• Journal of Species Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.310-320
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• 2022

As a subset study to discover indigenous prokaryotic species in Korea, we isolated 20 bacterial strains and assigned them to the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. From the high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (≥98.7%) and formation of a robust phylogenetic clades, we determined that each strain belonged to independent, predefined bacterial species. There are no official reports of these 20 species in Korea; therefore, 7 strains of the Actinobacteria, 2 strain of the Bacteroidota, 3 strains of the Firmicutes, and 8 strains of the Firmicutes are described in Korea for the first time. Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic biochemical characteristics, and isolation sources are also described in the species description section.

• Mycobiology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.534-550
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• 2021

During a survey of fungal diversity associated with insects, mud, soil, and freshwater niches in different areas in Korea, nine interesting fungal strains were isolated. Based on their morphological characteristics and molecular phylogeny analyses, using a combined data set of b-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM), and second largest subunit of RNA polymerase (RPB2) sequences, the strains CNUFC AM-44, CNUFC JCW3-4, CNUFC S708, CNUFC WT202, CNUFC AS1-29, CNUFC JCW3-5, CNUFC JDP37, and CNUFC JDP62 were identified as Aspergillus alabamensis, A. floridensis, A. subversicolor, Penicillium flavigenum, P. laevigatum, P. lenticrescens, Talaromyces adpressus, and T. beijingensis, respectively. The strain CNUFC JT1301 belongs to series Westlingiorum in section Citrina and is phylogenetically related to P. manginii. However, slow growth when cultivated on CYA, MEA, CREA is observed and the property can be used to easily distinguish the new species from these species. Additionally, P. manginii is known to produce sclerotia, while CNUFC JT1301 strain does not. Herein, the new fungal species is proposed as P. aquadulcis sp. nov. Eight species, A. alabamensis, A. floridensis, A. subversicolor, P. flavigenum, P. laevigatum, P. lenticrescens, T. adpressus, and T. beijingensis, have not been previously reported in Korea. The present study expands the known distribution of fungal species belonging to the families Aspergillaceae and Trichocomaceae in Korea.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.spc2
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• pp.23-32
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• 2023

During screening for indigenous prokaryotic species in Republic of Korea in 2021, a total of 21 bacterial strains assigned to the phylum Bacteroidota were isolated from a variety of environmental habitats including pine cone, seaweed, soil, sea sediment, brackish water and moss. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity value of more than 98.7% and formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the type strain of the closest bacterial species, it was found that the 21 strains belong to independent and recognized bacterial species. There has been no official report that the identified 21 species have been isolated in Republic of Korea up to date. Therefore, 16 species in six genera of two families in the order Flavobacteriales, two species in two genera of two families in the order Cytophagales, one species in one genus of one family in the order Chitinophagales and two species in one genus of one family in the order Sphingobacteriales are proposed as unrecorded species of the phylum Bacteroidota isolated in Republic of Korea. Their Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic phenotypic characteristics, isolation source, taxonomic status, strain ID and other information are described in the species descriptions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1615-1624
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• 2023

Microcystis blooms threaten ecosystem function and cause substantial economic losses. Microorganismbased methods, mainly using cyanobactericidal bacteria, are considered one of the most ecologically sound methods to control Microcystis blooms. This study focused on gaining genomic insights into Paucibacter aquatile DH15 that exhibited excellent cyanobactericidal effects against Microcystis. Additionally, a pan-genome analysis of the genus Paucibacter was conducted to enhance our understanding of the ecophysiological significance of this genus. Based on phylogenomic analyses, strain DH15 was classified as a member of the species Paucibacter aquatile. The genome analysis supported that strain DH15 can effectively destroy Microcystis, possibly due to the specific genes involved in the flagellar synthesis, cell wall degradation, and the production of cyanobactericidal compounds. The pan-genome analysis revealed the diversity and adaptability of the genus Paucibacter, highlighting its potential to absorb external genetic elements. Paucibacter species were anticipated to play a vital role in the ecosystem by potentially providing essential nutrients, such as vitamins B₇, B₁₂, and heme, to auxotrophic microbial groups. Overall, our findings contribute to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of cyanobactericidal bacteria against Microcystis and shed light on the ecological significance of the genus Paucibacter.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.205-217
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• 2024

