• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2021

This study developed a species identification method for the salted opossum shrimp of Acetes japonicus, A. chinensis (Korea, China), A. indicus (I, II), and Palaemon gravieri based on PCR-RFLP markers. Genomic DNA was extracted from the salted opossum shrimp. The COI gene was used to amplify 519 base pairs (bp) using specific primers. The amplified products were digested by Acc I and Hinf I, and the DNA fragments were separated by automated electrophoresis for RFLP analysis. When the amplified DNA product (519 bp) was digested with Acc I, A. japonicus, A. chinensis (Korea), and A. indius (II) showed two fragments, whereas a single band of 519 bp was detected in A. chinensis (China) and A. indius (I). Also, in the RFLP patterns digested by Hinf I, A. chinensis (Korea) and A. chinensis (China) showed a single band of 519 bp, while two fragments were observed in A. japonicus and A. indius (I) and four fragments in A. indius (II). The PCR amplicon of P. gravieri was digested by Acc I into 3 bands of 271, 202, and 46 bp and by Hinf I into a single band of 519 bp. Therefore, salted opossum shrimp-specific RFLP markers showing distinct differences between four species and two sub-species by PCR-RFLP analysis. Thus, the PCR-RFLP markers developed in this study are a good method for identifying the six types of salted opossum shrimp.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.297-309
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• 2020

Coronaviruses were originally discovered as enzootic infections that limited to their natural animal hosts, but some strains have since crossed the animal-human species barrier and progressed to establish zoonotic diseases. Accordingly, cross-species barrier jumps resulted in the appearance of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 that manifest as virulent human viruses. Coronaviruses contain four main structural proteins: spike, membrane, envelope, and nucleocapsid protein. The replication cycle is as follows: cell entry, genome translation, replication, assembly, and release. They were not considered highly pathogenic to humans until the outbreaks of SARS-CoV in 2002 in Guangdong province, China. The consequent outbreak of SARS in 2002 led to an epidemic with 8,422 cases, and a reported worldwide mortality rate of 11%. MERS-CoVs is highly related to camel CoVs. In 2019, a cluster of patients infected with 2019-nCoV was identified in an outbreak in Wuhan, China, and soon spread worldwide. 2019-nCoV is transmitted through the respiratory tract and then induced pneumonia. Molecular diagnosis based on upper respiratory region swabs is used for confirmation of this virus. This review examines the structure and genomic makeup of the viruses as well as the life cycle, diagnosis, and potential therapy.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.76-80
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• 2021

To develop a method for the differentiation of Pleurotus ostratus cultivars, the multiplex-simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer set based on the SSRs obtained from whole genomic DNA sequence analysis was designed with two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets. These SSR primer sets were employed to distinguish 10 cultivars and strains. Twenty polymorphic markers were selected based on the genotyping results. PCR with each primer produced 1-4 distinct bands ranging in size from 150 to 350 bp, which was within the expected range. However, since a sole SSR marker was unable to detect polymorphisms in every cultivar, multiplex PCRs with composite PCR primer sets were employed. The multiplex primer, "166+115," completely discriminated 12 cultivars and strains with 40 loci, which were 12 more than the simple arithmetic addition of each locus of the primers 115 and 166. These results might be useful to provide an efficient method for the differentiation of P. ostreatus cultivars with separate PCRs for the quality control of spawn and protection of breeders' rights.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2021

In May 2020, necrosis and necrotic ring patterns were observed on leaves of three of 140 Iris domestica plants in a demonstration garden in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do. Three symptomatic plants were found to be infected by tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). To analyze the whole genomic sequence of one TSWV isolate, 'Blackberry lily-kr1', L, M, and S genome segments were sequenced and analyzed by comparison of nucleotide sequences of the three segments with corresponding sequences of other TSWV isolates. 'Blackberry lily-kr1' isolate was most closely related to 'JJ' isolate (MF159046) or 'HJ' isolate (LC273305) in the L segment, and to 'JJ' isolate (MF159058 and KY021439) in the M and S segments, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis by Maximum likelihood method using MEGA X program with 'Blackberry lily-kr1' isolate showed high relationship with 'JJ' pepper isolate or 'HJ' Humulus japonicas isolate in the all three segment. Necrosis and double ring patterns on leaves were formed in the glasshouse after inoculation of healthy I. domestica plants with sap of 'Blackberry lily-kr1'-infected Nicotiana rustica plants. This result suggests that I. domestica plants showing necrotic ring patterns in the open field are caused by TSWV infection. This is the first report of TSWV infection of I. domestica in Korea.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.234-247
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• 2021

