• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.223-227
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• 2021

Several hypotheses for the origin of cultivated sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam)] have been suggested but the exact progenitor is still unknown. Based on the results of RFLP patterns, microsatellite markers, SNP markers, FISH analyses, and genome analyses of haplotypes, wild species belonging to batatas group, I. trifida, I. leucantha, I. littoralis, I. tabascana, I. tenuissima, I. tiliacea, and I. triloba have been suggested as a progenitor. However, recently, advanced genomic technologies and characterization of the inserted T-DNA fragments of Agrobacterium in the genome of cultivated sweetpotato and wild species through horizontal gene transfer suggest that there may be an older progenitor than the wild species suggested so far.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2022

Conserved domains are defined as recurring units in molecular evolution and are commonly used to interpret the molecular function and biochemical structure of proteins. Herein, the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) amino acid sequences of three species of the Ipomoea genus [Ipomoea trifida, I. triloba, and I. batatas (L.) Lam. (sweetpotato)] were identified to investigate their physicochemical and biochemical characteristics. The molecular weight, isoelectric point, instability index, and grand average of hyropathy markedly differed among the three species. The aliphatic index values of sweetpotato AGPase proteins were higher in the small subunit than in the large subunit. The AGPase proteins from sweetpotato were found to contain an LbH_G1P_AT_C domain in the C-terminal region and various domains (NTP_transferase, ADP_Glucose_PP, or Glyco_tranf_GTA) in the N-terminal region. Conversely, most of its two relatives (I. trifida and I. triloba) were found to only contain the NTP_transferase domain in the N-terminal region. These findings suggested that these conserved domains were species-specific and related to the subunit types of AGPase proteins. The study may enable research on the AGPase-related specific characteristics of sweetpotatoes that do not exist in the other two species, such as starch metabolism and tuberization mechanism.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.47
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• pp.124-134
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• 2002

The sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam.), is one of the important summer upland crops in Korea and has been used as human food, industrial yaw material and vegetable. Sweetpotato has been consumed for human foods such as boiled, roasted, fried or salad etc. It should be developed for higher quality as a snack or health food, primarily through improving the eating and marketing qualities as well as nutritional value. Its quality after cooking or processing is a complex one combining the aroma, taste, texture and fiber content. The other important qualities for consumers are root shape, size, skin color, flesh color, insect and disease resistance, nutritional components and safety from phytoalexins(toxic stress metabolites) etc. Korean people generally prefer to red skin color, round or elliptic shape and dry texture, yellow flesh color of sweetpotato which is high in starch content including vitamins and nutrients. The almost factors of quality components of sweetpotato are genetically controlled by breeder, but postharvest handlings and marketing management for making high quality goods should be done thoroughly according to the quality evaluation criteria of sweetpotato from the moment of harvest until shipping them to the market by farmers and the other users. This paper describes current status and prospects of the quality evaluations and researches in sweetpotato roots in Korea.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.263-268
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• 2005

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute enteritis in pigs of all ages and is often fatal for neonates. In order to develop sweetpotato plants expressing PEDV antigen, we constructed the vector expressing spike gene of PEDV under the control of sweetpotato sporamin promoter or constitutive CaMV 35S promoter. The spike protein region of PEDV was synthesized by PCR and linked to each promoter, Transgenic sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. cv. Yulmi] plants were developed from embryogenic calli following Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The co-cultured embryogenic calli transferred to selective MS medium containing 1 mg/L 2,4-D, 100 mg/L kanamycin, and 400 mg/L claforan. These embryogenic calli were subcultured to the same selection medium at 3 weeks interval. Kanamycin-resistant calli transferred to hormone-free MS medium with kanamycin gave rise to somatic embryos and then converted into plantlets in the same medium. Southern blot analysis confirmed that the spike gene of PEDV was inserted into the genome of the sweetpotato plants. RT-PCR revealed that the spike gene of PEDV was highly expressed in transgenic sweetpotato plants.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.163-168
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• 2023

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.]) is a globally important root crop cultivated for food and industrial processes. The crop is susceptible to the root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita, a major plant-parasitic RKN that reduces the yield and quality of sweetpotato. Previous transcriptomic and proteomic analyses identified several genes that displayed differential expression patterns in susceptible and resistant cultivars in response to M. incognita infection. Among these, several sporamin genes were identified for RKN resilience. Sporamin is a storage protein primarily found in sweetpotato and morning glory (Ipomoea nil). In this study, transcriptional analysis was employed to investigate the role of sporamin genes in the defense response of sweetpotato against RKN infection in three susceptible and three resistant cultivars. Twenty-three sporamin genes were identified in sweetpotato and classified as group A or group B sporamin genes based on comparisons with characterized sweetpotato and Japanese morning glory sporamins. Two group A sporamin genes showed significantly elevated levels of expression in resistant but not in susceptible cultivars. These results suggest that the elevated expression of specific sporamin genes may play a crucial role in protecting sweetpotato roots from RKN infection.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 2008

