• Mycobiology
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.213-218
• /
• 2022

The genus Mitrula (Mitrulaceae, Helotiales), as also known as swamp beacons, inhabits submerged, decaying vegetation in standing or decaying needles, twigs, leaves, and shallow water. They play an important role in carbon cycling in some freshwater ecosystems. In the herbarium of the Korea National Arboretum (KH), seven Mitrula specimens were collected during mushroom forays in the period from 2019 to 2021. The Korean collections were found to be macromorphologically closely related to M. paludosa and M. elegans, but micro-morphologically they could be distinguished by characteristics of slightly narrower asci and aseptate ascospores. Our molecular phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 28S rDNA regions also revealed that our specimens were related to M. paludosa and M. elegans, but formed a distinct clade. Based on these results, we reported our specimens as new to science and discussed the phylogeny and diversity of Mitrula species.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.405-412
• /
• 2022

Suncheon Bay Ecological Park, possessing abundant fisheries and biological diversity, was registered as a Ramsar wetland in Korea. Approximately 300 bacterial strains were isolated from the Suncheon Bay in a comprehensive study of indigenous prokaryotic species conducted during 2019-2020 in South Korea. A total of 12 bacterial strains were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, demonstrating >98.7% sequence similarity with validly published species. These species were determined to be unrecorded bacterial species in Korea. A total of six strains were isolated from brackish water and Phragmites communis Trin (reed) species. These unrecorded species were phylogenetically diverse and belonged to three classes, six orders, and ten genera. Regarding the genus and class levels, the previously unrecorded species belonged to Jiella, Martelella, Rhizobium, Paracoccus, Rhodovulum, and Altererythrobacter of the class Alphaproteobacteria; Mycolicibacterium, Demequina, and Microbacterium of the class Actinobacteria; Confluentibacter of the class Flavobacteria. The twelve species were further characterized by gram staining, colony and cell morphology, biochemical properties, and phylogenetic position.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.99-113
• /
• 2023

The nudibranch is one of the most colorful gastropod species found in oceans worldwide. Unlike many other gastropod groups, the nudibranch loses an external shell in the adult stage, but instead develops various chemical defense systems. More than 2,500 nudibranch species have been reported worldwide, and 73 species are currently recorded in Korean waters. In this study, we present morphological descriptions, DNA barcode information of mtDNA cox1 sequence, and taxonomic review for five nudibranch species: Apata pricei (MacFarland, 1966), Doto rosacea Baba, 1949, Janolus toyamensis Baba and Abe, 1970, Polycera abei (Baba, 1960), and Trinchesia sibogae (Bergh, 1905). Of these, we also provide in-depth discussion of taxonomic issue of A. pricei that was previously subdivided into two subspecies, A. pricei pricei and A. pricei komandorica. Our morphological examination and molecular analyses of the mtDNA cox1 sequences indicate that these two subspecies are not taxonomically warranted. The phylogenetic information for the other nudibranch species from mtDNA cox1 sequence analysis is also included, providing a molecular basis for species identification and inferring their local phylogenies within each of the species groups discussed herein.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.12 no.spc2
• /
• pp.23-32
• /
• 2023

During screening for indigenous prokaryotic species in Republic of Korea in 2021, a total of 21 bacterial strains assigned to the phylum Bacteroidota were isolated from a variety of environmental habitats including pine cone, seaweed, soil, sea sediment, brackish water and moss. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity value of more than 98.7% and formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the type strain of the closest bacterial species, it was found that the 21 strains belong to independent and recognized bacterial species. There has been no official report that the identified 21 species have been isolated in Republic of Korea up to date. Therefore, 16 species in six genera of two families in the order Flavobacteriales, two species in two genera of two families in the order Cytophagales, one species in one genus of one family in the order Chitinophagales and two species in one genus of one family in the order Sphingobacteriales are proposed as unrecorded species of the phylum Bacteroidota isolated in Republic of Korea. Their Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic phenotypic characteristics, isolation source, taxonomic status, strain ID and other information are described in the species descriptions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
• /
• 2022.10a
• /
• pp.218-218
• /
• 2022

Granules-bound starch synthase II (GBSSII), one of the isoforms of granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS), is responsible for amylose synthesis by expressing in non-storage tissues such as leaf, stem, root, and pericarp. Up to date, little is known about this gene functions and basic knowledge of heritable characteristics of this gene, GBSSII. We identified functional haplotypes and performed evolutionary analyses on the GBSSII using 374 rice accessions (320 Korean bred and 54 wild) based on the classified groups. A total of 14 haplotypes were found, and almost all haplotypes (13) were functional, carrying 19 non-synonymous SNPs in two exons (exons 1 and 2). The lowest nucleotide diversity was detected in Tropical japonica (0.00145), while the highest pi-value was in Aus (0.01081), illustrating the signal of this gene evolution. The highest Tajima's D value in Aus (1.6380) indicates GBSSII gene domestication signature under balancing selection, while the lowest Tajima's D value in Temperate japonica (-0.8243) highlights that they were under positive selection, which may be purified due to the excess of rare alleles. The highest genetic differentiation was observed between Tropical japonica and aroma (F_ST = 0.921928). In contrast, the highest interbreed level was detected in Aus-admixture (F_ST = -0.20157). The genetic relatedness between and or among the wild and cultivated subpopulations was revealed through PCA, population structure, and phylogenetic analyses.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.265-276
• /
• 2023

