• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.406-413
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• 2015

Background: Pathogenesis-related 10 (PR-10) proteins are small, cytosolic proteins with a similar three-dimensional structure. Crystal structures for several PR-10 homologs have similar overall folding patterns, with an unusually large internal cavity that is a binding site for biologically important molecules. Although structural information on PR-10 proteins is substantial, understanding of their biological function remains limited. Here, we showed that one of the PgPR-10 homologs, PgPR-10.3, shares binding properties with flavonoids, kinetin, emodin, deoxycholic acid, and ginsenoside Re (1 of the steroid glycosides). Methods: Gene expression patterns of PgPR-10.3 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The three-dimensional structure of PgPR-10 proteins was visualized by homology modeling, and docking to retrieve biologically active molecules was performed using AutoDock4 program. Results: Transcript levels of PgPR-10.3 expressed in leaves, stems, and roots of 3-wk-old ginseng plantlets were on average 86-fold lower than those of PgPR-10.2. In mature 2-yr-old ginseng plants, the mRNA of PgPR-10.3 is restricted to leaves. Ginsenoside Re production is especially prominent in leaves of Panax ginseng Meyer, and the binding property of PgPR-10.3 with ginsenoside Re suggests that this protein has an important role in the control of secondary metabolism. Conclusion: Although ginseng PR-10.3 gene is expressed in all organs of 3-wk-old plantlets, its expression is restricted to leaves in mature 2-yr-old ginseng plants. The putative binding property of PgPR-10.3 with Re is intriguing. Further verification of binding affinity with other biologically important molecules in the large hydrophobic cavity of PgPR-10.3 may provide an insight into the biological features of PR-10 proteins.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.79-94
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• 1987

This study was carried out to investigate the epidermal structure, the stomatal types, the ontogeny of stomara in various parts of each organ of K. blossfeldiana, K. kewensis, and K. tometosa belonging to Kalanchoe. The epidermal cells were polygonal or isodiametric ones in the leaves, and mostly rectangular, tetragonal, and elongated ones in the leaves, and mostly rectangular, tetragonal, and elongated ones in the other organs. The candelabrum-like, triradiate stellete trichomes in the aerial parts of all organs of K. tomentosa were found. The cuticular striations and square crystals of calcium oxalate in the epidermal cells of petals of K. blossfeldiana were observed. The great majority of the mature stomata in various parts of all the organs were commonly helicocytic types. This type was subdivided into three subtypes such as parahelicocytic, anomohelicocytic, and dianisocytic stomata on the basis of the division angle of the guard mother cells. Somethies, the anisocytic type was found in most organs. This type was subdivided into three subtyes such as paranisocytic, nomoanisocytic, and dianisocytic stomata in the same way as the helicocytic type. A new stomataltype with anisocytic stoma within a girdle of four subsidiary cells of tetracytic type in the leaf of K. kewensis was firstly observed in the vascular plants. This type was termed the coaniso-tetracytic type. The anomomeristic pattern in the mesogenous category of stomatal types was found in various organs of all the material plants. Developmental mode of stomata was constant in all the parts of each organ within the same plant. The stomata was observed to be a few similar stomatal types in various parts of each organ within the same plant. The ontogeny of all the types is eumesogenous or mesogenous type. The ontogenetic type of stomata was mostly helico-eumesogenous type in all the organs of all the material plants. The mature stoma varied from organ to in regard of the number and arrangement of subsidiary cells.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.211-216
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• 2011

The present study was conducted to determine the optimum in vitro conditions for callus induction and plant regeneration from mature seed derived callus of four cultivars of Timothy. In order to investigate the effects of genetic variations of timothy in tissue culture, calli were induced from mature seeds of four varieties, 'Colt', 'Chair', 'Richmond' and 'Hokuo' and plant regeneration frequency was compared. Significant differences were observed among the cultivars in both callus induction and plant regeneration. Genotype 'Colt' consistently performed best in the callus subculture and plant regeneration. The complete plantlets were thereafter transplanted to grow under greenhouse condition. Regenerated timothy plants were morphologically uniform with normal leaf and growth pattern.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2016

