Choi, Hyong Woo
Assistant Professor
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
[Academy]
Korea University (BS)
Korea University (MS)
Korea University (PhD)
[Society]
Editor Micobiology
Editor Research in Plant Disease
Editor Horticultural Plant Journal
Editor Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
Vice Chairman of Academic Committee The Korean Society of Plant Pathology
Chairman of Academic Committee The Korean Society of Mycology
Member The Korean Society of Plant Pathology
Member The Korean Society of Mycology
[Teaching]
Molecular Biology
Bioinformatics
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
Plant Pathophysiology
Mycology and Mushroom Science
Introduction to Plant Protection & Cultivation
[Research]
Research Interest
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
In nature (agricultural field, as well), plants and microbes (fungi, bacteria, insects and etc.) compete for survival. Understandings on how plants respond to pathogen infection, and how pathogens establish the pathogenic interactions with their hosts is not only a fundamental aspect of plant biology research but also important for crop improvement. Based on experience on different plant-microbe interactions and plant hormones, especially salicylic acid (SA), our lab aims to 1) understand host plant disease resistant/susceptibility mechanism and 2) develop disease control methods.
1) Understand host plant disease resistant/susceptibility mechanism
Plants are sessile organisms that are permanently restricted to their site of germination. To compensate for their lack of mobility, plants evolved sophisticated surveillance and defense mechanisms enabling them to rapidly react to pathogen invasion. Plant surveillance system is consist of different cell surface receptors (=pattern recognition receptor), resistant proteins (R-proteins), and downstream signaling components. Identification of new host-pathogen systems and following molecular and biochemical studies will be performed to understand host plant disease resistant and/or susceptibility mechanisms.
2) Development of disease control methods
Use of plant hormone, especially SA, and their derivatives seems very promising measure to control various diseases. Interestingly, SA upregulates basal defense in plants, whereas suppresses immune response of animals. Usefulness of combinational use of SA with other disease control methods will be explored to develop novel disease control methods in specific host-microbe interactions.
3) Identification of plant pathogenic fungi
They are important group of plant pathogens with insect, bacteria, virus and etc. Plant fungal diseases lead to annual economic losses that exceed 200 billion US dollars (Horbach et al., 2011) in pre- and post-harvest processes. In our lab, we isolate and identify the fungal pathogens from the various crop plants. For identification, microscopic observation, molecular diagnosis and pathological analyses can be performed
4) HEMP research
As a special issue, our lab is also interested with use of HEMP plants as a medicinal source. HEMP contains high amount of SA derivatives (=salicylates), THCA and CBDA. Thus, further researches on HEMP will reveal interesting roles of salicylates in plants and humans.
[Recent SCI Publications]
2020
Lee EH, Park H, Kim B, Choi HW, Park KI, Kang IK, Cho YJ*. 2020. Anti-inflammatory effect of Malus domestica cv. Green ball apple peel extract on Raw 264.7 macrophages. Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry 63(2): 117−123.
Heo AY, Koo YM, Choi YJ, Kim SH, Chung GY and Choi HW* 2020. First Report of Peach Fruit Rot Caused by Fusarium avenaceum in Korea” Research in Plant Disease 36(1): 1–10.
Koo YM, Heo AY and Choi HW* 2020. Salicylic Acid as a Safe Plant Protector and Growth Regulator. The Plant Pathology Journal 36(1):1-10.
2019
Cho YJ, Lee EH, Yoo JG, Kwon SI, Choi HW, Kang IK 2019. Analysis of functional properties in the new Korean apple cultivar Arisoo. Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology. 60: 787–795.
Lim CW, Kim SH, Choi HW*, Luan S*, Lee SC*. 2019. The Shaker Type Potassium Channel, GORK, Regulates Abscisic Acid Signaling in Arabidopsis.” The Plant Pathology Journal 35(6):684-691
Choi HW, Wang L, Powell AF, Strickler SR, Wang D, Dempsey DA, Schroeder FC, Klessig DF. 2019. A genome-wide screen for human salicylic acid (SA)-binding proteins reveals targets through which SA may influence development of various diseases.” Scientific Reports 9(1):13084.
2018
Klessig DF, Choi HW and Dempsey DA. 2018. Systemic Acquired Resistance and Salicylic Acid: Past, Present and Future. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 31(9):871-888.
Kwon YH, Kang IK, Yoo J, Choi HW, Koh SW, Kim SJ, Park KS, Choi C. 2018. Effects of pruning and fertilization on the growth of highbush blueberry ‘Jersey’.” Horticultural Science and Technology 36(4):521-528.
2017
Manohar M, Wang D, Manosalva P, Choi HW, Kombrink E and Klessig DF. 2017. Members of the abscisic acid co-receptor PP2C protein family mediate salicylic acid–abscisic acid crosstalk.” Plant Direct 1(5): e00020.
Manohar M, Choi HW, Manosalva P, Austin CA, Peters JE and Klessig DF. 2017. Plant and Human MORC Proteins Have DNA-Modifying Activities Similar to Type II Topoisomerases, but Require One or More Additional Factors for Full Activity. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 30(2):87-100.
2016
Choi HW and Klessig DF. 2016 DAMPs, PAMPs/MAMPs, and NAMPs in Plant Innate Immunity. BMC Plant Biology 16 (1): 232.
Bordiya Y, Zheng Y, Nam JC, Bonnard AC, Choi HW, Lee BK, Kim J, Klessig DF, Fei Z and Kang HG. 2016. Pathogen Infection and MORC Proteins Affect Chromatin Accessibility of Transposable Elements and Expression of Their Proximal Genes in Arabidopsis. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 29(9):674-687.
Choi HW, Manohar M, Manosalva P, Tian M, Moreau M and Klessig DF. 2016. Activation of Plant Innate Immunity by Extracellular High Mobility Group Box 3 and Its Inhibition by Salicylic Acid. PLOS Pathogens 12(3):e1005518.
Klessig DF, Tian M and Choi HW. 2016. Multiple Targets of Salicylic Acid and Its Derivatives in Plants and Animals. Frontiers in Immunology 7:206.