• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.651-656
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• 2013

Human schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma japonicum and Schistosoma mekongi is a chronic and debilitating helminthic disease still prevalent in several countries of Asia. Due to morphological similarities of cercariae and eggs of these 2 species, microscopic differentiation is difficult. High resolution melting (HRM) real-time PCR is developed as an alternative tool for the detection and differentiation of these 2 species. A primer pair was designed for targeting the 18S ribosomal RNA gene to generate PCR products of 156 base pairs for both species. The melting points of S. japonicum and S. mekongi PCR products were $84.5{\pm}0.07^{\circ}C$ and $85.7{\pm}0.07^{\circ}C$, respectively. The method permits amplification from a single cercaria or an egg. The HRM real-time PCR is a rapid and simple tool for differentiation of S. japonicum and S. mekongi in the intermediate and final hosts.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2006

The ubiquitin conjugating enzyme 2 (E2) is core component of ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP) which represents a selective mechanism for intracellular proteolysis in eukaryotic cells. The E2 has been implicated in the intracellular transfer of ubiquitin to target protein. We show here the involvement of E2 in antiviral immune of Bombyx mori to Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV). In this study, mRNA fluorescent differential display PCR (FDD-PCR) was performed with BmNPV highly resistant silkworm strain NB and susceptible silkworm strain 306. At 24 h post BmNPV infection, FDD-PCR with the arbitrary primer AP34 showed that one cDNA band was down-regulated in the midgut of resistant strain, but highly expressed in susceptible strain. The deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA clone share 99% identity with the recently published B. mori ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 (Genbank NO: DQ311351). Fluorescent quantitative PCR corroborated down regulation of E2 in resistant strain. We there conclude that BmNPV infection evokes strong response of susceptible strain including activation of UPP. BmNPV may evolve escape mechanisms that manipulate the UPP in order to persist in the infected host. In addition, the identification of down-regulation of E2 in resistant strain, as well as structure data, are essential to understanding how UPP operates in silkworm antiviral immune to BmNPV disease.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2011

In this study, 81 commercial strains of Pleurotus species cultivated in South Korea were analyzed with randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers were developed by designing from one RAPD polymorhic band specific to Suhan strain. The SCAR primer pair 'S-OPA13-1' amplified a 590-bp fragment in the varieties originated from Suhan strain. The Blast search of S-OPA13-1 showed high homology to the POMFBO1 P. ostreatus cDNA clone MFB02-A05 and Laccaria bicolor S238N-H82. The results showed that this SCAR marker can clearly distinguish Suhan strains from Pleurotus spp.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2010

A virus isolate causing symptoms of yellow mosaic, fern leaves, malformation and plant necrosis on Rudbeckia bicolor was prevalent around Pyeongchang area in Korea. The causal virus was identified as Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) using characteristics from biological, serological and molecular analyses and named as CMV-Rb. CMV-Rb caused mosaic on Nicotiana benthamiana, N. tabacum, Capsicum annuum, and Lycopersicon esculentum. However, typical local lesions did not develop on inoculated Pisum sativum, Cucurbita moschata, Datura stramonium and Tetragonia expansa plants. Full-length genome sequences of CMV-Rb RNAs 1, 2 and 3 were obtained using 12 primer pairs by RT-PCR analysis. The genome of CMV-Rb RNA segments 1, 2, and 3 consists of 3363nt, 3049nt, and 2214nt in length, respectively. In order to ascertain their taxonomic identity, nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequence analyses RNAs 1, 2 and 3 of CMV-Rb isolates were conducted with previously reported sequences of CMV strains and/or isolates. CMV-Rb RNAs showed about 90 to 99% sequence identity to those of subgroup I strains suggesting that CMV-Rb is more closely related to CMV isolates belong to subgroup I. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CMV on Rudbeckia bicolor in Korea.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2013

Anginosus group streptococci (AGS) were classified based on the nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA) and comprised Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus intermedius, and Streptococcus constellatus. It is known that AGS is a causative factor of oral and systematic diseases. The purpose of this study was to discriminate the 56 clinical strains of AGS isolated from Korean oral cavities using phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA and species-specific PCR at the species-level. The 16S rDNA of clinical strains of AGS was sequenced using the dideoxy chain termination method and analyzed using MEGA version 5 software. PCR was performed to identify the clinical strains using species-specific primers described in previous studies and S. intermedius-specific PCR primers developed in our laboratory. The resulting phylogenetic data showed that the 16S rDNA sequences can delineate the S. anginosus, S. intermedius, and S. constellatus strains even though the 16S rDNA sequence similarity between S. intermedius and S. constellatus is above 98%. The PCR data showed that each species-specific PCR primer pair could discriminate between clinical strains at the species-level through phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences. These results suggest that phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA and PCR are useful tools for discriminating between AGS strains at the species-level.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 1997

