• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2005

The tomato ripening associated membrane protein (TRAMP) (Fray et al., 1994) is a member of the major intrinsic protein (MIP) family, defined as channels facilitating the passage of water and small solutes through membranes. During normal fruit ripening the TRAMP mRNA levels were increased whereas the expression levels of TRAMP in low ethylene ACO1-sense suppressed lines, Nr and rin fruits, were lower than at the breaker stage of wild type fruit. TRAMP mRNA is inhibited by $LaCl_3$, which is an inhibitor of $Ca^{2+}$-stimulated responses, treatment but drought condition did not affect TRAMP expression. The levels of TRAMP mRNA transcripts were substantially higher in the dark treated seedlings and fruits. These suggest that TRAMP function as a water channel may be doubted because of several reasons; no water content was changed during ripening in wild type, antisense and overexpression lines, TRAMP expression under light condition was lower than dark condition and TRAMP expression was not changed in drought condition. Co-suppression plant, 3588 was one of sense suppression lines, which contain CaMV 35S promoter and sense pNY507 cDNA, produced small antisense RNA, approximately 21-25 nucleotides in length, mediated post-transcriptional gene silencing. Therefore, TRAMP expression was inhibited by small antisense and multiple copies might induce gene silencing without any production of double strand RNA. Total seven selected volatile productions, isobutylthiazole, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, hexanal, hexenal methylbutanal, hexenol, and methylbutanol, were highly reduced in sense line whereas total volatile production was increased in TRAMP antisense line. These results suggested TRAMP might change volatile related compounds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1557-1567
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• 2012

Glutathione reductase (GR, E.C. 1.6.4.2) is an important enzyme that reduces glutathione disulfide (GSSG) to a sulfydryl form (GSH) in the presence of an NADPH-dependent system. This is a critical antioxidant mechanism. Owing to the significance of GR, this enzyme has been examined in a number of animals, plants, and microbes. We performed a study to evaluate the molecular properties of GR (OsGR) from rice (Oryza sativa). To determine whether heterologous expression of OsGR can reduce the deleterious effects of unfavorable abiotic conditions, we constructed a transgenic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain expressing the GR gene cloned into the yeast expression vector p426GPD. OsGR expression was confirmed by a semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (semiquantitative RT-PCR) assay, Western-blotting, and a test for enzyme activity. OsGR expression increased the ability of the yeast cells to adapt and recover from $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress and various stimuli including heat shock and exposure to menadione, heavy metals (iron, zinc, copper, and cadmium), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), ethanol, and sulfuric acid. However, augmented OsGR expression did not affect the yeast fermentation capacity owing to reduction of OsGR by multiple factors produced during the fermentation process. These results suggest that ectopic OsGR expression conferred acquired tolerance by improving cellular homeostasis and resistance against different stresses in the genetically modified yeast strain, but did not affect fermentation ability.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.845-852
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• 2007

The highly evolved flowers of orchids have colorful sepals and fused columns that offer an opportunity to discover new genes involved in floral development in monocotyledon species. In this investigation, we cloned and characterized the homologous PISTALLATA-like (PI-like) gene PhPI15 ($\underline{Ph}alaenopsis$ $\underline{PI}$ STILLATA # $\underline{15}$), from the Phalaenopsis hybrid cultivar. The protein sequence encoded by PhPI15 contains a typical PI-motif. Its sequence also formed a subclade with other monocot PI-type genes in phylogenetic analysis. Southern analysis showed that PhPI15 was present in the Phalaenopsis orchid genome as a single copy. Furthermore, it was expressed in all the whorls of the Phalaenopsis flower, while no expression was detected in vegetative organs. The flowers of transgenic tobacco plants ectopically expressing PhPI15 showed male-sterile phenotypes. Thus, as a Class-B MADS-box gene, PhPI15 specifies floral organ identity in orchids.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.235-239
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• 2004

