Plant -Virology Lab
Plant Virology Lab (Room#523)
(PI: Prof. Dr. Eui-Joon Kil)
Plant Virology Lab (PVL) has studied on how to solve various problems caused by plant viruses with a translational biological perspective. We have continued to carry out researches by bringing problems from the field to our lab and applying the technology developed in our lab back to the site. Among the plant viruses, geminiviruses and nanoviruses, which have single-stranded DNA as genomes, have been mainly focused on in our studies. We are investigating the outbreak status of those viruses in Asia and many other countries, including Korea, and developing diagnostic systems that can accurately carry out, and conducting researches on virus resistance in host plants and disease symptom development mechanisms of those viruses.
[Current Members]
Ji Yeong Hong (Undergraduate)
Minchan Bae (Undergraduate)
Mancheol Son (Undergraduate)
[Research Funds]
- Rural Development Administration (2020-2024)
- National Research Foundation of Korea (2020-2023)
- National Information Society Agency (2020)
[Research Topics]
1. Investigation of occurrence status and pathological analysis for single-stranded DNA viruses
Due to climate change and the creating of new income sources, tropical and subtropical crops that were not cultivated in Korea continue to be introduced and cultivated. In the process of introducing these new crops mainly from Southeast Asia, ssDNA viruses infecting introducing plants have been continuously inflowed together. EuLCV and PaLCGdV, which flowed into Korea in the process of introducing papaya and passion fruit, are typical examples. New outbreaks of these ssDNA viruses have been constantly identified, and pathological characteristics of these viruses have been studied (host range, transmission, etc.). In addition, in order to proactively respond to viruses that have not yet been introduced into the country but are highly likely to be introduced, research is being carried out continuously on characterization of viruses that occur mainly in the region through joint research with researchers from Asian and European countries (Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Italy).
2. ssDNA virus transmission mechanism
Many plant viruses are transmitted by insects, and sap and seeds of infected plants can also act as inoculation sources. It is known that only a few plant viruses can be transmitted through infected seeds. Seed transmissions have been newly identified and reported for ssDNA viruses (TYLCV, ToLCNDV, SPLCV and PepYLCIV) that have not been reported to date. My research is being conducted on what plant factors are involved in the process of seed transmission. In addition, insect vector-mediated transmission of some viruses can only be occurred by certain insect species or biotype (quasispecies), and transmission pattern varies depending on the distribution of certain microorganism populations in insects. Research on analyzing the mechanism by focusing on the interaction of the ssDNA virus with the vector insect is also being carried out continuously.
3. Analysis of Interaction between ssDNA virus and host plant
For accurate virus control, it is important to understand not only the virus, but also the insect vectors that transmit the virus and the host plants that are infected. In particular, since weeds and other crops that are not major host crops can act as intermediate hosts to help spread the virus, research on it is also very important to identify and analyze host weeds. Various weeds that grow naturally in Korea have been analyzed how they can act as virus infection sources by linking them to their life cycle.
Even though the same virus species are infected, they can show different aspects in symptom development with a few differences in the genome sequence. The interaction analysis between ssDNA virus and host plant is conducted, including research on the mechanism of symptom development by using natural mutants and artificially point-mutated viruses. In addition, studies are underway on what key elements in virus-tolerant plants are limiting viral replication.
4. Construction of ssDNA virus infectious clones and establishment of ssDNA virus bank
Almost all of the ssDNA viruses are transmitted by viruliferous insect vectors such as whitefly, and are known not to be transmitted by mechanical sap inoculation. For the study on viruses, smooth viral infections to plants must come first, and it is very difficult to obtain and maintain insect vectors for all viruses in order to infect a virus that is not mechanically transmitted. In this case, infectious clones, which can be produced by cloning the ssDNA virus genome to the binary vector and then transforming it into an agrobacterium, can be used as an easily available source of infection. Modifying some of viral genes in this source makes it easier to study various functions. By producing and securing infectious clones of ssDNA viruses occurring at home and abroad, it is laying the foundation for use in various researches.
