• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.493-502
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• 2004

The genetic diversity and species-diagnostic markers in the introduced apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata and in the native Thai apple snails; Pila ampullacea, P. angelica, P. pesmei, and P. polita, were investigated by restriction analysis of COI and are reported for the first time. Twenty-one composite haplotypes showing non-overlapping distributions among species were found. Genetic heterogeneity analysis indicated significant differences between species (P < 0.0001) and within P. pesmei (P < 0.0001) and P. angelica (P < 0.0004). No such heterogeneity was observed in Pomacea canaliculata (P > 0.0036 as modified by the Bonferroni procedure), P. ampullacea (P = 0.0824-1.000) and P. polita (P = 1.0000). A neighbor-joining tree based on genetic distance between pairs of composite haplotypes differentiated all species and indicated that P. angelica and P. pesmei are closely related phylogenetically. In addition, the 16S rDNA of these species was cloned and sequenced. A species-specific PCR for P. canaliculata was successfully developed with a sensitivity of detection of approximately 50 pg of the target DNA template. The amplification of genomic DNA (50 pg and 25 ng) isolated from the fertilized eggs, and juveniles (1, 7, and 15 d after hatching) of Pomacea canaliculata was also successful, and suggested that Pomacea canaliculata and Pila species can be discriminated from the early stages of development.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.100-105
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• 2002

The diversity of epiphytic bacterial communities on deciduous oak tree (Quercus dentate Thunb.) leaves was examined both in the natural forest area with a clean air and in the industrial estate to assess effects of acidic deposition to the phyllosphere using 16S rDNA sequence data. In addition, acid-tolerant epiphytic bacterial communities were compared. A total of 78 epiphytic and 444 acid-tolerant clones were obtained from clone libraries, resulting in 20 and 17 phylotypes by analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for PCR-amplified 16S rDNA products. A low bacterial diversity in both areas was found. As tree leaves grow older, bacterial diversities were slightly increased in the level of subphylum. The community structure of epiphytic bacteria in both areas in April consisted of only two subphyla, $\beta-and\;\gamma-Proteobacteria$. In August two additional subphyla in both areas were found, but the composition was a little different, Acidobacteria and Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroids (CFB) group in the industrial estate and a -Proteobacteria and CFB group in the natural area, respectively. Acidobacteria could be an indicator of epiphytic bacteria for acidic deposition on plant leaves, whereas a -Proteobacteria be one of epiphytic bacteria that naturally survive on leaves that are not affected by acidic deposition. The acid-tolerant bacterial communities in April were composed of two subphyla, $\gamma-Proteobacteria$ and Low G+C gram-positive bacteria in both areas, and in August a-Proteobacteria was added to the community just in the natural forest area. The direct influence of acidic deposition on the acid-tolerant bacterial phylogenetic composition could not be detected in higher taxonomic levels such as subphylum, but at narrower or finer levels it could be observed by a detection of Xanthomonadales group of $\gamma-Proteobacteria$ just in the industrial estate.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.803-809
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• 2015

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death. Oxidative DNA damage may contribute to cancer risk and the antioxidant paraoxonase is one endogenous free radical scavenger in the human body which could therefore exert an influeence. Purpose: Aim of this study was to determine the role of serum arylesterase (ARE) and paraoxonase 1(PON1) activities in CRC patients and to find any association between (PON1) Q192R and L55M gene polymorphisms in CRC patients. Also the serum ARE and PON1 activities in CRC patients will be investigated before and after surgery Materials and Methods: This study involved a total of 50 patients with newly diagnosed CRC and 80 healthy controls. PON1 and ARE activities were determined using an enzymatic spectrophotometric method. PON1 Q192R and L55M gene polymorphisms were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) based restriction fragment analysis. The restriction enzyme AlwI was used to examine the Q192R polymorphism and Hsp92II for the L55M polymorphism. Results: Significant differences in the PON1 Q192R polymorphism were found between patients and controls. The Q allele was more frequent in the patient group than in controls, while the R allele was more frequent in the controls. Significant differences were found in the L55M polymorphism. Additionally, there were significant differences in L and M allele frequencies (p=0.001). The serum activities of PON1 and ARE were low in QQ and MM genotype. Conclusions: serum PON1 and ARE activities were significantly lower in CRC patients compared to healthy subjects. The R allele may protect against colorectal cancer.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.129-141
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• 2001

When oral microorganisms were sampled from occlusal surfaces of caries and non-caries teeth, $3.43\times10^5$ CFU and $3.47\times10^3$ CFU of bacteria were counted on MSB agar plates, respectively. All the 20 colonies isolated from a caries surface were Streptococcus mutans but, only two of 20 colonies were identified as Streptococcus mutans by API test. S. mutans SM1 from caries tooth and S. mutans SM2 from non-caries tooth showed the same results except for $\alpha-galactosidase$ activity on sugar fermentation tests and biochemical tests. For the bacterial replication, both SM1 and SM2 were actively multiplicated at pH 5.5. And the viability of SM1 was high at 20% of sucrose, while that of SM2 was high at 5% of sucrose in the media. SM1 actively replicated at 16mM of $CaCl_2$, 160mM of KCl, and 6.4mM of $MgCl_2$, and the replication of SM2 was increased at 16mM of $CaCl_2$, 40mM of KCl, 6.4mM of $MgCl_2$. At 1mM of sodium bicarbonate and sodium phosphate, both bacteria were actively multiplicated. SM1 and SM2 were actively replicated at 1mM and 10mM of Tris, respectively. For potassium phosphate buffer, SM1 grew well proportionally to the concentration up to 100mM, while the growth of SM2 were inhibited by the increase of concentration. The 4.6 kb of gtf gene was amplified with a pair of primer, gtfB-F961 and gtfC-R5574 by polymerase chain reaction from the chromosomal DNA of SM1 and SM2. When 4.6kb bands were eluted from gel and were treated with restriction enzyme, EcoR I produced the same RFLP like 0.8kb and 3.8kb of DNA fragments for S. mutans GS-5, SM1 and SM2. By Hind III, the PCR products weren't digested for S. mutans GS-5 and SM1, but 3 fragments such as 2.4kb, 1.8kb and 400bp were examined for SM2. These results indicated the difference between gtf genes of SM1 and SM2. BamH I treatment showed 4 fragments for SM1 and SM2, while the 3 fragments for S. mutans GS-5. The PCR products were not digested by Kpn I, Sma I, Xho I and Pst I.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8287-8292
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• 2016

