• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.124-127
• /
• 2023

Among certain animals, gut microbiomes demonstrate species-specific patterns of beta diversity. This host-specificity is a potent driver of exogenous microbial exclusion. To overcome persistent translational limitations, translational microbiome research and therapeutic development must account for host-specific patterns of microbial engraftment. This commentary seeks to highlight the important implications of host-specificity for microbial ecology, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT), next-generation probiotics, and translational microbiota research.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.310-316
• /
• 2005

The objectives of this study were to identify the aecial host ranges of four Korean Gymnosporangium species, G. asiaticum, G. cornutum, Gjaponicum and Gyamadae, and to verify the morphological characteristics of telia as diagnostic keys to the species. Thirteen Korean Rosaceous woody species were artificially inoculated with teliospores obtained from Juniperus species. There was high specificity between telial and aecial hosts and the fungal species, providing the first experimental proof on host alternation of these rust fungi in Korea. Telia on the witches' broom and on the small galls were identified as new telial characteristics in G asiaticum and in G. yamadae, respectively. Aecial hosts of G. asiaticum and G. yamadae showed varying responses in their susceptibility and in the days required for formation and duration of spermogonia and aecia after inoculation. Four telial host species in Juniperus were confirmed for the first time in Korea, which include J. chinensis var. kaizuka, J. chinensis var. horizontalis and J. chinensis var. globosa for G. asiaticum; and J. chinensis var. kaizuka for G. yamadae.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.48-69
• /
• 1987

To understand host ranges and host specificity of ectomycorrhizal fungi and fungus specificity of host tree species, higher fungi from pure forest stands of following twelve tree species were collected for six years from 1981 to 1986: Pinus densiflora, P. rigida, P. koraiensis, Picea koraiensis, Larix leptolepis, Abies holophylla, Populus $alba{\times}glandulosa$, Castanea crenata, Quercus aliena, Q. acutissima, Q. mongolica, and Betula platyphylla. A total of 196 ectomycorrhizal species with 8 varieties in 48 genera were identified. Thirty-one species with one variety belonged to Russula, 22 species with 5 varieties to Amanita, 18 species with one variety to Lactarius. Fungi belonging to above three gepera, Laccaria, and Cantharellus had a relatively wide host range. Laccaria laccata was collected under all the 12 tree species, Amanita vaginata group under 11 tree species, Laccaria amethystina and Russula foetens under 10 tree species, Lactarius gerardii and Russula sororia under 9 tree species, and Amanita agglutinata, Cantharellus cibarius, Russula bella, and R. virescens under 8 tree species. Above 10 fungal species may be classified to have a wide host range. Following fungi were collected under 4 to 5 tree species of both conifers and broad-leaved trees: Amanita citrina, Boletus bicolor, B. erythropus, Lactarius piperatus, L. subzonar­ius, and Russula pseudodelica. Above fungi may be classified to have an intermediate host range. Chroogomphus, Gomphidius, Rhizopogon, and Suillus were collected only under Pinaceae and may be classified to have a narrow host range. Particularly Suillus grevillei was collected only under Larix leptolepis, and appeared to have high host specificity. A total of 83 ectomycorrhizal species were collected under Abies holophylla, 66 species under Pinus densiflora, 50 species under Pinus rigida, 49 species under Pinus koraiensis, 46 species under Quercus aliena, and 23 fungal species under Larix leptolepis. Particularly, Larix leptolepis was associated with different fungal flora, with fewer species of Amanita, Lactarius and Russula, and more species of Laccaria. Most host tree species surveyerl in the present study appeared to have low fungus specificity for ectomycorrhizal formation.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.31-37
• /
• 2004

Farmed kelp gametophytes were previously observed to be living endophytically in filamentous red algae. The interactions of two farmed kelp species and six red algae were examined in laboratory culture. Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar and Laminaria religiosa Miyabe demonstrated the differing abilities of zoospores to become endophytic in four host red algae and neither kelp became endophytic in two non-filamentous red algae. There was a strong seasonal component regarding infectiousness that is associated with the changes in fron erosion in U. pinnatifida from April to June. At the same time, L. religiosa showed no significant changes in frond erosion, and there were no apparent changes in infection levels in the two species they were able infect. This study indicated clear differences between two keip species with regard to their symbiotic relationship to red algae in terms of host specificity and preference of kelp gametophytes.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.710-717
• /
• 2015

