• Mycobiology
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.361-369
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• 2018

The rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, is an important pathogen of rice plants. It is well known that genes encoded in the genome have different evolutionary histories that are related to their functions. Phylostratigraphy is a method that correlates the evolutionary origin of genes with evolutionary transitions. Here we applied phylostratigraphy to partition total gene content of M. oryzae into distinct classes (phylostrata), which we designated PS1 to PS7, based on estimation of their emergence time. Genes in individual phylostrata did not show significant biases in their global distribution among seven chromosomes, but at the local level, clustering of genes belonging to the same phylostratum was observed. Our phylostrata-wide analysis of genes revealed that genes in the same phylostratum tend to be similar in many physical and functional characteristics such as gene length and structure, GC contents, codon adaptation index, and level of transcription, which correlates with biological functions in evolutionary context. We also found that a significant proportion of genes in the genome are orphans, for which no orthologs can be detected in the database. Among them, we narrowed down to seven orphan genes having transcriptional and translational evidences, and showed that one of them is implicated in asexual reproduction and virulence, suggesting ongoing evolution in this fungus through lineage-specific genes. Our results provide genomic basis for linking functions of pathogenicity factors and gene emergence time.

• 한국작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국작물학회 2022년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.287-287
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• 2022

In this study, we analyze RNA-seq data from OxF3Hand WT at several points (Oh, 3 h, 12 h, and 24 h) after WBPH infection. A number of the genes were further validated by RT-qPCR. Results revealed that highest number of DEGs (4,735) between the two genotypes detected after 24 h of infection. Interestingly, many of the DEGs between the WT and OsF3H under control conditions were also found to be differentially expressed in OsF3H in response to WBPH infestation. These results indicate that significant differences in gene expression between the "OxF3H" and "WT" exist as the infection time increases. Many of these DEGs were related to oxidoreductase activity, response to stress, salicylic acid biosynthesis, metabolic process, defense response to pathogen, cellular response to toxic substance, and regulation of hormones level. Moreover, genes involved in salicylic acid (SA) and Ethylene (Et) biosynthesis were upregulated in OxF3H plants while jasmonic acid (JA), Brassinosteroid (Br), and abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathways were found downregulated in OxF3H plant during WBPH infestation. Interestingly, many DEGs related to pathogenesis such as OsPR1, OsPR1b, NPR1, OsNPR3 and OsNPR5 were found significantly upregulated in OxF3H plants. Additionally, genes related to MAPKs pathway, and about 30 WRKY genes involved in different pathways were found upregulated in OxF3H plants after WBPH infestation. This suggests that overexpression of the OxF3H gene leads to multiple transcriptomic changes and impact plant hormones, pathogenic related and secondary metabolites related genes and enhancing the plant resistance to WBPH infestation.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.172-178
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• 2009

To obtain global gene expression profiles of Arabidopsis thaliana by acid stress, seedlings were subjected to low pH stress. Using Affymetrix AH1 chips covering 24,000 genes, we analyzed gene expression patterns. Fifty-four genes were up-regulated, and 38 were down-regulated more than 3-fold after 2 h of acid stress (pH 3.0). Several defense and abiotic stress-related genes were recognized among the up-regulated genes and peroxidase and extensin genes were identified among the down-regulated genes. After 12 h treatment, relatively fewer genes showed changed expression, indicating that plants seem to adjust themselves to this abiotic stress. Most of the up-regulated genes are already known to be involved in abiotic stress responses and pathogen attacks, especially wounding. However, down-regulated genes for the members of extensins and peroxidases are specific to the acid treatment. These results suggest that acid treatment turns on genes involved in stress responses, especially in wounding and turns off genes very specific for the acid stress.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.13.1-13.8
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• 2023

