• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2017

In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from the roots of three native orchid species from Korea: Bletilla striata, Oreorchis patens, and Cephalanthera longibracteata. The isolated fungal endophytes were identified based on the morphological and molecular characteristics including sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 28S ribosomal DNA regions. As a result, we discovered 5 species of fungal endophytes that have not been previously reported in Korea: Phialocephala bamuru, Coniochaeta mutabilis, Phialophora foetens, Calonectria canadensis, and Neonectria ramulariae.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 2018

We isolated endophytic fungal strains from the leaves of Abies koreana growing in Korea. The fungal strains were identified as Coleophoma parafusiformis and Coniochaeta ligniaria, based on morphological characteristics and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region and large subunit region of ribosomal DNA. These species have not been previously reported in Korea. In this study, we report the morphological characteristics and results of phylogenetic analysis of the two novel fungal strains.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.337-343
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• 2020

During the extensive forays for discovering the biodiversity of phytopathogenic fungi in Korea, powdery mildew-affected purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) were frequently found. Since 2004, nine samples have been deposited in the Korea University Herbarium. The initial symptoms include white, evanescent mycelia and irregular patches on mature leaves. Mild symptoms in the form of discolored lesions are also noticed on the stem and petal of the affected plants. Based on the morphological characteristics of the anamorph and the phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences, the causal fungus was identified as Podosphaera xanthii. This is the first report that identifies the causal agent of powdery mildew disease affecting purple coneflower in Korea.

• ALGAE
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.249-264
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• 2022

Two genera of the Rhodymeniales, Halopeltis and Leptofauchea, are here reported for the first time from the Hawaiian Islands and represent the deepest records for both genera. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), rbcL, and large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU) sequences for Hawaiian specimens of Leptofauchea revealed one well-supported clade of Hawaiian specimens and three additional lineages. One of these clades is described here as Leptofauchea huawelau sp. nov., and is thus far known only from mesophotic depths at Penguin Bank in the Main Hawaiian Islands. L. huawelau sp. nov. is up to 21 cm, and is the largest known species. An additional lineage identified in the LSU and rbcL analyses corresponds to the recently described L. lucida from Western Australia, and is a new record for Hawai'i. Hawaiian Halopeltis formed a well-supported clade along with H. adnata from Korea, the recently described H. tanakae from mesophotic depths in Japan, and H. willisii from North Carolina, and is here described as Halopeltis nuahilihilia sp. nov. H. nuahilihilia sp. nov. has a distinctive morphology of narrow vegetative axes that harbor constrictions along their length. The current distribution of H. nuahilihilia includes mesophotic depths around W. Maui, W. Moloka'i, and the island of Hawai'i in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Few reproductive characters were observed because of the small number of specimens available; however, both species are distinct based on phylogeny and morphology. These descriptions further emphasize the Hawaiian mesophotic zone as a location harboring many undescribed species of marine macroalgae.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.251-257
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• 2023

We isolated fungi from the rhizosphere of Fallopia sachalinensis in Dokdo islands. Morphological and molecular characters, based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and partial large subunit (LSU) or partial beta-tubulin genes, were used to identify the isolated fungi. The results revealed the fungi isolated from the Fallopia rhizosphere to be Penicillium striatisporum and Gongronella sichuanensis. Given that these species have never previously been recorded in Korea, we have described the morphological and molecular characteristics of these fungi in this study.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.545-553
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• 2021

In 2021, seven yeast strains were isolated from earthworm (Eisenia andrei) gut samples collected from the Nanji Water Regeneration Center in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. A total of seven yeasts were isolated, of which three strains have not been previously reported in Korea. To identify the yeasts, pairwise sequence comparisons of large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences were performed using the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST). Assimilation test and cell morphology analysis were performed using the API 20C AUX kit and phase contrast microscope, respectively. Five of the seven strains were assigned to the genus Candida of the order Saccharomycetales of the class Saccharomycetes, and two to the genus Apiotrichum of the order Trichosporonales of the class Tremellomycetes. The yeast strain Candida sojae E2 belongs to the family Debaryomycetaceae, and Apiotrichum laibachii E8 and A. laibachii E9 belong to the family Trichosporonaceae. All strains were cultured in yeast mold agar for three days and showed different colony forms. C. sojae E2 was round and entire shaped, while A. laibachii E8 and A. laibachii E9 was round and convex shaped. This study focuses on the description of the three yeast strains that have not been officially reported in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.967-972
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• 2018

