• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2001

A corynespora leaf spot of pepper, which has not been reported previously in Korea, occurred severely at the major pepper cultivation area of Chinju, Gyeongnam province in 2001. Infection rate ranged from 48.2 to 84.7% in eight fields surveyed. The causal fungus was identified as Corynespora cassicola based on the following cultural and morphological characteristics. The fungi grew well on potato dextrose agar, showing gray to brown color with cultural age. Conidia formed solitary or catenary were obclavate to cylindrical in shape, and pale olivaceous brown or brown in color. They had 420 pseudoseptate and isthmus, and measured 42.7-197.6 x 9.3-$23.5\mu\textrm{m}$. Septate conidiophores were pale to light brown in color, and measured 116.5-836.0 x 4.2-$11.0\mu\textrm{m}$. Conidia germinated as a bi-polar type. Optimal temperature for mycelial growth and conidial germination was $30^{\circ}$ and 25-$30^{\circ}$, respectively. The fungus showed strong pathogenicity to pepper plant, and the symtoms on pepper by the artificial inoculation were similar to those observed in the field. This is the first report on the corynespora leaf spot on pepper (Capsium annuum) caused by Corynespora cassicola in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.393-405
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• 2019

Survival factor 1 (Svf1) is a protein involved in cell survival pathways. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Svf1 is required for the diauxic growth shift and survival under stress conditions. In this study, we characterized the role of FgSvf1, the Svf1 homolog in the homothallic ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum. In the FgSvf1 deletion mutant, conidial germination was delayed, vegetative growth was reduced, and pathogenicity was completely abolished. Although the FgSvf1 deletion mutant produced perithecia, the normal maturation of ascospore was dismissed in deletion mutant. The FgSvf1 deletion mutant also showed reduced resistance to osmotic, fungicide, and cold stress and reduced sensitivity to oxidative stress when compared to the wild-type strain. In addition, we showed that FgSvf1 affects glycolysis, which results in the abnormal vegetative growth in the FgSvf1 deletion mutant. Further, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in the FgSvf1 deletion mutant, and this accumulated ROS might be related to the reduced sensitivity to oxidative stress and the reduced resistance to cold stress and fungicide stress. Overall, understanding the role of FgSvf1 in F. graminearum provides a new target to control F. graminearum infections in fields.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.279-282
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• 2020

In 2019, symptoms of Botrytis mold on the peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) 'Sarah Bernhardt' were observed during a survey of the commercial greenhouses of Gangjin County, South Korea. The initial symptoms, small brown spots, were observed mainly at the leaf margins. The lesions extended to the interior of leaves forming irregular spots in which abundant conidia developed. Fungal colonies were obtained from surface-sterilized tissue excised from growing edges of the lesions that were transferred to potato dextrose agar. Melanized irregular sclerotia were formed in these colonies after 40 days at 8℃. Molecular phylogeny based on sequences of genes for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, heat-shock protein 60, and RNA polymerase subunit II were highest for the PBC-2 isolate to the type strains of Botrytis cinerea, rather than other Botrytis species associated with peony diseases. Following Koch's postulates, healthy Sarah Bernhardt plants were inoculated with a foliar application of conidial suspensions of the isolate PBC-2. Following incubation under humidity with a 12 hr photoperiod for 7 days, symptoms developed on the leaf margins that were identical to those observed in the greenhouses. This study is the first report of Botrytis blight caused by B. cinerea on peonies grown in commercial greenhouses in South Korea.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.467-474
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• 2022

Autophagy serves as a survival mechanism and plays important role in nutrient recycling under conditions of starvation, nutrient storage, ad differentiation of plant pathogenic fungi. However, autophagy-related genes have not been investigated in Colletotrichum scovillei, a causal agent of pepper fruit anthracnose disease. ATG8 is involved in autophagosome formation and is considered a marker of autophagy. Therefore, we generated an ATG8 deletion mutant, ΔCsatg8, via homologous recombination to determine the functional roles of CsATG8 in the development and virulence of C. scovillei. Compared with the wild-type, the deletion mutant ΔCsatg8 exhibited a severe reduction in conidiation. Conidia produced by ΔCsatg8 were defective in survival, conidial germination, and appressorium formation. Moreover, conidia of ΔCsatg8 showed reduced lipid amount and PTS1 selectivity. A virulence assay showed that anthracnose development on pepper fruits was reduced in ΔCsatg8. Taken together, our results suggest that CsATG8 plays various roles in conidium production and associated development, and virulence in C. scovillei.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2022