Importance of accurate molecular diagnosis and quantification of particular disease-related pathogenic microorganisms is highlighted as an introductory step to prevent and care for diseases. In this study, we designed a primer/probe set for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) targeting rgpA gene, known as the specific virulence factor of periodontitis-related pathogenic bacteria 'Porphyromonas gingivalis', and evaluated its diagnostic efficiency by detecting and quantifying relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis within saliva samples collected from clinical subjects. As a result of qRT-PCR, we confirmed that relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis was detected and quantified within all samples of positive control and periodontitis groups. On the contrary, negative results were confirmed in both negative control and healthy groups. Additionally, as a result of comparison with next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based 16S metagenome profiling data, we confirmed relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis, which was not identified on bacterial classification table created through 16S microbiome analysis, in qRT-PCR results. It showed that an approach to quantifying specific microorganisms by applying qRT-PCR method could solve microbial misclassification issues at species level of an NGS-based 16S microbiome study. In this respect, we suggest that P. gingivalis-specific primer/probe set introduced in present study has efficient applicability in various oral healthcare industries, including periodontitis-related microbial molecular diagnosis field.

• ALGAE
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.217-222
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• 2015

Pythium species (Pythiales, Oomycetes) are well known as the algal pathogen that causes red rot disease in Pyropia / Porphyra species (Bangiales, Rhodophyta). Accurate species identification of the pathogen is important to finding a scientific solution for the disease and to clarify the host-parasite relationship. In Korea, only Pythium porphyrae has been reported from Pyropia species, with identifications based on culture and genetic analysis of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Recent fungal DNA barcoding studies have shown the low taxonomic resolution of the ITS region and suggested the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene as an alternative molecular marker to identify Pythium species. In this study, we applied an analysis of both the ITS and cox1 regions to clarify the taxonomic relationships of Korean Pythium species. From the results, the two closely related Pythium species (P. chondricola and P. porphyrae) showed the same ITS sequence, while the cox1 marker successfully discriminated P. chondricola from P. porphyrae. This is the first report of the presence of P. chondricola from the infected blade of Pyropia yezoensis in Asia. This finding of the algal pathogen provides important information for identifying and determining the distribution of Pythium species. Further studies are also needed to confirm whether P. chondricola and P. porphyrae are coexisting as algal pathogens of Pyropia species in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.288-292
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• 2005

Pathogenesis-related protein-1a (PR-1a) is strongly induced in tobacco plants by pathogen attack, exogenous salicylic acid (SA) application and by other developmental processes. In order to develop a rapid screening system for the selection of plant defense-inducing compounds originated from various sources, we have transformed tobacco Samsun NN plants with a chimeric construct consisting of GUS $(\beta-glucuronidase)$. In the $T_1$ generation, three transgenic lines having stable GUS expression were selected for further promoter analysis. Using GUS histochemical assay, we observed strong GUS induction driven by PR-1a promoter in PR1a-GUS transgenic tobacco leaves in response to the exogenous application of SA or benzol (1,2,3) thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH), a SA­derivative compound. In addition, GUS expression was maintained locally or systemically in PR1a-GUS transgenic line $\#5\;T_2$ generation) until after 3 days when they were treated with same chemicals. Our results suggested that the PR1a-GUS reporter gene system in tobacco plants may be applicable for the large-scale screening of defense-inducing substances.

• BMB Reports
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.343-350
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• 2004

A cDNA clone for a salicylic acid-induced gene in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) was isolated and characterized. The cabbage gene encoding a protein of 392 amino acids contained a tandem array of two thiJ-like sequences. ThiJ is a thiamin biosynthesis enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of hydroxymethylpyrimidine (HMP) to HMP monophosphate. Although the cabbage gene shows a similarity to bacterial thiJ genes, it also shares a similarity with the human DJ-1, a multifunctional protein that is involved in transcription regulation, male fertility, and parkinsonism. The cabbage thiJ-like gene is strongly induced by salicylic acid and a nonhost pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, which elicits a hypersensitive response in Chinese cabbage. Treatment of the cabbage leaves with BTH, methyl jasmonate, or ethephon showed that the cabbage thiJ-like gene expression is also strongly induced by BTH, but not by methyl jasmonate or ethylene. This indicates that the cabbage gene is activated via a salicylic acid-dependent signaling pathway. Examination of the tissue-specific expression revealed that the induction of the cabbage gene expression by BTH occurs in the leaf, stem, and floral tissues but not in the root.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.191-211
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• 2023

