• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.259-267
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• 1998

A deletion of one out of the two copies of 9-bp repeat sequence (CCCCCTCTA), between the cytochrome oxidase II and Iysine tranfer RNA (COII/$tRNA^{Lys}$) genes in human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been used as a polymorphic anthropological marker for people of east Asian origin, and to lesser extent, Pacific and African populations. We searched for the 9-bp deletion of the intergenic COII/$tRNA^{Lys}$ Lys region in two Korean populations (175 from Seoul and 38 from Cheju) and examine the distibution of this deletion in world populations. The 9-bp deletion was detected directly by electrophoresis of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified nucleotide(nt) 8211-8310 mtDNA fragment. The frequencies of the 9-bp deletion were significantly different between the Seoul (16%) and Cheju (8%) populations. Examination of data from the world populations suggests a geographic gradient. The frequency reaches its highest values in some Pacific island populations and decreases along the southeast Asia-Siberia transect. In spite of this geographic gradient, Mongoloid populations including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Mongolian populations were relatively homo-geneous with regard to the 9-bp deletion type of the intergenic COII/$tRNA^{Lys}$ region. These results indicate Koreans are genetically related to northeast Asian populations, and have a maternal mongoloid ancestry. Therefore, the 9-bp deletion of the intergenic COII/$tRNA^{Lys}$ region will provide significant information to elucidate the historical patterns of migration of the Mongoloids.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.14-23
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• 2000

The mitochondrial genome of domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori) was mapped with five restriction endonucleases (BamHI, EcoRI, HindIII, PstI and XbaI), the entire genome was cloned with HindIII and EcoRI. From the end sequencing results of 5$^1$and 3$^1$region for full genome set of eleven mitochondrial clones, the seven mitochondrial genes (NADH dehydrogenase 6, ATPase 6, ATPase 8, tRN $A^{Lys}$, tRN $A^{Asp}$, tRN $A^{Thr}$ and tRN $A^{Phe}$ of mori were identified on the basis of their nucleotide sequence homology. The nucleotide composition of NADH dehydrogenase 6 was heavily biased towards adenine and thymine, which accounted for 87.76%. On basis of the sequence similarity with published tRNA genes from six insect species, the tRN $A^{Lys}$, tRN $A^{Asp}$ and tRN $A^{Thr}$ were showed stable canonical clover-leaf tRNA structures with acceptible anticodons. However, both the DHU and T$\psi$C arms of tRN $A^{Phe}$ could not form any stable stem-loop structure. The two overlapping gene pairs (tRN $A^{Lys}$ -tRN $A^{ASP}$ and ATPase8-ATPase6) were found from our sequencing results. The genes are encoded on the same strad. ATPase8 and ATPase6 overlaps (ATGATAA) which are a single example of overlapping events between abutted protein-coding genes are common, and there is evidence that the two proteins are transcribed from a single bicistronic message by initiation at 5$^1$terminal start site for ATPase8 and at an internal start site for ATPase6. Ultimately, this result will provide assistance in designing oligo-nucleotides for PCR amplification, and sequencing the specific mitochondrial genes for phylogenetics of geographic races, genetically improved silkworm strains and wild silkworm (mandarina) which is estimated as ancestal of domesticated silkworm.sticated silkworm.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2003