Background: Thymidylate synthase (TS) catalyzes the methylation of deoxyuridylate to deoxythymidylate and is involved in DNA methylation, synthesis and repair. Two common polymorphisms have been reported, tandem repeats in the promoter-enhancer region (TSER), and 6bp ins/del in the 5'UTR, that are implicated in a number of human diseases, including cancer. The association between the two polymorphisms in risk for lung cancer (LC) was here investigated in the Jordanian population. Materials and Methods: An age, gender, and smoking-matched case-control study involving 84 lung cancer cases and 71 controls was conducted. The polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to detect the polymorphism of interest. Results: Individuals bearing the ins/ins genotype were 2.5 times more likely to have lung cancer [(95%CI: 0.98-6.37), p=0.051]. Individuals who were less than or equal to 57 years and carrying ins/ins genotype were 4.6 times more susceptible to lung cancer [OR<57 vs >57years: 4.6 (95%CI: 0.93-22.5), p=0.059)]. Genotypes and alleles of TSER were distributed similarly between cases and controls. Weak linkage disequilibrium existed between the two loci of interest (Lewontin's coefficient [D']) (LC: D' =0.03, r2: 0. 001, p=0.8; Controls: D' =0.29, r2: 0.08, p=0.02). Carriers of the "3 tandem repeats_insertion" haplotype (3R_ins) were 2 times more likely to have lung cancer [2 (95%CI: 1.13-3.48), p=0.061]. Conclusions: Genetic polymorphism of TS at 3 'UTR and its haplotype analysis may modulate the risk of lung cancer in Jordanians. The 6bp ins/del polymorphism of TS at 3 'UTR is more informative than TSER polymorphism in predicting increased risk.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.246-255
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• 2007

Mutans streptococci have been implicated as cariogenic bacteria in dental caries because they can produce high levels of dental caries-causing lactic acid and extracellular polysaccharide. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the mutans streptococci from the dental plaque obtained from Koreans. The dental plaque samples were collected from the anterior and molar teeth of both jaws in 155 subjects (aged 2 to 33.2 years, average age $13.7{\pm}4.7\;years$). The samples were diluted by 100-fold in $1{\times}\;PBS$ and plated on mitis-salivarius bacitracin (MSB) agar plates. The mutans streptococci grown on MSB plates were screened by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) targeting dextranase gene (dex). The mutans streptococci were identified at the species level using a 16S rDNA sequencing comparison method. The biochemical tests were carried out to biotype the mutans streptococci. Ninety-five strains of the mutans streptococci out of 358 colonies, which were derived from 141 subjects, were isolated. Of them, 77 strains and 18 strains were Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, respectively. The biotyping data showed that 62, 1, 20, 10, and 2 strains were biotypes I, II, IV, V and variant, respectively. Of the two strains of variant biotype, one strains was similar to biotype IV except that it was positive to the arginine hydrolysis test. We considered this one strain a new biotype, and classified it as biotype VII. In conclusion, S. mutans and its biotype I was most frequently isolated in Korean dental plaque. The mutans streptococci strains isolated in this study might be useful for the study of the pathogenesis and the prevention of dental caries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.287-295
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• 2005

In order to compare bacteria] community structure and diversity in activated sludges, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of PCR-amplified 16s rDNAs was analyzed for 31 domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WTPs). Regardless of the characteristics of the wastewaters, the bacteria] community structures of activated sludges appeared diverse and complex. In particular, activated sludges in domestic WTPs contained higher bacterial diversity than those in industrial WTPs. It was also found that terminal restriction fragment (T-RF) profiles derived from domestic WTPs were very similar with each other, although activated sludges were collected from different plants at different locations. Interestingly, activated sludges of a WTP where restaurant and toilet sewages of a company were managed showed a bacterial community structure similar to that of domestic WTPs. Activated sludges in leather industria] WTPs also showed a high similarity. However, other wastewaters possessed different bacterial communities, so that overall similarity was as low as about $30\%$. Since activated sludges from WTPs for domestic wastewaters and a company sewage appeared to hold similar bacterial communities, it was necessary to confirm if similar wastewaters induce a similar bacterial community. To answer this question, analysis of T-RFs for activated sludges, taken from another 12 domestic WTPs, was conducted by using a 6­FAM$^{TM}$-Iabeled primer and an automated DNA sequencer for higher sensitivity. Among 12 samples, it was again found that T-RF profiles of activated sludges from Yongin, Sungnam, Suwon, and Tancheon domestic WTPs in Kyonggi-do were very similar with each other. On the other hand, T-RF profiles of activated sludges from Shihwa and Ansan WTPs were quite different from each other. It was thought that this deviation was caused by wastewaters, since Ansan and Shihwa WTPs receive both domestic and industrial wastewaters. From these results, it was tentatively concluded that similar bacterial communities might be developed in activated sludges, if WTPs treat similar wastewaters.