5. Development of on-site and fine diagnostic systems
For virus diagnosis, methods based on nucleic acid amplification and antigen-antibody reaction are mainly used. The nucleic acid amplification-based diagnostic methods are used for many diagnoses due to their high accuracy, but it is known as a technology more suitable for diagnosing in the laboratory than in the field. Using isothermal amplification technologies such as loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), developing system that can diagnose viruses quickly and accurately in the field is carried out continuously. In addition, it is being conducted to develop an on-site diagnostic kit with recombinant scFv antibody protein, which can be uniquely bound to a specific virus protein, produced by expressing in E. coli after selecting using the phage display technology. In addition, virome analysis, which analyzes virus populations in symptomatic plants based on next generation sequencing technology, is also conducted from plants and insect vectors.
[Recent SCI Publications]
2020
A Lal, EJ Kil, K Rauf, M Ali, S Lee. First report of Papaya leaf curl virus associated with leaf curl disease in Cestrum nocturnum in Pakistan. Plant Disease In press (Online Published).
G Parrella, E Troiano, S Lee, EJ Kil. Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus Found Associated with Eggplant Yellowing Disease in Italy. Plant Disease (2020) 104:2034.
SH Cho*, EJ Kil*(*Co-first authors), S Cho, HS Byun, EH Kang, HS Choi, MG Lee, JS Lee, YG Lee, S Lee. Development of novel detection system for sweet potato leaf curl virus using recombinant scFv. Scientific Reports (2020) 10:8039.
C Fadhila, A Lal, TTB Vo, PT Ho, SH Hidayat, J Lee, EJ Kil*, S Lee*(*Co-corresponding authors). The threat of seed-transmissible pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus in chili pepper. Microbial Pathogenesis (2020) 143:104132.
A Lal, EJ Kil, VTB Thuy, C Fadhila, PT Ho, HS Byun, HT Dao, JK Kim, S Lee. Milk vetch dwarf virus infection in the Solanaceae and Caricaceae families in Southeast Asia. Plant Pathology (2020) 69:1026-1033.
H Seo, EJ Kil, C Fadhila, TTB Vo, CK Auh, TK Lee, S Lee. Rapid diagnosis of two marine viruses, red sea bream iridovirus and viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus by PCR combined with lateral flow assay. VirusDisease (2020) 31:251–256.
A Lal, EJ Kil*, TTB Vo, C Fadhila, PT Ho, MN Shuja, M Ali, S Lee*(*Co-corresponding authors). First report of duranta leaf curl virus infecting Ficus virens showing leaf curl symptoms in Pakistan. Plant Disease (2020) 104:2034.
EJ Kil, TTB Vo, C Fadhila, PT Ho, A Lal, E Troiano, G Parrella, S Lee. Seed Transmission of Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus from Zucchini Squash in Italy. Plants (2020) 9:563.
MF Khatun, HS Hwang, JK Shim, EJ Kil, S Lee, KY Lee. Identification of begomoviruses from different cryptic species of Bemisia tabaci in Bangladesh. Microbial Pathogenesis (2020) 142:104069.
S Cho, JS Chae, H Shin, Y Shin, Y Kim, EJ Kil, HS Byun, S Cho, S Park, CH Yeom, S Lee. Enhanced anticancer effect of adding magnesium to vitamin C therapy: Inhibition of hormetic response by SVCT-2 activation. Translational Oncology (2020) 13:401-409.
EJ Kil, YJ Chung, HS Choi, S Lee, CS Kim. Life cycle-based host range analysis for tomato spotted wilt virus in Korea. The Plant Pathology Journal (2020) 36:67-75.
2019
Y Zhou, WK Cho, HS Byun, EJ Kil, SI Bak, DH Moon, V Chavan, TS Park, S Lee, SW Hong. Transcriptome profiles of tomato plants after neutron irradiation and infection with Tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Physiologia Plantarum (2019) 165:427-441.
Y Zhou, WK Cho, HS Byun, V Chavan, EJ Kil, S Lee, SW Hong. Genome-wide identification of long non-coding RNAs in tomato plants irradiated by neutrons followed by infection with Tomato yellow leaf curl virus. PeerJ (2019) 7:e6286.
2018
A Lal, EJ Kil, HS Byun, S Zarghami D., JK Kim, S Lee. First Report of Milk Vetch Dwarf Virus Associated with Dwarfism in Papaya in Korea. Plant Disease (2018) 102:2666.
S Cho, JS Chae, H Shin, Y Shin, H Song, Y Kim, BC Yoo, K Roh, S Cho, EJ Kil, HS Byun, SH Cho, S Park, S Lee, CH Yeom. Hormetic dose response to L-ascorbic acid as an anti-cancer drug in colorectal cancer cell lines according to SVCT-2 expression. Scientific Reports (2018) 8:11372.
