• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.84.2-85
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• 2003

Magnaporthee grisea causes the devastating blast disease of rice. Entensive research has been conducted on infection mechanisms, particularly on appressorium formation and penetration, of this fungus during the last decade. However, the role(s) of cell-wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs) on pathogenesis is not clearly demonstrated at molecular level. Many CWDES in plant pathogenic fungi including M. grisea are redundant; that is, there are multiple genes encoding enzymes with a similar or overlapping spectrum of activities. It is laborious to isolate all of the genes encoding related enzymes and to construct mutants lacking all 9f them. Thus, we considered alternative strategies to address the role of CWDEs in pathogenesis. Since expression of CWDE genes Is repressed by a simple sugar, as the first step, we cloned a Snfl (sucrose non-fermenting) gene (MgSnf1) from M. grisea. The predicted amino acid sequence showed a high identity with other Snf1 genes from various fungi. To elucidate molecular function of MgSnf1, a transformant lacking MgSnf1 was created by targeted gene replacement. En glucose, sucrose, and xylan the MgSnf1 mutant grew normally but in pectin and complex media, it grew slower than wild type. Expression of various CWDEs in MgSnf1 mutant was investigated and found that expression of some CWDEs is repressed. However, no significant difference was observed in conidial germination, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity in MgSnf1 mutant. However, MgSnf1 functionally complemented a yeast MgSnf1 mutant. These results suggest that MgSnf1 is involved in regulation of CWDEs and MgSnf1 is dispensable in pathogenicity of M. grisea.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2008

Nitric oxide (NO) affects the growth and development of plants and also affects plant responses to various stresses. Because NO induces root differentiation, we examined whether or not it is involved in increased ROS generation. Treatments with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO donor, 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO), a specific NO scavenger, and $N{\omega}-nitro-{\text\tiny{L}}-arginine$ methyl ester hydrochloride (${\text\tiny{L}}-NAME$), an NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, revealed that NO is involved in the adventitious root growth of mountain ginseng. Supply of an NO donor, SNP, activates NADPH oxidase activity, resulting in increased generation of $O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$, which subsequently induces growth of adventitious roots. Moreover, treatment with diphenyliodonium chloride (DPI), an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, individually or with SNP, inhibited root growth, NADPH oxidase activity, and $O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ anion generation. Supply of the NO donor, SNP, did not induce any notable isoforms of enzymes; it did, however, increase the activity of pre-existing bands of NADPH oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. Enhanced activity of antioxidant enzymes induced by SNP supply seems to be responsible for a low level of $H_2O_2$ in the adventitious roots of mountain ginseng. It was therefore concluded that NO-induced generation of $O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ by NADPH oxidase seems to have a role in adventitious root growth of mountain ginseng. The possible mechanism of NO involvement in $O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ generation through NADPH oxidase and subsequent root growth is discussed.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2017

Objectives: Medicinal plants are vital sources of bioactive compounds that are useful for the treatment of patients with snake bites or are indirectly applicable for boosting the effects of conventional serum therapy. These plants are being used traditionally by local healers and tribes for the treatment of patients with snake bites and therefore can be used as an alternative against snake envenomation. Scientifically, using the secondary metabolites of plants to neutralize venom enzymes has an extra benefit of being based on traditional knowledge; also, the use of such metabolites for the treatment of patients with snake bites is cheaper and the treatment can be started sooner. Methods: All the available information on various secondary metabolites exhibiting venom neutralizing ability were collected via electronic search (using Google books, Pubmed, SciFinder, Scirus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) and articles of peer-reviewed journals. Results:Recent interest in different plant has focused on isolating and identifying of different phytoconstituents that exhibit Phospholipase A2 activity and other venom enzyme neutralizing ability. In this support convincing evidence in experimental animal models are available. Conclusion: Secondary metabolites are naturally present, have no side effect, are stable for a long time, can be easily stored, and can neutralize a wide range of snake enzymes, such as phospholipase A2, hyaluronidase, protease, L-amino acid oxidase, 5'nucleotidase, etc. The current review presents a compilation of important plant secondary metabolites that are effective against snake venom due to enzyme neutralization.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.228-235
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• 1999

