• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.351-359
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• 2021

The red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) belonging to genus Megalocytivirus is responsible for red sea bream iridoviral disease (RSIVD) in marine and freshwater fishes. Although several diagnostic assays for RSIV have been developed, diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and specificity (DSp) of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are not yet evaluated. In this study, we developed a TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR method and evaluated its DSe and DSp. To detect RSIV, the probe and primers were designed based on consensus sequences of the major capsid protein (MCP) genes from megalocytiviruses including RSIV, infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), and turbot reddish body iridovirus (TRBIV). The probe and primers were shown to be specific for RSIV, ISKNV, and TRBIV-types megalocytiviruses. A 95% limit of detection (LOD_95%) was determined to be 5.3 viral genome copies/µL of plasmid DNA containing the MCP gene from RSIV. The DSe and DSp of the developed real-time PCR assay for field samples (n = 112) were compared with those of conventional PCR assays and found to be 100% and 95.2%, respectively. The quantitative results for SYBR Green and TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR were not significantly different. The TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR assay for RSIV may be used as an appropriate diagnostic tool for qualitative and quantitative analysis.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.133-139
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• 2023

The advantage of biofloc technology (BFT) in aquaculture is in the prevention of pathogenic transmission. In this study, we performed an investigation on viral, bacterial, and microsporidian parasite infections targeting a total of 194 whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei reared in seven BFT-farms on the west coast of Korea in 2021. Hepatopancreatic and cuticular epithelium and pereiopods tissues of shrimp were tested for the four pathogens, Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), Vibrio parahaemolyticus causing Acute Hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (VP_AHPND), white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), and hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV). The microsporidian parasite EHP was detected in the hepatopancreatic tissue of BFT whiteleg shrimp in the Ganghwa region, whereas no other pathogenic bacteria or virus was detected on the shrimp in the seven BFT-farms. As a result of bacterial flora in the rearing water of BFT whiteleg shrimp using DNA microbiome technology, V. chemaguriensis and V. alfacsensis were contained at 0.05% and 0.01%, respectively, but no VP_AHPND was detected. These findings will serve as a basis for supporting safe BFT-aquaculture of whiteleg shrimp.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2023

Sweet potato symptomless virus 1 (SPSMV-1) is a single-stranded circular DNA virus, belonging to the genus Mastrevirus (family Geminiviridae) that was first identified on sweet potato plants in South Korea in 2012. Although SPSMV-1 does not induce distinct symptoms in sweet potato plants, its co-infection with different sweet potato viruses is highly prevalent, and thus threatens sweet potato production in South Korea. In this study, the complete genome sequence of a Korean isolate of SPSMV-1 was obtained by Sanger sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons from sweet potato plants collected in the field (Suwon). An infectious clone of SPSMV-1 (1.1-mer) was constructed, cloned into the plant expression vector pCAMBIA1303, and agro-inoculated into Nicotiana benthamiana using three Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains (GV3101, LBA4404, and EHA105). Although no visual differences were observed between the mock and infected groups, SPSMV-1 accumulation was detected in the roots, stems, and newly produced leaves through PCR. The A. tumefaciens strain LBA4404 was the most effective at transferring the SPSMV-1 genome to N. benthamiana. We confirmed the viral replication in N. benthamiana samples through strand-specific amplification using virion-sense- and complementary-sense-specific primer sets.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2017

Norovirus causes frequent epidemic viral gastroenteritis in Korea. The team for the control of noroviral foodborne outbreaks (NOROTECL) executed a project to trace the cause of norovirus contamination in agricultural products and environmental samples to reduce norovirus outbreaks in Korea. Between January and November in 2015, the contaminations by norovirus and indicator microorganisms such as coliforms, Escherichia coil and male specific coliphage (MSC) were examined in 80 agricultural products, 80 soil samples, 78 human feces samples, 3 animal feces samples, 80 agricultural water samples and 80 river water samples. Semi-nested PCR and DNA sequencing revealed 18 genogroup I and 3 genogroup II noroviruses in a total of 18 samples. These noroviruses were validated by real-time (RT)-PCR analysis. For indicator microorganisms, coliform and E. coli were respectively detected in agricultural products (68, 1%), soils (88, 7%), human feces (44, 12.8%), animal feces (67, 67%), agricultural waters (74, 30%) and river waters (96, 51%). The MSC results revealed 14 positive samples.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.283-290
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• 2008