This study aimed to isolate and characterize fungi from freshwater environments in South Korea and evaluate their extracellular enzyme activities. Fungal strains were collected from various freshwater sources and identified using phylogenetic analysis. The isolated fungi included known aquatic hyphomycetes and previously unreported species. Extracellular enzyme, including those of protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase, laccase, and chitinase, activities were evaluated. Among the isolated strains, several showed high enzyme activity, suggesting their potential role in organic matter decomposition in freshwater ecosystems. This research expands our knowledge of the diversity and enzyme activities of the fungi in freshwater environments, contributing to our understanding of their ecological roles.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.491-504
• /
• 2023

To explore fungal diversity in orchard soil where fire-blighted apple trees are buried, we collected soil samples from apple orchards in Chungju, Korea. Fungal isolates were obtained from DG18 agar and identified at the species level based on morphological features and phylogenetic analyses. The colony characteristics and microstructures were examined using a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope after culturing on potato dextrose agar (PDA), malt extract agar (MEA), Czapek yeast agar (CYA), and oatmeal agar (OA) The PCR-amplified products of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and 28S large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene, as well as partial sequences of the β-tubulin, calmodulin, and translation elongation factor 1-α genes were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. Seven previously unknown fungal species were explored in Korea. All samples, including Aspergillus aureolatus, Botryotrichum atrogriseum, Dactylonectria novozelandica, Fusarium denticulatum, Paecilomyces tabacinus, Sarcopodium tibetense and Talaromyces stollii, had ascomycetes. Herein, we report their descriptions and features.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.59-74
• /
• 2024

Terrestrial cyanobacteria are extremely diverse. In urban areas, they can be found as black stains on the surface of building walls, stone monuments, or man-made structures. Many of the terrestrial cyanobacteria are still understudied. To expand knowledge of terrestrial cyanobacterial diversity, a polyphasic characterization was performed to identify 12 strains isolated from campus of University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region showed that the isolated strains formed two independent subclades within Nodosilinea, and were distantly related to all described Nodosilinea species. The 16S-23S rRNA ITS secondary structures showed variations for D1-D1' and Box B domain, while V3 domain was almost identical among entire species of Nodosilinea, including the studied strains. In addition, a unique morphological character, i.e. forming nodule or spiral shape, was also observed in certain studied strains. According to polyphasic characterization, Nodosilinea coculeatus sp. nov. and Nodosilinea terrestrialis sp. nov., were proposed as two new species of terrestrial cyanobacteria from Okinawa.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.130-134
• /
• 2024

The family Velutinidae is found in various intertidal and subtidal habitats worldwide including Arctic and Antarctic seas. They are characterized by possessing a fragile shell that is partially or entirely covered by the mantle. Eight valid species of the genus Coriocella have been reported mostly in the Indo-West Pacific. Here we report Coriocella jayi Wellens, 1996 from Korean waters for the first time and describe details of their external morphology and radula characteristics using scanning electron microscopy, and provide the mtDNA cox1 sequence as a DNA barcode sequence information. This species is distinguished from other congeneric species by having six cylinder-shaped tubercular lobes of their dorsal part of mantle body and mantle color. Phylogenetic tree using the mtDNA cox1 sequence data shows that two Coriocella species (C. jayi and C. nigra) are grouped as their respective sister among Velutinidae species, and these relationships are strongly supported by 100% bootstrap value. Despite the morphological similarities, further investigation will be needed to confirm whether the African and Korean populations can be justified as the same species with a disconnected distribution range, or represent morphologically similar but two distinct species.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.205-217
• /
• 2024

Brown rot disease, caused by Monilinia spp., poses a significant threat to pome and stone fruit crops globally, resulting in substantial economic losses during pre- and post-harvest stages. Monilinia fructigena, M. laxa, and M. fructicola are identified as the key agents responsible for brown rot disease. In this study, we employed the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method to assess the genetic diversity of 86 strains of Monilinia spp. isolated from major stone fruit cultivation regions in South Korea. Specifically, strains were collected from Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Gyeongsang, and Jeolla provinces (-do). A comparative analysis of strain characteristics, such as isolation locations, host plants, and responses to chemical fungicides, was conducted. AFLP phylogenetic classification using 20 primer pairs revealed the presence of three distinct groups, with strains from Jeolla province consistently forming a separate group at a high frequency. Furthermore, M. fructicola was divided into three groups by the AFLP pattern. Principal coordinate analysis and PERMANOVA were applied to compare strain information, such as origin, host, and fungicide sensitivity, revealing significant partition patterns for AFLP according to geographic origin and host plants. This study represents the utilization of AFLP methodology to investigate the genetic variability among M. fructicola isolates, highlighting the importance of continuous monitoring and management of variations in the brown rot pathogen.