• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.41-54
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• 1994

In order to evaluate the availability of lacZ as a reporter gene for producing transgenic mud loach, foreign DNA, bacterial \beta-galactosidase$ gene (lacZ) was microinjected into mud loach eggs and its insertion and expression were examined. X-gal based histochemical assay, fluorimetric analysis of \beta-galactosidase$ with 4-methylumbelliferyl-$\beta$-D-galactoside (MUG) and molecular biological examination using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), dot blot, southern blot and sequence analysis of PCR products were carried out to analyze both microinjected group and non-injected controls. The results are disccussed in this paper.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.901-906
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• 2013

We examined the availability of the lacZ gene (${\beta}$-galactosidase gene) as a reporter of foreign gene transfer in the cysts of Artemia franciscana (A. franciscana) to conduct a risk assessment of living genetically modified organisms (LMOs) in the marine ecosystem. The LacZ gene was transferred to decapsulated cysts by particle bombardment, and its insertion and expression were assessed by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and X-gal staining. X-gal staining indicated lacZ expression in all A. franciscana examined (including the control group), which exhibited not only negative but also positive PCR amplification. Endogenous ${\beta}$-galactosidase is highly active in the whole body of A. franciscana during all stages of the life cycle. Thus, the lacZ gene is unsuitable as a reporter for foreign gene transfer in A. franciscana cysts, because it is difficult to discriminate between exogenous and endogenous ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.215-221
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• 2009

Site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins in vivo can be achieved by co-expression of an orthogonal pair of suppressor tRNA and engineered aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) that specifically ligates an unnatural amino acid to the suppressor tRNA. As a step to establish this technique, here we generated an Escherichia coli reporter strain DH10B(Tn:lacZam) by integrating amber mutated lacZ gene into the chromosome of E. coli DH10B strain. In vivo expression of E. coli amber suppressor $tRNA^{Gln}$ produced blue colonies in culture plates containing X-Gal as well as dramatically increased $\beta$-galactosidase activity. In addition, expression of an orthogonal pair of Saccharomyces cerevisiae suppressor $tRNA^{Tyr}$ and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase also produced blue colonies as well as moderate increase of $\beta$-galactosidase activity. These data demonstrate that our reporter strain will provide an efficient method to assess amber suppression in both qualitative and quantitative manners.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.678-682
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• 2005

The promoter region of a carbon starvation gene isolated from Pseudomonas putida was cloned and analyzed for its potential use for in situ bioremediation and bioprocessing. We constructed a recombinant plasmid pMKD101 by cloning the 0.65 kb promoter region of the gene into the promoter proving vector, pMK301, which contains the lacZ for ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity as a reporter gene. pMKD101 was transformed into the wild-type P. putida MK1, resulting in P. putida RPD101, and analyzed for ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity under different culture conditions. When RPD101 was grown on the minimal medium plus $0.1\%$ glucose as a sole carbon source in batch cultures, ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity was found to be 3.2-fold higher during the stationary phase than during the exponential phase. In chemostat cultures, ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity was found to be 3.1-fold higher at the minimal growth rate (dilution rate=$0.05\;h^{-1}$) than at the maximal growth rate (dilution rate=$0.173;h^{-1}$). The results suggest that a carbon starvation promoter can be utilized to maximize the expression of a desired gene under nutrient limitation.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.431-437
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• 1996

The nar promoter of Escherichta coli, which is maximally induced under anaerobic conditions in the presence of nitrate, was characterized to see whether the nar promoter cloned onto pBR322 can be used as an expression promoter. The modified nar promoter, in which several bases in the -10 region was mutated to the consensus sequence by site-directed mutagenesis, was characterized in E. coli, on which chromosome the fnr gene affecting expression of the nar promoter according to dissolved oxygen level was mutated. The E. coli lacZ gene was used as a reporter gene. The following effects were investigated to find optimal conditions to induce the modified nar promoter: induction methods, optimal nitrate concentrations, the amount of ${\beta}$-galactosidase expressed at the different growth conditions, and induction characteristics. The following results were obtained from the experiments : expression of ${\beta}$-galactosidase from the modified nar promoter was not affected much by nitrate concentrations. The maximal specific ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity was obtained when E. coli was grown under aerobic conditions, and then the modified nar promoter was induced at OD600=2.2 under microaerobic conditions (DO=1∼2%), under which conditions the maximal specific ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity was 13,000 Miller units. However, the specific ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity was approximately 6,000 Miller units even before the modified nar promoter was induced. Therefore, the modified nar promoter seemed to be useful when the cloned gene wants to be expressed in E. coli constitutively.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.223.1-223
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• 2005

