• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2009

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is one of the most important medicinal plants in East Asia. Microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are used in obtaining genetic analysis and authentication in many plants. The present study examined five microsatellites in conjunction with P. ginseng in Korea. The total observed allelic number was 17 (mean = 3.4), and gene diversities varied from 0.078 to 0.543 with an average of 0.314. Through a combined analysis of five loci in 100 ginseng samples, 44 different combined genotypes were observed. Expected and observed heterozygosites ranged from 0.077 to 0.541 (mean = 0.313) and 0.040 to 0.130 (0.083), respectively. All examined loci exhibited deficiency of heterozygosity and deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Such results may be explained by the non-random mating and inbreeding that has occurred for several hundred years. These microsatellite markers could be used for the study of molecular genetics and the establishment of DNA marker database, as well as authentication of ginseng species and chromosomal mapping of QTL loci in P. ginseng.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.323-331
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• 2011

Biodiversity and the community composition of micro-eukaryotic organisms were investigated in the Upo wetland in Korea using molecular analysis. Molecular identification was performed using cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA). The genomic DNA was isolated directly from soil samples. The COI and SSU rDNA regions were amplified using universal primers and then sequenced after cloning. In a similarity search of the obtained sequences with BLAST in the Genbank database, the closely related sequences from NCBI were used to identify the amplified sequences. A total of six eukaryotic groups (Annelida, Arthropoda, Rotifera, Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Stramenopiles) with COI and six groups (Annelida, Arthropoda, Rotifera, Alveolata, Fungi, and Apicomplexa) with SSU rDNA genes were determined in the Upo wetland. Among 38 taxa in 20 genera, which are closely related to the amplified sequences, 10 genera (50%) were newly reported in Korea and five genera (25%) were shown to be distributed in the Upo wetland. This approach is applicable to the development of an efficient method for monitoring biodiversity without traditional taxonomic processes and is expected to produce more accurate results in depositing molecular barcode data in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.77-87
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• 2004

Due to the high population prevalence of major depression and the strong emphasis on pharmacotherapy for this disorder, antidepressants are among the most frequently prescribed pharmacological agents. But the clinicians are still unable to predict accurately the response of their depressed patients to medication. This article reviews the biological predictors of treatment response including monoamine, neuroendocrine, pharmacogenetic, and psychophysiologic markers. The biological predictors of response, despite some interesting leads that may in the long term be of considerable importance, are not yet sufficiently established to be of routine clinical usefulness. Many of the predictive factors explored in this article are examples of mediators and moderators that affect outcomes. Each one alone may not provide definitive answers for predicting response to treatment, but each must be taken into account at the outset of treatment. It is clear that treatments must be individualized for each patient. It would be necessary to develop the algorithm in order to predict the responsiveness of antidepressant treatment with integration of the results from the previous studies.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 2015

Typhula ishikariensis Imai is a causal agent of Typhula snow mold, one of the most important turfgrass diseases in northern regions of the United States. Within Wisconsin isolates, there are three district groups clustered with known isolates of T. ishikariensis var. ishikariensis, var. canadensis and var. idahoensis as identified by RAPD markers. To further investigate the genetic relationship among these groups (varieties), monokaryon-monokaryon and dikaryon-monokaryon mating experiments were conducted. Mating types from var. ishikariensis, var. canadensis and var. idahoensis isolates were paired in all possible combinations. Pairings between var. canadensis and var. idahoensis were highly compatible, while no compatibility was detected between var. ishikariensis and either var. canadensis or var. idahoensis. These results indicate that var. ishikariensis is genetically separated from var. canadensis and var. idahoensis, whereas var. canadensis and var. idahoensis appeared to be genetically related to each other as a taxonomic unit. In the genetic relationship with the known biological species, var. ishikariensis and var. canadensis were genetically related to biological species I and II, respectively. However, var. idahoensis was not compatible with any of the biological species, suggesting that the pathogen may be in the process of biological speciation from var. canadensis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.79-97
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• 1995

On the basis of the literature, which is at present still scientific information improvable, the results of research done so far into the occurrence and analytical methodology of major markers of environmental tobacco smoke(ETS) have been summarized. Key areas addressed are: differences in physicochemical composition between mainstream smoke, sidestream smoke and ETS: techniques for field measurement of ETS: relationship between indoor air quality with ETS and its distribution view of US EPA and its problems: biological effects and concerning estimation of ETS exposure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.47-47
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• 2002

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.48-48
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• 2003

