Background : Platycodon grandiflorum is a perennial plant and a member of Camanulaceae family. Since ancient times, they have been using P. grandiflorum as an important medicinal plant in Korea. Platycodin D is the most abundant saponin derived from P. grandiflorum and pharmacologically active component. UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are important enzymes in the saponin biosynthesis. UGT is a glycosyltransferase and act on the final step of the secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Methods and Results : We tried to identify UGT genes related to saponin biosynthesis of P. grandiflorum through RNA-seq analysis. The sequencing was performed using Illumina Hi-Seq platform after cDNA library preparation. The produced reads were assembled using CLC Genomics Workbench software (CLC Bio, Inc.). We obtained 122,663 contigs and found 137 putative UGT genes. Familes of UGT71, UGT73, and UGT74 were selected as putative saponin biosynthesis related gene families using phylogenetic relationship analysis. qPCR condition about UGT73 is preheating 94℃ 180 sec, denaturation 94℃ 60 sec, annealing 53℃ 60 sec, extension 72℃ 90 sec, final extension 72℃ 600 sec, 45 cycles repeated. Conclusion : The results in this study could help to find the UGTs related to saponin biosynthesis pathway of P. grandiflorum.

Background : Clematis trichotoma is a deciduous climber belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. This study was carried out to survey the effect of shading levels on growth characteristics in Clematis trichotoma seedling. Methods and Results : Seeds were collected from plants growing in the Mt. Kariwang Jeongseon, Gangwon-do in October 2013, and they were sown to 96 cell plug tray filled with Peatmoss (TKS-2) soil at March, 2015. The experiment was performed with four different shading levels (0, 30, 60, 90%) at July, 2015. According to the experiment, plant height was the highest under 90% of shading. It was found that fresh weight and dry weight of clematis trichotoma were the highest under 90% of shading. The leaf number was the highest under 30% of shading. The leaf number decreased as the shading level increased. Root number and length were the highest under 90% of shading. Conclusion : According to the results, Clematis trichotoma seedling showed the highest growth under 90% shading.

Background : Scrophularia koraiensis is a herbaceous perennials belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae. This study was carried out to survey the effect of soil types on growth characteristics in Scrophularia koraiensis seedling. Methods and Results : Seeds were collected from plants growing in the Mt. Kariwang Jeongseon, Gangwon-do in September 2014, and they were sown to 128 cell plug tray filled with Peatmoss (TKS-2) soil at March, 2015. The experiment was performed with four different soil types (Peatmoss, Peatmoss + Perlite, Peatmoss + Granite soil, Commercial soil). According to the experiment, stem diameter was the highest under commercial soil. The leaf width and length were the highest under commercial soil. Main root diameter and lengh were the highest under commercial soil. Conclusion : According to the results, Scrophularia koraiensis seedling showed the highest growth in commercial soil.

Background : Scrophularia koraiensis is a herbaceous perennials belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae. This study was carried out to survey the effect of LED on root develop characteristics in Scrophularia koraiensis seedling. Methods and Results : Seeds were collected from plants growing in the Mt. Kariwang Jeongseon, Gangwon-do in September 2014, and they were sown to 128 cell plug tray filled with Peatmoss (TKS-2) soil at March, 2015. The experiment was performed with three different LED (Blue, Red, Blue + Red) at July, 2015. Morphological characteristics of root (total root length, root projet area, root surface area, root diameter and root volume) were analyzed with WinRHIZO software. Seedling root growth of scrophularia koraiensis was surveyed to be the highest at the Blue + Red LED in all measuring. Total root length was measured high in the order of Blue + Red, Red, Blue LED. Conclusion : According to the results, Scrophularia koraiensis seedling showed the highest root growth in Blue + Red LED.