YJ Lee*, EJ Kil*(*Co-first authors), HR Kwak, M Kim, JK Seo, S Lee, HS Choi. Phylogenetic Characterization of Tomato chlorosis virus Population in Korea: Evidence of Reassortment between Isolates from Different Origins. The Plant Pathology Journal (2018) 34:199-207.
J Kim, HR Kwak, M Kim, JK Seo, JW Yang, MN Chung, EJ Kil, HS Choi, S Lee. Phylogeographic analysis of the full genome of Sweepovirus to trace virus dispersal and introduction to Korea. PloS one (2018) 13:e0202174.
S Cho, D Kim, Y Lee, EJ Kil, MJ Cho, SJ Byun, WK Cho, S Lee. Probiotic Lactobacillus Paracasei Expressing a Nucleic Acid-Hydrolyzing Minibody (3D8 ScFv) Enhances Probiotic Activities in Mice Intestine as Revealed by Metagenomic Analyses. Genes (2018) 9:276.
EJ Kil, J Park, EY Choi, HS Byun, KY Lee, CG An, JH Lee, GS Lee, HS Choi, CS Kim, JK Kim, S Lee. Seed transmission of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum). European Journal of Plant Pathology (2018) 150:759–764.
2017
EJ Kil, J Park, HS Choi, CS Kim, S Lee. Seed Transmission of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus in White Soybean (Glycine max). The Plant Pathology Journal (2017) 33:424-428.
JG Yang, KH Hwang, EJ Kil, J Park, S Cho, YG Lee, CK Auh, Y Rhee, S Lee. PVX-tolerant potato development using a nucleic acid-hydrolyzing recombinant antibody. Acta Virologica (2017) 61:105-115.
S Cho, K Roh, J Park, YS Park, M Lee, S Cho, EJ Kil, MJ Cho, JS Oh, HS Byun, SH Cho, K Park, H Kang, J Koo, CH Yeom, S Lee. Hydrolysis of Hyaluronic Acid in Lymphedematous Tissue Alleviates Fibrogenesis via TH 1 Cell-Mediated Cytokine Expression. Scientific Reports (2017) 7:35.
2016
HS Byun, EJ Kil, H Seo, SS Suh, TK Lee, JH Lee, JK Kim, KY Lee, SJ Ko, GS Lee, HS Choi, CS Kim, S Lee. First report of Papaya leaf curl virus in papayas in Korea and recovery of its symptoms. Plant Disease (2016) 100:1958.
EJ Kil*, S Kim*(*Co-first authors), YJ Lee, HS Byun, J Park, H Seo, CS Kim, JK Shim, JH Lee, JK Kim, KY Lee, HS Choi, S Lee. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV-IL): a seed-transmissible geminivirus in tomatoes. Scientific Reports (2016) 6:19013.
EJ Kil, H Seo, HS Byun, SS Suh, TK Lee, K Lee, JH Lee, JK Kim, SJ Ko, HS Choi, CS Kim, S Lee. First report of Euphorbia leaf curl virus in passion fruits in South Korea and its natural occurrence in papaya. Plant Disease (2016) 100:865.
Y Rhee, KR Hwang, S Cho, M Lee, EJ Kil, S Choi, BS Hahn, D Kim, CK Auh, S Lee. Expression analysis of D-type cyclin in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under different culture conditions. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum (2016) 38:36.
DT Tran, S Cho, PM Hoang, J Kim, EJ Kil, TK Lee, Y Rhee, S Lee. A Codon-Optimized Nucleic Acid Hydrolyzing Single-Chain Antibody Confers Resistance to Chrysanthemums Against Chrysanthemum Stunt Viroid Infection. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter (2016) 34:221-232.
SS Suh, M Park, J Hwang, EJ Kil, S Lee, TK Lee. Detection of the dinoflagellate, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, that forms algal blooms using sandwich hybridization integrated with nuclease protection assay. Biotechnology Letters (2016) 38:57-63.
2015
EJ Kil, S Kim, YJ Lee, EH Kang, M Lee, SH Cho, MK Kim, KY Lee, NY Heo, HS Choi, ST Kwon, S Lee. Advanced loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for sensitive and specific detection of Tomato chlorosis virus using a uracil DNA glycosylase to control carry-over contamination. Journal of Virological Methods (2015) 213:68-74.