The genus Chattonella belonging to the class raphidophyceae, is a harmful algal bloom species. Recently, its occurrence has been increasing and expanding along the Korean coast. Species identification of the genus Chattonella only by morphological observation is difficult due to the lack of rigid cell walls. In this study, the morphological characteristics and genetic affinity of Chattonella sp. isolated from Deungnyang Bay in 2017 were examined. We carried out single-cell isolation from field samples then sequenced three different areas using the single-cell PCR method: 1) parts of ribosomal operon, the large subunit (LSU) of the rDNA, 2) the chloroplast-encoded subunit psaA of Photosystem I, and 3) rbcL encoding the large subunit of the Rubisco gene. The cells were morphologically very similar to the general genus Chattonella ($74.0{\pm}10.1{\mu}m$ in length, $33.1{\pm}3.6{\mu}m$ in width). The three partial gene sequences were insufficient to justify distinction at the species rank. However, they clustered at 99-100 % sequence similarity with C. marina, C. marina var. antiqua and C. marina var. ovata.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2017

Background: Species in the heterokont genus Synura are colonial and have silica scales whose ultrastructural characteristics are used for classification. We examined the ultrastructure of silica scales and molecular data (nuclear SSU rDNA and LSU rDNA, and plastid rbcL sequences) to better understand the taxonomy and phylogeny within the section Petersenianae of genus Synura. In addition, we report the first finding of newly recorded Synura species from Korea. Results: We identified all species by examination of scale ultrastructure using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Three newly recorded species from Korea, Synura americana, Synura conopea, and Synura truttae were described based on morphological characters, such as cell size, scale shape, scale size, keel shape, number of struts, distance between struts, degree of interconnections between struts, size of base plate pores, keel pores, base plate hole, and posterior rim. The scales of the newly recorded species, which belong to the section Petersenianae, have a well-developed keel and a characteristic number of struts on the base plate. We performed molecular phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data from three genes in 32 strains (including three outgroup species). The results provided strong statistical support that the section Petersenianae was monophyletic, and that all taxa within this section had well-developed keels and a defined number of struts on the base plate. Conclusions: The phylogenetic tree based on sequence data of three genes was congruent with the data on scale ultrastructure. The resulting phylogenetic tree strongly supported the existence of the section Petersenianae. In addition, we propose newly recorded Synura species from Korea based on phylogenetic analyses and morphological characters: S. americana, S. conopea, and S. truttae.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2019

A rust fungus on Iris domestica (syn. Belamcanda chinensis) from China was previously identified as Puccinia iridis. Accordingly, the identity of the rust fungus on the same host species in Korea needs to be reexamned. Morphological characteristics of the Korean materials matched with P. iridis. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on internal transcribed spacer and large subunit rDNA sequences of two representative materials confirmed the identification by high sequence similarities of 100% and 99% with the reference sequences available in NCBI GenBank database. Phylogenetic tree inferred from neighbor-joining method proved them to be clustered in P. iridis group. Thus, the rust fungus on I. domestica in Korea was determined as P. iridis. On the other hand, a previous record that Puccinia belamcandae is another rust agent on I. domestica in Korea should be reconfirmed in future.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.119-125
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• 2021

Hydrangea petiolaris, belonging to the family Hydrangeaceae, is a vine plant distributed in Ulleung, Jeju, and other southern islands of Korea. In October 2017, a rust fungus was discovered on H. petiolaris in Jeju Island, Korea. To identify the rust fungus, we performed a morphological examination and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer and 28S large subunit rDNA sequences. As a result, the fungus was identified as Pucciniastrum hydrangeae-petiolaris, consistent with previous reports from Japan and Russia, but showed a significant phylogenetic distance from Pucciniastrum hydrangeae reported on Hydrangeae spp. in North America. This is the first record of P. hydrangeae-petiolaris on H. petiolaris in Korea.