Baculoviruses have been used to control some serious lepidopteran pests. However, their narrow target insect spectrum and slow efficacy are main limitations to be used in various applications. This study introduces a technique to overcome these limitations by inhibiting insect immune defence to enhance the viral pathogenicity. Polydnaviruses are an insect DNA virus group and symbiotic to some ichneumonid and braconid endoparasitoids. Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) is a braconid polydnavirus and encodes several immunosuppressive genes. We selected seven CpBV genes and recombined them to wild type Autographa California multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcNPV). A bioassay of these seven recombinants indicated that most recombinants had similar or superior efficacy to wild type AcNPV against beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, and diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Recombinant AcNPV with CpBV-ELP was the most potent in terms of lethal time by shortening more than 2 days compared to wild type AcNPV. This recombinant was further proved in its dose-dependent pathogenicity and its efficacy by spray application on S. exigua infesting cabbage cultivated in pots. We discussed the efficacy of CpBV-ELP recombinant AcNPV in terms of suppressing antiviral activity of target insects.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 1997

To develop the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of type D simian retrovirus (SRV) infection, an oligonucleotide primer pair was designed to hybridize to the sequences within env gene of SRV subtype 1 (SRV-1). The 3' proximal env sequences annealing to the primers had been rather conserved among three different subtypes of SRV, SRV-1, SRV-2, and SRV-3 (Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus: MPMV). The PCR using the primer pair targeting an env region successfully detected and amplified all three subtypes of SRV with excellent specificity after single round of reaction. The tests with peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected either with simian immunodeficiency virus or simian T-Iymphotropic virus type 1, major immunosuppressive viral agents together with SRV in simian, verified the specificity of the PCR by excluding any cross reactivity. Semiquantitative titration PCR, amplifying serially diluted plasmid DNA of each subtype, was performed to evaluate sensitivity limits of the reaction. Based on molecular weight of each cloned SRV genome, the PCR should be able to detect one SRV-infected cell per more than $5-7{\times}10^4$ uninfected cells after simple ethidium bromide staining of resulting products. The PCR must be very efficient screening system with its quickness, certainty, and sensitivity for SRV-infected animals used in human AIDS research model. Second round amplification of the reaction products from the first PCR, or Southern hybridization by radiolabeled probes shall render to compete its efficacy to ELISA which has been the most sensitive technique to screen SRV infection but with frequent ambiguity problem.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.7 s.87
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• pp.905-909
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• 2007

The dual-function protein redox factor-1 (Ref-1) is essential for base excision repair of oxidatively damaged DNA and also governs the activation of many redox-sensitive transcription factors. We examined the role of Ref-1 in regulation of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis employing adenoviral-mediatedoverexpression of Ref-1 in bradykinin-stimulated endothelial cells. Intracellular NO was detected with the NO-sensitive fluorophore DAF-2. Overexpression of Ref-1 potentiates bradykinin-stimulated NO production in endothelial cells. And, cells ifected with AdRef-1 showed higher fluorescence intensity compared with uninfected or AdD1312-infected cells. In parallel with this, over expression of Ref-1 also stimulated endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) enzyme activity, compared with unifected or AdD1312-infected cells, in bradykinin-stimulated cells as well as in unstimulated cells. These results suggest that Ref-1 implicates in endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation resulting from NO production in vascular system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1182-1188
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• 2016