Sorbus commixta, a flowering plant in the Rosaceae family, is native to Japan and Ulleung Island, Korea. This plant is also called maga-mok or mai-mok in Korea because the bud of the stem has a similar shape to the teeth of a horse. In this study, hot water extracts from different parts of S. commixta, such as leaf, stem, and immature and mature fruits, were prepared, and their antithrombosis and antioxidant activities were evaluated. The extraction yield and pH of stem extracts were 3.99% and 5.5, respectively. The stem extracts contained 89.2 mg/g of total polyphenols and 28.3 mg/g of total flavonoids. The hot water extracts prepared from the leaf, stem, immature, and mature fruit of S. commixta exhibited no hemolytic activity against human red blood cells, up to a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml. In an anticoagulation assay, the stem extracts showed strong extension in thrombin, prothrombin, and activated partial thromboplastin times, whereas the other extracts had no anticoagulation activity. In a platelet aggregation inhibitory activity assay, all the extracts tested had no inhibitory activity against human platelets. With regard to antioxidation activity, the stem extracts showed stronger radical scavenging activity and reducing power activity than the other extracts. The calculated RC₅₀s, the concentration required for 50% radical scavenging activity, for DPPH anions, ABTS cations, and nitrite of the crude stem extracts were 119.7, 53.3, and 117.5 μg/ml, respectively, whereas they were 13.7, 5.2, and 14.9 μg/ml for DPPH anions, ABTS cations, and nitrite, respectively, for vitamin C. The results suggest that the stem extracts of S. commixta have strong potential for use as a novel resource for antithrombosis agents.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 1982

Habit characteristics of imperfect and perfect stage of D. bryoniae encountered on naturally infected seeds of cucumber and pumpkin were studied by the blotter method and compared with those grown on Difco potato dextrose agar (PDA), V-8 juice agar and water agar leaf medium (WALM). Most of the pycnidiospores obtained from each isolate of this fungus grown on PDA were non-septate and microtype. Non-septate pycnidiospores were predominanted in all isolates, but a macrotype of the non-septate and a number of uniseptate pycnidiospores were produced on V-8 juice agar and water agar leaf medium. On seed the pycnidiospores were mostly non -septate, but rarely uniseptate ones were also found. On radicle of cucumber seed, the pycnidiospores were non-septate and uniseptate but small percentage biseptate with somewhat constricted at septa. Pycnidiospores produced on V-8 juice agar and water agar leaf medium were similar to those produced on seeds. In the present investigation the perithecia were mostly globose to subglobose with apical papillate ostiole and whitish spore masses formed on the ostiole of perithecia, either on naturally infected seed or on culture media. The mature perithecia were dark brown to black. They were partially embedded or erumpent on seed coat and culture media. The perithecia varied in size within a much narrower range than the pycnidia. But perithecial formation of this fungus on PDA, V-8 juice agar, WALM and seed varied considerably depending upon isolate and culture media.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1621-1621
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• 2001

The quality of sugarcane grown on the NE Australian tropical coast ($16^{\circ}$15'- $18^{\circ}$15' S Lat.) has declined markedly in the past seven years. This has been linked to dilution of mill-supply cane with increasing levels of non mature-stalk material consisting of leaves and sucker culms. The prime research objective was to examine the transition from the pre-harvest, in-field crop to harvested material sent for processing, in terms of quality and crop fraction proportions. A secondary objective was to quantify the effects of preharvest-season crop habit and culm condition on crop quality. Ten quadrat samples from each of 54 random crop sites (17 in 1999 and 37 in 2000), covering a wide range of variables (cultivar, crop class, and edaphic, topographic, climatic, and temporal factors) were collected immediately before harvest. Samples were partitioned into four fractions:- sound and unsound mature stalks (culms), sucker culms, and extraneous matter (leaves). Material harvested from each site was sampled and partitioned into four fractions:- sound and unsound billets (culm pieces), culm-spindle pieces, and leaf. In 2000, before harvest, 14 additional sites were sampled monthly, on three occasions, from March - June. Erect and non-erect culms were divided into sound and unsound classes. All samples were disintegrated and presented to a remote reflectance module of a scanning spectrophotometer using the BSES large cassette module. Near infra-red spectroscopic (NIS) analyses were developed for the rapid determination of quality components (Brix, commercial cane sugar (CCS), fibre, moisture, and polariscope reading). Calibrations for three material groups (culm (n = 639), non-culm (n = 496), and combined) were developed for all components using the 1999 data set. Two sub-sets (n = 178, and 190) of about 10% of the preharvest-season and harvest populations scanned in 2000 also were subjected to full routine laboratory analyses. The 1999 combined calibrations were excellent, but the culm calibrations produced consistently lower standard errors. Non-culm calibrations were marginally better than the combined for only CCS and pol. reading. Analysis of the 2000 culm data with calibrations using all 1999 and 2000 culm data resulted in better predictions relative to the 1999 culm calibrations. This also was true for the combined calibrations. Assessment of quality components in pre- and post-harvest sugarcane using NIS calibrations was more cost effective than using routine laboratory techniques. Outcomes from this NIS-facilitated research will have important economic consequences for the Australian sugarcane industry. Potential CCS present in mature culms is being discounted by dilution with leaves and sucker culms, threatening farm viability. The results question the efficacy of current harvesting technology. The CCS of harvested cane is improved only marginally over that of the in-field crop. Current harvesting technology requires either supplementary, innovative pre-mill processing or a design revolution to improve mill-supply cane quality, and therefore whole of industry economics. NIS-facilitated analyses, before the harvest season, highlighted the benefits of growing erect, sound crops. Loss of CCS then, can be minimized only by a combination of crop improvement and agronomic solutions, applied as part of sound on-farm management.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1645-1653
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• 2018

