• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.323-330
• /
• 2007

The mature wheat embryo is arguably one of the best explants for genetic transformation because of its unlimited availability and lack of growth season restriction. However, an efficient regeneration system using mature wheat embryos (Triticum aestivum L.) is still not available. To identify genes related to the tissue culture response (TCR) of wheat, QTLs for callus induction from mature embryos and callus regeneration were mapped using an RIL population derived from the cross of 'Wangshuibai' with 'Nanda2419', which has a good TCR. By whole genome scanning we identified five, four and four chromosome regions conditioning, respectively, percent embryos forming a callus (PEFC), percent calli regenerating plantlets (PCRP), and number of plantlets per regenerating callus (NPRC). The major QTLs QPefc.nau-2A and QPcrp.nau-2A were mapped to the long arm of chromosome 2A, explaining up to 22.8% and 17.6% of the respective phenotypic variance. Moreover, two major QTLs for NPRC were detected on chromosomes 2D and 5D; these together explained 51.6% of the phenotypic variance. We found that chromosomes 2A, 2D, 5A, 5B and 5D were associated via different intervals with at least two of the three TCR indexes used. Based on this study and other reports, the TCRs of different explant types of wheat may be under the control of shared or tightly linked genes, while different genes or gene combinations may govern the stages from callus induction to plantlet regeneration. The importance of group 2 and 5 chromosomes in controlling the TCRs of Triticeae crops and the likely conservation of the corresponding genes in cereals are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.257-276
• /
• 2022

Studies on rare and endemic plant conservation should be performed nationally to conserve plant diversity. Studies targeting a specific taxon have been reported based on the necessity of conserving plant diversity. From this point of view, there is an increasing necessity to compare and evaluate the studies for conservation. Moreover, it is necessary to analyze and review the direction for study subjects and items required for effective conservation of rare and endemic plants in Korea, based on the analysis results of collected data. We analyzed trends of studies on rare and endemic plants worldwide. In particular, we collected and analyzed the study trend in Korea. Study fields of the rare and endemic plants were divided into six classifications, of which the conservation ecology classification was sub-divided into the species traits, population study, and biological interaction. We have collected conservation ecology studies showing significant differences in regions and countries. They have been actively conducted in Europe and North America by region and in Japan and the United States by country. On the contrary, studies on basic ecology accounted for the most, followed by conservation genetics and restoration ecology in Korea. It was revealed that the portion of conservation ecology conducted in Korea was lower than that of the world. Moreover, studies mainly focused on a specific taxon of rare and endemic plants, such as endangered plants designated by the Korean Ministry of Environment. Particularly in Korea, conservation genetics and restoration ecology studies accounted for high percentages. Considering the worldwide study trends, particularly those in Europe and North America that lead the study of conservation ecology, we suggest approaches to increase the percentages of conservation ecology, including securing the information on species traits, population structure and population dynamics, and interaction between animals and plants are necessary for effective conservation of rare and endemic plants in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
• /
• 2005.09a
• /
• pp.118-123
• /
• 2005

With the increasing availability of mammalian genome sequences it became possible to use large scale phylogenetic analysis in order to locate potentially functional regions. In this paper we describe a new probabilistic method for the characterization of phylogenetic conservation in mammalian DNA sequences. We have used this method for the analysis of Hox gene clusters, based on the alignment of 6 species, and we constructed a map of for indicating short and long conserved fragments and their positions with respect to the known locations of Hox genes and other elements, sometimes showing surprising layouts.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.213-218
• /
• 2008

Swertia chirata is an endangered gentian species that prefers to grow at higher altitudes. This ethnomedicinal herb is known primarily for its bitter taste caused by the presence of important phytochemicals that are directly associated with human health benefits. Due to a continuous loss of habitat and inherent problems of seed viability and seed germination, alternative strategies for propagation and conservation are urgently required to prevent the possible extinction of this species. We have formulated a reproducible protocol for the rapid propagation and conservation of this plant using leaves taken from in vitro shoot cultures. Direct induction of more than seven shoot buds per explant was achieved for the first time when the explants were placed on MS medium supplemented with $2.22{\mu}M$ N-6-benzyladenine, $11.6{\mu}M$ kinetin, and $0.5{\mu}M$ ${\alpha}-naphthalene$ acetic acid. Direct organogenesis was noted exclusively from the adaxial surface of the basal segments of leaves. Leaves closer to the apical meristem were more responsive than those farther away from the meristem. Plants raised through direct organogenesis were evaluated for their clonal fidelity by chromosomal analysis and DNA fingerprinting. Complete plants were successfully transferred to the field condition and produced viable seeds. Given the enormous potential of this age-old medicinal plant in terms of potential health-benefitting drugs, this protocol can be used for commercial propagation purposes and to initiate future genetic improvement studies.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.6-10
• /
• 2017

Microsatellite markers were isolated for Daphne kiusiana var. kiusiana (Thymelaeaceae), an evergreen broad-leaved shrub endemic to Korea and Japan. Because its populations in Jeju Island are morphologically controversial, and consistently threatened by anthropogenic pressures, taxonomic delimitation and conservation effort are required at the genetic level. We developed 21 polymorphic microsatellite loci from Next Generation Sequencing data. The primer set included di-, tri-, and tetra-nucleotide repeats. Variability in the markers was tested for 80 individuals of D. kiusiana from three natural populations in Jeju Island and Japan. Among the 21 loci, three were unavailable for population JKJU of Japan. The Neighbor-Joining tree based on microsatellite markers described here classified the three populations into two groups according to geographical or morphological traits. These will be a powerful genetics tool for determining the taxonomic boundary and establishing suitable conservation strategies for D. kiusiana in Jeju Island.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.22-26
• /
• 2020