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1015-1022
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• 2007

The spermatogonial stem cell (SSCs) is unique in that it is the only cell in the adult male that can contribute genes to a subsequent generation. Permanent modification of the germ cell line may be realized if stem cells could be cultured, transfected with unique genes, and then transplanted into recipient testes. We developed a culture system that supported long-term viability of SSCs. We used a retrovirus vector (pMSCV including ${\beta}$-galactosidase) to stably transfect spermatogonia following long-term culture using the system developed. Expression of the reporter gene ${\beta}$-galactosidase controlled by the retroviral vector was stable in long-term cultured SSCs. We confirmed the retroviral-mediated ${\beta}$-galactsidase gene could be expressed in germ cells in recipient mice following SSCs transplantation.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.70-75
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• 2004

The CMV promoter driven lacZ reporter gene (pcDNA-lacZ) was constructed and used for DNA immunization study. The expression of the lacZ gene was confirmed in vitro using RTG-2 cell line before using for in vivo study in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). In the dose response study, the maximum expression of the lacZ gene was found in the group injected with 5 ${\mu} g$ of the plasmid DNA. Kinetic study showed a significantly increased expression of $\beta-galactosidase$ gene at 7 days after injection. Effects of DNA vaccine on specific and nonspecific immune responses such as antibody and NO production were studied and the significant effect was found in olive flounder injected with 10 and 15 ${\mu} g$ DNA (sub optimal dose for lacZ gene expression). Two pro inflammatory cytokine genes, $IL-l\beta$ and $TNF-\alpha$, were also found to be up regulated in the muscle injected with the plasmid, suggesting an induction of local inflammatory response.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1362-1368
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• 2006

A new constitutive episomal expression vector, pGAPZ-E, was constructed and used for initial screening of eukaryotic target gene expression in Pichia pastoris. Two reporter genes such as beta-galactosidase gene and GFPuv gene were overexpressed in P. pastoris. The expression level of the episomal pGAPZ-E strain was higher than that of the integrated form when the beta-galactosidase gene was used as the reporter gene in P. pastoris X33. The avoiding of both the integration procedure and an induction step simplified the overall screening process for eukaryotic target gene expression in P. pastoris. Nine human protein targets from the Core 50, family of Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium (http://www.nesg.org), which were intractable when expressed in E. coli, were subjected to rapid screening for soluble expression in P. pastoris. HR547, HR919, and HR1697 human proteins, which had previously been found to express poorly or to be insoluble in E. coli, expressed in soluble form in P. pastoris. Therefore, the new episomal GAP promoter vector provides a convenient and alternative system for high-throughput screening of eukaryotic protein expression in P. pastoris.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2003

Among a number of antigens characterized in M leprae, an etiological agent of Leprosy, the 18 kDa antigen, is unique to M leprae. We have previously determined a sequence specific element in the 18 kDa gene of M leprae, which confers transcriptional repression. In this report, we have examined if the element could be applied to genes other than the 18 kDa gene of M leprae. To identify the roles of the regulatory sequence in heterologous promoter, we have constructed pB3 vector series, which contains BCG hsp65 promoter and the M leprae 18 kDa transcription repression responsive element in tandem using LacZ gene as a reporter gene. Cloning of hsp65 promoters of M bovis BCG or M smegmatis in front of LacZ gene resulted in normal $\beta$­galactosidase activity as expected. However, when the sequence element was placed between the promoter and the LacZ gene, $\beta$-galactosidase activity was reduced 10-fold less. Also we have examined with pB3(-) vector, that harbors the transcription repression responsive element in a reversed orientation, the $\beta$-galactosidase activity was found to be similar to pB3(+) vector. Thus, these results further confirm that M leprae 18 kDa transcription repression responsive element could regulate BCG hsp65 heterologous promoter and that the element could act as an operator for the transcription of mycobacteria.