We used a heterozygous gene deletion library of fission yeasts comprising all essential and non-essential genes for a microarray screening of target genes of the antifungal terbinafine, which inhibits ergosterol synthesis via the Erg1 enzyme. We identified 14 heterozygous strains corresponding to 10 non-essential [7 ribosomal-protein (RP) coding genes, spt7, spt20, and elp2] and 4 essential genes (tif302, rpl2501, rpl31, and erg1). Expectedly, their erg1 mRNA and protein levels had decreased compared to the control strain SP286. When we studied the action mechanism of the non-essential target genes using cognate haploid deletion strains, knockout of SAGA-subunit genes caused a down-regulation in erg1 transcription compared to the control strain ED668. However, knockout of RP genes conferred no susceptibility to ergosterol-targeting antifungals. Surprisingly, the RP genes participated in the erg1 transcription as components of repressor complexes as observed in a comparison analysis of the experimental ratio of erg1 mRNA. To understand the action mechanism of the interaction between the drug and the novel essential target genes, we performed isobologram assays with terbinafine and econazole (or cycloheximide). Terbinafine susceptibility of the tif302 heterozygous strain was attributed to both decreased erg1 mRNA levels and inhibition of translation. Moreover, Tif302 was required for efficacy of both terbinafine and cycloheximide. Based on a molecular modeling analysis, terbinafine could directly bind to Tif302 in yeasts, suggesting Tif302 as a potential off-target of terbinafine. In conclusion, this genome-wide screening system can be harnessed for the identification and characterization of target genes under any condition of interest.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.568-573
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• 2021

This study identified genomic factors associated with endoplasmic reticulum protein (ERp)29 gene expression in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of genetic variants, including single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In total, 373 European genes from the 1000 Genomes Project were analyzed. SNPs with an allelic frequency of less than or more than 5% were removed, resulting in 5,913,563 SNPs including in the analysis. The following expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) from the long noncoding RNA LOC105372577 were strongly associated with ERp29 expression: rs6138266 (p<4.172e10), rs62193420 (p<1.173e10), and rs6138267 (p<2.041e10). These were strongly expressed in the testis and in the brain. The three eQTL were identified through a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) and showed a significant association with ERp29 and osteosarcoma amplified 9 (OS9) expression. Upstream sequences of rs6138266 were recognized by ChIP-seq data, while HaploReg was used to demonstrate how its regulatory DNA binds upstream of transcription factor 1 (USF1). There were no changes in the expression of OS9 or USF1 following ER stress.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.318-325
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• 2021

The objective of this study was to identify the effect of zebularine, a DNA methylation inhibitor, on the chromosomal association between homoeologous chromosomes in the wheat genetic background. Zebularine at a final concentration of 10 µM was used to treat the spikes of the double monosomic wheat addition line (DMA) with one Leymus mollis chromosome and one Leymus racemosus chromosome, both of which were in a homoeologous relationship. In late prophase, zebularine led to chromosome breakage in the Leymus homoeologous chromosomes. Chromosome breakage caused an increase in the frequency of chromosomal associations between the Leymus homoeologous chromosomes. Ordinary DMA showed 65 cells (35.3%) with chromosomal associations and 119 cells (64.7%) with no association, whereas treated DMA showed 102 cells (60.0%) with chromosomal associations and 67 cells (39.4%) with no association. In diakinesis, the Leymus bivalent showed a chromosomal association in the whole euchromatic region. In metaphase, the Leymus bivalent showed association in the whole chromosomal region, unlike other Leymus bivalents with partial chromosomal association. Chromosomal association by chromosome breakage occurred not only between Leymus chromosomes but also between Leymus and wheat chromosomes. The frequency of other chromosomal association (such as fusion and insert) was increased. Chromosome breakage by zebularine treatment is a useful method at the chromosome level as the spores with others are hereditary stable, although the homologous index (h) was not significantly different between ordinary DMA and treated DMA. It is necessary to study how to control zebularine treatment with a more stable concentration for chromosome breakage during meiosis.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1698-1710
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• 2022

