• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.9
• /
• pp.1452-1459
• /
• 2007

The Dps protein, which is overexpressed in harsh environments, is known to playa critical role in the protection of DNA against oxidative stresses. In this study, the roles of Fur in the expression of the dps gene in Salmonella and the protection mechanisms against oxidative stress in Salmonella cells preexposed to iron-stress were investigated. Two putative Fur boxes were predicted within the promoter region of the S. typhimurium dps gene. The profile of dps expression performed by the LacZ reporter assay revealed growth-phase dependency regardless of iron-status under the culture conditions. The fur mutant, $_X4659$, evidenced a reduced level of ${\beta}$-galactosidase as compared to the wild-type strain. The results observed after the measurement of the Dps protein in various Salmonella regulatory mutants were consistent with the results acquired in the reporter assay. This evidence suggested that Fur performs a function as a subsidiary regulator in the expression of dps. The survival ability of Salmonella strains after exposure to oxidative stress demonstrated that the Dps protein performs a pivotal function in the survival of stationary-phase S. typhimurium against oxidative stress. Salmonella cells grown in iron-restricted condition required Dps for full protection against oxidative stress. The CK24 (${\Delta}dps$) cells grown in iron-replete condition survived at a rate similar to that observed in the wild-type strain, thereby suggesting the induction of an unknown protection mechanism(s) other than Dps in this condition.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.50-60
• /
• 2015

The use of novel isolates of Trichoderma with efficient antagonistic capacity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) is a promising alternative strategy to pesticides for tomato wilt management. We evaluated the antagonistic activity of 30 isolates of T. asperellum against 4 different isolates of FOL. The production of extracellular cell wall degrading enzymes of the antagonistic isolates was also measured. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was applied to assess the genetic variability among the T. asperellum isolates. All of the T. asperellum isolates significantly reduced the mycelial growth of FOL isolates but the amount of growth reduction varied significantly as well. There was a correlation between the antagonistic capacity of T. asperellum isolates towards FOL and their lytic enzyme production. Isolates showing high levels of chitinase and ${\beta}$-1,3-glucanase activities strongly inhibited the growth of FOL isolates. RAPD analysis showed a high level of genetic variation among T. asperellum isolates. The UPGMA dendrogram revealed that T. asperellum isolates could not be grouped by their antagonistic behavior or lytic enzymes production. Six isolates of T. asperellum were highly antagonistic towards FOL and potentially could be used in commercial agriculture to control tomato wilt. Our results are consistent with the conclusion that understanding the genetic variation within Trichoderma isolates and their biochemical capabilities are required for the selection of effective indigenous fungal strains for the use as biocontrol agents.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.371-376
• /
• 1992

Plasmid pSL4 of plasmid pKM 101 mutant have high protection effects and mutagenecity for UV and methyl methanesulfonate, The mucA gene and a pan of mucE gene of pKM 101 and pSL4 were sucloned onto lacZ' fusion vector pMC874 and the hybrid plasmids pBH31 and pBH30 were selected. These plsmids were intrduced into $recA^{+}lexA^{-}$, $recA^{-}와lexA^{+}$ strains and determined the activity of $\beta$-galactosidase for UV. In $recA^{+}lexA^{+}$ strain.$\beta$-galactosidase activity of pBH30 included mue region of pSL4 was higher thall pBH31 inclued muc region of pKM 10 I and the tf-galactosidase of two plasmids was not induced in reeA and leeA mutants with or without UV illumination. Without UV illumination. the .$\beta$-galactosidasc of pBH30 was expressed a little higher level than that of pBH3L We suggest that the functional difference of pKM 10l and pSL4 are due to the variety of mue regulatory region. Also. a plasmid pBH 100 earring umuC' -lacZ' gene fusion was constructed in vitro to study the regulation of the umu operon. It was shown that the umu operon is induced by UV and is regulated by the reeA and lexA genes.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.213-219
• /
• 2007

