• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.208-217
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• 2022

We wanted to develop a real-time PCR assay capable of detecting Liobagrus obesus in environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from freshwater samples using a pair of species-specific primers and probe for the endangered fish, L. obesus. The species-specific primers and probe were designed in consideration of single nucleotide polymorphisms between 65 species of freshwater fish living in the Republic of Korea within the cytochrome b (cytb) gene of mitochondrial DNA. The species-specific primers and probe, in the real-time PCR assay, showed high specificity as only the L. obesus genomic DNA (gDNA) was found to be positive in the specificity verification using 65 species gDNA of freshwater fish in the Republic of Korea. In addition, in the detection limit analysis using the serial dilution concentrations of L. obesus gDNA, it was found that it was possible to detect up to 0.2 pg, showing high sensitivity. Afterwards, using the species-specific primers and probe, real-time PCR assay was performed on freshwater samples obtained from 8 stations in the mid-upper basin of Geum River. As a result, the cytb gene of L. obesus was detected in total 5 stations including all 3 stations where this species was collected at the time of field survey. Therefore, the species-specific primers and probe developed in present study, and the real-time PCR assay using them, can accurately detect the cytb gene of L. obesus from eDNA samples, which can be utilized to monitor the existing habitats of this species and to discover potential new habitats.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.115-115
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• 2002

To evaluate the correlations between the expression of cyclin B1 mRNA and protein after stimulation and oocyte activation and development of nuclear transferred mouse embryos, this study was performed. The oocyte activation was induced by 7% ethanol or 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ Ca-ionophore without (single) or with (combined) 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ cycloheximide (CH). Cyclin B1 mRNA and protein in mouse oocytes was evaluated by PCR and western blot. The activation and blastocyst development in both single (P<0.05) and combined (P<0.01) stimulation was higher than in non-activated group. The cyclin B1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in both single and combined stimulation groups (P<0.05), respectively. Cyclin B1 mRNA expression showed a negative correlation between activation and blastocyst development in both single and combined stimulation groups. And also the expression of cyclin B1 protein showed a negative correlation with between oocyte activation and blastocysts development in both single and combined stimulation groups. In conclusion, it may suggest that single and combined stimulation increases the oocyte activation and blastocyst development of nuclear transferred embryos, because it induces the degradation of cyclin B1 mRNA and protein after activation in enucleated mouse oocytes.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 2015

In this study, we developed a species-specific PCR assay for rapid and accurate detection of three Xanthomonas species, X. axonopodis pv. poinsettiicola (XAP), X. hyacinthi (XH) and X. campestris pv. zantedeschiae (XCZ), based on their draft genome sequences. XAP, XH and XCZ genomes consist of single chromosomes that contain 5,221, 4,395 and 7,986 protein coding genes, respectively. Species-specific primers were designed from variable regions of the draft genome sequence data and assessed by a PCR-based detection method. These primers were also tested for specificity against 17 allied Xanthomonas species as well as against the host DNA and the microbial community of the host surface. Three primer sets were found to be very specific and no amplification product was obtained with the host DNA and the microbial community of the host surface. In addition, a detection limit of $1pg/{\mu}l$ per PCR reaction was detected when these primer sets were used to amplify corresponding bacterial DNAs. Therefore, these primer sets and the developed species-specific PCR assay represent a valuable, sensitive, and rapid diagnostic tool that can be used to detect three specific pathogens at early stages of infection and may help control diseases.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1229-1233
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• 2006

To find the candidate genes concerned with ovulation rate of sheep, Differential Display Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction was employed to find the differently expressed cDNA controlling ovulation in the Small Tail Han sheep of polyembryony and in Tan sheep of single birth. Twenty-four primer pairs of three anchored primers and eight arbitrary primers were assembled to amplify the specialized bands from these sheep. Positive cross tests were applied to optimize the ascertainable PCR conditions in which different special bands can be identified by silver strain in one PCR tube. After eliminating the false positive PCR products by Northern hybridization, 24 differential display bands were acquired from the ovary in the Small Tail Han sheep. These EST bands were sequenced and 18 different ESTs were found in which five ESTs had several copies and 13 ESTs had only one copy. Comparing these ESTs with homologous sequences by BLAST in the GenBank, there were six ESTs with known open reading frame (ORF) and function, three ESTs with known ORF and no function, and 9 ESTs without homologous sequence. These ESTs partly represent several genes such as NOS2, tensin, TCRA, CDKN1A, ESR1 and ACTB which express especially in Small Tail Han sheep.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.416-424
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• 2014