Brown rot disease, caused by Monilinia spp., poses a significant threat to pome and stone fruit crops globally, resulting in substantial economic losses during pre- and post-harvest stages. Monilinia fructigena, M. laxa, and M. fructicola are identified as the key agents responsible for brown rot disease. In this study, we employed the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method to assess the genetic diversity of 86 strains of Monilinia spp. isolated from major stone fruit cultivation regions in South Korea. Specifically, strains were collected from Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Gyeongsang, and Jeolla provinces (-do). A comparative analysis of strain characteristics, such as isolation locations, host plants, and responses to chemical fungicides, was conducted. AFLP phylogenetic classification using 20 primer pairs revealed the presence of three distinct groups, with strains from Jeolla province consistently forming a separate group at a high frequency. Furthermore, M. fructicola was divided into three groups by the AFLP pattern. Principal coordinate analysis and PERMANOVA were applied to compare strain information, such as origin, host, and fungicide sensitivity, revealing significant partition patterns for AFLP according to geographic origin and host plants. This study represents the utilization of AFLP methodology to investigate the genetic variability among M. fructicola isolates, highlighting the importance of continuous monitoring and management of variations in the brown rot pathogen.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2024

A fungal strain, KNUF-4H-A belonging to the genus Phaeosphaeria was isolated from the citrus flower chafer (Gametis jucunda) in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. This strain was further identified as Phaeosphaeria chengduensis through phylogenetic analyses based on a concatenated dataset of DNA sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, as well as the small subunit rDNA (SSU), large subunit rDNA (LSU), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) genes. The isolate KNUF-4H-A exhibited typical cultural characteristics of P. chengduensis, producing colonies that were flattened, greenish-grey at the edges, grey-white at the center, and dark brown on the reverse side. Phaeosphaeria species have been reported in various ecosystems, including terrestrial and freshwater environments. The isolation of KNUF-4H-A from the citrus flower chafer provides valuable insights into the habitat diversity of Phaeosphaeria. This is the first record of Phaeosphaeria chengduensis in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.102-108
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• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the genetic diversity and genetic taxonomic relationships between Korean native black goat (KNBG) populations and crossbred goats. The 45,658 common single nucleotide polymorphisms present in the KNBG strain and crossbred goat were used for the analysis. The expected and observed heterozygosity (which can be indicators of genetic diversity) were in the order of crossbred, Gyeongsang National University, Jangsu, then the Tongyeong strains. The variance component represents the degree of genetic diversity between groups. The highest variance (19.98 %) was between the Dangjin and Gyeongsang National University strains. The lowest variance (8.87 %) was between the Jangsu and Tongyeong strains. In addition, the genetic distance between the populations showed that Jangsu and Tongyeong formed one branch (they were very similar genetically). The Dangjin and the Gyeongsang National University strains appeared to form a second branch. Furthermore, the crossbred formed one branch with the Dangjin and the Gyeongsang National University strains. Therefore, the results of this study can be used as basic data to reduce unnecessary inbreeding and genetic resource flow between the KNBG populations. The basic data indicates the uniqueness of the genetic resources of the domestic lineage. These findings provide a basis for differentiating KNBG and Crossbred goats to use to improve the desirable characteristics of this species.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2015

