• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.240-246
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• 2016

During a survey of the activities of fungi in steamed sweet potato, stored garlic, agricultural by-products for mushroom cultivation media, and pinewood chips from a pinewood nematode-infected tree, numerous fungal samples were isolated and identified. This study identified five species that have not been previously reported in Korea, namely Geomyces pannorum, Neopestalotiopsis javaensis, Penicillium allii, Penicillium chermesinum, and Ophiognomonia setacea. For all identified species, the cultural features of colonies formed on growth media, their morphological characteristics observed by a light microscope, and their molecular phylogenetic relationships based on nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer rDNA region or calmodulin gene were described.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.372-382
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• 2014

In this study, the chloroplast (cp) genome sequences from three early diverged leptosporangiate ferns were completed and analyzed in order to understand the evolution of the genome of the fern lineages. The complete cp genome sequence of Osmunda cinnamomea (Osmundales) was 142,812 base pairs (bp). The cp genome structure was similar to that of eusporangiate ferns. The gene/intron losses that frequently occurred in the cp genome of leptosporangiate ferns were not found in the cp genome of O. cinnamomea. In addition, putative RNA editing sites in the cp genome were rare in O. cinnamomea, even though the sites were frequently predicted to be present in leptosporangiate ferns. The complete cp genome sequence of Diplopterygium glaucum (Gleicheniales) was 151,007 bp and has a 9.7 kb inversion between the trnL-CAA and trnV-GCA genes when compared to O. cinnamomea. Several repeated sequences were detected around the inversion break points. The complete cp genome sequence of Lygodium japonicum (Schizaeales) was 157,142 bp and a deletion of the rpoC1 intron was detected. This intron loss was shared by all of the studied species of the genus Lygodium. The GC contents and the effective numbers of codons (ENCs) in ferns varied significantly when compared to seed plants. The ENC values of the early diverged leptosporangiate ferns showed intermediate levels between eusporangiate and core leptosporangiate ferns. However, our phylogenetic tree based on all of the cp gene sequences clearly indicated that the cp genome similarity between O. cinnamomea (Osmundales) and eusporangiate ferns are symplesiomorphies, rather than synapomorphies. Therefore, our data is in agreement with the view that Osmundales is a distinct early diverged lineage in the leptosporangiate ferns.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.371-378
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• 2015

Surveys of yellowing viruses in plastic tunnels and in open field crops of melon (Cucumis melo cultivar catalupo), oriental melon (C. melo cultivar oriental melon), and cucumber (C. sativus) were carried out in two melon-growing areas in 2014, Korea. Severe yellowing symptoms on older leaves of melon and chlorotic spots on younger leaves of melon were observed in the plastic tunnels. The symptoms were widespread and included initial chlorotic lesions followed by yellowing of whole leaves and thickening of older leaves. RT-PCR analysis using total RNA extracted from diseased leaves did not show any synthesized products for four cucurbit-infecting viruses; Beet pseudo-yellows virus, Cucumber mosaic virus, Cucurbit yellows stunting disorder virus, and Melon necrotic spot virus. Virus identification using RT-PCR showed Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows Virus (CABYV) was largely distributed in melon, oriental melon and cucumber. This result was verified by aphid (Aphis gossypii) transmission of CABYV. The complete coat protein (CP) gene amplified from melon was cloned and sequenced. The CP gene nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequence comparisons as well as phylogenetic tree analysis of CABYV CPs showed that the CABYV isolates were undivided into subgroups. Although the low incidence of CABYV in infections to cucurbit crops in this survey, CABYV may become an important treat for cucurbit crops in many different regions in Korea, suggesting that CABYV should be taken into account in disease control of cucurbit crops in Korea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1305-1310
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• 2013