Background : Angelica gigas is a monocarpic biennial or short lived perennial plant. A. gigas, also called Dang Gui or Korean Angelica, is a major medicinal herb used in Asian countries such as Korea, Japan and China. In Korea, we are using the roots of A. gigas, but, they are using Angelica sinensis in China and Angelica acutiloba in Japan to obtain many active constituents. The biggest problem in the using of A. gigas would be the confusion with A. acutiloba or A. sinensis. These three plants can't be distinguished by appearance. And the constituent ratios of the three plants are different. This confusion can cause an accident or the pharmaceutical effects do not meet the expectations. In this study, we developed chloroplast SSR markers that can distinguish A. gigas, A. acutiloba and A. sinensis. Methods and Results : We collected A. gigas, A. acutiloba and A. sinensis. and extrated DNA using CTAB method. The DNA was diluted to 10 ng/㎕ and kept -20℃. We designed the primer sets using CLC Main Workbench based on chloroplast DNA SSR region of A. gigas. PCR were performed on the three angelica plant samples (in 5 repeat). Conclusion : We made five primer sets from five SSR regions of A. gigas cpDNA. All of the primer sets amplified the amplicon effectively. Two of the 5 primer sets had polymorphism. We can distinguish A. gigas, A. acutiloba, and A. sinensis using the 2 primer sets

Lespedeza species are mainly used for wildlife food and cover and for erosion control. The germination of these species can be enhanced after a fire occurrence in forest, which is known as fire-activated seeds to germinate. While the heat treatment could break seed dormancy of Lespedeza, its germination rate was quite low. We investigated that chemical scarification could promote germination of L. tomentosa. Seeds were soaked in 100% sulfuric acid (H2SO4) for 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, and 384 min, and then washed in distilled water for 24 h. Very few seeds were germinated in control (H2SO4 for 0 min). More than 90% of seeds were germinated in H2SO4 for 24, 48, and 92 min. However, some damage was observed in roots and cotyledons of seedling dipped in H2SO4 for a long time. To search the optimal soaking time in H2SO4 without defects, seeds scarified in H2SO4 for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 300 min were sown the commercial soil medium. Seeds treated with H2SO4 for 90 min and 150 min emerged by about 92% and 84%, respectively. Therefore, H2SO4 treatment could break the seed dormancy of Lespedeza species, and especially in case of L. tomentosa the optimal treatment time in sulfuric acid was one to two hours. Germination of L. tomentosa began promptly following the scarification and was completed within about one month, indicating that seeds has no physiological dormancy, just has physical dormancy.

Next generation sequencing technologies provide opportunities to reveal the genetic variants and differentially expressedgenes. The genetic variants are closely relevance to understanding of genes and phenotypic differences related to agronomic characteristics among cultivars. In this study, we conducted RNA-seq using two Korean soybean accessions, including Daewon and Hwangkeum, by using next generation sequencing against Williams 82 genome as reference. A number of variants such assingle nucleotide variants (SNV), multiple nucleotide variants (MNV), insertion/deletion (InDel) and replacement, was 34,411 and 55,544 in Daewon and Hwangkeum, respectively. Among these variants, 9,611 nonsynonymous variants were detected within 4,290 genes in Daewon and 13,225 non-synonymous variants were located on 5,672 genes in Hwangkeum. The distribution of nonsynonymous variants and expression values of genes can serve as invaluable resource for genotyping and study of traits within genes for soybean improvements.

The isolated single coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly, in which both coronary arteries arise from a solitary ostium. Diagnosis of coronary anomalies and identification of the exact anatomy of coronary arteries has significant clinical importance, hence, myocardial ischemia or sudden cardiac death is usually related to its course of anomalous coronary artery. Most patients with a single coronary artery are asymptomatic and have normal electrocardiogram and negative stress tests. However, if the patient has other structural abnormalities, for example, ventricular hypertrophy, the exam is determined. This report describes a case of single coronary artery, where the right coronary artery originated from the distal left circumflex artery in a patient with hypertrophic ardiomyopathy.