We studied the effect of genotype, explant, age of explant, medium (plant growth regulators and gelling agents), and standardized an efficient regeneration protocol for inbred lines of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis). Of the different concentrations of NAA and BA tested, the combination of $5\;\cal{mg/L}\;BA\;and\;0.5\;\cal{mg/L}$ NAA gave the highest frequency of shoot regeneration. The cotyledonary explants had more shoot regeneration frequency ($\ge40\%$) than the hypocotyl ex-plants. Besides, the cotyledonary explants, excised from the 4-day old seedlings, showed higher shoot regene-ration ($56.7\%$). Of the three gelling agents and their concentrations used, 16 g/L agar was found to be the best for shoot regeneration. Shoot regeneration frequency in-creased significantly by supplementing the medium with $4\;\cal{mg/L}\;of\;AgNO_3$ MS medium devoid of NAA showed higher frequency of rooting in the regenerated shoots than the ones supplemented with NAA. Our improved regeneration protocol will be especially useful for the genetic transformation of Chinese cabbage inbred lines to develop transgenic hybrids.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2000

Two maize transposable elements, immobilized Ac (iAc) and Ds, have been introduced into the genome of a diploid potato clone (Solanum tuberosum Group Phureja clone 1.22). The iAc is a modified Ac that is supposed to be unable to transpose but is expected to trans-activate the transposition of a Ds that is unable to transpose by itself. When the leaf and stem explants of in vitro shoots of the clone 1.22 were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains harboring binary vectors containing the iAc and the Ds, calli were formed from the explants on media containing 50 mg/L of kanamycin, and shoots were regenerated from the calli. The regenerated shoots formed roots when cultured on media containing 100 mg/L of kanamycin, whereas untransformed shoots did not form roots on the same media. The PCR amplification of the DNA's from the transgenic plants confirmed that the iAc and the Ds elements were introduced into the potato genome of 1.22.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.407-409
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• 2000

Outer envelope membrane proteins of chloroplasts encoded by the nuclear genome are transported without the N-terminal transit peptide. Here, we investigated the targeting mechanism of AtOEP7, an Arabidopsis homolog of small outer envelope membrane proteins in vivo. AtOEP7 was expressed transiently in protoplasts or stably in transgenic plants as fusion proteins with GFP. In both cases AtOEP7:GFP was targeted to the outer envelope membrane when assayed under a fluorescent microscope or by Western blot analysis. Except the transmembrane domain, deletions of the N- or C-terminal regions of AtOEP7 did not affect targeting although a region closed to the C-terminal side of the transmembrane domain affected the targeting efficiency. Targeting experiments with various hybrid transmembrane mutants revealed that the amino acid sequence of the transmembrane domain determines the targeting specificity The targeting mechanism was further studied using a fusion protein, AtOEP7：NLS：GFP, that had a nuclear localization signal. AtOEP7：NLS：GFP was efficiently targeted to the chloroplast envelope despite the presence of the nuclear localization signal. Taken together, these results suggest that the transmembrane domain of AtOEP7 functions as the sole determinant of targeting specificity and that AtOEP7 may be associated with a cytosolic component during translocation to the chloroplast envelope membrane.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.116-116
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• 2017