We have examined the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer regions (ISR) of Vibrio fluvialis. ISRs were PCR amplified, cloned into a plasmid vector and then sequenced. As results of ISR nucleotide sequence analysis, total of 6 clones were isolated depending on the size. The clones were different in both the number and the composition of the tRNA genes, and were designated ISR-A, ISR-E, ISR-El, ISR-lA, ISR-EKV, ISR-EKAV. ISR-A contains $tRNA^{Ala}$; ISR-lA, $tRNA^{Ile}$-$tRNA^{Ala}$; ISR-EKV, $tRNA^{GIu}$-$tRNA^{Lys}$-$tRNA^{Val}$;ISE-EKAV, $tRNA^{GIu}$-$tRNA^{Lys}$-$tRNA^{Ala}$-$tRNA^{Val}$; ISR -E and E1, $tRNA^{GIu}$ clusters. ISR-EKV was shown to be a minor type out of the six ISR types and showed a very limited homology between ISR-EKV from V, fluvialis and ISRa from other Vibrio species. Therefore ISR-EKV sequence was used to design species-specific primers to detect V, fiuvialis from other Vibrio species by PCR reaction. The specificity of the primers was examined using genomic DNA of other Vibrios as templates for PCR reaction. The result showed that PCR can be a useful method to detect V. fluvialis among Vibrio species in a single PCR reaction.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.393-397
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• 1999

Length variations in human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) offer useful markers in the study of female aspects of human population history. One such length variation is a 9-bp deletion in the small noncoding segment located between the COII and Iysine tRNA genes (COII/tRNA/$^{Lys}$ intergenic region) which usually contain two tandemly arranged copies of a 9-bp sequence (ccccctcta) in human mtDNA. The mtDNA 9-bp deletion and polymorphic variants of expanded 9-bp repeat motif in the intergenic COII/tRNA$^{Lys}$ region have been found at varying frequencies among different human ethnic groups. We have examined the length variation of the mtDNA COII/tRNA$^{Lys}$ intergenic region from a total of 813 individuals in east Asian populations. The occurrence of the 9-bp deletion was found to be relatively homogeneous in northeast Asian populations (Chinese, 14.2%; Japanese, 14.3%: Koreans, 15.5%), with the exception of Mongolians (5.1%). In contrast, Indonesians (25.0%) and Vietnamese (23.2%) of the southeast Asian populations appeared to have relatively high frequencies of the 9-bp deletion. We identified the existence of a new expanded 9-bp repeat motif which likely resulted from a slipped mispairing insertion of six more cytosines in the intergenic COII$^{Lys}$ region. It was present at low frequencies in the Korean (2/349) and Japanese populations (2/147). Based on the results of this study, the Korean population may reflect a close genetic affinity with the Japanese and Chinese populations than the others surveyed east Asian populations.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 2003

We have examined the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region (ISR) of Vibrio vulnificus KCTC 2959. ISRs were amplified by primers complementary to conserved regions of 16S and 23S rRNA genes. ISR amplicons were cloned and sequenced. Analysis of the ISR sequences showed that V. vulnificus KCTC 2959 contains five types of polymorphic ISRs. Size of ISRs ranged from 424 to 741 bp in length and the number of tRNA genes ranged from one to four. The ISRs were designated as ISR-E $(tRNA^{Glu}),\;ISR-IA\;(tRNA^{Ile}-tRNA^{Ala})$, ISR-EKV $(tRNA^{Glu}-tRNA^{Lys}-tRNA^{Val})$, ISR-IAV $(tRNA^{Ile}-tRNA^{Ala}-tRNA^{val})$ and ISR-EKAV $(tRNA^{Glu}-tRNA^{Lys}-tRNA^{Ala}-tRNA^{Val})$ based on their tRNA genes. Multiple alignment of representative sequences from different Vibrio species revealed several domains of high sequence variability. We used the sequences of variable domains to design species-specific primer for detection PCR. Specificity of the primers was examined using genomic DNA prepared from 18 different Vibrio species. The results showed that the PCR using primers designed in this study can be used to detect V. vulnificus from other Vibrio species.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2006

In the post genome project era, it is well established that the human genome contains a smaller number of genes than expected. The complexity found in higher organisms can be explained if proteins are multifunctional. Indeed, recent studies are continuing to reveal proteins that are capable of a broad repertoire of functions. A good paradigm for multifunctionality can be found in the amino-acyl tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), an ancient conserved family of proteins. This unique family, which is comprised of 20 different enzymes, is well known for its participation in protein synthesis. Several studies have described numerous examples of these "housekeeping" proteins taking part in extensive critical cellular activities. In this review, we focus on a member of that family, lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS), which has been shown to have a dual functionality. In addition to its contribution to the translation process, LysRS also takes part in the regulation of MITF and USF2 target genes. This phenomenon was first described in mast cells.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.340.1-340
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• 1998