Sweet potato is grown extensively from tropical to temperate regions and is an important food crop worldwide. In this study, we established detection methods for 17 major sweet potato viruses using single and multiplex RT-PCR assays. To investigate the current incidence of viral diseases, we collected 154 samples of various sweet potato cultivars showing virus-like symptoms from 40 fields in 10 Korean regions, and analyzed them by RT-PCR using specific primers for each of the 17 viruses. Of the 17 possible viruses, we detected eight in our samples. Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) and sweet potato virus C (SPVC) were most commonly detected, infecting approximately 87% and 85% of samples, respectively. Furthermore, Sweet potato symptomless virus 1 (SPSMV-1), Sweet potato virus G (SPVG), Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV), Sweet potato virus 2 ( SPV2), Sweet potato chlorotic fleck virus (SPCFV), and Sweet potato latent virus (SPLV) were detected in 67%, 58%, 47%, 41%, 31%, and 20% of samples, respectively. This study presents the first documented occurrence of four viruses (SPVC, SPV2, SPCFV, and SPSMV-1) in Korea. Based on the results of our survey, we developed multiplex RT-PCR assays for simple and simultaneous detection of the eight sweet potato viruses we recorded.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.607-611
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• 2017

Primary maternal infection with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is frequently associated with transplacental transmission of the parasite to the fetus. This study was conducted to test the utility of PCR assay to detect recent infections with Toxoplasma in aborted women at various gestational ages who referred to Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Alavi Hospital in Ardabil during 2014 and 2016. Two hundred women with a history of single or repeated abortion were investigated in this study. Blood samples were tested for specific anti-Toxoplasma IgM and IgG antibodies by ELISA. According to the results, 53.5% of the women under study were positive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies: 4.0% of them had IgM, 43.0% had IgG, and 6.5% had both IgM and IgG. Subsequently, Nested-PCR analysis was used to detect T. gondii DNA in the placenta of subjects. In 10.5% of the women, the results were positive for 529 bp element of T. gondii. Among them, 5 (23.8%) cases were IgM positive, 1 (4.8%) case was IgG positive, and 11 (52.4%) were both IgM and IgG positive. In 4 (19.0%) patients, none of the antibodies were found to be positive. In total, 16 patients had positive results in both ELISA and PCR methods, and 174 cases had negative results for new infection. The findings of this study revealed that T. gondii might be one of the significant factors leading to abortion, and that the analysis of placenta can be important in order to achieve increased detection sensitivity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.68-76
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• 2006

Despites many attempts to explore the microbial diversity in kimchi fermentation, the predominant flora remains controversial to date. In the present study, major lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were investigated in Chinese cabbage kimchi in the early phase of fermention. For the samples over pH 4.0, viable cell counts of Leuconostoc and Pediococcus were $10^6\;cfu/ml$ and below $10^2\;cfu/ml$, respectively, and 20 isolates out of 172 were subjected to a biochemical identification (API 50 CH kit) as well as molecular-typing methods including ITSPCR with a RsaI digestion and 16s rRNA gene sequence analysis for species confirmation. Seven isolates were nicely assigned to Lb. brevis, 6 to Leuconostoc spp. (2 mesenteroides, 2 citreum, I carnosum, I gasicomitatum), 4 to Weissella (3 kimchii/cibaria, 1 hanii) and 2 to other Lactobacillus spp. (1 farciminis, 1 plantarum). On the other hand, the biochemical identification data revealed 9 strains of Lb. brevis, 6 strains of Leuconostocs,2 strains of Lb. plantarum and 1 strain each of Lb. coprophilus and Lactococcus lactis. However, a single isolates, YSM 16, was not matched to the ITS-PCR database constructed in the present study. Two Lb. brevis strains by API 50 CH kit were reassigned to W kimchii/cibaria, Lb. coprophilus or W hanii, respectively, judging from the results by the above molecular typing approaches. As a whole, the identification data obtained by the biochemical test were different from those of ITS-PCR molecular method by about $63\%$ at genus-level and $42\%$ at species-level. The data by the ITS-PCR method conclusively suggest that predominant LAB species is probably heterolactic Lb. brevis, followed by W kimchii/cibaria, Leuc. mesenteroides, and Leuc. citreum, in contrast to the previous reports [3] that Leuc. mesenteroides is the only a predominant species in the early phase kimchi fermentation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.645-650
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• 2019