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) causes high mortality and economic losses in rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) aquaculture industry in Korea. Although, the immune responses of rock bream under RBIV infection have been studied, there is not much information at the different stages of infection (initial, middle and recovery). Gene expression profiling of rock bream under different RBIV infection stages was investigated using a microarray approaches. In total, 5699 and 6557 genes were significantly up- or down-regulated over 2-fold, respectively, upon RBIV infection. These genes were grouped into categories such as innate immune responses, adaptive immune responses, complements, lectin, antibacterial molecule, stress responses, DNA/RNA binding, energy metabolism, transport and cell cycle. Interestingly, hemoglobins (α and β) appears to be important during pathogenesis; it is highly up-regulated at the initial stage and is gradually decreased when the pathogen most likely multiplying and fish begin to die at the middle or later stage. Expression levels were re-elevated at the recovery stage of infection. Among up-regulated genes, interferon-related genes were found to be responsive in most stages of RBIV infection. Moreover, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP)-associated factor 1 (XAF1) expression was high, whereas expression of apoptosis-relate genes were low. In addition, stress responses were highly induced in the virus infection. The cDNA microarray data were validated using quantative real-time PCR. Our results provide novel inslights into the broad immune responses triggered by RBIV at different infection stages.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.208-214
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• 2014

Wild rice, Oryza grandiglumis shows hyper-resistance response to pathogen infection. In order to identify genes necessary for defense response in plants, we have carried out a subtractive hybridization coupled with a cDNA macroarray. An acidic PATHOGENESIS-RELATED1 (PR1) gene of the wild rice is highly identical to the acidic PR1 genes of different plant species. The OgPR1a cDNA has an apparent single open reading frame with a predicted molecular mass 40,621 Da and an isoelectic point of 5.14. Both in silico analysis and a transient expression assay in onion epidermal cells revealed that the OgPR1a protein could be localized in intercellular space in plants. The OgPR1a mRNA was strongly transcribed by the exogenous treatment with ethylene and jasmonic acid as well as protein phosphatase inhibitors. Additionally, ectopic expression of the OgPR1a conferred disease resistance on Arabidopsis to the bacterial and fungal infections.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.157-163
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• 2020

급속한 산업화와 인구증가에 따른 심각한 환경과 식량문제는 인류의 생존을 위협하는 가장 중요한 현안문제로 대두되고 있다. 또한, 인구 증가에 따른 식량부족을 해결하기 위하여 농약과 화학비료의 무분별한 사용으로 인하여 농토는 산성화되어 황폐화가 되고 있고 먹이사슬 및 자연생태계의 파괴는 더 많은 농약의 사용을 필요하고 있다. 과다한 농약 사용으로 경제적인 부담의 가중과 잔류 농약으로 인한 소비자의 건강을 위협하고 있다. 또한, 증가된 화석연료의 사용은 공기중의 이산화탄소를 증가시켜 지구 온도의 상승을 초래하고 있으며, 결과적으로 기상이변, 지구온난화 및 사막화 등의 심각한 환경문제를 초래했다. 특히, 서늘한 기온에서 잘 자라는 배추, 무우, 감자 등의 고령지 농작물의 질적인 저하를 초래하여 피해가 증가하고 있지만, 최근들어 감자와 같은 알카리성 건강식품의 붐으로 수요가 증가되고 있다. 본 연구에서 환경스트레스에 관여하는 대두의 특이적인 칼모듈린, GmCaM-4 유전자를 감자에 과발현 시켜서 PR 유전자들의 발현이 지속적으로 유지되어 식물방어 기작이 활성화 되었음을 확인하였다. 또한, 그 형질전환 식물체는 초민감성 세포사멸 현상을 보였고, 무름병을 일으키는 병원균인 Erwinia carotovora subsp. Carotovora (Ecc)를 이용하여 GmCaM-4가 과발현된 감자에서 병 저항성이 증가하는 것을 확인 하였다. 최종적으로 지금까지 많이 연구되고 보고된 유전자원인 대두의 GmCaM-4 유전자를 활용하여 주요 식량자원인 감자에서 과발현 형질전환 식물체를 확보하여 다양한 병 저항성 증가를 통한 작물 생산성 향상에 매우 우수한 기술로 기대되는 바이다.