• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Environmental toxicants such as toxic metals can alter epigenetic regulatory features such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA expression. Heavy metals influence gene expression by epigenetic mechanisms and by directly binding to various metal response elements in the target gene promoters. Given the role of epigenetic alterations in regulating genes, there is potential for the integration of toxic metal-induced epigenetic alterations as informative factors in the risk assessment process. Here, we focus on recent advances in understanding epigenetic changes, gene expression, and biological effects induced by toxic metals.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.271-274
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• 2019

Between August and September 2017, zonate leaf spots with severe defoliation were observed on Parthenocissus tricuspidata in Gimcheon, Korea. The initial symptoms included water-soaked, gray to grayish brown, circular or irregular-shaped leaf spots. As the disease progressed, the spots enlarged, coalesced, and became cream-colored with characteristic target-shaped rings, leading to leaf blight and premature defoliation. Based on cultural and morphological characteristics, the fungus associated with the symptoms was identified as Grovesinia moricola. The identity of this fungus was confirmed by analyzing sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA. The pathogenicity of the isolate was demonstrated by artificial inoculation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of G. moricola occurring on P. tricuspidata globally as well as in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.399-405
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• 2021

Until now, five species (Meghimatium bilineatum, M. fruhstorferi, Limax flavus, L. marginatus, Deroceras reticulatum) in three genera of families Philomycidae and Limacidae have been reported in Korea. Philomycidae is a family of air-breathing land snails. Meghimatium hongdoensis sp. nov. is described based on its middle size (60-80 mm in body length), its body coloration (dark-red yellow), no dorsal with streaks, its genitalia, and 16rDNA sequence analysis. Specimens of this new species were collected from Hongdo island, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea. This species is only known from the type locality at Hongdo to date. It could be found in high-humidity sites. Meghimatium uniforme (Laidlaw 1937) was the first one reported in Korea. It was also collected from Gageodo island, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea. In this study, morphological characteristics including their radula and genital structures of these two species were described. Preliminary results of mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses indicated that these species belonged to the Korean clade.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2023

Dark brown leaf molds growing in a vein-limited pattern have been continuously observed on the lower leaf surface of Fatoua villosa in Korea. Fifteen samples deposited in the Korea University herbarium were examined for fungal morphological characterization. Two monoconidial isolates were obtained in 2022, and molecular analysis was performed based on a combined multigene dataset of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and partial actin (actA), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit (rpb2). Based on morphological features and molecular phylogenetic analysis, the fungus Pseudocercospora fatouae was identified. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study reporting the presence of P. fatouae on F. villosa in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 2004

This review focuses on the developed and the being developed environmental sensors in particular biological sensors. As well as discussing the classification and some main principles, presenting current trend of the environmental sensors is given. Two main categories are immunosensors and catalytic sensors. In addition to those. DNA or RNA sensors or protein based sensors are discussed. Some crucial examples of the applications of such sensors are given to show how the sensor technology it used for environmental and biological monitoring, biomarkers of exposure.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.156-161
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• 2002

Two different cDNA clones for superoxide dismutase (SOD) were isolated from an weedy rice variety (Oryza sativa, cv. Bhutan14Ad) and were introduced into a cultivated rice variety (Oryza sativa, cv. Nakdong) in order to develop the environmental stress-resistant rice plants. Sequence analysis of the cloned cDNAS indicated that the deduced amino acid sequence of SOD-A is 88.4% identical to that of SOD-B. Furthermore, the nucleotide sequence of SOD-A is 99.3% identical to that of a Cu/Zn SOD gene of Oryza sativa (GenBank accession No. L36320). The nueleotide sequence of SOD-B was identical to that of the previously published SOD gene (Accession No. D01000). A cultivated rice variety, Nakdong-byeo, was transformed with chimeric SOD genes containing a actin promoter of rice and pin2 terminator using a particle bombardment technique. Transformed calli were selected on an selection medium containing phosphinothricin (PPT). Transgenic rice plants were regenerated from the PPT-resistant calli. PCR analysis with genomic DNAs from transgenic plants revealed that transgenes are introduced into rice genome.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2002