Chrysosplenium aureobracteatum Y. I. Kim & Y. D. Kim (Saxifragaceae) is a recently described endemic species growing in the central part of the Korean peninsula. It requires constant monitoring for conservation due to its limited distributions. There is also a need for molecular markers for proper assessments of the genetic differentiation of C. aureobracteatum from species morphologically similar to it. In this study, we developed microsatellite markers that can be used to evaluate the genetic diversity of this species, representing fundamental data with which to conserve the natural populations of the species. A total of 17 expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers were developed by the Illumina pair-end sequencing of the transcriptomes of C. aureobracteatum. These markers were successfully applied to populations of C. aureobracteatum and to its most closely related species, C. barbatum, revealing high polymorphism in both species. The EST-SSR markers developed in this study were proven to be useful not only to monitor the population genetic structure of C. aureobracteatum for conservation purposes but also to study the genetic delimitation of the species from species closely related to it.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.247-258
• /
• 2021

To understand restoration and conservation projects conducted in Korea for endangered freshwater fishes and amphibians/reptiles, information about Request for Protocols-related studies on restoration, breeding, and release were collected. Trends of studies were visualized via word clouds and VOSviewer program using a text mining technique. Analysis of restoration projects for endangered freshwater fishes elucidated that most research studies conducted to date were focused on genetics and release through captive breeding that could be classified into captive breeding and habitat environments. As for research projects related to amphibians/reptiles, monitoring projects had the highest number, followed by genetic, translocation, and monitoring studies. In addition, restoration projects for amphibians/reptiles included a large number of post-capture translocation projects. Thus, many projects were confirmed by public institutions rather than by the Ministry of Environment. Network analysis revealed that it was largely classified into capture, translocation, and Kaloula borealis. Based on these results, limitations, achievements, and challenges associated with projects conducted thus far are highlighted. Research directions for future restoration and conservation of endangered freshwater fishes and amphibians/reptiles in South Korea are also suggested.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.30 no.11
• /
• pp.1007-1011
• /
• 2020

This study was conducted to analyze the genetic diversity and relationships that discriminate between Korean native black goat populations (Dangjin, Jangsu, Tongyoung, and Gyeongsang National University strains) and crossbred goats. Monomorphic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in each strain were collected, and 133 common SNPs were selected for analysis. These 133 monomorphic SNPs showed differences in the genetic structure of the Korean native black goat and crossbred goats, and results from the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the two can be clearly separated. Furthermore, analysis of the validation population comprising 70 individuals (Korean native black goats, n = 24; crossbred goats, n = 46) with the reference population showed that Korean native black goat strains and the reference population have the same genetic structure, and the crossbred goats shared only part of the genetic structure with the reference population. The result of the PCA analysis showed that the Korean native black goat strains form one population, whereas the foreign strains form another population which is more widely dispersed than the Korean native black goat strains. Thus, the results from this study can be used as baseline data for the conservation of genetic resources of Korean native black goat communities through utilization of monomorphic SNPs and for the introduction of exotic species for further improvement in genetic diversity. This study can also help reduce unnecessary inbreeding and gene flow between native strains.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.9
• /
• pp.1368-1372
• /
• 2014

Several studies arduously reported that gayal (Bos frontalis) is an independent bovine species. The population size is shrinking across its distribution. In Bangladesh, it is the only wild relative of domestic cattle and also a less cared animal. Their body size is much bigger than Bangladeshi native cattle and has prominent beef type characters along with the ability to adjust in any adverse environmental conditions. Human interactions and manipulation of biodiversity is affecting the habitats of gayals in recent decades. Besides, the only artificial reproduction center for gayals, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), has few animals and could not carry out its long term conservation scheme due to a lack of an objective based scientific mission as well as financial support. This indicates that the current population is much more susceptible to stochastic events which might be natural catastrophes, environmental changes or mutations. Further reduction of the population size will sharply reduce genetic diversity. In our recent investigation with 80K indicine single nucleotide polymorphism chip, the $F_{IS}$ (within-population inbreeding) value was reported as $0.061{\pm}0.229$ and the observed ($0.153{\pm}0.139$) and expected ($0.148{\pm}0.143$) heterozygosities indicated a highly inbred and less diverse gayal population in Bangladesh. Prompt action is needed to tape the genetic information of this semi-domesticated bovine species with considerable sample size and try to investigate its potentials together with native zebu cattle for understanding the large phenotypic variations, improvement and conservation of this valuable creature.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.78-82
• /
• 2002

This study compared the effect of Korean vegetarian and omnivorous diets on plasma carnitine concentrations and urinary carnitine excretion. Twenty lactoovovegetarian and twenty omnivorous female college students consented to participate in this study. Daily nutritional intake and plasma and urinary nonesterified carnitine (NEC), acid-soluble acylcarnitine (ASAC), acid-insoluble acylcarnitine (AIAC), and total carnitine (TCNE) were determined. Daily protein, fat, retinol, vitamin B$_2$and vitamin B$\_$12/ intakes were significantly lower for vegetarians, however, fiber, carbohydrate, $\beta$-carotene, folic acid and vitamin C consumptions were much higher for vegetarians than omnivores. There were no differences in plasma NEC, ASAC, AIAC and TCNE concentrations between the two groups. Urinary carnitine excretion was lower in vegetarians, but only the differences in ASAC and TCNE excretions were statistically significant. These results suggest that the lower excretion of ASAC in vegetarians may be a reflection of their lipid metabolic state and that Korean vegetarian diets may accommodate lower carnitine intakes through efficient urinary conservation of carnitine.