To develop an anti-dementia agent with potential therapeutic value in the protection of neuronal cells, we selected a water extract of Helianthus annuus seed for analysis. We measured acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity in the extract, and analyzed the protective effect of the extract on neuronal cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide, or amyloid ${\beta}-peptide$, of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The result showed that the extinct exerted protective effects of 83%, 72% and 53% respectively, on cell death induced by 100M, 200M, and 500M hydrogen peroxide. Also, when 50M of amyloid ${\beta}-peptide$ was added to the cells, the extract showed a protective effect (up to 80%) on cell death. Overall, the results showed that the H. annuus extract inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity in a dose-dependent manner, and the extract also strongly protected against cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide or amyloid ${\beta}-peptide$.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.15 no.2 s.69
• /
• pp.169-175
• /
• 2005

Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a phytoalexin found in grape skins, peanuts, and red wine, has been reported to have a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. $Amyloid-\beta$ deposition and senile plaque-associated astrocytes are common neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we have explored the effects of resveratrol on $amyloid-\beta-peptide-mediated$ cytotoxicity in vitro and modulation of cell growth-regulatory gene products in astroglioma C6 cells to elucidate its possible mechanism for anti-cytotoxicity. Exposure of C6 cells to $Amyloid-\beta$ resulted in dose-dependent growth inhibition and morphological changes of C6 cells, which were recovered by pre-treatment with resveratrol. The anti-proliferative effect of $amyloid-\beta$ was associated with the induction of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21 (WAF1/CIP1) expression assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis in time-dependent manner in C6 cells. In addition, the pro-apoptotic Bax expression was also up-regulated in $amyloid-\beta-treated$ C6 cells without alteration of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and $Bcl-X_L$ expression. However, pre-treatment of resveratrol significantly inhibited $amyloid-\beta-induced$ p53, p21 and Bax levels, suggesting that the modulation of p53, p21 and Bax levels could be one of the possible pathways by which resveratrol functions as anti-cytotoxic agent. Our results demonstrate that resveratrol may enhance the protection against $amyloid-\beta-induced$ cytotoxicity by promoting the survival of glial cells.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
• /
• v.8 no.6
• /
• pp.322-330
• /
• 2003

The unicellular green alga Haematococcus pluvialis has recently attracted great inter-est due to its large amounts of ketocarotenoid astaxanthin, 3,3'-dihydroxy-${\beta}$,${\beta}$-carotene-4,4'-dione, widely used commercially as a source of pigment for aquaculture. In the life cycle of H. pluvialis, astaxanthin biosynthesis is associated with a remarkable morphological change from green motile vegetative cells into red immotile cyst cells as the resting stage. In recent years we have studied this morphological process from two aspects: defining conditions governing astaxanthin biosynthesis and questioning the possible function of astaxanthin in protecting algal cells against environmental stress. Astaxanthin accumulation in cysts was induced by a variety of environmental conditions of oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species, intense light, drought, high salinity, and high temperature. In the adaptation to stress, abscisic acid induced by reactive oxygen species, would function as a hormone in algal morphogenesis from veget ative to cyst cells. Furthermore, measurements of both in vitro and in vivo antioxidative activities of astaxanthin clearly demonstrated that tolerance to excessive reactive oxygen species is greater in astaxanthin-rich cysts than in astaxanthin-poor cysts or astaxanthin-less vegetative cells. Therefore, reactive oxygen species are involved in the regulation of both algal morph O-genesis and carotenogenesis, and the accumulated astaxanthin in cysts can function as a protective agent against oxidative stress damage. In this study, the physiological roles of astaxanthin in stress response and cell protection are reviewed.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.50 no.11
• /
• pp.560-565
• /
• 2017