Studies with the transmission electron microscope were used to detect and attempt to identify viruses infecting sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) and other Ipomoea species. Flexuous-rods, short curved-rods, and spherical virus-like particles were observed in cells of symptomatic plants. Also, various cytopathic changes such as crystals, vesicles, fibril structures, and cylindrical inclusions were observed. The present study showed that some of these cytopathic changes were associated with some viral groups, which might be helpful in diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.407-416
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• 2019

A common post-harvest disease of sweetpotato tuber is root rot caused by Fusarium solani in Korea as well as the other countries. Storage root rot disease was monitored earlier on sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) in storehouses of different locations in Korea. In the present study, an isolate SPL16124 was choosen and collected from Sweetpotato Research Lab., Bioenergy Crop Research Institute, NICS, Muan, Korea, and confirmed the identification as Fusarium solani by conidial and molecular phylogenetic analysis (internal transcribed spacer ITS and translation elongation factor EF 1-α gene sequences). The isolate was cultured on potato dextrose agar, and conidiation was induced. The fungus was screened for Fusarium root rot on tuber of 14 different varieties. Among the tested variety, Yenjami, Singeonmi, Daeyumi, and Sinjami showed resistant to root rot disease. Additionally, the pathogen was tested for pathogenicity on stalks of these varieties. No symptom was observed on the stalk, and it was confirmed that the disease is tissue specific.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.267-271
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• 2004

Transformed sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. cv. Yulmi) plants were developed from embryogenic calli following Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. A. tumefaciens strain EHA105/pCAMBIA2301 harboring genes for intron $\beta$-glucuronidase (GUS) and kanamycin resistance. Transient expression of GUS gene was found to be higher when embryogenic calli were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 2 days. The co-cultured embryogenic calli transferred to selective MS medium containing 1mg/L 2,4-D, 100mg/L kanamycin, and 400mg/L claforan. These embryogenic calli were subcultured to the same selection medium at 4 weeks interval. Kanamycin-resistant calli transferred to hormone-free MS medium with kanamycin gave rise to somatic embryos and then converted into plantlets in the same medium. Southern blot analysis confirmed that the GUS gene was inserted into the genome of the sweetpotato plants. A histochemical assay revealed that the GUS gene was preferentially expressed in the leaf, petiole, and vascular tissue and tip of root.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.194-202
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• 2020

The sweetpotatoes (Ipomoea batatas) generate adventitious roots (ARs) from cut stems that develop into storage roots and make for an important means of propagation. However, few studies have investigated the hormones involved in AR development in sweetpotato. In this study, the expression patterns of hormone-related genes involved in AR formation were identified using the transcriptome data. RNA-seq data from stems grown for 0 and 3 days after cutting were analyzed. In addition, hormone-related genes were identified among differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and filtered genes, and cluster analysis was used to characterize expression patterns by function. Most hormone-related regulated genes expressed 3 days after growing the cut stems were abscisic acid (ABA)-related genes, followed by ethylene- and auxin-related genes. For ABA, the biosynthesis genes (including genes annotated to NINE-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 3 (NCED3)) and signal transduction and perception genes (including genes annotated to PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE 2Cs (PP2Cs)) tended to decrease. Expression patterns of auxin- and ethylene-related genes differed by function. These results suggest that ABA, auxin, and ethylene genes are involved in AR formation and that they may be regulated in a hormone function-dependent manner. These results contribute to the identification of hormone functions during AR formation and may contribute to understanding the mechanism of AR formation in the sweetpotato.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.259-265
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• 2008

Three peroxidase (POD) cDNAs were isolated from dehydration-treated fibrous roots of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) plant via the screening of a cDNA library, and their expressions were assessed to characterize functions of each POD in relation to environmental stress. Three PODs were divided into two groups, designated the basic PODs (swpb4, swpb5) and the anionic PODs (swpa7), on the basis of the pI values of mature proteins. Fluorescence microscope analysis indicated that three PODs are secreted into the extracellular space. RT-PCR analysis revealed that POD genes have diverse expression patterns in a variety of plant tissues. Swpb4 was abundantly expressed in stem tissues, whereas the expression levels of swpb5 and swpa7 transcripts were high in fibrous and thick pigmented roots. Swpb4 and swpa7 showed abundant expression levels in suspension cultured cells. Three POD genes responded differently in the leaf and fibrous roots in response to a variety of stresses including dehydration, temperature stress, stress-associated chemicals, and pathogenic bacteria.