Objective: Raw potato starch (RPS) is resistant to digestion, escapes absorption, and is metabolized by intestinal microflora in the large intestine and acts as their energy source. In this study, we compared the effect of different concentrations of RPS on the intestinal bacterial community of weaned piglets. Methods: Male weaned piglets (25-days-old, 7.03±0.49 kg) were either fed a corn/soybean-based control diet (CON, n = 6) or two treatment diets supplemented with 5% RPS (RPS5, n = 4) or 10% RPS (RPS10, n = 4) for 20 days and their fecal samples were collected. The day 0 and 20 samples were analyzed using a 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology, followed by total genomic DNA extraction, library construction, and high-throughput sequencing. After statistical analysis, five phyla and 45 genera accounting for over 0.5% of the reads in any of the three groups were further analyzed. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the day 20 fecal samples were analyzed using gas chromatography. Results: Significant changes were not observed in the bacterial composition at the phylum level even after 20 d post feeding (dpf); however, the abundance of Intestinimonas and Barnesiella decreased in both RPS treatment groups compared to the CON group. Consumption of 5% RPS increased the abundance of Roseburia (p<0.05) and decreased the abundance of Clostridium (p<0.01) and Mediterraneibacter (p< 0.05). In contrast, consumption of 10% RPS increased the abundance of Olsenella (p<0.05) and decreased the abundance of Campylobacter (p<0.05), Kineothrix (p<0.05), Paraprevotella (p<0.05), and Vallitalea (p<0.05). Additionally, acetate (p<0.01), butyrate (p<0.05), valerate (p = 0.01), and total SCFAs (p = 0.01) were upregulated in the RPS5 treatment group Conclusion: Feeding 5% RPS altered bacterial community composition and promoted gut health in weaned piglets. Thus, resistant starch as a feed additive may prevent diarrhea in piglets during weaning.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.464-474
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• 2022

Objectives: We introduced the cohort studies included in the Korean Cohort Consortium (KCC), focusing on large-scale cohort studies established in Korea with a prolonged follow-up period. Moreover, we also provided projections of the follow-up and estimates of the sample size that would be necessary for big-data analyses based on pooling established cohort studies, including population-based genomic studies. Methods: We mainly focused on the characteristics of individual cohort studies from the KCC. We developed "PROFAN", a Shiny application for projecting the follow-up period to achieve a certain number of cases when pooling established cohort studies. As examples, we projected the follow-up periods for 5000 cases of gastric cancer, 2500 cases of prostate and breast cancer, and 500 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The sample sizes for sequencing-based analyses based on a 1:1 case-control study were also calculated. Results: The KCC consisted of 8 individual cohort studies, of which 3 were community-based and 5 were health screening-based cohorts. The population-based cohort studies were mainly organized by Korean government agencies and research institutes. The projected follow-up period was at least 10 years to achieve 5000 cases based on a cohort of 0.5 million participants. The mean of the minimum to maximum sample sizes for performing sequencing analyses was 5917-72 102. Conclusions: We propose an approach to establish a large-scale consortium based on the standardization and harmonization of existing cohort studies to obtain adequate statistical power with a sufficient sample size to analyze high-risk groups or rare cancer subtypes.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.199-207
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• 2022

The demand for novel strains has been rising in the domestic market to increase the production of sclerotia from Wolfiporia hoelen. To improve strain breeding efficiency, we investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the RNA polymerase II subunit (RPB2) gene, which may be linked to the mating type locus, are useful for distinguishing monokaryons from dikaryons in Korean W. hoelen strains. We designed a specific primer set to efficiently amplify a region of RPB2 using PCR with the genomic DNA of 12 cultivated strains and 31 wild strains of W. hoelen collected from Korea. Nucleotide sequences of the PCR-amplified RPB2 genes were determined and analyzed for the presence of SNPs among the 43 W. hoelen strains. Previously reported SNP loci were detected in the RPB2 gene of all W. hoelen strains tested. However, these previously reported SNP loci could not be applied to differentiate monokaryons from dikaryons in approximately one-third of Korean wild strains with homozygous genotypes. Three additional SNPs in the RPB2 gene, which may improve the ability to distinguish monokaryons from dikaryons, were identified by searching through the multiple sequence alignments of the 43 W. hoelen strains. The applicability of these three novel SNPs, together with the previously known SNPs, in the RPB2 gene to W. hoelen strain breeding was verified by examining the hybrid strains and their parental strains.