Suk Yoon Kwon

Genome sequence of the hot pepper provides insights into the evolution of pungency in Capsicum species

Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum), one of the oldest domesticated crops in the Americas, is the most widely grown spice crop in the world. We report whole-genome sequencing and assembly of the hot pepper (Mexican landrace of Capsicum annuum cv. CM334) at 186.6× coverage. We also report resequencing of two cultivated peppers and de novo sequencing of the wild species Capsicum chinense. The genome size of the hot pepper was approximately fourfold larger than that of its close relative tomato, and the genome showed an accumulation of Gypsy and Caulimoviridae family elements. Integrative genomic and transcriptomic analyses suggested that change in gene expression and neofunctionalization of capsaicin synthase have shaped capsaicinoid biosynthesis. We found differential molecular patterns of ripening regulators and ethylene synthesis in hot pepper and tomato. The reference genome will serve as a platform for improving the nutritional and medicinal values of Capsicum species.

Genome Sequence of the Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Bacillus sp. Strain JS

Volatile and nonvolatile compounds emitted from the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus sp. strain JS enhance the growth of tobacco and lettuce. Here, we report the high-quality genome sequence of this bacterium. Its 4.1-Mb genome reveals a number of genes whose products are possibly involved in promotion of plant growth or antibiosis.

Current status of genetic transformation technology developed in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Genetic transformation is an important technique for functional genomics study and genetic improvement of plants. Until now, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods using cotyledon as explants has been the major approach for cucumber, and its frequency has been up to 23%. For example, significantly enhancement of the transformation efficiency of this plant species was achieved from the cotyledon explants of the cultivar Poinsett 76 infected by Agrobacterium strains EHA105 with efficient positive selection system in lots of experiments. This review is to summarize some key factors influencing cucumber regeneration and genetic transformation, including target genes, selection systems and the ways of transgene introduction, and then to put forward some strategies for the increasing of cucumber transformation efficiency. In the future, it is high possible for cucumber to be potential bioreactor to produce vaccine and biomaterials for human beings.

The development of herbicide-resistant maize: stable Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize using explants of type II embryogenic calli

One of the limitations to conducting maize Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using explants of immature zygotic embryos routinely is the availability of the explants. To produce immature embryos routinely and continuously requires a well-equipped greenhouse and laborious artificial pollination. To overcome this limitation, an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system using explants of type II embryogenic calli was developed. Once the type II embryogenic calli are produced, they can be subcultured and/or proliferated conveniently. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate a stable Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize using explants of type II embryonic calli and to evaluate the efficiency of the protocol in order to develop herbicide-resistant maize. The type II embryogenic calli were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1 carrying binary vector pTF102, and then were subsequently cultured on the following media: co-cultivation medium for 1xa0day, delay medium for 7xa0days, selection medium for 4xa0×xa014xa0days, regeneration medium, and finally on germination medium. The T-DNA of the vector carried two cassettes (Ubi promoter-EPSPs ORF-nos and 35S promoter–bar ORF-nos). The EPSPs conferred resistance to glyphosate and bar conferred resistance to phosphinothricin. The confirmation of stable transformation and the efficiency of transformation was based on the resistance to phosphinothricin indicated by the growth of putative transgenic calli on selection medium amended with 4xa0mgxa0l−1 phosphinothricin, northern blot analysis of bar gene, and leaf painting assay for detection of bar gene-based herbicide resistance. Northern blot analysis and leaf painting assay confirmed the expression of bar transgenes in the R1 generation. The average transformation efficiency was 0.60%. Based on northern blot analysis and leaf painting assay, line 31 was selected as an elite line of maize resistant to herbicide.

Expression of Dengue virus EIII domain-coding gene in maize as an edible vaccine candidate

Plant-based vaccines possess some advantages over other types of vaccine biotechnology such as safety, low cost of mass vaccination programs, and wider use of vaccines for medicine. This study was undertaken to develop the transgenic maize as edible vaccine candidates for humans. The immature embryos of HiII genotype were inoculated with A. tumefaciens strain C58C1 containing the binary vectors (V662 or V663). The vectors carrying nptII gene as selection marker and scEDIII (V662) or wCTB-scEDIII (V663) target gene, which code EIII proteins inhibite viral adsorption by cells. In total, 721 maize immature embryos were transformed and twenty-two putative transgenic plants were regenerated after 12 weeks selection regime. Of them, two- and six-plants were proved to be integrated with scEDIII and wCTB-scEDIII genes, respectively, by Southern blot analysis. However, only one plant (V662-29-3864) can express the gene of interest confirmed by Northern blot analysis. These results demonstrated that this plant could be used as a candidated source of the vaccine production.

