• Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 2017

AP2/EREBP gene family consists of transcription factor genes with a conserved AP2 DNA-binding domain and is involved in various biological processes. AP2/EREBP gene families were identified through genome-wide searches in five Cucurbitaceae species including cucumber, wild cucumber, melon, watermelon, and bitter gourd, which consisted of more than 100 genes in each of the five species. The gene families were further divided into five groups including four subfamilies (ERF, DREB, AP2 and RAV) and a soloist group. Among the subfamilies, DREB subfamily which is known to be related to abiotic stress response was more analyzed and a total of 25 genes were identified as Cucurbitaceae homologues of Arabidopsis CBF/DREB1 genes which are important for abiotic stress-response and tolerance. In silico expression profiling using RNA-Seq data revealed diverse expression patterns of cucumber AP2/EREBP genes. AP2/EREBP gene families identified in this study will be valuable for understanding the stress response mechanism as well as facilitating molecular breeding in Cucurbitaceae crops.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2004

The Hexane Extract (HE) and Ethyl Acetate Soluble Fraction of the Methanolic Extract (EASFME) of the fruit pulp of Momordica dioica Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) was evaluated for its anti-hepatotoxic activity in rats. Acute hepatotoxicity was induced by administering paracetamol (2 g/kg, p.o.) for 3 days. The extracts, at a dose of 400 mg/kg (p.o.) administered for 7 days exhibited a significant therapeutic effect by lowering Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT), Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT), Serum Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Serum bilirubin and increasing the serum protein levels. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of the liver sections. The activity of extract was also comparable to the standard drug Silymarin, which is a well-known natural anti-hepatotoxic drug.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.278-282
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• 2024

In November 2021, sponge gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) plants with typical downy mildew symptom were observed in Korea. Based on morphological characteristics of sporangiophores and sporangia, combined with molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer rDNA and cox2 mtDNA regions, the causal pathogen was identified as Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Oomycota). This is the first report of downy mildew caused by P. cubensis on L. aegyptiaca in Korea. Given that P. cubensis exhibits high disease incidence and severity on many Cucurbitaceae crops, it could pose a significant threat to sponge gourd cultivation.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.121-124
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• 2010

Immunocapture reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (IC-RT-PCR) was applied to the detection of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus (KGMMV), and Zucchini green mottle mosaic virus (ZGMMV) on Cucurbitaceae crops. These seed-borne tobamoviruses were accurately detected from the infected leaves and seeds by IC-RT-PCR. This method was estimated to be about 100 times more sensitive than ELISA, and also it allowed the direct confirmation of ELISA results by using the captured antigens from a completed ELISA microwell. This convenient and reliable method could be used routinely for large-scale field surveys or seed tests of Cucurbitaceae crops.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.93-97
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• 2011

For quarantine purpose, we selected five plant RNA viruses including Cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV), Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV), Potato aucuba mosaic virus (PAMV), Potato yellow dwarf virus (PYDV), and Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), which are not reported in Korea and cause serious economic losses to the family Cucurbitaceae or Solanaceae. To detect those viruses, we employed RT-PCR technique with specific oligonucleotide primer pairs and tested their detection efficiency for each virus. To design RT-PCR primers, coat protein was used for CVYV, CYSDV, and ToCV whereas RNA polymerase and nucleocapsid regions were used for PAMV and PYDV, respectively. The development of an RT-PCR based method proved a useful tool for rapid detection and identification of quarantine virus infections.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.240-244
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• 1994

Watermelon plants grafted with the root-stock of wild-cucumber (Sicyos angulatus) were not infected by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum in pot inoculation and infected fields tests. Controlling efficacy of the root-stock grafting with S. angulatus on Fusarium wilt of watermelon was more excellent than that of the root-stock grafting with Lagenaria siceraria. The isolates of Fusarium oxysprum from cucurbitaceae plants had a certain host-specific pathogenicity, but they did not express the absolute one forma specialis-one host-plant phenomenon by the root dipping inoculation. The pathogenic isolates of Fusarium oxysproum from cucurbitaceae crops did not infect the root-stock plant such as S. angulatus, L. siceraria and Cucurbita ficifolia. The fast-wilting of watermelon caused by uncertain agents was observed in watermelon plant grafted with L. siceraria in the continuously cropping fields, but it was not observed in watermelon plants grafted with S. angulatus in the same fields.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.193-203
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• 1977