To identify and evaluate the dichlorobenzidine(DCB)-DNA adducts in liver cell and bladder epithelial cells by $^{32}$ P-postlabeling and GC/MS-SIM, we orally exposed the dichlorobenzidine(20mg/kh body wt./day) to male Sprague-Dawley rats(l85$\pm$10g) for 14 days. Two kinds of DCB-DNA adduct(A1 and A2) were found at the same site of thin layer chromatogram of $^{32}$ P-postlabeling method in liver cells and bladder epithelial cells. In liver cells, relative adduct labeling(RAL) $\times$ 10$^{12}$ of DCB-DNA adduct A1 were 34.1$\pm$3.71 and 69.9$\pm$5.02, that of adduct A2 were 74.1$\pm$10.1 and 105.1$\pm$10.1 on 10 and 14 days after treatment, respectively. And in bladder epithelia cells, RAL $\times$ 10$^{12}$ of DCB-DNA adduct A1 were 5.92$\pm$1.60 and 15.9$\pm$1.31, that of adduct A2 were 9.81$\pm$2.81 and 22.8$\pm$1.79 on 10 and 14 days after treatment, respectively. DCB metabolites formed DNA adducts were monoacetyl-dichlorobenzidine(acDCB) and diacetyl-dichlorobenzidine(di-acDCB), which was identify by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-scan ionization mode(GC/MS-SIM), after hydrolysis of DCB-DNA adducts isolated from live cells and bladder epithelial cells. The base peak of acDCB were 252 and 294 m/z, and that of di-acDCB were 252, 294 and 336 m/z. In conclusion, the exposed DCB formed two kinds of DCB-DNA adduct, the proximate materials of that were acDCB and di-acDCB in liver and bladder epithelial cells. And the above GC/MS-SIM method was found the DCB-DNA adducts could be monitoring by gas chromatography.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2022

Using environmental DNA (eDNA) in the fisheries and oceanography fields, research on the diversity of biological species, the presence or absence of specific species and quantitative evaluation of species has considerably been performed. Up to date, no study on eDNA has been tried in the area of fisheries acoustics in Korea. In this study, the biomass of a dominant species in the northwestern waters of Jeju Island was examined using 1) the catch ratio of the species from trawl survey results and 2) the ranking ratio of the species from the eDNA results. The dominant species was Zoarces gillii, and its trawl catch ratio was 68.2% and its eDNA ratio was 81.3%. The Zoarces gillii biomass from the two methods was 7199.4 tons (trawl) and 8584.6 tons (eDNA), respectively. The mean and standard deviation of the acoustic backscattering strength values (120 kHz) from the entire survey area were 135.5 and 157.7 m²/nm², respectively. The strongest echo signal occurred at latitude 34° and longitude 126°15' (northwest of Jeju Island). High echo signals were observed in a specific oceanographic feature (salinity range of 32-33 psu and the water temperature range of 19-20℃). This study was a pilot study on evaluating quantitatively aquatic resources by applying the eDNA technique into acoustic-trawl survey method. Points to be considered for high-quality quantitative estimation using the eDNA to fisheries acosutics were discussed.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2020

For the past three decades, more than a thousand of genetic studies have been performed to find out the genetic variants responsible for the risk of asthma. Until now, all of the discovered single nucleotide polymorphisms have explained genetic effects less than initially expected. Thus, clarification of environmental factors has been brought up to overcome the 'missing' heritability. The most exciting solution is epigenesis because it intervenes at the junction between the genome and the environment. Epigenesis is an alteration of genetic expression without changes of DNA sequence caused by environmental factors such as nutrients, allergens, cigarette smoke, air pollutants, use of drugs and infectious agents during pre- and post-natal periods and even in adulthood. Three major forms of epigenesis are composed of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and specific microRNA. Recently, several studies have been published on epigenesis in asthma and allergy as a powerful tool for research of genetic heritability in asthma albeit epigenetic changes are at the starting point to obtain the data on specific phenotypes of asthma. In this presentation, we mainly review the potential role of DNA CpG methylation in the risk of asthma and its sub-phenotypes including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory exacerbated respiratory diseases.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.450-461
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• 2022

Purpose: DNA damage and repair responses are induced by metabolic diseases and environmental stress. The balance of DNA repair response and the antioxidant system play a role in modulating the entire body's health. This study uses a high-fat and high-calorie (HFC) drink to examine the new roles of a plant-based multivitamin/mineral supplement with phytonutrients (PMP) for regulating the antioxidant system and cellular DNA repair signaling in the body resulting from metabolic stress. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized, parallel-arm, and placebo-controlled trial, healthy adults received a capsule containing either a PMP supplement (n = 12) or a placebo control (n = 12) for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at 0, 1, and 3 hours after consuming a HFC drink (900 kcal). The blood samples were analyzed for the following oxidative stress makers: areas under the curve reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), erythrocytes MDA, urinary MDA, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and the glutathione:oxidized glutathione ratio at the time points. We further examined the related protein levels of DNA repair signaling (pCHK1 (Serine 345), p-P53 (Serine 15), and 𝛄H2AX expression) in the plasma of subjects to evaluate the time-dependent effects of a HFC drink. Results: In a previous study, we showed that PMP supplementation for eight weeks reduces the ROS and endogenous DNA damage in human blood plasma. Results of the current study further show that PMP supplementation is significantly correlated with antioxidant defense. Compared to the placebo samples, the blood plasma obtained after PMP supplementation showed enhanced DNA damage response genes such as pCHK1(Serine 345) (a transducer of DNA response) and 𝛄H2AX (a hallmark of DNA damage) during the 8 weeks trial on metabolic challenges. Conclusion: Our results indicate that PMP supplementation for 8 weeks enhances the antioxidant system against oxidative stress and prevents DNA damage signaling in humans.