• 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

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2001

The key targets of endocrine disruptors are nuclear hormone receptors, which bind to steroid hormones and regulate their gene transcription. A yeast-based steroid hormone receptor gene trascription assay was previously developed for the evaluation of chemicals with endocrine modulating activity. The yeast transformants used in this assay contain the human estrogen receptor along with the appropriate steroid response elements upstream of the $\beta$-galactosidase reporter gene. We tried to evaluate several natural and synthetic steroids of their potential to interact directly with the steroid receptor. Some putative endocrine disruptors, including nonylphenol, are weakly estrogenic. But the combined treatment oj these chemicals with di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) significantly increased the $\beta$-galactosidase activity in the yeast transformant. These results suggest that we also have to consider the synergistic effects of endocrine disruptors. In this study, we showed that yeast-based bioassay is a valuable tool for screening potential endocrine disruptors and quantitative determination of estrogenicity. And the possibility that the estrogen receptor binds multiple environmental chemicals adds another level of complexity to the interaction between the endocrine disruptors and the human hormone system.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.583-589
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• 2007

The promoter region of pyrC (dihydroorotase) gene of Escherichia coli was shown to have Fur protein binding properties by gel retardation assay. In vivo regulation of the pyrC expression was studied by measuring dihydroorotase activity and ${\beta}$-galactosidase level in the $fur^+$ and $fur^-$ genetic background. The expression of chromosomal dihydroorotase activity and ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity of pyrC-lacZ fusion plasmid was repressed to about 30% and 17%, respectively in the $fur^+$ strain compared to those in the $fur^-$ strain. Divalent ions such as $Fe^{2+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$ were not required for the repression. PyrC expression was also reduced to one half by 1 mM uracil. The effect of uracil was independent on the fur gene.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.211-218
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• 2003

For the Exp. 1, a total of sixty pigs (10.57$\pm$0.30kg average initial body weight) were used in a 15-d growth assay to determine the effect of dietary $\alpha$-1,6-galactosidase and $\beta$-1,4-mannanase on growth performance and nutrient digestibility. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (corn-dried whey-SBM based diet), 2) EC0.1 (CON diet+0.1% enzyme complex of $\alpha$-1,6-galactosidase and $\beta$-1,4-mannanase). Through the entire experimental period, gain/feed of pigs fed EC0.1 diet was higher (0.43 vs 0.52) than that of pigs fed CON diet (P<0.05). Pigs fed EC0.1 diet showed significant (P<0.05) improvement in dry matter (74.82% vs 82.41%) and nitrogen (70.59% vs 77.88%) digestibilities compared to pigs fed CON diet. For the Exp. 2, a total of thirty six pigs (22.30$\pm$0.45kg average initial body weight) were used in a 30-d growth assay to determine the effects of dietary $\alpha$-1,6-galactosidase and $\beta$-1,4-mannanase in low energy diet on growth performance and nutrient digestibility. Dietary treatments included 1) AME (adequate ME diet), 2) AME+EC0.1 (AME diet+0.1% enzyme complex) and LME+EC0.1 (low ME diet + 0.1% enzyme complex). Through the entire experimental period, average daily feed intake of pigs fed enzyme complex supplemented diets was higher than that of pigs fed CON diet (P<0.05). Also, pigs fed AME+EC0.1 diet showed significant (P<0.05) increase in ADFI (1,401g vs 1,733g) compared to pigs fed CON diet. Pigs fed enzyme complex supplemented diet showed significant (P<0.05) improvement in dry matter and nitrogen digestibilities compared to pigs fed CON diet. In conclusion, the results obtained from these feeding trials suggest that the supplementation of $\alpha$-1,6-galactosidase and $\beta$-1,4-mannanase was an effective means for improving growth performance and dry matter and nitrogen digestibilities in nursery and growing pigs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 2000

Many methods have been developed for screening chemicals with hormonal activity. Using recombinant yeasts expressing either human estrogen receptor [Saccharomyces cerevisiae ER + LYS 8127 (YER)] or androgen receptor [S. cerevisiae AR + 8320 (YAR)], we evaluated the hormonal activities of several chemicals by induction of ${\beta}-galactosidase$ activity. The chemicals were $17{\beta}-estradiol$ (E2), testosterone (T), ${\rho}-nonylphenol$ (NP), bisphenol A (BPA), genistein (GEN), 2-bromopropane (2-BP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), and butylparaben (BP). To assess the estrogenicity of NP, the result of the in vitro recombinant yeast assay was compared with an E-screen assay using MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and an uterotrophid assay using ovariectomized mice. In the YER yeast cells, E2, NP, BPA, GEN, and BP exhibited estrogenicity in a doseresponse manner, while TCDD did not. All the chemicals tested, except T, did not show androgenicity in the YAR yeast cell. The sensitivity of the yeast (YER) assay system to the estrogenic effect of NP was similar to that of the E-screen assay. NP was also estrogenic in the uterotrophic assay. However, in terms of convenience and costs, the yeast assay was superior to the E-screen assay or uterotrophic assay. These results suggest that the recombinant yeast assay can be used as a rapid tool for detecting chemicals with hormonal activities.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.343-347
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• 2018

