• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.207-210
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• 2008

In March of 2003, tumors (galls) were observed on ginseng seedling roots in ginseng seedbeds at Yeoju, Gyeonggi province, Korea. Symptoms were spherical or galls with about 0.5-1.0cm in diameter formed on the upper through middle parts of the primary roots. Bacterial isolates obtained from the root galls were Gram-negative, rod-shaped with peritrichous flagella, aerobic, not forming yellow or orange colonies on nutrient glucose agar, yeast extract-dextrose $CaCO_3$ agar and nutrient-broth yeast extract agar, non-fluorescent on King's B agar, and non-spore forming, which were identical to characteristics of the genus Agrobacterium. They were identified as Agrobacterium tumefaciens with 0.732-0.993 similarities in 100% probability by the Biolog analyses. The 16S rRNA gene partial sequences of the six isolates tested (Genbank Accession EF486308-EF486313) were 100% homologous to those of other A. tumefaciens strains (GenBank accession AF501343, AY701900, AY701898, AY701899). The above results confirmed that this bacterium is A. tumefaciens. Pathogenicity of the bacteria was proved by the inoculation test on carrot root discs and tomato seedlings. This is the first description of A. tumefaciens causing root gall in ginseng seedling. The disease occurred locally and sparsely, but considering its appearances in seedbeds suggests that the ginseng root gall may become a threat to ginseng in Korea.

• Mycobiology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.132-134
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• 2001

Since it is known that Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which has long been used to transform plants, can transfer the T-DNA to yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae during tumourigenesis, a variety of fungi were subjected to transformation to improve their transformation frequency. In this study, I report the A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation of filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. Transfer of the binary vector pBIN9-Hg, containing the bacterial hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene under the control of the Aspergillus nidulans trpC promoter and terminator as a selectable marker, led to the selection of $50{\sim}100$ hygromycin B-resistant transformants per $1{\times}10^7$ conidia of A. niger. This efficiency is improved $10{\sim}20$ fold more than reported elsewhere. In order to avoid the difficulties in selection transformant from the over-growing non-transformant, I used top agar containing 900 ${\mu}g/ml$ of hygromycin. Genomic PCR and Southern analysis showed that all transformants contained single T-DNA insert per fungal genome. This technique offers an easier and more efficient method than that of using protoplast.

• Plant Resources
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.36-40
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• 2001

Transgenic Petunia hybrida cv. Rosanpion was produced by Agrobactepium tumefaciens LBA4404 harboring a binary vector pBI 121 containing $\beta$-glucuronidase (gus) and neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII). For genetic transformation, leaf discs were precultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L NAA and 1.0 mg/L BA (MNB) for 2 days and cocultured for 15 mins with A. tumefaciens. For selection of transformant, leaf discs were transferred to fresh MNB containing 50 mg/L kanamycin and 500 mg/L cefotaxime. Eighteen plants were regenerated and four were confirmed by PCR for detection of gus and nptII gene integrated into the nuclear genome of petunia ‘Rosanpion’. Using this transformation system, we expect that transgenic petunia ‘Rosanpion’ incorporating a useful gene can be produced.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.322-328
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• 2005

Acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) are known to be the triggering molecules in the quorum sensing mechanism of many gram-negative bacteria. In order to detect AHL inhibitors that are potential biofilm inhibitors, a convenient and sensitive bioassay was developed based on the $\beta$-galactosidase activity ($\beta$-GAL) of a recombinant Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain. A series of commercially available AHLs were tested for inducing $\beta$-GAL at varying concentrations in agar-plate and liquid cultures of the reporter strain. All AHLs tested exhibited a concentration­dependent induction, and octanoyl homoserine lactone (OHL) showed the highest sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.1 nM in the liquid culture assay. When fimbrolide, a known quorum sensing inhibitor, was added, induction of $\beta$-GAL by OHL was repressed. The repression at a constant OHL concentration was dependent on the fimbrolide concentration with the detection limit below 1 ppm, indicating that this assay is a sensitive method for screening AHL inhibitors.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 1998

Hypocotyl explants of flowering cabbage were precultured on MS medium without kanamycin and then cocultured with Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404;;pGA875 harboring insect resistantce proteinase inhibitor II(PI-II) gene in MS liquid medium adjusted pH 5.5 for 72hr. These explants were transferred to MS medium containing 20 mg/L kanamycin, 500 mg/L carbenicillin, and 1 mg/L BA. The explants were subsequently subcultured every 2 weeks. After 4 weeks of subculture, kanamycin-resistant shoots were obtained from selection medium. Leaves of putative transformants survived on MS selection medium containing 30 mg/L kanamycin. Incoporation of the PI-II gene into flowering cabbage was confirmed by PCR analysis of genomic DNA. Southern blot analysis showed that ECL-labeled probe for PI-II gene was hybridized to the expected amplified genomic DNA fragment of about 500 by from transgenic flowering cabbage.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.135-140
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• 2001

An Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 (harboring antisense OMT gene)-mediated transformation method has been developed for poplar (P.nigra x maximowiczii) using prolonging co-cultivation time. Explants on LT (longterm) were induced transgenic calli one month earlier than those from ST (short-term) co-cultivation and remained healthier on LT than ST. With this approach, LT method reduced time to produce transgenic calli. Shoots were successfully regenerated from transgenic calli on SIM (Shoot Induction Medium) and rooted well on the basal medium spontaneously. The presence of antisense OMT gene was verified both by PCR and Southern analysis. Each transgenic poplar was phenotypically indishtinguishable when compared with controls for their growth pattern, leaf morphologies and xylem coloration.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2000

The cytosolic glutathione reductase (GR) gene of Brassica campestris L. was introduced into several Japonica cultivars of rice by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and a large number of transgenic plants were produced. Three-week old calli were co-cultivated with A. tumefaciens strain EHA101 carrying the plasmid pIGR1. The efficiency of transformation was differed from rice cultivars. A Japonica cultivar, 'Daeribbyeo' appeared the highest efficiency (42.5%) of transformation among the four cultivars tested. The addition of acetosyringone (50 $\mu$M) during co-cultivation was a key to successful transformation. Transgene fragments were identified by PCR amplification and further confirmed by Southern blot analysis. Mendelian inheritance of the transgenes was confirmed in T$_1$ progeny.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.647-650
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• 2006

D-Psicose 3-epimerase (DPE) catalyzes the interconversion of D-fructose to D-psicose by epimerizing the carbon-3 position. The DPE from Agrobacterium tumefaciens was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The expressed enzyme was purified by affinity chromatography on an IMAC, gel filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl S-300 HR, and anion-exchange chromatography on a RESOURCE Q. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be about 135 kDa by Superdex 200 gel filtration chromatography, corresponding to a homotetramer. The enzyme produced crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction to a $2.0{\AA}$ resolution at 100 K. The crystals were found to belong to the orthorhombic space group $P2_12_12_1$, with unit-cell parameters a=102.4, b=113.0, and $c=131.8{\AA}$. In addition, the calculated packing parameter $(V_m)$ was $2.79{\AA}^3/Da$, the solvent content was 55.92%, and an asymmetric unit consisted of four monomers.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.156-164
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• 2021

Spirodela polyrhiza, from the Lemnaceae family, are small aquatic plants that offer an alternative plant-based system for the expression of recombinant proteins. However, no turion transformation protocol has been established in this species. In this study, we exploited a pB7YWG2 vector harboring the eYFP gene that encodes enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP), which has been extensively used as a reporter and marker to visualize recombinant protein localization in plants. We adopted Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation via vacuum infiltration to deliver the eYFP gene to turions, special vegetative forms produced by duckweeds to endure harsh conditions. Transgenic turions regenerated several duckweed fronds that exhibited yellow fluorescent emissions under a fluorescence microscope. Western blotting verified the expression of the eYFP protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an efficient protocol for generating transgenic S. polyrhiza expressing eYFP via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation. The ability of turions to withstand harsh conditions increases the portability and versatility of transgenic duckweeds, favoring their use in the further development of therapeutic compounds in plants.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 1987

Bradyrhizobium japonicum spheroplasts were prepared by culturing cells in the presence of glycine, follwed by treatment with lysozyme. The cells were examined by electron microscopy during the formation of spheroplast. Then Ti plasmid from Agrobacterium tumefaciens 15955 was introduced into Bradyrhizobium japonicum by glycine-lysozyme induced spheroplast transformation. After cell wall regeneration, transformants were selected by the ability of utilization of octopine. Transformation were received at a frequency of $1{\times}10^{-7}$. The transformants obtained from spheroplast transformation harbored the introduced Ti plasmid, which was identified by agarose gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, the differences in their gene products were observed between the transformant and the recipient cell by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The transformants which still possessed the same ability nodulate soybean (Glycine max.) as that of the original host strain, acquired the ability to induce tumor on Petunia hybrida like Agrobacterium, but formed the small crown galls in size compared to those of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.