Eun-Gi Cho

Reverse transcriptase domain sequences from Mungbean (Vigna radiata) LTR retrotransposons: Sequence characterization and phylogenetic analysis

The conserved domains of reverse transcriptase (RT) genes of Ty1-copia and Ty3-gypsy groups of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons were amplified from mungbean (Vigna radiata) genome using degenerate primers, cloned and sequenced. Among these 34% and 65% of respective clones of copia and gypsy RT sequences possessed stop codons or frame-shifts or both. The RT sequences corresponding to both the groups exhibit significant levels of heterogeneity. Presence of mungbean copia and gypsy RT sequences in other papilionoid legumes of the same (Phaseoleae) and different lineages (Loteae, Trifoleae, Cicereae) indicates existence of these elements prior to the radiation of papilionoid legumes and also supports the recent interpretations of close relationship between Phaseoleae and Loteae tribes of Papilionoideae subfamily. On the other hand significant homologies of some mungbean copia as well as gypsy RT sequences with those of unrelated plant species suggest their origin from different plant lineages and also that heterogeneous population of related elements were already existed throughout (even before the divergence of monocot and dicot) the evolution of these genera from their common ancestor.

Identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Test of Bacteria from In Vitro Cultures of Pinellia ternata and Tea Plant

Contamination of bacterial infection is one of serious problems in in vitro culture system of root crops. From the contaminated tubes over 140 of petiole cultures of Pinellia ternata, a medicinal plant, 4 genera 8species 48 strains of bacteria, including Aeromonas and Pseudomonas, were isolated and identified and another 8 strains were not fully identified. Most of them were motile Gram positive bacteria as in common in early stage of in vitro cultures. Six strains of bacteria, 5 of Gram negative, including Enterobacter, and 1 of Gram positive, were identified from the embryonic axes cultures of tea plant. From the susceptibility test to pre-screened 5 antibiotics, all of the bacteria except for 2 species of Pseudomonas were susceptible to cefotaxime 60∼100mg/L. While 60mg/L erythromycin only was effective to Pseudomonas. Combination of erythromycin 20mg/L and cefotaxime 60mg/L totally suppressed the growth of all bacterial strains tested. Susceptibility test of bacteria from tea embryonic axes cultures showed similar results. Combination of erythromycin 35mg/L and cefotaxime 60mg/L was effective to 15 bacterial strains and partially effective to 1 unidentified.