Humankind has been searching for medicinal materials from various plant sources in an attempt to treat disease. Mistletoe is one indubitable plant source for these materials due to its effectiveness in treating various diseases, but it has almost disappeared from the mountainous areas of Korea due to excessive harvesting. In this study, in order to select host tree species for Korean mistletoe [Viscum album var. coloratum (Kom.) Ohwi] by seed inoculation and to clarify the effect of host specificity among various tree species were conducted for the purpose of gaining basic information for the artificial cultivation of Korean mistletoe. Almost all the seeds of Korean mistletoe germinated in vitro at the temperature of 15℃. Among host trees used in this study, Prunus mume showed the highest parasitic affinity with inoculated Korean mistletoe, compared with any other host plants. However, treatment of hormones could not increase the low survival rate of Korean mistletoe on the host trees.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.305-313
• /
• 2020

Host shifting and host expansion of fungal plant pathogens increases the rate of emergence of new pathogens and the incidence of disease in various crops, which threaten global food security. Magnaporthe species cause serious disease in rice, namely rice blast disease, as well as in many alternative hosts, including wheat, barley, and millet. A severe outbreak of wheat blast due to Magnaporthe oryzae occurred recently in Bangladesh, after the fungus was introduced from South America, causing great loss of yield. This outbreak of wheat blast is of growing concern, because it might spread to adjacent wheat-producing areas. Therefore, it is important to understand the host range and population structure of M. oryzae and related species for determining the evolutionary relationships among Magnaporthe species and for managing blast disease in the field. Here, we collected isolates of M. oryzae and related species from various Poaceae species, including crops and weeds surrounding rice fields, in Korea and determined their phylogenetic relationships and host species specificity. Internal transcribed spacer-mediated phylogenetic analysis revealed that M. oryzae and related species are classified into four groups primarily including isolates from rice, crabgrass, millet and tall fescue. Based on pathogenicity assays, M. oryzae and related species can infect different Poaceae hosts and move among hosts, suggesting the potential for host shifting and host expansion in nature. These results provide important information on the diversification of M. oryzae and related species with a broad range of Poaceae as hosts in crop fields.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.249-256
• /
• 2011

Microorganisms are significantly affected when the ambient pH of their environment changes. They must therefore be able to sense and respond to these changes in order to survive. Previous investigators have studied various fungal species to define conserved pH-responsive signaling pathways. One of these pathways, known as the Pal/Rim pathway, is activated in response to alkaline pH signals, ultimately targeting the PacC/Rim101 transcription factor. Although the central signaling components are conserved among divergent filamentous and yeast-like fungi, there is some degree of signaling specificity between fungal species. This specificity exists primarily in the downstream transcriptional targets of this pathway, likely allowing differential adaptation to species-specific environmental niches. In this review, the role of the Pal/Rim pathway in fungal pH response is discussed. Also highlighted are functional differences present in this pathway among human fungal pathogens, differences that allow these specialized microorganisms to survive in the various micro-environments of the infected human host.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.103-111
• /
• 2011

Monochoria vaginalis var. plantaginea (Pontederiaceae) is one of the most problematic weed in the rice field in Korea. Tanysphyrus (Tanysphyroides) major was selected as a potential biological control agent for M. vaginalis. Continuous rearing of T. (T.) major was carried out from 2006 to 2007, and its morphological characteristics and ecological characteristics were investigated. This species has a single generation per year, over-wintering as an adult stage. The emergence of adults starts in later June and last until September. These observations indicate that T. (T.) major takes $22{\pm}0.7$ days to develop from egg to adulthood. Host specificity test showed that finally selected this species was suitable candidates for the biological control of M. vaginalis var. plantaginea since it showed negative host specificity against major 60 test crops.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.243-246
• /
• 1999

A type of symbiosis was previously described from nature in which the gametophytes of Laminariales were endophytic in filamentous red algae. Here we reconstruct this symbiosis for the first time in laboratory culture using zoospores of the kelp, Undaria pinnatifida, and the red alga, Aglaothamnion oosumiense. Zoospores of U. pinnatifida readily attached to A. oosumiense. In 48 h these spores germinated and the initial germ tube penetrated into the host cell wall leaving only an empty zoospore wall outside the host. Within ten days, four to five-celled endophytic gametophytes were present. Zoospores of Laminaria religiosa which were also inoculated into cultures of A. oosumiense rarely attached to the red alga and never became endophytic. Within ten days the free-living gametophytes of L. religiosa on cover slips became fertile and produced young sporophytes. These observations demonstrate the ability of U. pinnatifida to become endophytic, and show differences in host specificity among kelp species.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.427-435
• /
• 2018

In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from the surface-sterilized roots of Calanthe discolor and Cephalanthera longibracteata collected from the Chungnam, Jeju, Kyungnam and Chungbuk provinces in Korea. The morphological characteristics of the obtained isolates were examined and their sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region were analyzed using the ITS1F and ITS4 primers for species identification. Leptodontidium orchidcola showed the highest species abundance and frequency among the isolated endophytic fungi. Additionally, the community analysis revealed a high specificity between the host plants and the endophytic fungal species.