Geraniin, a hydrolysable tannin, used in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia, is known to exhibit various biological activities. As an antioxidant it is known to up-regulate phase II enzyme Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). However its mechanism is not clearly understood. Nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2 related factor 2 (Nrf-2) is transcriptionally up-regulated by Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and retained in nucleus due to inactivated Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta ($GSK-3{\beta}$). Geraniin additionally down-regulates expression of microRNA 217 and 377 (miR-217 and miR-377) which target HO-1 mRNA. Expression of BTB and CNC homolog 1 (BACH-1), another regulator of HO-1, is also down-regulated by up-regulating microRNA 98 (miR-98), a negative regulator of BACH-1. Thus, geraniin up-regulates HO-1 expression both through activating its positive regulator Nrf-2 and by down-regulating its negative regulator BACH-1. Up-regulation of HO-1 also confers protection to HepG2 cells from tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (TBH) induced cytotoxicity.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
• /
• v.57 no.10
• /
• pp.1822-1828
• /
• 2008

This paper presents design parameter calculation methodology and its realization to construction for the 10/350${\mu}s$ lightning impulse current generator(ICG) modelled as double exponential function waveform with characteristic parameters ${\alpha},{\beta}$. Matlab internal function, "fzero" was applied to find ${\lambda}={\alpha}/{\beta}$ which is solution of nonlinear equation linearly related with two wave parameter $T_1$ and $T_2$. The calculation results for 10/350${\mu}s$ lightning impulse current show very good accuracy with error less 0.03%. Two type of 10/350${\mu}s$ ICGs based on the calculated design circuit parameters were fabricated by considering the load variation. One is applicable to the MOV based Surge protective device(SPD) for less 15 kA and the other is to test small resistive devices such as spark gap arrester and bonding device with maximum current capability 30 kA. The tested waveforms show error within 10% in comparison with the designed estimation and the waveform tolerance recommended in the IEC 61643-1 and IEC 60060-1.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.440-447
• /
• 2004

In this study the in vitro protective effects of several antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, $\alpha$-tocopherol, $\beta$-carotene), fruits and vegetables (strawberry, tangerine, orange and 100％ orange juice, carrot juice), on the levels of isolated human lymphocyte DNA damage was measured using Comet assay. Comet assay has been used widely to assess the level of the DNA damage in the individual cells. Lymphocytes were pre-treated for 30 minutes with antioxidant vitamins (10, 50, 100, 500 $\mu$M) or fruits$.$vegetables (10, 100, 500, 1000 $\mu$g/ml), an4 then oxidatively challenged with 100 $\mu$M $H_2O$$_2$ for 5 min at 4$^{\circ}C$. The protective effect of antioxidant vitamins against DNA damage at a concentration of 50 $\mu$M were 50％ in vitamin C, 32％ in $\alpha$-tocopherol, whereas, fJ-carotene showed a 55％ protection at a dose as low as 10 $\mu$M. The inhibitory effects of DNA damage by strawberry, tangerine, orange, orange juices, carrot juices were 50 - 60％ with wide ranges of doses. The results of the present study indicate that most the antioxidant vitamins and fruits$.$vegetables juices produced a significant reduction in oxidative DNA damage.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
• /
• 2003.09a
• /
• pp.85-96
• /
• 2003

Normal human skin, constantly challenged by environmental micro-organisms, has an innate ability to fight invading microbes through antimicrobial peptides. These peptides, described in both plant and animal kingdoms are able to inactivate a broad spectrum of micro-organisms. Mammalian defensins constitute one of the most common antimicrobial peptide family. Among the three human beta-defensins hBD1, hBD2 and hBD3 produced in epithelia, only hBD2 and hBD3 are inducible and additionally have been described as expressed by differentiated keratinocytes at site of inflammation and infection. The aims of these studies were to define a cell culture model in which the basal production of hBD could be detected and up-regulated in order to enhance skin auto-protection against micro-organisms. A specific Polymerase Chain Reaction method have been developed for hBD2 and hBD3 mRNA detection in non-differentiated monolayer keratinocytes cell culture. We have been able to demonstrate that in vitro, hBD2 and hBD3 expression in normal human keratinocytes could be detected and enhanced by TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, in hypercalcic culture conditions. This research opened the possibility of the development of cosmetic active compounds, able to induce the expression of skin natural antibiotic peptides responsible about microflora ecology of the skin.