Three sterol fractions; 4-desmethyl-, 4-monomethyl-, and 4,4-dimethylsterol, separated by thin layer chromatography from the unsaponifiables of five Cucurbitaceae (cucumber, watermelon, sponge cucumber, gourd and snake gourd) seed oils were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography and combined gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. ${\alpha}$-Spinasterol, ${\Delta}^{7,22,25}$-stigmastatrienol and ${\Delta}^{7,25}$-stigmastadienol isolated from the 4-desmethylsterol fraction were identified by IR, NMR and mass spectrometry.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.869-876
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• 2015

Wild relative species of domesticated crops are useful genetic resources for improving agronomic traits. Cytogenetic investigations based on chromosome composition provide insight into basic genetic and genomic characteristics of a species that can be exploited in a breeding program. Here, we used FISH analysis to characterize the ploidy level, chromosome constitution, and genomic distribution o f 5S and 4 5S r ibosomal DNA (rDNA) in four wild Cucurbitaceae species, namely, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf. var. citroides L. H. Bailey (2n = 22), Melothria japonica Maxim. (2n = 22), Sicyos angulatus L. (2n = 24), and Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. (2n = 66, 88, 110 cytotypes), collected in different areas of Korea. All species were diploids, except for T. kirilowii, which included hexa-, octa-, and decaploid cytotypes (2n = 6x = 66, 8x = 88, and 10x = 110). All species have small metaphase chromosomes in the range of $2-5{\mu}m$. The 45S rDNA signals were localized distally compared to the 5S rDNA. C. lanatus var. citroides and M. japonica showed one and two loci of 45S and 5S rDNA, respectively, with co-localization of rDNA signals in one M. japonica chromosome. S. angulatus showed two co-localized signals of 5S and 45S rDNA loci. The hexaploid T. kirilowii cytotype showed five signals each for 45S and 5S rDNA, with three being co-localized. This is the first report of hexaploid and decaploid cytotypes in T. kirilowii. These results will be useful in future Cucurbitaceae breeding programs.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2001

Root rot of Cucurbitaceae plants, caused by Monosporascus cannonballus, is one of the recently described diseases in Korea. The distribution and pathogenicity of M. cannonballus were examined by field and in vitro experiments. Root rot caused by M. cannonballus occurred on melon, oriental melon, watermelon and cucumber plants. In two years of disease survey, the disease occurred at 10 and 32 fields in 1997 and 1998, respectively, which were located at Kimhae, Chinju, and Namhae in Kyeongnam province, at Kwangyang in Chonnam province, at Kwangju city, and at Yeoju and Inchon in Kyeonggi province. The disease progress in a melon field at Namhae was not observed until the middle stage of plant growth, but rapidly increased at the fruit maturing stage, resulting in more than 50% yield loss. Isolation rate of M. cannonballus was 36.7% from wilted hosts. Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani were also frequently isolated. In vitro test, seedlings wilted after 7∼14 days of inoculation, and perithecia were formed in infected roots 21 days later. Two cucumber cultivars, Baekbong and Eunhwa, were resistant to the disease.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.16-19
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• 2001

The cultural caracteristics of Monosporascus cannonballus causing root rot of Cucurbitaceae plants were examined in vitro, and population density of the fungal ascospores were measured and compared aoming diferent host species and soil depths. Potato-dextrose agar(PDA) was the most appropriate medium for the mycelial growth and perithecial formation among the 5 media tested. Corn-meal agar(CMA), oat-meal agar (OMA) and V-8 juice agar were moderate media for the mycelial growth and perithecial formation, whereas water agar(WA) was poor medium. Perithecia were not formed on WA. Optimum temperature for the formation of perithecia was about 25 to 30$^{\circ}C$. distribution of ascospores in the infested fields was variable amount the curcubitaceae plants and within the same plant species, ranging from 1.7 to 14.6 ascospores in 20 g of soil, but no ascospore was detected in the uninfested field soils. Ascospores were distributed more at 20cm of soil depth than at 10cm or 30cm of soil depth.