Despite differences in virulence between strains of Toxoplasma gondii, rapid and accurate genotyping methods are lacking. In this study, a method was developed to detect and genotype T. gondii in food and environmental samples using PCR and a novel peptide nucleic acid (PNA) melting array. An alignment of genome sequences for T. gondii type I, II, and III obtained from NCBI was generated, and a single nucleotide polymorphism analysis was performed to identify targets for PCR amplification and a PNA melting array. Prior to the PNA melting array, conventional PCR was used to amplify GRA6 of T. gondii. After amplification, the PNA melting array was performed using two different PNA hybridization probes with fluorescent labels (FAM and HEX) and quenchers. Melting curves for each probe were used to determine genotypes and identify mutations. A 214-bp region of the GRA6 gene of T. gondii was successfully amplified by PCR. For all T. gondii strains (type I, II, and III) used to evaluate specificity, the correct genotypes were determined by the PNA melting array. Non-T. gondii strains, including 14 foodborne pathogens and 3 protozoan parasites, such as Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Entamoeba histolytica, showed no signal, suggesting that the assay has a high specificity. Although this is only a proof-of-concept study, the assay is promising for the fast and reliable genotyping of T. gondii from food and environmental samples.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8467-8471
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• 2016

Background: One of the major mechanisms for drug resistance is associated with altered anticancer drug transport, mediated by the human-adenosine triphosphate binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily proteins. The overexpression of adenosine triphosphate binding cassette, sub-family B, member 1 (ABCB1) by multidrug-resistant cancer cells is a serious impediment to chemotherapy. In our study we have studied the possibility that structural single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are the mechanism of ABCB1 overexpression. Materials and Methods: A total of 101 gastric cancer multidrug resistant cases and 100 controls were genotyped with sequence-specific primed PCR (SSP-PCR). Gene expression was evaluated for 70 multidrug resistant cases and 54 controls by real time PCR. The correlation between the two groups was based on secondary structures of RNA predicted by bioinformatics tool. Results: The results of genotyping showed that among 3 studied SNPs, rs28381943 and rs2032586 had significant differences between patient and control groups but there were no differences in the two groups for C3435T. The results of real time PCR showed over-expression of ABCB1 when we compared our data with each of the genotypes in average mode. Prediction of secondary structures in the existence of 2 related SNPs (rs28381943 and rs2032586) showed that the amount of ${\Delta}G$ for original mRNA is higher than the amount of ${\Delta}G$ for the two mentioned SNPs. Conclusions: We have observed that 2 of our studied SNPs (rs283821943 and rs2032586) may elevate the expression of ABCB1 gene, through increase in mRNA stability, while this was not the case for C3435T.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to investigate viral etiology in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nested reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and characterize the enteroviral RNA presented in the clinical specimens. Twenty-eight paraffin-embedded heart tissue samples were assayed to detect cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus type 1, type 2, parvovirus, adenovirus, and enterovirus (EV) with each specific primer. Of these 28 patients (mean age: 27, M: 24, F: 4), 26 were histologically diagnosed as DCM and 2 as myocardial infarction (MI). Nested RT-PCR detected enteroviral RNA in 7 (26.9%) of 26 patients with DCM, and none of patients with MI. And none of DNA viruses tested were detected from the samples. Amplified products were also genotyped by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP). Three subtypes can be differentiated from 7 clinical specimens. Furthermore, direct sequence analysis was performed to determine whether genetic variation of EV is present in the explanted heart tissues from patients with DCM. Although most of the sequences among the wild isolates have the greatest similarity to those of coxsackievirus B3, there are specific regions of variable sequences (no 490 - no 510). The data suggest that enterovirus may be a major viral pathogen for the DCM in Korea and nucleotide sequence data indicate that coxsackievirus B3 may be a leading etiologic agent of DCM.