Legume and rhizobia symbiosis plays an important role in conversion of atmospheric dinitrogen to ammonia. On a global scale, this interaction represents a key entry point for reduced nitrogen into the biosphere, and as a consequence this symbiosis is important in both natural and agricultural systems. Symbiotic development of nodule organ is triggered by chito-oligosaccharide signals (Nod factors) from the bacterium which are perceived by the legume root. Understanding the molecular and cellular processes that underlie Nod factor perception is one focus of legume biology. Although forward genetics has proved to be an important tool to identify key players in Nod factor perception, we still know relatively little regarding the functional networks of genes and proteins that connect the earliest steps of Nod factor perception to immediate downstream outcomes. To elucidate genes and proteins that link Nod factor perception to cellular and physiological responses we are taking a discovery-based strategy based on whole transcriptome profiling using RNA-seq analysis in the roots of Medicago truncatula in response to Sinorhizobium meliloti. Functional characterization of a number of candidate genes is currently in progress to further examine their role in nodulation such as generating transgenic plants

Rice is one of the most important cereal crops in the world and a model plant for functional genomics of monocotyledon. Recently, rice crop loss is estimated to be approximately 30% of the total yield due to herbivorous pests, mainly insects. Cry1Ac toxin is a protein produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis and has insecticidal properties. CryBP1 toxin also is an insecticidal protein produced by the bacterium Bacillus popilliae. These two toxic genes derived bacteria, which were inserted into a binary vector, have been introduced into rice plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation in order to enhance resistance to insects. Here, we utilized anthers to regenerate transgenic rice plants when it has been plated on the callus induction media as a callus-inducing material. Anther culture has a benefit in terms of being apt to produce doubled haploids in short term in plants breeding compared to seed culture. However, anther culture method in generating transgenic rice still has low productivity of plant regeneration in some genotypes of Japonica rice. Therefore, we examined the efficiency of callus induction and transformation with three different cultivars of Japonica rice, Haiami, Ungwang and Dongjin. In this study, our results showed that Haiami is the best genotype among three cultivars of Japonica rice as callus inducing material in anther culture to produce transgenic rice plants conferring resistance to insects.

Legume and rhizobia symbiosis plays an important role in conversion of atmospheric dinitrogen to ammonia. On a global scale, thin interaction represent a key entry point for reduced nitrogen into the biosphere, and as a consequence this symbiosis in important in both natural and agricultural systems. Symbiotic development of nodule organ in triggered by chito-oligosaccharide signals(Nod factors) from the bacterium which are perceived by the legume root. Understanding the molecular and cellular processes that underlie Nod factor perception is one focus of legume biology. Although forward genetics has proved to be an important tool to elucidate key players in Nod factor perception, we still know relatively little regarding the functional networks of genes and proteins that connect the earliest steps of Nod factor perception to immediate downstream outcomes. To identify genes and proteins that link Nod factor perception to cellular and physiological responses we are taking a discovery-based strategy on large-scale transcriptome profiling using RNA sequencing in the roots of Medicago truncatula in response to Sinorhizobium meliloti. Functional characterization of a number of candidate genes is currently in progress to further examine their role in nodulation.

The interaction between Agrobacterium and soybean has been studied at the transcriptome level but not at the metabolic level. However, it is necessary to investigate the difference in metabolites between susceptible and non-susceptible cultivars for high efficiency transformation. We investigated the difference in metabolites from sonicated soybean cotyledons of Korean cultivars and Bert cultivar. To identify difference in metabolites, sonicated extracts were analysed by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR/MS). The soybean cultivars were classified by susceptibility using green fluorescent protein expression. We found a difference in metabolites between the high susceptible and low susceptible cultivars. The FT-ICR/MS experimental m/z data of different metabolites were compared with theoretical m/z in KNApSAcK database. The candidate list was made using KNApSAcK and focused on phenolic compounds. These candidate metabolites are speculated to influence factors in the interaction. This list of candidates may be useful to investigate the interaction between Agrobacterium and plants to increase transformation efficiency.

