative real time PCR showed that transcription of several SrbA regulons is coordinately regulated by two SREBPs, SrbA and SrbB in hypoxia. This suggests that SrbA and SrbB have both dependent and independent functions in regulation of genes responsible for hypoxia adaptation in A. fumigatus. Together, our data provide new insights into complicated roles of SREBPs in adaptation of host environments and virulence in pathogenic fungi.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2002

In vivo expression technology (IVET) has been developed to study bacterial gene expression in Salmonella typhimurium during host infection. The expression of selected genes by IVET has been elevated in vivo but not in vitro. The selected genes turned out to be important for bacterial virulence and/or pathogenicity. IVET depends on a synthetic operon with a promoterless transcriptional fusion between a selection marker gene and a reporter gene. The IVET approach has been successfully adapted in other bacterial pathogens and plant-associated bacteria using different selection markers. Pseudomonas putida suppresses citrus root rot caused by Phytophthora parasitica and enhances citrus seedling growth. The WET strategy was adapted based on a transcriptional fusion, pyrBC'-lacZ, in P. putida to study the bacterial traits important far biocontrol activities. Several genes appeared to be induced on P. parasitica hyphae and were found to be related with metabolism and regulation of gene expression. It is likely that the biocontrol strain took a metabolic advantage from the plant pathogenic fungus and then suppressed citrus root rot effectively. The result was parallel with those from the adaptation of IVET in P. fluorescens, a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Interestingly, genes encoding components for type III secretion system have been identified as rhizosphere-induced genes in the PGPR strain. The type III secretion system may play a certain role during interaction with its counterpart plants. Application of IVET has been demonstrated in a wide range of bacteria. It is an important strategy to genetically understand complicated bacterial traits in the environment.