Transmission electron microscopy of an ArGnthnmoebo isolate (KA/LS) from a contact lens case revealed bacterial endosymbionts within cytoplasm of the amoebae. The Acnnthamoebn isolate belonged to the morphological group ll. Based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - restriction fragment leilgth polymorphism (RFLP) of 185 ribosomal RNA coding DNA (rDNA) , the isolate was identified as A. Iwnunensis. Strain typing by isoenzyme analysis using isorlectric focusing (IEF) and mitochondrial (Ent) DNA RFLP revealed that the isolate was closely related with KA/Ll , the most predominant type of isolates from contact lens storage casas, KA/E2, a clinical isolate, KA/W4, previou:fly reported to host endosymbionts. and L3a strains of A. Iwnunensis. The endosymbionts were similar to those of KA/W4 in a.jpects that they were randomly distributed in both trophozoites and cysts, and were rod-shaped bacteri3 measuring approximately 1.38 x 0.50 ㎛. But the number of endosymbionts per amoeba was significantly lower than that of KA/W4. They were neither limited by phagosomal membranes nor included in lacunae- like stnlcture.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1996

To secure the genetic resources of silkworm, Bomyx mori, the cDNA library was constructed with mRNA isolated from fifth instar larvae. Titer of the cDNA library was about 1.3 X 106 plaques in total. We presumed that the titer covered all transcripts existed in Bombyx mori. Meanwhile, it is knowen that partial cDNA sequences, Expressed Sequence Tags(ESTs), have a good value for the discovery of novel genes and the elucidation of their structures. For this purpose, partial cDNA sequencing was carried out from randomly selected cDNA clones in the library. Partial cDNA sequences of 37 clones were determined and an average of 212 nucleotides of sequence can be read from the clone. The ESTs were searched in GenBAnk database and fifteen ESTs showed significant similarities to enlisted sequences. They included the genes of storage protein, heat shock protein, actin, catalase and so forth. We presumed that the 22 unmatched ESTs were novel genes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.265-272
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• 2010

Follicular cystic ovary (FCO) is one of the most frequently diagnosed ovarian diseases and is a major cause of reproductive failure in mammalian species. However, the mechanism by which FCO is induced remains unclear. Genetic alterations which affect the functioning of many kinds of cells and/or tissues could be present in cystic ovaries. In this study, we performed a comparison analysis of gene expression in order to identify new molecules useful in discrimination of bovine FCO with follicular cystic follicles (FCFs). Normal follicles and FCFs were classified based on their sizes (5 to 10 mm and $\geq25mm$). These follicles had granulosa cell layer and theca interna and the hormone $17{\beta}$-estradiol ($E_2$)/ progesterone ($P_4$) ratio in follicles was greater than one. Perifollicular regions including follicles were used for the preparation of RNA or protein. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) that showed greater than a 2-fold change in expression were screened by the annealing control primer (ACP)-based PCR method using $GeneFishing^{TM}$ DEG kits in bovine normal follicles and FCFs. We identified two DEGs in the FCFs: ribosomal protein L15 (RPL15) and microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B) based on BLAST searches of the NCBI GenBank. Consistent with the ACP analysis, semi-quantitative PCR data and Western blot analyses revealed an up-regulation of RPL15 and a down-regulation of MAP1B in FCFs. These results suggest that RPL15 and MAP1B may be involved in the regulation of pathological processes in bovine FCOs and may help to establish a bovine gene data-base for the discrimination of FCOs from normal ovaries.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.239-243
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• 1997

In August 1996, phyllody disease of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) caused by phytoplasmas was observed at Boeun, Chungbuk Province, Korea. Symptoms included extreme proliferation of growing tips and numerous small leaves, giving the infected plant a witche's-broom effect. Parts or all of the floral parts were transformed into green leaf-like structures, and little or no seeds were produced. Transmission Electron microscopy revealed the presence of phytoplasmas in the phloem sieve elements of infected plant. Since the infected sesame plants were growing near by phytoplasma infected jujubes (Zizyphus jujubu), we tried a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to identify these two causal phytoplasmas. The DNA extracted from the stems of infected sesame plant was PCR-amplified using a primer set specific to 16S rRNA gene of known phytoplasmas. The amplification generated a 1.4kb band in both sesame samples and phytoplasma-infected jujubes, which also suggests the sesame plants were infected with phytoplasmas. The restriction digestion of the amplified band by four different enzymes, AluI, HaeIII, HinfI or TaqI revealed that the phytoplasmas infecting jujubes and sesame plants were of different groups.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.371-379
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• 2006

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a single-stranded negative sense RNA virus, which has been classified as a member of the Avulavirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family. It is also one of the most important pathogens in the poultry industry. The glycoproteins, fusion (F) and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), determine the virulence of NDV, and the relevant molecular structures have already been determined. NDV isolates differ in terms of virulence, and at least 2 of 9 genotypes (I-IX) have been shown to co-circulate. Therefore, it is clearly important to differentiate between vaccine strains and field isolates. In vivo pathogenicity tests have been the standard protocol for some time, but molecular methods appear preferable in terms of the rapidity of diagnosis, as well as animal welfare concerns. In this study, we have designed primer sets from HN gene for phylogenetic analysis and restriction enzyme analysis, and from F gene for pathotype-specific RT-PCR. Via the combination of 2 methods, 106 Korean NDV isolates obtained from 1980 to 2005 were differentiated into vaccine strains, and virulent genotypes VI and VII. The genotype VI viruses were only rarely isolated after 1999, and genotype VII, after it was initially isolated from poultry in 1995, recurred in 2000, and then became the main NDV constituting a threat to the Korean poultry industry.