The molecular responses to various abiotic stresses were investigated by the approaches with transcriptomic analysis based on an ACP system. Here we identified differentially expressed genes under abiotic stresses in alfalfa seedlings and they were mostly unknown genes and a few common stress-related genes. Among them, mitochondrial small HSP23 was responded by the diverse stress treatment such as heat, salt, As stresses and thus it could be a strong candidate that may confer the abiotic stress tolerance to plants. When expressed in bacteria, recombinant MsHSP23 conferred tolerance to salinity and arsenic stress. Furthermore, MsHSP23 was cloned in a plant expressing vector and transformed into tobacco, a eukaryotic model organism. The transgenic plants exhibited enhanced tolerance to salinity and arsenic stress under ex vitro conditions. In comparison to wild type plants, the transgenic plants exhibited significantly lower electrolyte leakage. Moreover, the transgenic plants had superior germination rates when placed on medium containing arsenic. Taken together, these overexpression results imply that MsHSP23 plays an important role in salinity and arsenic stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco. The results of the present study show that overexpression of alfalfa mitochondrial MsHSP23 in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic model systems confers enhanced tolerance to salt and arsenic stress. This indicates that MsHSP23 could be used potentially for the development of stress tolerant transgenic crops, such as forages.

Wheat is the third largest crop in the world behind corn and rice. Wheat is grown over a wide range of environments, and an essential source of carbohydrates. However, the genomics of wheat, a non-model species, is still challenging despite of corn and rice was done. The recent advent of RNA-Sequencing, a massively parallel sequencing method for genome and transcriptome analysis, provides opportunity to identify gene discovery and molecular mechanisms of cellular processes. We performed a RNA-Seq experiment to find differentially expressed genes under high temperature condition. More than 344 million shot reads were generated using Illumina HiSeq technology. A comprehensive and integrated 285,324 transcripts were assembled via Trinity by combining tentative consensus sequences. Transcripts annotated by BLAST2Go and differently expressed transcripts were analyzed. A total of 208 up-regulated and 182 down-regulated transcripts were found that involve in plastid, starch and sucrose metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism and glycerolipid and dicarboxylate metabolism. Our results demonstrate that RNA-Seq can be successfully used for gene identification, transcript profiling in wheat. Furthermore these sequences will provide valuable resources for wheat researchers.

The main nutritional problem of sorghumxsudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolorxSorghum sudanese) silage is low quality and palatability. This experiment was conducted to evaluate whether organic com grain and crushed rice addition of sorghumxsudangrass hybrid silage increases forage quality of the silage. The sorghumxsudangrass hybrid silages with added com grain and crushed rice were similar to conventional corn silage in moisture content. However organic sorghumxsudangrass hybrid silage had low pH values. Silage added with gain and byproduct had higher crude ash, acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents than control corn silages, while its non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) showed the opposite results. Lactic acid, butyric acid and lactic percentage oftotal organic acid (UT) of sorghumxsudangrass hybrid silages were higher than those of com silage, but acetic acid was higher than control. In vitro dry matter digestibi/ity (IVDMD) of com silage was higher than other sorghum silages. Feed intake of sorghumxsudangrass hybrid silage added with crushed rice was highest among silages. Therefore, these data indicate that crushed rice and com grain added sorghumxsudangrass hybrid silage could be recommended as the most effective treatment for increasing silage quality and palatability.

For sensitive and accurate gene expression analysis, normalization of gene expression data against housekeeping genes is required. There are conventional housekeeping gene (e.g. ACT) that primarily function as an internal control of transcription. In this study, we performed an in silico analysis of 278 rice gene expression samples (GSM) in order to identify the gene that is most consistently expressed. Based on this analysis, we identified novel candidate housekeeping genes that displayed improved stability among the cross experimental conditions. Furthermore four of the most conventional housekeeping genes were included in our 30 other housekeeping genes among the most stable genes. Therefore, these 30 genes can he used to normalize transcription results in gene expression studies on rice at a broad range of experimental conditions.