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual herb with a long history and it is mainly used as a spice and as a medicine that is effective as a digestive aid, a sedative, and a narcotic, and that helps remove bad breath. Dill grows wild in the districts along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, West Asia, China, and Korea. An estimate of the phylogenetic relationships within dill accessions in 20 countries was inferred using data from the rps16-trnK3-intergenic spacer. The aligned data sets for dill ranged from 747 to 779 nucleotides (bp) as a result of the differences in the insert/delete nucleotides. The sequence variation within the dill accessions was mostly due to nucleotide substitutions, although several small insertions and deletions can be found. Among 100 accessions from 20 countries, the Eastern Asia accessions were more closely related to the North American accessions than to the Central Asia and European accessions. Although some accessions were not congruent completely with geographical locations, the dill accessions with rps16-trnK analysis resulted in plants with better-resolved clades.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.461-467
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• 2019

Avian trematodes, Urogonimus turdi (Digenea: Leucochloridiidae), were collected from the intestine of wild birds, Zoothera aurea, 2013-2017 in the Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea. The body was ellipsoidal, attenuated and/or round ends, 1,987-2,120 long and $819-831{\mu}m$ wide. The oral sucker was subterminal, rounded anteriorly, and $308-425{\times}351-432{\mu}m$ in size; the prepharynx and esophagus were almost lacking; pharynx was well-developed, $142-179{\times}78-170{\mu}m$ in size; intestine narrow, bifurcating just after pharynx, ascending to the oral sucker before looping posteriorly and terminating near the posterior end; ventral sucker larger, in almost median, $536-673{\times}447-605{\mu}m$ and approximately 1.5 times larger than oral sucker. A phylogenetic tree constructed with 18S ribosomal RNA showed inter- and intraspecific relationships. Based on these morphological and molecular findings, we report here a U. turdi from White's thrushes in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1.1-1.12
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• 2021

Background: Goslings in several Taiwanese farms experienced gosling feather loss disease (GFL) at 21-35 days and goose broke feather disease (GBF) at 42-60 days. The prevalence ranges from a few birds to 500 cases per field. It is estimated that about 12,000 geese have been infected, the morbidity is 70-80% and the mortality is 20-30%. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the pathogens that cause GFL and GBF. Focus on the study of the correlation between goose circovirus (GoCV) and goose parvovirus (GPV) with the goose feather loss in southern Taiwan. Furthermore, a phylogenetic tree was established to align the differences between southern and northern Taiwan and compare with virus strains from China and Europe. Methods: Samples were collected from animal hospitals. Molecular and microscopy diagnostics were used to examine 92 geese. Specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) assays are performed to evaluate GPV and GoCV viral loads and simultaneously evaluated the feather loss conditions in geese with the scoring method. Results: High prevalence of GoCV and GPV infection in geese showing signs of GFL and GBF. Inclusion body was detected in the feather follicles and Lieberkuhn crypt epithelial cells. The Q-PCR showed the high correlation between feather loss and viruses during 3rd-5th week. However, the infection was not detected using the same test in 60 healthy geese. Conclusions: Thus, GFL and GBF appear to be significantly closely related to GoCV and GPV. The geese feathers showed increasing recovery after being quarantined and disinfected.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.162-172
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• 2021

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is the predominant viral pathogen that affects the yield and quality of soybean. The natural host range for SMV is very narrow, and generally limited to Leguminosae. However, we found that SMV can naturally infect Pinellia ternata and Atractylodes macrocephala. In order to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the cross-family infection of SMV, we used double-stranded RNA extraction, rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction and Gibson assembly techniques to carry out SMV full-length genome amplification from susceptible soybeans and constructed an infectious cDNA clone for SMV. The genome of the SMV Shanxi isolate (SMV-SX) consists of 9,587 nt and encodes a polyprotein consisting of 3,067 aa. SMV-SX and SMV-XFQ008 had the highest nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities of 97.03% and 98.50%, respectively. A phylogenetic tree indicated that SMV-SX and SMV-XFQ018 were clustered together, sharing the closest relationship. We then constructed a pSMV-SX infectious cDNA clone by Gibson assembly technology and used this clone to inoculate soybean and Ailanthus altissima; the symptoms of these hosts were similar to those caused by the virus isolated from natural infected plant tissue. This method of construction not only makes up for the time-consuming and laborious defect of traditional methods used to construct infectious cDNA clones, but also avoids the toxicity of the Potyvirus special sequence to Escherichia coli, thus providing a useful cloning strategy for the construction of infectious cDNA clones for other viruses and laying down a foundation for the further investigation of SMV cross-family infection mechanisms.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2023