No Abstract, See Full Text

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2005

The prototype Chlorella virus PBCV-l encodes 11 tRNA genes and over 350 protein-encoding genes in its 330 kbp genome. Initial attempts to overexpress the recombinant A189/192R protein, a putative virus attachment protein, in E. coli strain BL21(DE3) SI were unsuccessful, and multiple protein bands were detected on Western blots. However, the full-length A189/192R recombinant protein or fragments derived from it were detected when they were expressed in E. coli BL21 CodonPlus (DE3) RIL, which contains extra tRNAs. Codon usage analysis of the a189/192r gene showed highly biased usage of the AGA and AVA codons compared to genes encoded by E. coli and Chlorella. In addition, there were biases of XXA/U($56\%$) and XXG/ C($44\%$) in the codons recognized by the viral tRNAs, which correspond to the codon usage bias in the PBCV-1 genome of XXA/U ($63\%$) over those ending in XXC/G ($37\%$). Analysis of the codon usage in the major capsid protein and DNA polymerase showed preferential usage of codons that can be recognized by the viral tRNAs. The Asn (AAC) and Lys (AAG) codons whose corresponding tRNA genes are duplicated in the tRNA gene cluster were the most abundant (i.e., preferred) codons in these two proteins. The tRNA genes encoded in the PBCV-l genome seem to play a very important role during the synthesis of viral proteins through supplementing the tRNAs that are frequently used in viral proteins, but are rare in the host cells. In addition, these tRNAs would help the virus to adapt to a wide range of hosts by providing tRNAs that are rare in the host cells.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2004

T7 RNA polymerase is a single subunit RNA polymerase able to accomplish whole transcription process without auxiliary factors. T7 phage lysozyme involcing in destruction of host cell wall repress T7 transcription and affects transcription termination process. Therefore expression vector pT7lys containing T7 phage lysozyme gene was constructed and expressed. T7 phage lysozyme protein was purified to homogeneity by Ni-NTA column chromatography. Also amidase activity of the purified lysozyme was identified. In order to understand the effect of the lysozyme on the sequence specific transcription termination. T7 transcription elongation complexes at the site rrnB T1 transcription termination signal were made in the presence the lysozyme. The results shows that the transcription elongation complexes are unstable in the presence of T7 phage lysozyme.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.429-441
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• 2009

We have determined the complete mitochondrial genome of the yellow-spotted long horned beetle, Psacothea hilaris (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), an endangered insect species in Korea. The 15,856-bp long P. hilaris mitogenome harbors gene content typical of the animal mitogenome and a gene arrangement identical to the most common type found in insect mitogenomes. As with all other sequenced coleopteran species, the 5-bp long TAGTA motif was also detected in the intergenic space sequence located between $tRNA^{Ser}$(UCN) and ND1 of P. hilaris. The 1,190-bp long non-coding A+T-rich region harbors an unusual series of seven identical repeat sequences of 57-bp in length and several stretches of sequences with the potential to form stem-and-loop structures. Furthermore, it contains one $tRNA^{Arg}$-like sequence and one $tRNA^{Lys}$-like sequence. Phylogenetic analysis among available coleopteran mitogenomes using the concatenated amino acid sequences of PCGs appear to support the sister group relationship of the suborder Polyphaga to all remaining suborders, including Adephaga, Myxophaga, and Archostemata. Among the two available infraorders in Polyphaga, a monophyletic Cucujiformia was confirmed, with the placement of Cleroidea as the basal lineage for Cucujiformia. On the other hand, the infraorder Elateriformia was not identified as monophyletic, thereby indicating that Scirtoidea and Buprestoidea are the basal lineages for Cucujiformia and the remaining Elateriformia.