• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.234-240
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• 2011

The genus Paeonia belongs to the family Paeoniaceae having significant medicinal and ornamental importance. The present investigation was undertaken with an aim to understand phylogenetic relationships of three Paeonia species (P. lactiflora, P. obovata, and P. suffruticosa) that are widely distributed in China, Korea, and Japan, using nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence and to compare the phylogeny results with investigations reported earlier using existed sequences of the same species. The size variation obtained among sequenced nrDNA ITS region was narrow and ranged from 722 to 726 bp. The highest interspecific genetic distance (GD) was found between P. lactiflora and P. suffruticosa or P. obovata. The phylogram obtained using our nrDNA ITS sequences showed non-congruence with previous hypothesis of the phylogeny between section Paeonia and section Moutan of genus Paeonia. This result was supported by the phylogenetic relations showed in the phylogram constructed with existed sequences in NCBI. The present study suggested that P. obovata belonging to section Paeonia was phylogenetically closer to P. suffruticosa representing section Moutan of genus Paeonia than P. lactiflora belonging to section Paeonia. The main reason of the paraphyly of section Paeonia is thought to be nucleotide additivity directly caused by origin hybridization. This study provides more sequence sources of genus Paeonia, and will help for further studies in intraspecies population, and their phylogentic analysis and molecular evolution.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2000

We have performed extensive simulations of response of gaseous disk in barred galaxies using SPH method. The gravitational potential is assumed to be generated by disk, bulge, halo, and bar. The mass of gaseous disk in SPH simulation is assumed to be negligible compared to the stellar and dark mass component, and the gravitational potential generated by other components is fixed in time. The self-gravity of the gas is not considered in most simulations, but we have made a small set of simulations including the self-gravity of the gas. Non-circular component of velocity generated by the rotating, non-axisymmetric potential causes many interesting features. In most cases, there is a strong tendency of concentration of gas toward the central parts of the galaxy. The morphology of the gas becomes quite complex, but the general behavior can be understood in terms of simple linear approximations: the locations and number of Lindblad resonances play critical role in determining the general distribution of the gas. We present our results in the form of 'atlas' of artificial galaxies. We also make a brief comment on the observational implications of our calculations. Since the gaseous component show interesting features while the stellar component behaves more smoothly, high resolution mapping using molecular emission line for barred galaxies would be desirable.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.240-250
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• 2020

Member of the genus Tobrilus Andrássy, 1959, which belongs to Tobrilidae Filipjev, 1918, are known as free-living nematodes in freshwater habitat. This genus was previously unknown from Korea. Five Tobrilus species are here reported for the first time from Korea: Tobrilus aberrans (Schneider, 1925), Tobrilus diversipapillatus (Daday, 1905), Tobrilus gracilis (Bastian, 1865), Tobrilus longus (Leidy, 1851), and Tobrilus wesenbergi (Micoletzky, 1925). Specimens were collected from sediments of the Nakdong River in Korea. Morphological characters and measurements of the specimens generally agree with the original descriptions of Tobrilus species, except for some differences that can be attributed to intraspecific variation among populations(e.g., nerve ring position [% pharynx] and reproductive length). Each species can be distinguished from other members of the genus by specific characters (e.g., cephalic setae length and position, buccal cavity and pocket shape, vulva position, degree of development of reproductive system, and tail length and shape). Here, five species in the genus Tobrilus are fully redescribed and illustrated using optical microscopy images. DNA barcode sequence information (the D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA) is also provided for molecular species identification.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.251-257
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• 2020

The genus Plectus Bastian, 1865 represents a group of free-living freshwater nematodes belonging to the family Plectidae Örley, 1880. However, only one species has been reported thus far from Korea. Plectus aquatilis Andrássy, 1985 and Plectus cirratus Bastian, 1865 are reported for the first time from Korea, from sediments collected from the Nakdong River. Plectus aquatilis is distinguished from other Plectus species by its three longitudinal alae in the lateral field, thin and directed cephalic setae, continuous lip region (head not set-off), and rectangular shaped tail. Plectus cirratus is distinguished from other Plectus species by its large body, two longitudinal alae in the lateral field, larger stoma, and longer tail. Morphological characters and measurements of the specimens generally agree with the original descriptions of Plectus species. Here, the morphological characters (detailed morphometrics) of two species in the genus Plectus are fully redescribed and illustrated using optical microscopy. DNA barcode sequence information from the 18S rDNA gene is also provided for molecular species identification and compared with sequences from other Plectus species available on GenBank.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.28.1-28.6
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• 2018

Due to the increasing interest in synonymous codons, several codon bias-related terms were introduced. As one measure of them, the tRNA adaptation index (tAI) was invented about a decade ago. The tAI is a measure of translational efficiency for a gene and is calculated based on the abundance of intracellular tRNA and the binding strength between a codon and a tRNA. The index has been widely used in various fields of molecular evolution, genetics, and pharmacology. Afterwards, an improved version of the index, named specific tRNA adaptation index (stAI), was developed by adapting tRNA copy numbers in species. Although a subsequently developed webserver (stAIcalc) provided tools that calculated stAI values, it was not available to access pre-calculated values. In addition to about 100 species in stAIcalc, we calculated stAI values for whole coding sequences in 148 species. To enable easy access to this index, we constructed a novel web database, named STADIUM (Species-specific tRNA adaptive index compendium). STADIUM provides not only the stAI value of each gene but also statistics based on pathway-based classification. The database is expected to help researchers who have interests in codon optimality and the role of synonymous codons. STADIUM is freely available at http://stadium.pmrc.re.kr.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2019