Membrane-associated guanylate kinase inverted-3 (MAGI-3) is a member of the family of membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs). MAGI-3 modulates the kinase activity of protein kinase B (PKB)/AKT through interactions with phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/MMAC. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is a common causative agent of acute myocarditis and chronic dilated cardiomyopathy. Activation of AKT and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) is essential for CVB3 replication, but the relation between MAGI-3 signaling and CVB3 replication is not well understood. This study investigated the role of MAGI-3 in CVB3 infection and replication. MAGI-3 was overexpressed in HeLa cells by polyethylenimine (PEI) transfection. To optimize the transfection conditions, different ratios of plasmid DNA to PEI concentrations were used. MAGI-3 and empty plasmid DNA were transfected into the HeLa cells. MAGI-3 overexpression alone was not sufficient to efficiently activate AKT. However, expression of the CVB3 capsid protein VP1 dramatically increased in the HeLa cells overexpressing MAGI-3 24 h after CVB3 infection. In addition, the activities of AKT and ERK were significantly induced in the CVB3-infected MAGI-3 cells overexpressing HeLa. These results demonstrate that MAGI-3 expression upregulates CVB3 replication through AKT and ERK signaling activation. MAGI-3 may be an important target to control CVB3 replication.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2008

HIV affects many organ systems. Patients with HIV infection have substantially increased risk of developing various cancers, primarily by opportunistic infection with oncogenic viruses due to their immunocompromised status. However, extensive evidence also indicates that the viral protein, Tat itself, may playas a major factor in the development of AIDS-related neoplasms. The molecular mechanism underlying Tat's oncogenic activity may include deregulation of cellular genes. Therefore, in this study, we examined the effect of HIV-l Tat on CD99 as one of the target cellular genes, which is a well-known tumor marker in several cancers. By using established HeLa clones that are stably expressing Tat, we found that CD99 is upregulated by endogenous Tat, whereas STAT3 is down regulated. Upon the screening of genes differentially expressed between Tat-stable cells and the control cells by using the gene fishing technique, DEG, we detected 3 genes which expression is affected by the presence of Tat. Furthermore, the methylation specific PCR analysis of the stably Tat expressing cell lines revealed that the CD99 promoter is de methylated in the presence of Tat. Taken together, these results open a potential role of CD99 in AIDS-related oncogenesis via epigenetic regulation by HIV-1 Tat.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.245-257
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• 2002

The gene encoding the HN protein from the CBP-1 strain, a heat stable Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from diseased pheasants in Korea, was characterized by reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and the nucleotide and amino acid sequences were analyzed following cloning of the HN gene. In all of the NDV strains studied, a 1.75 kb size cDNA fragment for the HN gene was generated by RT-PCR and smaller specific band sizes harboring the internal portions of the HN gene were also detected by using four pairs of primers. The RT-PCR was sensitive enough to detect viral transcripts when the virus titer was above 25 hemagglutination units. The amplified 1.75 kb cDNA was cloned into a BamHI site of the pVL1393 Baculo transfer vector. The nucleotide sequences of the 1,758 bp HN gene from the CBP-1 strain were determined by the dye terminator cyclic sequencing method. The gene sequences were compared among the strains of CBP-1, Texas GB, Beaudette C, LaSota, B1 and Ulster. The homology of the CBP-1 HN gene to other HN variants was 97.8% to Texas GB, 98.4% to Beaudette C, 95.4% to LaSota, 95.6% to B1 and 90.2% to Ulster. As the deduced 577 amino acid sequences were compared among the strains, the homology for CBP-1 HN appeared to be 96.7% to Texas GB, 97.9% to Beaudette C, 95.5% to LaSota, 95.5% to B1 and 92.7% to Ulster. It was evident that the amino acid sequences included 5 sites for N-asparagine linked glycosylation and 12 cysteine residues. The three conserved leucine residues within the predicted transmembrane domain of the HN protein are amino acid 30, 37 and 44. The three antigenic sites on the HN protein of NDV are amino acids 347(Glu), 481(Asn) and 495(Glu). These data indicate that the genotype of the CBP-1 strain is more closely associated with the strains of Texas GB and Beaudette C than it is for the LaSota, B1 and Ulster strains.