The genus Acer contains several species with various bioactivities including antioxidant, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. However, Acer okamotoanum Nakai, one species within this genus has not been fully studied yet. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the anti-adipogenic activities of leaf extract from A. okamotoanum Nakai (LEAO) on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Adipogenesis is one of the cell differentiation processes, which converts preadipocytes into mature adipocytes. Nowadays, inhibition of adipogenesis is considered as an effective strategy in the field of anti-obesity research. In this study, we observed that LEAO decreased the accumulation of lipid droplets during adipogenesis and down-regulated the expression of key adipogenic transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ (PPAR ${\gamma}$) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ (C/EBP ${\alpha}$). In addition, LEAO inactivated PI3K/Akt signaling and its downstream factors that promote adipogenesis by inducing the expression of PPAR ${\gamma}$. LEAO also activated ${\beta}$-catenin signaling, which prevents the adipogenic program by suppressing the expression of PPAR ${\gamma}$. Therefore, we found that treatment with LEAO is effective for attenuating adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Consequently, these findings suggest that LEAO has the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent for preventing obesity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2009

CDC48 is a member of the AAA ATPase superfamily. Yeast CDC48 and its mammalian homolog p97 are implicated in diverse cellular processes, including mitosis, membrane fusion, and ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation. However, the cellular functions of plant CDC48 proteins are largely unknown. In the present study, we performed virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) screening and found that silencing of a gene encoding a tobacco CDC48 homolog, NgCDC48, resulted in severe abnormalities in leaf and shoot development in tobacco. Furthermore, transgenic tobacco plants (35S:anti-NgCDC48), in which the NgCDC48 gene was suppressed using the antisense RNA method, exhibited severely aberrant development of both vegetative and reproductive organs, resulting in arrested shoot and leaf growth and sterile flowers. Approximately 57-83% of 35S:anti-NgCDC48 plants failed to develop mature organs and died at early stage of development. Scanning electron microscopy showed that both adaxial and abaxial epidermal pavement cells in antisense transgenic leaves were significantly smaller and more numerous than those in wild type leaves. These results indicate that NgCDC48 is critically involved in cell growth and development of tobacco plants. An in vivo targeting experiment revealed that NgCDC48 resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in tobacco protoplasts. We consider the tantalizing possibility that CDC48-mediated degradation of an as-yet unidentified protein(s) in the ER might be a critical step for cell growth and expansion in tobacco leaves.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.17-31
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• 1972

Light and electron microscopic studies were made to investigate the morphological changes in growing galls on the leaf of Lycium chinense MILL caused by Eriophyes kuko Kishda. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Light microscopy At the early stage of the invasion of E. kuko on the back side of the young leaf of L. chinense, the.epidermal cells become hypertrophic and develope a gall. As the gall grows, the cells of both palisade and spongy-layers become hypertrophic and these tissues are hard to be distinguished because of their irregular outgrowth. As the gall grows, the nuclei of the gall also become hypertrophic and larger than these of normal cells. 2. Electron microscopy Under electron microscopy the mitochondria, the golgi apparatus and the plastids of the advanced galls are degenerated and disintergrated and the cell walls become thicker than normal ones. The characteristic star bodies and the ring-form structures are found in the mature gall cells.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 1998

An investigation was conducted to ascertain the basic information on characteristics of growth and morphological characters among the Korean (Panax. ginseng), the American (Panax. quinquefolium) and the Bamboo (Panax. japonicus) ginseng. In aerial parts growth of the ginseng species by age, The Korean ginseng and American ginseng's stem and leaf growth was alike in 2-4 years old, but growth cycle changed in 6 years old. The Korean ginseng was more vigorous than the American ginseng. The Korean ginseng roots were highly observed in ratio of red skin roots among three species, whereas The American ginseng roots were highly infected by root rot. It seems to be variable depending on growing stage and species. The Korean ginseng flowered about the middle of May, the American ginseng early June, and the Bamboo ginseng was late of May, The berry color of the ginseng species was observed, The Korean and American ginseng's mature berry color was red, The Bamboo ginseng's berry was three type of color and shape. In root characteristics of the seedling, Korean (p. ginseng), American (p. quinquefolium) ginseng's root shape was similarity in type, the bamboo ginseng showed different type, which root length and root weight was smaller than those of ginseng. In morphological characters of Leaf surface, pollen, and stoma, the Korean ginseng and American ginseng had crystal rosette on epidermis cell, but the Bamboo ginseng didn't has crystal rosette. Pollen shape observed tricolpate pollen and size was media type among the ginseng species, and also guard cell was anomocytic type, which were observed by scanning electronic microscope.