Dendropanax trifidus belonging to the family Araliaceae, is a warm-temperate evergreen tree distributed in Jeju Island, Bogil Island, Geomun Island, Geoje Island, Wando, and Haenam in Korea. In June 2021, a root rot disease in which branches of Dendropanax trifidus seedlings turned brown and shrunk was discovered at the seedling cultivation facility in Naju-si, Republic of Korea. To identify the root rot fungus, three strains were isolated from the diseased tissues of seedlings and their mycological characteristics were investigated on potato dextrose agar. In addition, a molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and translation elongation factor 1-α (EF1-α) gene. The fungus was identified as Fusarium oxysporum. For pathogenicity test, the roots of seedlings were immersed in the conidia suspension of the strains and planted. After 20 days inoculation, root rot and browning symptoms were confirmed in the inoculated plants. This is the first report of F. oxysporum on D. trifidus in Korea.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.325-339
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• 2022

Endophytes ascertain a symbiotic relationship with plants as promoters of growth, defense mechanism etc. This study is a first report to screen the endophytic population in Waltheria indica, a tropical medicinal plant. 5 bacterial and 3 fungal strains in leaves, 3 bacterial and 1 yeast species in stems were differentiated morphologically and identified by biochemical and molecular methods. The phylogenetic tree of the isolated endophytes was constructed using MEGA X. Silver nanoparticles were biosynthesized from a rare endophytic bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans isolated from the leaf of W. indica. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-Visible spectrophotometer that evidenced a strong absorption band at 408.5 nm of UV-Visible range with crystalline nature and average particle size of 16.4 nm by Particle size analyzer. The Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectrum displayed the presence of various functional groups that stabilized the nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction peaks were conferred to face centered cubic structure. Transmission Electron Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope revealed the spherical-shaped, polycrystalline nature with the presence of elemental silver analyzed by Energy Dispersive of X-Ray spectrum. Selected area electron diffraction also confirmed the orientation of AgNPs at 111, 200, 220, 311 planes similar to X-ray diffraction analysis. The synthesized nanoparticles are evaluated for antimicrobial activity against 7 bacterial and 3 fungal pathogens. A good zone of inhibition was observed against pathogenic bacteria than fungal pathogens. Thus the study could hold a key aspect in drug discovery research and other pharmacological conducts of human clinical conditions.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.36.1-36.19
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• 2023

The LIM domain-containing proteins are dominantly found in plants and play a significant role in various biological processes such as gene transcription as well as actin cytoskeletal organization. Nevertheless, genome-wide identification as well as functional analysis of the LIM gene family have not yet been reported in the economically important plant sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). Therefore, we conducted an in silico identification and characterization of LIM genes in S. bicolor genome using integrated bioinformatics approaches. Based on phylogenetic tree analysis and conserved domain, we identified five LIM genes in S. bicolor (SbLIM) genome corresponding to Arabidopsis LIM (AtLIM) genes. The conserved domain, motif as well as gene structure analyses of the SbLIM gene family showed the similarity within the SbLIM and AtLIM members. The gene ontology (GO) enrichment study revealed that the candidate LIM genes are directly involved in cytoskeletal organization and various other important biological as well as molecular pathways. Some important families of regulating transcription factors such as ERF, MYB, WRKY, NAC, bZIP, C2H2, Dof, and G2-like were detected by analyzing their interaction network with identified SbLIM genes. The cis-acting regulatory elements related to predicted SbLIM genes were identified as responsive to light, hormones, stress, and other functions. The present study will provide valuable useful information about LIM genes in sorghum which would pave the way for the future study of functional pathways of candidate SbLIM genes as well as their regulatory factors in wet-lab experiments.