Anthracnose crown rot (ACR) has been observed in greenhouses during the nursery and harvest seasons in Gangwon Province, Korea. Infected plants showed black leaf spot, dark sunken pink conidial masses on petioles, wilting, and eventually death. Five isolates were obtained from the lesions of strawberry plants and were identified as a Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex based on their cultural and morphological characteristics. Multilocus sequence analysis of actin, calmodulin, chitin synthase, glyceraldehyde-3-phophate dehydrogenase genes, and internal transcribed spacer rDNA regions showed that the isolates formed a monophyletic group with the type strain of C. siamense. Pathogenicity tests were performed on the isolate, and Koch's postulates were performed to verify the relationship between Colletotrichum sp. and the strawberry plant variety Seolhyang. The isolate was pathogenic to strawberry plants, which exhibited typical ACR symptoms. Based on morphological characteristics, pathogenicity, and DNA sequence analyses, the fungus isolated in Korea was identified as C. siamense. This is first time C. siamense has been confirmed in ever-bearing strawberry varieties in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.103-113
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• 2003

Twenty five isolates of Alternaria were obtained from various solanaceous crops in Korea. For all isolates, morphological characteristics of the conidia were determined and compared with those of representative isolates of A. solani and A. tomatophila. A selection of the isolates and the representative Alternaria isolates were evaluated for Pathogenicity to potato, tomato, egg plant and red pepper. Molecular characteristics of 17 isolates of Alternaria inculding the representative isolates were determined using sequence analysis of IRS rDNA and histone H3 gene, and URP-PCR analysis. Based on morphological characteristics, the isolates from the solanaceous crops were grouped as identical or very similar to either A. tomatophila (ATO), A. solani (ASO), and unidentified Alternaria sp. (ASP). Isolates of ASO were moderately pathogenic to all the solanaceous crops tested, but ATO isolates were highly pathogenic to tomato and the ASP isolate was pathogenic only to potato. Among the molecular markers used in this study, the URP-PCR analysis was found to be appropriate for taxonomic resolution of these species. Based on the conidial morphology, pathogenicity test and molecular characteristics, A. tomatophila (early blight of tomato) could be distinguished from A. solani (early blight of potato), and the Alternaria sp. (ASP) from potato, which was closely related to ASO in conidial morphology, was considered as a new species.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 1982

Several mutants were isolated from the parent strain of Aspergillus niger CF: the first mutant strain CF-11 was obtained by UV irradiation, and the second mutant strain CF-21 and CF-22 were from NTG (N-methyl-N'-nitroso-N-nitroso-guanidine) treatment on the CF-11. These mutants were characterized, and their enzyme and acid production on wheat bran Koji and wheat flour Koji were studied. Asp. niger CF-22 mutant appeared to be tan type which conidial heads were discolored. It's glucoamylase activity was inreased approximately two times and its ${\alpha}-amylase$ about 50 percent as compared with that of the parent strain of Asp. niger CF, when grown on wheat bran Koji under the optimal conditions. Asp. niger CF-21 mutant showed slower growth rate and poor sporulation than the wild type, although its conidial heads were not discolored. Approximately 4-fold increment in its acid production was observed as compared with the weld type. The activities of glucoamylase and ${\alpha}-amylase$ of the Asp. niger CF-22 and CF-21 mutants were higher than those of the wild type, but their protease activity was rather lower. The maximum production of glucoamylase by the Asp. niger CF-22 mutant was obtained after 2 to 3 days incubation on wheat bran at 30 to $35^{\circ}C;$ ${\alpha}-amylase$2 days incubation at 30 to $35^{\circ}C$. The maximal levels of acid production by the mutant CF-21 was appeared after 2 days incubation on wheat bran Koji, and after 3 days on wheat flour Koji at $30^{\circ}C$. Little differences in the levels of acid production were observed between on wheat bran and flour Koji.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.166-185
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• 1983

