Journal of Life Science
Korean Society of Life Science (ksls)
- Semi Annual
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- 1229-1552(pISSN)
Aim & Scope
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Volume 11 Issue 2
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Song, Ok-Ryul;Lee, Seung-Jin;Lee, Mi-Wha;Choi, Si-Lim;Chung, Soo-Yeol;Lee, Young-Gyun;Choi, Yong-Lark 63
bacterium having high abilities to solubilize in-organic phosphate was isolated from cultivated soils. The strain was identified as Aeromonas hydrophila DA33, based on the physiological and biochemical properties. The optimum temperature and initial pH to solubilize insoluble phosphate in sucrose minimal medium were 3$0^{\circ}C$ and pH 5.0, respectively. In these conditions, phosphate-solubilizing activities of the strain against two types of insoluble phosphate were quantitatively determined. When glucose was used for carborn source, the strain had a marked mineral phospahte solubilizing activity. Inorganic phospahte solubilization was directly related to the pH drop by the strain. Analysis of the culture medium confirmed the production of gluconic acid as the main organic acid released by Aeromonas hydrophila DA33. -
The nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), and the 5.85 rRNA gene, have been determined for 13 strains of dinoflagellates in order to analyze the phylo-genetic relationship. The DNA sequences contained considerable variation in the ITS regions, but little in the 5.85 rDNA. In addition, the ITS1 was more variable than the ITS2 in all species examined. The nucleotide length of this region varied from 519 bp to 596 bp depending on the taxa. The investigated taxa were divided into three large groups based on the ITS length, i. e., a group with short ITS region (A. fraterculus and Alexandrium sp.), a with ITS region group (P. micans, P. minimum and P. triestinum) and a with ITS region group (G. impudicum, C. polykrikoides, G. sanguineum, G. catenatum and H. triquetra). The relationship between nucleotide length of ITS1 and that of ITS2 was negative, whereas G+C content and nucleotide length showed positive correlation. In phylogenetic analyses producing NJ trees, the topology was similar cluster and clearly divided the taxa into three groups based on 5.8S rDNA that were similar to those based on morphological characteristics. In particular, G. impudicum was more closely related to G. catenatum than to C. polykrikoides using phylogenetic analysis. From this study, we chew that the length of ITS region contributes to discriminate Korean harmful algal species and ITS analysis is a useful method for resolving the systematic relationships of dinoflagellates.
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The human ribosomal protein 54 genes, RPS4X and RPS4Y are located on the X and Y chromosomes. They have been postulated as candidate for Turner syndrome which was characterized by gonadal dysgenesis, short stature, and various external and internal anomalies. Using the BLAST search program, we identified sixteen RPS4 pseudogenes from the human genome and analyzed them phylogenetically. The RPS4-C12-1, C12-2, and C12-3 pseudogenes from chromosome 12 have been evolved independently during hominid evolution. The RPS4X gene from X chromosome it closely related to the RPS4-C12-2 from chromosome 12 and RPS4-C5 from chromosome 5, whereas the RPS4Y gene is very closely related to RPS4-C16 from chromosome 16. The exact mapping of the RPS4 pseudogene family was peformed, indicating that the RPS4 pseudogene family was mapped on human chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19 and 20. Taken together, the precise chromosomal localization and phylegenetic relationship of the RPS4 pseudo-genes could be of great use in further study for understanding the Turner syndrome.
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The long terminal repeat (LTR) elements of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) have been found to be coexpressed with genes located nearby. It has been suggested that the LTR elements have contributed to the genetic variation of human genome connected to various diseases. Recently, HERV-W family was identified in the cerebrospinal fluids and brains of individuals with schizophrenia. Using genomic DNAs derived from schizophrenia, we performed PCR amplification and identified six HERV-W LTR elements. Those LTR elements showed a high degree of sequence similarity (87.7-99.5%) with HERV-W LTR (AF072500). Sequence analysis of the HERV-W LTR elements revealed that clone W-sch1 showed identical sequence with the AC003014 (PAC clone RP1-290B4) derived from human Xq23. Clone W-sch2 was closely related to the AC0072442 derived from human Y chromosome by phylogenetic analysis. Our data suggest that new HERV-W LTR elements in schizophrenia may be very useful for further studies to understand neuropsychiatric diseases.