Aging is accompanied by a time-dependent progressive deterioration of multiple factors of the cellular system. The past several decades have witnessed major leaps in our understanding of the biological mechanisms of aging using dietary, genetic, pharmacological, and physical interventions. Metabolic processes, including nutrient sensing pathways and mitochondrial function, have emerged as prominent regulators of aging. Mitochondria have been considered to play a key role largely due to their production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in DNA damage that accumulates over time and ultimately causes cellular failure. This theory, known as the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging (MFRTA), was favored by the aging field, but increasing inconsistent evidence has led to criticism and rejection of this idea. However, MFRTA should not be hastily rejected in its entirety because we now understand that ROS is not simply an undesired toxic metabolic byproduct, but also an important signaling molecule that is vital to cellular fitness. Notably, mitochondrial function, a term traditionally referred to bioenergetics and apoptosis, has since expanded considerably. It encompasses numerous other key biological processes, including the following: (i) complex metabolic processes, (ii) intracellular and endocrine signaling/communication, and (iii) immunity/inflammation. Here, we will discuss shortcomings of previous concepts regarding mitochondria in aging and their emerging roles based on recent advances. We will also discuss how the mitochondrial genome integrates with major theories on the evolution of aging.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.127-135
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• 2021

Since the introduction of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) as a high-throughput mRNA expression analysis tool, this procedure has been increasingly implemented to identify cell-level transcriptome changes in a myriad of model systems. However, early methods processed cell samples in bulk, and therefore the unique transcriptomic patterns of individual cells would be lost due to data averaging. Nonetheless, the recent and continuous development of new single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) toolkits has enabled researchers to compare transcriptomes at a single-cell resolution, thus facilitating the analysis of individual cellular features and a deeper understanding of cellular functions. Nonetheless, the rapid evolution of high throughput single-cell "omics" tools has created the need for effective hypothesis verification strategies. Particularly, this issue could be addressed by coupling cell engineering techniques with single-cell sequencing. This approach has been successfully employed to gain further insights into disease pathogenesis and the dynamics of differentiation trajectories. Therefore, this review will discuss the current status of cell engineering toolkits and their contributions to single-cell and genome-wide data collection and analyses.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.2801-2808
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• 2022

The synergistic effect of ZrC nanoparticle pining and Re solution in W matrix on the thermal stability of tungsten was studied by investigating the evolution of the microstructure, hardness and tensile properties after annealing in a temperature range of 1000-1700 ℃. The results of metallography, electron backscatter diffraction pattern and Vickers micro-hardness indicate that the rolled W-1wt%Re-0.5 wt% ZrC alloy has a higher recrystallization temperature (1600 ℃-1700 ℃) than that of the rolled pure W (1200 ℃), W-0.5 wt%ZrC (1300 ℃), W-0.5 wt%HfC (1400-1500 ℃) and W-K-3wt%Re alloy fabricated by the same technology. The molecular dynamics simulation results indicated that solution Re atoms in W matrix can slow down the self-diffusion of W atoms and form dragging effect to delay the growth of W grain, moreover, the diffusion coefficient decrease with increasing Re content. In addition, the ZrC nanoparticles can pin the grain boundaries and dislocations effectively, preventing the recrystallization. Therefore, synergistic effect of solid solution Re element and dispersed ZrC nanoparticles significantly increase recrystallization temperature.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.66.1-66.9
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• 2021

Background: Maedi/Visna virus (MVV) is a contagious viral pathogen that causes considerable economic losses to the sheep industry worldwide. Objectives: In China, MVV has been detected in several regions, but its molecular characteristics and genetic variations were not thoroughly investigated. Methods: Therefore, in this study, we conducted next-generation sequencing on an MVV strain obtained from northwest China to reveal its genetic evolution via phylogenetic analysis. Results: A MVV strain obtained from Inner Mongolia (NM) of China was identified. Sequence analysis indicated that its whole-genome length is 9193 bp. Homology comparison of nucleotides between the NM strain and reference strains showed that the sequence homology of gag and env were 77.1%-86.8% and 67.7%-75.5%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the NM strain was closely related to the reference strains isolated from America, which belong to the A2 type. Notably, there were 5 amino acid insertions in variable region 4 and a highly variable motif at the C-terminal of the surface glycoprotein (SU5). Conclusions: The present study is the first to show the whole-genome sequence of an MVV obtained from China. The detailed analyses provide essential information for understanding the genetic characteristics of MVV, and the results enrich the MVV library.

• ALGAE
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2022

The trend in naming genera based almost exclusively on molecular data, and not on morphological diagnostic characters, is increasing. In bifurcating phylogenetic trees generic cut-offs are arbitrary, but at the bare minimum nomenclatural changes should be supported by multiple phylogenetic methodologies using appropriate models for all the various gene partitions, strong support with all branch support methods, and should also result in adding to our knowledge of the interrelationships of taxa. We believe that a recent taxonomic treatment of the genus Pyropia (Yang et al. 2020) into several genera is unwarranted. We reanalysed the data presented in the recent article, using additional phylogenetic methods. Our results show that many of the newly established genera are not well supported by all methods, and the new circumscription of the genus Pyropia renders it unsupported. We also tested additional outgroups, which were previously suggested as sister to Pyropia, but this did not substantially change our conclusions. These generic nomenclatural changes of the previously strongly supported genus Pyropia, do not shed light on the evolution of this group and have serious consequences in these commercially important algae, that are also governed by a plethora of regulation and by-laws that now need to be amended. We suggest that the over-splitting of groups based only on poorly produced and modestly supported phylogenies should not be accepted and that the genus Pyropia sensu Sutherland et al. (2011) be restored.