S Cho, HN Youn, PM Hoang, S Cho, KE Kim, EJ Kil, G Lee, MJ Cho, JH Hong, SJ Byun, CS Song, S Lee. Preventive Activity against Influenza (H1N1) Virus by Intranasally Delivered RNA-Hydrolyzing Antibody in Respiratory Epithelial Cells of Mice. Viruses (2015) 7:5133-5144.
EJ Kil*, YJ Lee*(*Co-first authors), S Cho, CK Auh, D Kim, KY Lee, MK Kim, HS Choi, CS Kim, S Lee. Identification of natural weed hosts of Tomato chlorosis virus in Korea by RT-PCR with root tissues. European Journal of Plant Pathology (2015) 142:419-426.
G Lee, S Cho, PM Hoang, D Kim, Y Lee, EJ Kil, SJ Byun, TK Lee, DH Kim, S Kim, S Lee. Therapeutic Strategy for the Prevention of Pseudorabies Virus Infection in C57BL/6 Mice by 3D8 scFv with Intrinsic Nuclease Activity. Molecules and Cells (2015) 38:773-780.
EJ Kil, HS Byun, S Kim, S Cho, S Cho, K Roh, KY Lee, HS Choi, CS Kim, S Lee. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus can overwinter in Stellaria aquatica, a winter-hardy TYLCV-reservoir weed. Plant Disease (2015) 99:588-592.
J Kim, EJ Kil, S Kim, H Seo, HS Byun, J Park, MN Chung, HR Kwak, MK Kim, CS Kim, JW Yang, KY Lee, HS Choi, S Lee. Seed transmission of Sweet potato leaf curl virus in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Plant Pathology (2015) 64:1284-1291.
SS Suh, M Park, J Hwang, EJ Kil, SW Jung, S Lee, TK Lee. Seasonal dynamics of marine microbial community in the South Sea of Korea. PloS One (2015) 10:e0131633.
SS Suh, SJ Kim, J Hwang, M Park, TK Lee, EJ Kil, S Lee. Fatty acid methyl ester profiles and nutritive values of 20 marine microalgae in Korea. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine (2015) 8:191-196.
JH Park*, J Chae*, K Roh, EJ Kil, M Lee, CK Auh, MA Lee, CH Yeom, S Lee. Oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy via TRPA1 stimulation in mice dorsal root ganglion is correlated with aluminum accumulation. PLoS One (2015) 10:e0124875.
2014
38. EJ Kil*, HS Byun*(*Co-first authors), S Kim, J Kim, J Park, S Cho, DC Yang, KY Lee, HS Choi, JK Kim, S Lee. Sweet pepper confirmed as a reservoir host for tomato yellow leaf curl virus by both agro-inoculation and whitefly-mediated inoculation. Archives of Virology (2014) 159:2387-2395.
39. HS Byun, EJ Kil, S Kim, H Hwang, JH Lee, YJ Chung, S Lee. First Report of Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus Infecting Hot pepper in India. Plant Disease (2014) 98:1590.
40. J Park*, EJ Kil*(*Co-first authors), J Kim, YG Shin, NY Heo, S Lee. Rapid Detection and Identification of Six Tomato yellow leaf curl virus Isolates from Different Regions Using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Enzyme Analysis. Journal of Phytopathology (2014) 162:209-217.
41. EJ Kil, SH Cho, HS Byun, J Kim, HS Hwang, CK Auh, NY Heo, YG Shin, S Lee. Differential identification of three species of Curtovirus using loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Acta Virologica (2014) 58:160-166.
42. EJ Kil, J Kim, HS Byun, S Kim, HR Kwak, MK Kim, HS Choi, MN Chung, S Lee. First Report of Sweet potato golden vein associated virus Infecting Sweet Potato in Korea. Plant Disease (2014) 98:1163.
EJ Kil, J Park, H Lee, J Kim, HS Choi, K Lee, CS Kim, S Lee. Lamium amplexicaule (Lamiaceae): a weed reservoir for tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) in Korea. Archives of Virology (2014) 159:1305-1311.
EJ Kil, HS Byun, S Kim, H Hwang, MK Kim, CS Kim, HS Choi, KY Lee, S Lee. First Report of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus Infecting Eustoma (Eustoma grandiflorum) in Korea. Plant Disease (2014) 98:1163.