Background : Plants belonging to 5 species of the genus Eleutherococcus are currently distributed in the Korean peninsula. The traditional medicine ‘Ogapi’, derived from Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus and other related species, and ‘Gasiogapi’, derived from Eleutherococcus senticosus, are frequently mixed up and marketed. Therefore, accurated identification of their origins in urgently required. Methods and Results : Candidate genes from nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) of Eleutherococcus plants were analyzed. Whereas the nrDNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were useful in elucidating the phylogenetic relationships among the plants, the cpDNA regions were not as effective. Therefore, a combined analysis with nrDNA-ITS was performed. Various combinations of nrDNA and matK were effective for discriminating among the plants. However, the matK and rpoC1 combination was ineffective for discriminating among some species. Based on these results, it was found that OG1, OG4, OG5, OG7, GS1, GS2, and GS3 were derived from E. sessiliflorus. In particular, it was confirmed that GS1, GS2, and GS3 were not derived from E. senticosus. However, more samples need to be analyzed because identification of the origins of OG2, OG3, OG6 and GS4 was not possible. Conclusion : The ITS2, ITS5a, and matK combination was the most effective in identifying the phylogenetic relationship among Eleutherococcus plants and traditional medicines based on Eleutherococcus.

A stable, efficient, and reliable selection system using bar and hpt as selectable markers for Agrobacterium mediatedco-transformation of rice with two separate vectors was developed. Two plasmids, pMJC-GB-IFS2 and pMJC-GH-CHR carryingbar or hpt gene as s

A reproducible transformation system via optimized regeneration media for Korean rice cultivars was established using Agrobacterium tumefeciens LBA4404 (pSBM-PPGN; gusA and bar). Although japonica rice genotypes were easier to produce transgenic plants compared to Tongil type cultivars, transformation efficiencies were not always correlated with regeneration efficiencies of non-transgenic callus on the control medium. Regeneration efficiencies of Donganbyeo, Ilmibyeo, and Manchubyeo were over 50% in non-transgenic control, however, transformation efficiencies were significantly low when only sucrose was added to the media as a carbon source. However, the medium, MSRK5SS-Pr (or MSRK5SM-Pr), that contains 5~textrmmgL-1 kinetin, 0.5~textrmmgL-1 NAA, 2 % sucrose (or maltose), 3% sorbitol, and 500~textrmmgL-1 proline, was the most efficient not only for regeneration of non-transgenic callus but also for regeneration of transgenic callus in the presence of L-phosphinotricin (PPT). Average transformation efficiencies of 16 Korean rice cultivars were significantly enhanced by using the optimized medium from 1.5% to 5.8% in independent callus lines and from 2.9% to 19.4% in tromsgenic plants obained. Approximately 98.9% (876 out of 885) transgenic plants obtained on optimized media showed basta resistance. Stable integration, inheritance and expression of gusA and bar genes were continued by GUS assay and PCR and Southern analysis of the bar gene. With Pst1 digestion of genomic DNA of transgenic plants, one to five copies of T-DNA segment were observed; however, 76% (19 out of 25 transgenic plants) has low copy number of T-DNA. The transformants obtained from one callus line showed the same copy numbers with the same fractionized band patterns.

The optimized in vitro culture system was investigated for improvement of regeneration efficiencies by observing the responses of scutella-derived callus of Korean rice (Oryza sativa L.). Large variations of callus induction (43.9-93.9%) and shoot regeneration (0-88.7%) were observed among the rice cultivars depending on medium. However, shoot regeneration was significantly improved by selected utilization of basal medium, growth regulators, and carbon sources. N6 basal medium was more efficient for embryogenic callus induction than MS or LS basal medium, while MS was superior to N6 for shoot regeneration. The calli of highly regenerative cultivars grew faster and showed higher rates of green tissue formation (GT) and shoot regeneration (SR) and lower rate of callus browning (CB) than those of recalcitrant cultivars. Although a higher level of kinetin stimulated the GT and SR in highly regenerative cultivars, 10~textrmmgL-1 kinetin generally suppressed the GT and SR, while CB was accelerated compared to 2~textrmmgL-1 kinetin. Additional benefits of sorbitol combined with maltose (or sucrose) under 5~textrmmgL-1 kinetin were certainly confirmed on regeneration efficiencies compared to sucrose alone as carbon source and osmotic regulator. This combination showed high rate of GT and SR with multiple shoots while low rate of CB. With MSRK5SM-Pr medium (5~textrmmgL-1 kinetin, 3% sorbitol, 2% maltose, 500~textrmmgL-1 proline), the regeneration efficiencies of total 17 out of 24 cultivars were practically improved 160% on average compared to MSRK2S (2~textrmmgL-1 kinetin, 3% sucrose) control medium. Especially, the medium was most effective to the cultivars showing a medium level of regenerability such as Daesanbyeo and Dongjinbyeo and Suwon477, enhancing efficiencies more than 300-600% compared to MSRK2S medium.

Regeneration ability of plant is very important for producing transgenic plants by genetic engineering. Fifty rice cultivars and lines were screened for their regeneration ability in vitro and an attempt was made to increase shoot regeneration by substitu