Aspergillus niger IFO 8541 (NRRL 3112) was investigated through a series of UV rays and N-Methyl-N'-Nitro-N-Nitrosoguanidine (NTG) treatments to induce mutants that produce highly active raw starch saccharifying enzyme, and two mutants with strong enzymatic productivity were obtained. The mutants obtained were investigated for their fungal characters, condition of enzyme production, and other activities. Furthermore, the raw starch saccharifying enzyme was purified and the characteristics of purified enzyme were studied. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. The color of conidial head of UV-46 mutant obtained from UV rays treatment was changed to tan type and the gelatinated starch saccharifying enzyme productivity and the raw starch saccharifying enzyme productivity increased up to twice and 1.8 times compared to the productivities of original Aspergillus niger IFO 8541 cultured on the wheat bran, respectively. 2. The conidial head color of NG-41 mutant obtained from NTG treatment became lighter than that of parent strain. The gelatinated starch saccharifying enzyme productivity and raw starch saccharifying enzyme productivity increased about 1.8 times, and twice over the Aspergillus niger IFO 8541 parent strain cultured on wheat bran, respectively. The productivity of ${\alpha}$-amylase increased about 3 times more than the parent strain. 3. Two peaks of glucoanlylase and a peak of ${\alpha}$-amylase were obtained when enzyme solution of mutants and parent strain were passed through DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography. Glucoamylase I showed only gelatinated starch saccharifying enzyme activity. However, glucoamylase II (raw starch saccharifying enzyme) showed both raw starch saccharifying enzyme activity and gelatinated starch saccharifying enzyme activity. 4. Mutant, UV-46 was strengthened in glucoamylase II productivity and mutant NG-41 was strengthened in ${\alpha}$-amylase productivity. 5. Glucoamylase II of mutants and parent strain were appeared to have the same enzymatic properties. 6. Glucoamylase II of mutants and parent strain were recognized as simple enzyme through electrophoresis. 7. The glucoamylase II crystallized showed rhombic board type. 8. The molecular weight, isoelectric point, optimum pH, and optimum temperature of the glucoamylase II crystallized were estimated as 76,000, 3.4, 3.5 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2018

The filamentous Ascomycota Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu lato is a fungus that has been reported worldwide as a causal agent of anthracnose disease in avocado and other crops. In Mexico, this species affects fruits from an early stage of development in the orchard until the post-harvest stage. Although fungicides are continuously applied to control Colletotrichum species, pericarp cankers and soft rot mesocarp in fruits are still frequently observed. Considering the lack of a precise description of the causative agent, the aim of the current study was to determine the pathogens involved in this symptomatology. Twenty-four isolates were consistently obtained from the pericarp of avocado fruits cv. "Hass" collected in the central avocado-producing area of Mexico. Morphological features such as colony growth, conidia size, and mycelial appressorium were assessed. Bayesian multilocus phylogenetic analyses were performed using amplified sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA; actin, chitin synthase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase partial genes; and APn2-Mat1-2 intergenic spacer and mating type Mat1-2 partial gene from the nine selected isolates. In addition, fruits were inoculated with a conidial suspension and reproducible symptoms confirmed the presence of Colletotrichum fructicola in this area. This pathogenic species can now be added to those previously reported in the country, such as C. acutatum, C. boninense, C. godetiae, C. gloeosporioides, and C. karstii. Disease management programs to reduce the incidence of anthracnose should include C. fructicola to determine its response to fungicides that are routinely applied, considering that the appearance of new species is affecting the commercial quality of the fruits and shifting the original population structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.84.2-85
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• 2003

Magnaporthee grisea causes the devastating blast disease of rice. Entensive research has been conducted on infection mechanisms, particularly on appressorium formation and penetration, of this fungus during the last decade. However, the role(s) of cell-wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs) on pathogenesis is not clearly demonstrated at molecular level. Many CWDES in plant pathogenic fungi including M. grisea are redundant; that is, there are multiple genes encoding enzymes with a similar or overlapping spectrum of activities. It is laborious to isolate all of the genes encoding related enzymes and to construct mutants lacking all 9f them. Thus, we considered alternative strategies to address the role of CWDEs in pathogenesis. Since expression of CWDE genes Is repressed by a simple sugar, as the first step, we cloned a Snfl (sucrose non-fermenting) gene (MgSnf1) from M. grisea. The predicted amino acid sequence showed a high identity with other Snf1 genes from various fungi. To elucidate molecular function of MgSnf1, a transformant lacking MgSnf1 was created by targeted gene replacement. En glucose, sucrose, and xylan the MgSnf1 mutant grew normally but in pectin and complex media, it grew slower than wild type. Expression of various CWDEs in MgSnf1 mutant was investigated and found that expression of some CWDEs is repressed. However, no significant difference was observed in conidial germination, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity in MgSnf1 mutant. However, MgSnf1 functionally complemented a yeast MgSnf1 mutant. These results suggest that MgSnf1 is involved in regulation of CWDEs and MgSnf1 is dispensable in pathogenicity of M. grisea.