The development of transgenic maize expressing Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ApxIIA gene using Agrobacterium

To develop edible vaccines for swine, the embryogenic calli (type II) derived from HiII genotype were inoculated with A. tumefaciens strain C58C1 containing the binary vector pMYV611, 613, 616, and V621, 622 and 623 respectively. Six of those vectors carry nptII gene which confers resistance to paromomycin and apxIIA gene producing ApxII toxin which is generated in various serum types of A. pleuropneumoniae as a target gene. The 4,120 callus clones for pMYV611, 5,959 callus clones for pMYV613, 7,581 callus clones for pMYV616, 52,329 callus clones for V621, 48,948 callus clones for V622, and 56,188 callus clones for V623 were inoculated. The frequency of positive response clone was confirmed into range of 2.3% - 4.4% for each vectors by NPTII ELISA kit assay, and the selected callus clones of them were finally 3 callus clones from pMYV611 (0.07%), 4 callus clones from pMYV613 (0.07%), 2 callus clones from pMYV616 (0.03%), 51 callus clones from V621 (0.1%), 72 callus clones from V622 (0.15 %), and 102 callus clones from V623 (0.18%) respectively. From the selected callus clones of each binary vector, the integration of the apxIIA gene into maize genome was detected from 2 plants of pMYV613 and 2 plants of V623 by Southern blot analysis.

Anomalous somatic embryos formation and plant regeneration from the cultures of immature embryos of Camellia japonica L.

Abstract Embryogenic callus was induced from the cultures of immature embryos of Camellia japonica L. on Murashige & Skoog’s (MS) solid medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), and then the embryogenic callus was proliferated on same medium for 4 weeks over. The embryogenic callus was sub-cultured on MS basal medium without 2,4-D to produce coyledonary stage of somatic embryo. The frequency (%) of somatic embryogenesis was 25.1%, and the majority of somatic embryos formed had a abnormal morphology with cup- shaped cotyledon (48.3%), one cotyledon (12.6%), three cotyledons (9.4%), four cotyledons (1.9%), whereas was only normal morphology with two cotyledon (27.5%). When the somatic embryos with normal or abnormal cotyledons transfer to MS basal medium or ½ MS medium with/or without plant growth regulators (GA 3 , IBA) for regeneration, the frequency (%) of two-cotyledon embryos regenerated into plantlets was higher 11.1% than one cotyledon (0.0~8.3 %), three cotyledons (0.0~5.8%), four cotyledons (0.0%), cup-shaped (0.3~4.2%). These results demonstrated that the anomalous cotyledons of somatic embryos could caused to decrease the rate of plant regeneration.

Procambium differentiation and shoot apical meristem development in somatic embryos of soybean (Glycine max L.)

대두 미숙배 배양으로부터 체세포배를 얻기 위해 1 mg/L 2,4-D를 첨가한 MS배지에서 6 - 8주 동안 배양한 결과 2개의 자엽을 갖는 정상체세포배가 14%, 1개의 자엽을 갖는 비정상 체세포배가 37%, 합생자엽을 갖는 비정상 체세포배가 43% 그리고 생장이 멈춘 구형기 체세포배가 6%로 얻어졌다. 체세포배의 전형층은 하배축에서 원형모양으로 분화되어 자엽 절로 이어진 후 1개의 자엽은 1개 전형성층이, 2개의 자엽은 2개의 전형성층이 각 자엽으로 발달하였고, 합생 자엽의 경우 하배축에서 형성된 원형의 전형성층이 자엽까지 연결되어 있었다. 한편 2개의 자엽을 갖는 체세포배의 경우는 tunica-corpus층을 이룬 전형적인 유경조직을 이루고 있었으나 1개 또는 합생 자엽을 갖는 체세포배는 tunica-corpus층이 없고, dome모양이 없는 흔적만 남은 유경조직을 이루고 있었다. 이러한 결과는 체세포배에서 전형성층의 분화는 자엽의 형성과 유경조직의 발달에 밀접한 관계가 있음을 시사한다. 【Immature embryos of Glycine max L. was cultured on Murashige and Skoogs (MS) medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D). After 6 to 8 weeks of culture, immature embryos produced somatic embryos. Of somatic embryos, two cotyledonary embryo (14%), one cotyledonary embryo (37%), fused cotyledonary embryo (43%), and stunted globular embryos (6%) were observed. The procambial strand of cotyledons originated from circular procambial tissues of lower hypocotyl. The circular procambial tissues were independently divided into one or two procambial strand at the edge of cotyledonary-node, and then connected to each cotyledon to form somatic embryos with one or two cotyledons. When cotyledon was a fused type, the circular procambial strand in lower hypocotyl was continuously connected to the cotyledon. Also, somatic embryos with two cotyledons developed a functional shoot apex with the tunica-corpus structure. In contrast, somatic embryos with one or fused cotyledon formed an abnormal shoot apex without the tunica-corpus structure or with non-dome shape in the inter-cotyledonary area. These results indicated that the variation of cotyledon in somatic embryos is closely related to procambial differentiation and shoot apical meristem development.】