Genetic diversity of ninety-five Korean isolates of Phytophthora was investigated on the basis of PCR-RFLP of ribosomal DNA. The isolates were previously identified as following fifteen species by mycological and cultural characteristics; P. boehmeriae, P. cactorum, P. cambivora, P. capsici, P. cinnamoni, P. citricola, P. citrophthora, P. cryptogea, P. drechsleri, P. erythroseptica, P. infestans, P. megasperma, P. nicotianae, P. palmivora and P. sojae. The regions of small subunit (SSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of rDNA were amplified with primer pair, NS1 and ITS4, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digested with nine restriction enzymes. P. boehmeriae, P. cactorum, P. cambivora, P. capsici, P. cinnamomi, P. citricola, P. citrphthora, P. infestans, P. nicotianae and P. palmivora showed specific band patterns for each species. However, P. sojae and P. erythroseptica presented identical band patterns and P. cryptogea, P. drechsleri and P. megasperma were divided into six groups, which were not compatible with delineation of the species. A group originated from cucurbits showed distinct band patterns from other groups, but the other five groups were closely related within 96.0% similarity, forming one complex group. Consequently, Korean isolates of Phytophthora were divided into thirteen genetic groups and each group was readily differentiated by comparing digestion patterns of AvaII, HaeIII, MboI, HhaI and MspI. Therefore, PCR-RFLP of rDNA using the five enzymes can be used to differentiate or identify the Phytophthora species reported in Korea so far.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.74.2-74
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• 2003

Arabidopsis infected with beet curly top virus (BCTV) has the systemic symptoms like stunting of Plant growth, curling of leaves and shoot tips, and callus induction. The regulation of sucrose metabolism by BCTV infection is essential for obtaining the energy source in the process of virus replication and symptom development. Sucrose metabolism-associated gene expression and biochemical enzyme activity were analyzed with the rossette leaves and inflorescencestems of BCTV infected Arabidopsis by the time course of 1, 7, 14, 21 day postinoculation. The expression of invertase and sucrose synthase genes ( encoding sucrose-cleaving enzymes )was increased and reversely the level of Atkin10a ( sucrose non-fermenting gene ) was decreased, resulting by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The biochemical analysis of invertase and sucrose synthase activity was performed. The activity of neutral invertase in the inflorescence stems was elevated remarkably. The photosynthetic response in the source of sucrose metabolism was consistent with the down-regulation of ribulose 1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase gene, and lower activity than mock-inoculated plants. The levels of genes pertaining to the cell cycle, hormone, and biotic stress-related pathway showed an increase or a decrease dependent on viral symptoms. Therefore, sucrose sensing by BCTV infection can regulate the expression of sucrose metabolism-related key enzymes such as invertase and Atkin10a, and these gene products might influence to symptom development.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2011

The MuSI is known as a multiple stress resistant gene with several lines. A previous study using RT-PCR showed that the expression of MuSI gene in tobacco plant induced its tolerance to Cd stress. This study was conducted to examine the enhanced Cd tolerance of the MuSI transgenic tobacco plant through germination test and to understand the role of the involved antioxidant enzymes for the exhibited tolerance. Germination rate of MuSI transgenic tobacco was more than 10% higher than that of wild-type tobacco, and seedlings of MuSI transgenic tobacco grew up to 1.6 times larger and greener than seedlings of wild-type tobacco at 200 and 300 ${\mu}M$ Cd. From the third to the fifth day, CAT activities at 100 and 200 ${\mu}M$ Cd and APX activities at 100, 200 and 300 ${\mu}M$ Cd of MuSI transgenic tobacco were up to two times higher than those of wild-type tobacco. MuSI gene is shown to enhance the activities of antioxidant enzymes resulting in higher tolerance to oxidative stress compared with the control plant.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2011