Electric field induces cell fusion, electroporation on biological cells, including apoptosis. Apoptosis is expressed in a series of natural enzymatic reactions for the natural elimination of unhealthy, genetically damaged, or otherwise aberrant cels that are not needed or not advantageous to the well-being of the organism. Its markers involve cell shringkage, activation of intracellular caspase proteases, externalization of phosphatidylserine at the plasma membrane, and fragmentation of DNA.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.208-219
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• 2017

Heterosis or hybrid vigor describes a phenomenon that superior phenotypes compared to the two parents are observed in the heterozygous $F_1$-hybrid plants. Identification and characterization of heterosis-related genes (HRGs) will facilitate hybrid breeding in crops. To identify HRGs in Brassica rapa, we analyzed transcriptome profiling using a Br300K microarray in non-heading Chinese cabbage at three developmental stages. A large number of genes were differentially expressed in $F_1$ hybrids and non-additive expression was prominent. Genes that are expressed specifically for $F_1$ hybrid at all three stages were Brassica-specific uncharacterized genes and several defense-related genes. Expression of several photosynthesis- and stress-related genes were also $F_1$ hybrid-specific. Thirteen NBS-LRR class genes showed high and specific expression in $F_1$ hybrid Shulu: some of them were characterized as defense genes in Arabidopsis, but most have not been. Further characterization of these defense-related genes in Brassica species and its application will be helpful for understanding the role of defense responses in heterosis. In addition, results obtained in this study will be valuable to develop molecular markers for heterosis and disease resistance in B. rapa.

• Mycobiology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.401-409
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• 2023

Nigrospora (Xylariales, Apiosporaceae) consists of species of terrestrial plant endophytes and pathogens. Nigrospora has also been reported in marine environments such as mangroves, sea fans, and macroalgae. However, limited research has been conducted on Nigrospora associated with macroalgae. Here, we isolated Nigrospora species from three types of algae (brown, green, and red algae) from Korean islands (Chuja, Jeju, and Ulleung) based on phylogenetic analyses of multigenetic markers: the internal transcribed spacers (ITS), beta-tubulin (BenA), and translation elongation factor 1 (TEF1-α). A total of 17 Nigrospora strains were isolated from macroalgae and identified as nine distinct species. The majority of Nigrospora species (seven) were found on brown algae, followed by red algae (three), and then green algae (two). To our understanding, this study represents the first account of N. cooperae, N. covidalis, N. guilinensis, N. lacticolonia, N. osmanthi, N. pyriformis, and N. rubi occurring in marine environments. Additionally, this study provides the first report of the occurrence of N. cooperae, N. covidalis, N. guilinensis, N. lacticolonia, and N. osmanthi in South Korea. This study will provide valuable insights for future research exploring the functions of fungi in macroalgal communities.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.173-181
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• 2009

One of the most extensively studied populations of multipotent adult stem cells are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs derived from the human umbilical cord vein (HUC-MSCs) are morphologically and immunophenotypically similar to MSCs isolated from bone marrow. HUC-MSCs are multipotent stem cells, differ from hematopoietic stem cells and can be differentiated into neural cells. Since neural tissue has limited intrinsic capacity of repair after injury, the identification of alternate sources of neural stem cells has broad clinical potential. We isolated mesenchymal-like stem cells from the human umbilical cord vein, and studied transdifferentiation-promoting conditions in neural cells. Dopaminergic neuronal differentiation of HUC-MSCs was also studied. Neural differentiation was induced by adding bFGF, EGF, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) in N2 medium and N2 supplement. The immunoreactive cells for $\beta$-tubulin III, a neuron-specific marker, GFAP, an astrocyte marker, or Gal-C, an oligodendrocyte marker, were found. HUC-MSCs treated with bFGF, SHH and FGF8 were differentiated into dopaminergic neurons that were immunopositive for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) antibody. HUC-MSCs treated with DMSO and BHA rapidly showed the morphology of multipolar neurons. Both immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of a number of neural markers including NeuroD1, $\beta$-tubulin III, GFAP and nestin was markedly elevated during this acute differentiation. While the stem cell markers such as SCF, C-kit, and Stat-3 were not expressed after neural differentiation, we confirmed the differentiation of dopaminergic neurons by TH/$\beta$-tubulin III positive cells. In conclusion, HUC-MSCs can be differentiated into dopaminergic neurons and these findings suggest that HUC-MSCs are alternative cell source of therapeutic treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.