Bacterial diversity was studied in the rhizosphere of Suaeda japonica Makino, which is native to Suncheon Bay in South Korea. Soil samples from several sites were diluted serially, and pure isolation was performed by subculture using marine agar and tryptic soy agar media. Genomic DNA was extracted from 29 pure, isolated bacterial strains, after which their 16S rDNA sequences were amplified and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to confirm their genetic relationship. The 29 bacterial strains were classified into five groups: phylum Firmicutes (44.8%), Gamma proteobacteria group (27.6%), Alpha proteobacteria group (10.3%), phylum Bacteriodetes (10.3%), and phylum Actinobacteria (6.8%). The most widely distributed genera were Bacillus (phylum Firmicutes), and Marinobacterium, Halomonas, and Vibrio (Gamma proteobacteria group). To confirm the bacterial diversity in rhizospheres of S. japonica, the diversity index was used at the genus level. The results show that bacterial diversity differed at each of the sampling sites. These 29 bacterial strains are thought to play a major role in material cycling at Suncheon Bay, in overcoming the sea/mud flat-specific environmental stress. Furthermore, some strains are assumed to be involved in a positive interaction with the halophyte S. japonica, as rhizospheric flora, with induction of growth promotion and plant defense mechanism.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-22
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• 1996

Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in human, with infants and young children being particularly susceptible. In the temperate zones, sharp annual outbreaks of RSV occur during the colder months, in both the northern and the southern hemisphere. RSV is unusual in that it can repeatedly reinfect individuals throughout life and infect babies in the presence of maternal antibody. RSV isolates can be divided into two subgroups, A and B, on the basis of their reactions with monoclonal antibodies, and the two subgroups are also distinct at the nucleotide sequence level. The specific diagnosis of RSV infection was best made by isolation of virus in tissue culture, identification of viral antigen, or by specific serologic procedures. Recently, rapid detection of RSV and analysis of RSV strain variation became possible by development of methods of reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction amplification. In this study, to determine the genetic diversity of RSV found in Korea, 173 bp and 164 bp spanning selected regions of the RSV F and SH genes were enzymatically amplified and sequenced, respectively. Eight for F gene and three for SH gene were detected in 66 nasopharyngeal swap samples tested. Two major antigenic subgroups, A and B were confirmed from Korean samples (seven for subgroup A and one for subgroup B). At the nucleotide level of the F gene region, Korean subgroup A strains showed 95-99% homologies compared to the prototype A2 strain of subgroup A and 93-100% homologies among Korean subgroup A themselves. For the SH gene region, Korean subgroup A strain showed 97.5% homology compared to the prototype A2 strain of subgroup A, and Korean subgroup B strain showed 97% homology compared to the prototype 18537 strain of subgroup B. Most of base changes were transition and occured in codon position 3, which resulted in amino acid conservation. Using the maximum parsimony method, phylogenetic analysis indicated that Korean RSV strains formed a group with other RSV strains isolated from the United States, Canada, the Great Britain and Australia.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.80-82
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• 2007

We have isolated numerous cold deep-sea adapted microorganisms (piezophilic, formerly referred to as "barophilic" bacteria) using deep-sea research submersibles. Many of the isolates are novel psychrophilic bacteria, and we have identified several new piezophilic species, i.e., Photobacterium profundum, Shewanella violacea, Moritella japonica, Moritella yayanosii, Psychromonas kaikoi, and Colwellia piezophila. These piezophiles are involving to five genera in gamma-Proteobacteria subgroup and produce significant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids in their cell membrane fractions to maintain the membrane fluidity in cold and high-pressure environments. Piezophilic microorganisms have been identified in many deep-sea bottoms of many of the world oceans. Therefore, these microbes are well distributed on our planet. One of the isolated deep-sea piezophiles, Shewanella violacea strain DSS12 is a psychrophilic, moderately piezophilic bacterium from a sediment sample collected at the Ryukyu Trench (depth: 5,110 m), which grows optimally at 30 MPa and $8^{\circ}C$ but also grows at atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa) and $8^{\circ}C$. We have examined this strain to elucidate the molecular basis for gene regulation at different pressure conditions because this strain is useful as a model bacterium for comparing the various features of bacterial physiology under pressure conditions. In addition, we completed the sequencing of the entire genome of this piezophilic bacterium and we expect that many biotechnologically useful genes will be identified from the genome information.