The dehydration-responsive element binding proteins (DREB1)/C-repeat (CRT) binding factors (CBF) function as transcription factors and play an important role in agricultural biotechnology and molecular biology studies of drought and freezing stress tolerance. We generated transgenic Lolium perenne plants containing the PCR-cloned Arabidopsis DREB1A/CBF3 gene (AtDREB1A/CBF3) to study the function of this gene construct in drought and freezing tolerance in a species of turfgrass. Compared to the control, AtDREB1A/CBF3 transgenic L. perenne plants showed enhanced drought and freezing stress tolerance. The activities of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) were higher in transgenic plants than in the non-transgenic plant control. These results demonstrate that the expression of the AtDREB1A/CBF3 gene in transgenic L. perenne plants enhanced drought and freezing tolerance and that the increased stress tolerance was associated with the increased activities of antioxidant enzymes. These results are relevant to stress biology and biotechnology studies of turfgrass.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.102-114
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• 2022

Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) is a gram-negative, broad host range bacterial pathogen which causes soft rot disease in potatoes as well as other vegetables worldwide. While Pectobacterium infection relies on the production of major cell wall degrading enzymes, other virulence factors and the mechanism of genetic adaptation of this pathogen is not yet clear. In the present study, we have performed an in-depth genome-wide characterization of Pcc strain ICMP5702 isolated from potato and compared it with other pathogenic bacteria from the Pectobacterium genus to identify key virulent determinants. The draft genome of Pcc ICMP5702 contains 4,774,457 bp with a G + C content of 51.90% and 4,520 open reading frames. Genome annotation revealed prominent genes encoding key virulence factors such as plant cell wall degrading enzymes, flagella-based motility, phage proteins, cell membrane structures, and secretion systems. Whereas, a majority of determinants were conserved among the Pectobacterium strains, few notable genes encoding AvrE-family type III secretion system effectors, pectate lyase and metalloprotease in addition to the CRISPR-Cas based adaptive immune system were uniquely represented. Overall, the information generated through this study will contribute to decipher the mechanism of infection and adaptive immunity in Pcc.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.679-682
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• 2023

The Lactococcus taiwanensis strain K_LL004 was isolated from the gut of a grasshopper (Oxya chinensis sinuosa) collected from local farm in Korea. L. taiwanensis strain K_LL004 is the functional probiotic candidate with an ability to hydrolyse plant polysaccharides. The complete genome of the L. taiwanensis strain K_LL004 contains one circular chromosome (1,995,099 bp) with a guanine + cytosine (GC) content of 38.8%. Moreover, 1,929 Protein-coding sequence, 19 rRNA genes, and 62 tRNA genes were identified based on results of annotation. L. taiwanensis strain K_LL004 has a gene, which encodes hydrolytic enzymes such as beta-glucosidase and beta-xylosidase, that hydrolyzes plant polysaccharides.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.669-675
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• 2000

This study investigated the effect of Puerariae Flos (PF; flower of Puerariae plant) and Puerariae Radix (PR; root of Puerariae plant) water extracts on the activities on the activities of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes and free radical generating/scavenging enzymes of brain in ethanol-treated rats. Five groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered ethanol (25%, v/v) 5 g/kg body weight/day, and sacrificed 5 weeks post treatment. PF and PR water extracts were supplemented in a diet based on 1.2g (I) or 2.4 g (II) raw PF or PR/kg body weight/day. Alcohol dehydrogenase activity of brain was significantly lowered in PF of PR groups, whereas aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher in PR groups than those of control and PF groups. Cytochrome P-450 content, aminopyrine D-methylase and aniline hydroxylase activities were decreased in both PF and PR groups compared to control group. Aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidase activities tended to decrease by Puerariae plant extract supplemented goups and degree of decrease predominated in PRI. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase activities were increased in PF or PR groups, whereas glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were significantly decrased by Puerariae plant extracts supplement. These results indicated that supplementation of PF or PR lowers free radical generating enzymes activities. It was suggested that the activities of ethanol metabolizing emzymes and antioxidant enzymes in brain can be enhanced by PF or PR supplement in ethanol-treated rats.