Low-temperature is one of the environmental stress factors that affect plant growth and development and consequently limit crop productivity. The control of seed germination under low-temperature is organized by many genes which are called quantitative trait loci (QTLs). High germination rate for low-temperature is an important factor of growing rice. Previously, we identified a major QTL controlling low-temperature germinability in rice using 96 introgression lines (ILs) derived from a cross between Oryza rufipogon (Rufi) and the Korean japonica cultivar, 'Hwaseongbyeo (HS)'. A $BC_3F_7$ line (TR5) showed better low-temperature germinability than its recurrent parent. TR5 was crossed with HS to develop a segregating F2:3 populations for the target QTL. Six SSR markers polymorphic between HS and Rufi were used to screen and fine map the qLTG1. The qLTG1 on chromosome 1, which accounted for 55.5% of the total phenotypic variation, confirmed that Rufi allele enhanced the low-temperature germinability. Intervals between markers CRM16 and CRM15, four candidate genes were identified. The identified candidate genes, which are encoded by a protein of unknown function, showed their direct involvement on seed germination at low-temperature. To identify genes targeted by qLTG1, we investigated the expression profiles of these candidate genes and germination behavior of qLTG1 under different stress conditions and compared to HS, Rufi, and TR5 at $13{\pm}2^{\circ}C$ for 3 days after incubation. Furthermore, transgenic rice plants will also be developed to conduct a detailed investigation on low-temperature germinability. Hence, the QTL for low-temperature germinability would be useful in rice breeding programs especially in the development of lines possessing low-temperature germinability.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.233-239
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• 2003

We have developed a reliable and high-frequency genetic transformation and regeneration system via somatic embryogensis of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus. Embryogenic callus obtained from seed were co- cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101/pIG121Hm harboring genes for intron-$\beta$-glucoronidase(GUS), kanamycin and hygromycin resistance. Following co-cultivation, two types of samples(fine embrogenic calli and early globular embryo clusters) were cultivated on Murashige and Skoog(MS) medium containing 1 mg/L2.4-D for 3day in dark. Transient expression of GUS gene was found to be higher in the early globular embryo clusters than in the embryogenic calli. Also, co-cultivated period affected expression of GUS gene; the best result was obtained when globular embryo clusters were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 3 days. Subsequently, this callus transferred to selective MS medium containing 1mg/L2.4-D, 50mg/L kanamycin or/and 30mg/L hygromycin and 300mg/L cefortaxime. These embryogenic calls were subcultured to the same selection medium at every 2 weeks intervals. Approximately 24.5% of the early globular embryos co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 3days produced kanamycin or/and hygromycin-resistant calli. Transgenic somatic embryos were converted into plantlets in half strength MS medium supplemented with 3mg/L GA$_3$ kanamycin and were confirmed by GUS histochemical assay and polymerase chain reaction analysis. Genomic Southem blot hybridization confirmed the incorporation of NPT II gene into the host genome.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.469-474
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• 2000

Effect of the antibiotic carbenicillin on callus and shoot formation from the leaf disc culture of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. BY-4) was examined. The number of shoot induced from the leaf explants was decreased as the amount of carbenicillin increased from 250 mg/L to 2,000 mg/L on MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L of BAP or kinetin. In addition, calli formation from the leaf explants was increased by the treatment of 250 mg/L ∼ 500 mg/L carbenicillin with or without 0.5 mg/L of 2,4-D or NAA. However, the fresh weight of 4-week-cultured explants was decreased with increasing carbenicillin from 250 mg/L to 2,000 mg/L on MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L of 2,4-D or NAA. These results indicate that carbenicillin has an auxin-like effect, such as promoting callus formation and inhibiting shoot induction. It leads to the conclusion that the auxin-like property should be taken into account for the production of transgenic plants via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

A plant-specific gene was cloned from melon fruit. This gene was named downward leaf curling (CmDLC) based on the phenotype of transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the gene. This expression level of this gene was especially upregulated during melon fruit enlargement. Overexpression of CmDLC in Arabidopsis resulted in dwarfism and narrow, epinastically curled leaves. These phenotypes were found to be caused by a reduction in cell number and cell size on the adaxial and abaxial sides of the epidermis, with a greater reduction on the abaxial side of the leaves. These phenotypic characteristics, combined with the more wavy morphology of epidermal cells in overexpression lines, indicate that CmDLC overexpression affects cell elongation and cell morphology. To investigate intracellular protein localization, a CmDLC-GFP fusion protein was made and expressed in onion epidermal cells. This protein was observed to be preferentially localized close to the cell membrane. Thus, we report here a new plant-specific gene that is localized to the cell membrane and that controls leaf cell number, size and morphology.