We synthesized 1, 2-hexanediol galactoside (HD-Gal) from HD using Escherichia coli (E. coli) ${\beta}-galactosidase$ (${\beta}-gal$), in which the reaction is generally called as transgalactosylation (reverse hydrolysis). In this study, we investigated how much HD-Gal and HD had a cytotoxic effect on HaCaT cell, in order to compare HD-Gal with HD in terms of the cytotoxicity of human skin cell. Cell proliferation assay and phase-contrast microscope observation were used for investigating the cytotoxicity. As a result, HD-Gal had not cytotoxic effect on HaCaT cell in the concentration range from 42.2 to 211 mM. In addition, when we observed the cells using microscopy, there was no change in the cell morphology. Meanwhile, when 42.2 mM and 84.4 mM HD were treated on HaCaT cell, we did not observe the cytotoxicity; however, when 168.8 mM and 211 mM HD were on HaCaT cell, HD had a higher cytotoxic effect on HaCaT cell. In addition, when HD was treated on the cells regardless of the concentration of HD, there were obvious changes in cell morphology and cell number. It was expected hopefully that HD-Gal would be applicable as a substitute for HD as a less toxic preservative in views of safety, health, and well-being.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.617-621
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• 2008

Sequential passes through $Sephadex^{TM}$ columns were used to select phages that displays ligands for dextran ($\alpha$-1,6 linked linear chains) from a phage antibody library. Those phages that bound to the $Sephadex^{TM}$ in each iteration were replicated in E. coli. A phage preparation isolated on the third round selection produced 5.4 nephelos turbidity units (NTU) in a dextran specific immunonephelometric assay, a 2.2 fold higher value than the phage preparation from the first round selection. This phage gave $72\;{\pm}\;10$ normalized intensity (N.I.) in a dip-stick assay against high molecular size dextran (T2000, $2\;{\times}\;10^6) and significantly lower color ($30\;{\pm}\;6$ N.I.) against low molecular size dextran (T10, $10^4$). The presence of an Fab insert in each of these phages was confirmed using a $\beta-galactosidase linked assay and polymerase chain reaction.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.549-556
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• 2005

Estrogenic and antioxidant activities of ethanol extracts of 45 edible and medicinal plants were evaluated by ${\beta}-galactosidase$ assay, and DPPH radical scavenging assay, and TBARS inhibition rate, respectively. Total polyphenol contents were in the range of 8.6 (Panax notoginseng Buck F.H. Chen.)-594.7 (Amomum globosum Loureiro) mg/g. Direct correlation between the DPPH radical scavenging activity and polyphenol content $(r^2=0.61)$ was established through simple regression analysis, whereas no correlation was observed between TBARS inhibition rate or ${\beta}-galactosidase$ activity and polyphenol content. Among medicinal plants screened, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Rheum undulatum L. showed strong antioxidant and estrogenic activities. Results of this study could be used as fundamental data for selecting potential phytoestrogen candidates.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.524-528
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• 2001

The measurement of radiation response using simple and informative techniques would be of great value in studying the genetic risk following occupational, therapeutic, or accidental exposure to radiation. When patients receive radiation therapy, many suffer from side effects. Since each patient receives a different dose due to different physical conditions, it is important to measure the exact dose of radiation received by each patient to lessen the side effects. Even though several biological dosimetric systems have already been developed, there is no ideal system that can satisfy all the criteria for an idean dosimetric system, especially for low-dose radiation as used in radiation therapy. In this study, an SOS Chromotest of E. coli PQ37 was evaluated as a novel dosimeter for low-dose gamma-rays. E. coli PQ37 was originally developed to screen chemical mutagens using the SOS Chromotest-a colorimtric assay, based on the induction of ${\beta}$-galactosidase ue to DNA damage. The survival fraction of E. coli PQ37 decreased dose-dependently with an increasing dose of cobalt-60 gamma-rays. Also, a good linear correlation was found between the biological damage revealed by the ${\beta}$-galactosidase expression and the doses of gamma-rays. The expression of ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity that responded to low-dose radiation under 1 Gy was $Y=0.404+(0.089{\pm}0.3)D+(-0.018{\pm}0.16)D^2$ (Y, absorbance at 420 nm; D, Dose of irradiation) as calculated using Graph Pad In Plot and Excel. When a rabbit was fed with capsules containing an agar block embdded with E. coli PQ37 showed a linear response to the radiation doses. Accordingly, the results confirm that E. coli PQ37 can be used as a sensitive biological dosimeter fro cobalt-60 gamma-rays. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a bacterium has been used as a biological dosimeter, especially for low-dose radiation.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.322-328
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• 2005

Acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) are known to be the triggering molecules in the quorum sensing mechanism of many gram-negative bacteria. In order to detect AHL inhibitors that are potential biofilm inhibitors, a convenient and sensitive bioassay was developed based on the $\beta$-galactosidase activity ($\beta$-GAL) of a recombinant Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain. A series of commercially available AHLs were tested for inducing $\beta$-GAL at varying concentrations in agar-plate and liquid cultures of the reporter strain. All AHLs tested exhibited a concentration­dependent induction, and octanoyl homoserine lactone (OHL) showed the highest sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.1 nM in the liquid culture assay. When fimbrolide, a known quorum sensing inhibitor, was added, induction of $\beta$-GAL by OHL was repressed. The repression at a constant OHL concentration was dependent on the fimbrolide concentration with the detection limit below 1 ppm, indicating that this assay is a sensitive method for screening AHL inhibitors.