• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2010

Finding alternative and renewable energy sources has become an important goal for plant scientists, especially with the demand for energy increasing worldwide and the supply of fossil fuel being depleted. The most important biofuel to date is bioethanol which is produced from sugars (sucrose and starch) found in corn and sugarcane. Second generation bioethanol is targeting studies that would allow the use of the cell wall (lignocellulose) as a source of carbon by non-food plants. Plant scientists, including breeders, agronomists, physiologists and molecular biologists, are working towards the development of new and improved energy crops especially, how to design crops for bioenergy production and increased biomass generation for biofuel purposes. This review focuses on: i) the current status of first generation bioenergy production, ii) the limitations of first and second generation bioenergy, and iii) ongoing research to overcome challenging issues in second generation bioenergy.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.233-233
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• 2024

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.135-140
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• 2006

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in plants, which is due to failure to produce functional pollen, is a maternally inherited trait. Specific nuclear genes that suppress CMS, termed fertility restorer (Rf) genes, have been identified in several plants. In this study, Rfl-inked molecular markers in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) were detected by bulked segregant analysis of eight amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Only AFRF8 was successfully converted to a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker. This was named AFRF8CAPS and genotype determination using it agreed with that obtained with the original AFRF8. A linkage map with a total size of 54.1 cM was constructed with AFRF8CAPS and the seven AFLP markers using the Kosambi function. The AFRF8CAPS marker was shown to be closest to Rf with a genetic distance of 1.8 cM. These markers will be useful for fast and reliable detection of restorer lines during $F_1$ hybrid seed production and breeding programs in pepper.

• Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.444-453
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• 2018

The rice bran oil contained in brown rice is composed of highly valued ingredient. Improving the content of unsaturated fatty acids in rice seed, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, and ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid, would provide more benefit to human health. Fatty acid content is quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes. We have utilized high-density SNP data from highly advanced breeding populations to identify QTLs for fatty acid contents in brown rice. Here, we identified 51 major QTLs (M-QTLs) and 25 epistatic QTLs (EpQTLs) related to eleven fatty acid contents. Eight and four M-QTLs were pleiotropically associated with the content of different fatty acids in MT-RILs and DT-RILs, respectively. Total effect of M-QTLs for palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1), and linoleic acid (18:2), could explain phenotypic variations of 36.7%, 63.7%, and 41% in MT-RILs, respectively. Alpha-linolenic acid which is important for a human's health could be explained phenotypic variation of 15.7% by six M-QTLs. These QTLs identified in this study can be used to improve nutritious content in rice breeding programs.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.374-381
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• 2000

This study was conducted to select sesame varieties with high cultural stabilities by comparing several parameters of agronomic traits under the different cultural environments. Of the six areas, Iksan and Jinju areas which showed positively larger environment index values were relatively adequate cultural conditions for sesame. At the comparison of cultural stability of agronomic traits by Eberhart and Russell regression model among sesame breeding lines, Suwon 169 showed more stable regression coefficient values to the number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule and seed weight per plant, and Iksan 12 showed more stable regression coefficient values to culm length and weight per plant. At the comparison of cultural stability of yield per 10a, Suwon 169 and Iksan 12 among sesame breeding lines showed more stable respectively, deviation values of 0.99, 0.98 respectively, and more less regression deviation values of 0.074, 0.167 respectively. Therefore those breeding lines are comparatively higher stabilities to yield determining agronomic traits under the different cultural environments, and it was concluded that those two breeding lines had the possibility to recommend promising breeding lines in the future.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.342-347
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• 2012

Plant mitochondria possess alternative respiratory pathways mediated by the type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases and alternative oxidases. Here, E3 SUMO ligase was shown to regulate alternative respiratory pathways and to participate in the maintenance of carbon and nitrogen balance in Arabidopsis. The transcript abundance of the type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases NDA2 and NDB2 and alternative oxidases AOX1a and AOX1d genes was low in siz1-2 mutants compared to that in wild-type. The addition of nitrate or ammonium resulted in a decrease or an increase in the expression of the same gene families, respectively, in both wild-type and siz1-2 mutants. The amount of free sugar (glucose, fructose and sucrose) was lower in siz1-2 mutants than that in wild-type. These results indicate that low nitrate reductase activity due to the AtSIZ1 mutation is correlated with an overall decrease in alternative respiration and with a low carbohydrate content to maintain the carbon to nitrogen ratio in siz1-2 mutants.

• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2014

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) are widely used medicinal plants with similar morphology but different medicinal efficacy. Roots, flowers, and processed products of Korean and American ginseng can be difficult to differentiate from each other, leading to illegal trade in which one species is sold as the other. This study was carried out to develop convenient and reliable chloroplast genome-derived DNA markers for authentication of Korean and American ginseng in commercial processed products. One codominant marker could reproducibly identify both species and intentional mixtures of the two species. We further developed a set of species-unique dominant DNA markers. Each species-specific dominant marker could detect 1% cross contamination with other species by low resolution agarose gel electrophoresis or quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Both markers were successfully applied to evaluate the original species from various processed ginseng products purchased from markets in Korea and China. We believe that high-throughput application of this marker system will eradicate illegal trade and promote confident marketing for both species to increase the value of Korean as well as American ginseng in Korea and worldwide.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.773-786
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• 2017

The loss of green coloration via chlorophyll (Chl) degradation typically occurs during leaf senescence. To date, many Chl catabolic enzymes have been identified and shown to interact with light harvesting complex II to form a Chl degradation complex in senescing chloroplasts; this complex might metabolically channel phototoxic Chl catabolic intermediates to prevent oxidative damage to cells. The Chl catabolic enzyme 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a reductase (HCAR) converts 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a (7-HMC a) to Chl a. The rice (Oryza sativa) genome contains a single HCAR homolog (OsHCAR), but its exact role remains unknown. Here, we show that an oshcar knockout mutant exhibits persistent green leaves during both dark-induced and natural senescence, and accumulates 7-HMC a and pheophorbide a (Pheo a) in green leaf blades. Interestingly, both rice and Arabidopsis hcar mutants exhibit severe cell death at the vegetative stage; this cell death largely occurs in a light intensity-dependent manner. In addition, 7-HMC a treatment led to the generation of singlet oxygen ($^1O_2$) in Arabidopsis and rice protoplasts in the light. Under herbicide-induced oxidative stress conditions, leaf necrosis was more severe in hcar plants than in wild type, and HCAR-overexpressing plants were more tolerant to reactive oxygen species than wild type. Therefore, in addition to functioning in the conversion of 7-HMC a to Chl a in senescent leaves, HCAR may play a critical role in protecting plants from high light-induced damage by preventing the accumulation of 7-HMC a and Pheo a in developing and mature leaves at the vegetative stage.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.357-369
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• 2010

Cymbidium is horticulturally important and has been one of the most commercially successful orchid plants as well as cut flowers around the world including Korea. Up to now, a huge number of elite Cymbidium cultivars have been released on the commercial market via cross-hybridization, mutation and polyploidization breeding techniques. To investigate on breeding system in Cymbidium, we inquired the brief history and techniques of breeding and the current status on Cymbidium breeding in Korea. Also, the general propagation process of elite Cymbidium lines via tissue culture should be presented. However, the slow process of conventional breeding and the lack of useful genes in Cymbidium species delays the introduction of new cultivars to the commercial market. To solve these limitations, efficient regeneration and genetic transformation systems should be established in the improvement of Cymbidium breeding program. During the last several decades, some progress has been made in tissue culture and genetic transformation in Cymbidium species. We review the recent status of tissue culture and genetic transformation systems in Cymbidium plants.