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We conducted this study to analyze the effectiveness of a treatment called 12-week therapeutic recreation dance movement (TRDM) to elderly people in terms of health care and recovery. Forty two elderly people were participated in this study and divided into two groups with healthy (twelve) and unhealthy (thirty). After TRDM treatment, the muscular power was increased in both groups without statistical significance within and between groups. The flexibility, agility and balance were slightly increased in both groups. Although the elevation of muscular endurance was not significant between groups, it was statistically meaningful within groups. The results of body composition comparison did not reveal meaningful difference within and between groups. However, the amount of fat in serum and fat distribution percentages ware decreased in both groups. Both group appeared to be increased muscle mass. The level of body water was decreased in healthy group and increased in unhealthy group. Unhealthy group appeared to be decreased level of T-C, TG and LDL-C. In contrast, the unhealthy group revealed the increased level of HDL-C. These results demonstrate the effect of TRDM to elderly people. This effectiveness can be adapted for the protection and treatment of geriatics-related adult diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
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Bacillus sp. KYJ 963, which was isolated from Korean salt-fermented anchovy (anchovy-jeot), produces an extracellular
${\beta}$ -amylase. The analysis of the digestion products of substrates by thin layer chromatography from the purified protein revealed that the enzyme could not hydrolyze maltose or${\alpha}$ -cyclodextrin. In the amino acid composition analysis, the major characteristic of the${\beta}$ -amylase was the high proportion of amino acids that possess short side chain such as glycine and alanine. -
Type I signal peptidase cleaves the signal sequence from the amino terminus of membrane and secreted proteins afters these protein insert across the membrane. This enzyme serves as a potential target for the development of novel antibacterial agents due to its unique physiological and biochemical properties. Despite considerable research, the signal peptidase assay still remains improvement to provide further understanding of the mechanism and high-throughput inhibitor screening of this enzyme. In this paper, three known signal peptidase assays are tested with an E. coli D276A mutant signal peptidase to distinguish the sensitivity of each assays. In vitro assay using the procoat synthesized by in vitro transcription translation shows that the D276A signal peptidase I was inactive while in vivo processing of pro-OmpA expressed in the temperature-sensitive E. coli strain IT41 as well as in vitro assay using pro-OmpA nuclease A substrate show that D276A signal peptidase I has activity like wild-type signal peptidase. These results suggest that in vitro assay using the pro-OmpA nuclease A and in vivo pro-OmpA processing assay are more sensitive monitors than in vitro assay using the pro-coat. In conculsion, caution should be used when interpreting the in vitro results using the procoat.
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Mouse malignant T-lymphoma CS21 cells can grow when cocultured with CAl2 lymph node stromal cells, but they undergo apoptotic cell death with DNA fragmentation when separated from CA12 stromal cells. In the course of examining the effects of the soluble factor (s) secreted by CAl2 stromal cells on CS2l cell growth, we found that thiols including cysteine promoted CS2l cell growth. P388 cell growth was also promoted by various thiols. These results suggest that thiols including cysteine participate in CA12 and P388 cell growth.
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The equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) subunits
$\alpha$ and${\beta}$ are transcribed from different genes and associate noncovalently to form the bioactive eCG heterodimer. Dimerization is rate limiting for eCG secretion, and dissociation leads to hormone inactivation. The correct conformation of the heterodimer is alto important for efficient secretion, hormone-specific post-translational modifications, receptor binding and signal transduction. To determine whether${\alpha}$ and${\beta}$ subunits can be synthesized as a single polypeptide chain (tethered-eCG) and also display biological activity, the tethered-eCG molecule by fusing the carboxyl terminus of the eCG${\beta}$ -subunit to the amino terminus of the af-subunit was construe-ted and transfected into chinese hamster ovary (CHO-Kl) cells. LH- and FSH-like activities were assayed in terms of testosterone production and aromatase activity in primary cultured rat Leydig cells and granulosa cells, respectively. The tethered-eCG was efficiently secreted and showed similar LH-like activity to the dimeric eCG${\alpha}$ /${\beta}$ and native eCG. FSH-like activity of the tethered-eCG was also shown similarly in comparison with the native and wild type eCG${\alpha}$ /${\beta}$ . Our data for the first time suggest that the tethered-eCG can be expressed efficiently and the produced product by the CHO-K1 cells is fully LH- and FSH-like activities in rat in vitro bioassay system. Our results also suggest that this molecular can imply particular models of FSH-like activity not LH-like activity in the eCG. Taken together, these data indicate that the constructs of tethered molecule will be useful in the study of mutants that affect subunit association and/or secretion. -
The E. coli expression system to overproduce a harmful protein, carboxypeptidase Taq was developed. Since expression plasmid pCK305N containing the colicin promoter already has the initiation codon on the restriction site, the initiation codon of the CPase Taq gene was removed. Expression plasmid pCP4-col includes the entire CPase Taq gene, which is directed by the colicin promoter. E. coli cells harboring pCP-col produced a high amount of the enzyme when they were cultured in the present of mitomycin C (0.4
${\mu}g$ /ml). An amount of purified enzyme produced by pCP4-col directed by the colicin promoter was 10.5 mg. This result indicated that the novel E. coli expression system controlled by the colicin promoter could produce almost twice amounts of CPase Taq than the conventional system controlled by the tart promoter. -
This study was designed to clone the SNF2/SW12 helicase-related genes from the fission yeast Schizosaccha-romyces pombe and thereafter to elucidate the common functions of the proteins in this family. The
$hrp^{2+}$ gene was cloned by polymerase chain reaction amplification using degenerative primers from conserved SNF2 motifs within the ERCC6 gene, which encodes a protein involved in DNA excision repair. Like other SNF2/SW12 family proteins, the deduced amino acid sequence of Hrp2 contains DNA-dependent ATPase/7 helicase domains as well as the chromodomain and the DNA binding domain. This configuration is similar to that of mCHD1 (mouse chromo-ATPase/helicase-DNA-dinding protein 1), suggesting that Hrp2 is a S. pombe homolog of mCHD1, which is thought to function in altering the chromatin structure to control the gene expression. To characterize the function of Hrp2, 4 Uracil-Hrp2 fusion protein, it was purified near homogeneity by affinity chromatography on$Ni^{2+}$ -NTA agarose, DEAE-Sepharose ion exchange arid Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration chromatographies. The purified fusion protein exhibited DNA-dependent ATPase activity, which was stimulated by both double-stranded and single-stranded DNA. To determine the steady-state level of$hrp^{2+}$ transcripts during growth, cells were cultured in medium and collected at every 2hr to prepare total RNAs. The northern blot analysis showed that the level of$hrp^{2+}$ transcripts reached its maximum before the cells entered the exponential growth phase and then decreased gradually, This result implies that Hrp2 may be required at early stages of cell growth.h. -
Xinlei studies on the production of pullulan by Aureobasidium pullulans using batch culture in a 15L bioreactor were carried out. The mathematical models were obtained in this study, which provided a reasonable description for the biomass, the product, and the substrate variation with time. The values frets the mathematical models were satisfactorily coincided with the experimental data for the biomass of A. pullulans, the production of pullulan and the utilization of sucrose as the sole carbon source.
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The pyrR gene of the pyrimidine biosynthesis (pyr) operon of the thermophile Bacillus caldolyticus, encoding a uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRTase), turned to rely as a pyr operon regulator. It has been proposed that PyrR mediates transcriptional termination-antitermination at three intercistronic regions of the par operon (S.-Y Ghim and J. Neuhard, J. Bacteriol.,176, 3698-3707, 1994). In this research, a plasmid carrying the pyrR region of B. caldolyticus could restore a pyrimidine regulation in a pyrR mutant of B. subtilis. Expression of pyrR was found to increase 6-7 fold during pyrimidine starvation. Additionally, a highly conserved nucleotide sequence which may constitute the binding site for a PyrR protein (PyrR-binding loop) in transcript was staggested. Alternative antiterminator and terminator structures involving three conserved motifs in front of the pyrR, pyrP and pyrB genes, respectively, are proposed to account for the observed regulation pattern.
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Lee, Jae-Dong;Kim, Gi-Young;Park, Joung-Eon;Park, Hyung-Sik;Nam, Byung-Hyouk;An, Won-Gun;Lee, Tae-Ho 126
The phylogenetic tree displayed the presence of five groups in the Phellinus genus, which were distinguished based on their morphology. Most of the p. linteus appeared a cluster which was highly significant with the exception of P. linteus KACC 500122 and KACC 500411. They formed the sister taxa of P 1inteus where P. baumii, Phellinus sp. MPNU 7003, MPNU 7007, and MPNU 7010 had similar morphological characteristics. Also, P. nigricans IMSNU 32024 and P. pini var, carniformans IMSNU 32031 were grouped in the same cluster with P. igniarius KCTC 6227, KCTC 6228, and P. chrysoloma KCTC 6225 extracted from the Gen-Bank database. P. torulosus IMSNU 32028 and Phellinus sp. MPNU 7011 formed a closed group, however, these species had a distant taxa when compared with the other Phellinus species. The nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) including the 5.85 rDNA were determined from 24 strains of the Phellinus genus in order to analyze their phylogenetic relationship. These fungi were divided into two basic groups based on their ITS length, however, this grouping was different from that based on their morphological characteristics. Although various ITS sequences were ambiguously aligned, conserved sites were also identified. Accordingly, a neighbor-joining tree was constructed using the nucleotide sequence data of the conserved sites of the ITS regions and the 5.8S rDNA. -
The goal of this study was to find out the effective diet prescription for the exercises. To accomplish this purpose, we investigated the effect of free-fatty acid diet (FFAD) on two groups of the K technical high school soccer players; one group with 7 members for normal diet (NORD) and another group with 7 members for high-fat diet (HFD). HFD group was fed far three days before the game. Results were as follows: i) Blood glucose level was increased with statistical significance in HFD group (P<.01) compared to the NORD group. After plying game, the glucose level was increased in the both groups ii) The contents of free-fatty acid (FFA) was significantly increased in HFD group (P<.0001) compared to the NORD group. After playing game, the FFA level was also increased in both groups iii) The levels of T-C, HDL-C and LDL-C were slightly increased in both NORD and HFD groups after playing game, while the TG level was slightly decreased. However, the differences were not significant. These results imply that HFD may not affect the level of seam lipids. Overall, the level of glucose and FFA were increased, but other types of lpids were not changed. From these studies, we observed the increase in the level of glucose and FFA but not other sew lipid. These results indicate that HFD may induce the body energy-utilizing system during long-lasting exercise such as playing soccer game.