• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.5 s.85
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• pp.719-722
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• 2007

IgA nephropathy(IgAN) is considered to be a multifactorial disease with genetic and environmental factors contributing to its pathogenesis. The genes involved in susceptibility and progression of the disease have not yet been clearly elucidated. Megsin is an important candidate gene, predominantly expressed in glomerular mesangium and upregulated in IgAN. To understand biological function of megsin, in this work we have produced transgenic D. melanogaster fly over-expressing human megsin(actin-gal4>UAS-Megsin fly). Introduced human megsin was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Its phenotype is melanin deficiency-abdomen and the megsin gene is stably transferred to the next generations.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 1999

The utility of RSV-LTR and carp beta-actin promoters was evaluated in a marine flatfish species, Limanda Yokohamae by examining successful expression of transgenic DNA in muscles (transfected by direct injection) and in early embryos (transformed by lipofected sperm). The expressed pattern of injected DNA in skeletal muscles was dependent on the DNA amount injected. The activity reached to maximal level at 48 hours post injection, and persisted up ot 1 month transiently. Gene transfer into early embryo of this species was successfully achieved using lipofected sperm with the efficiency ranging 36.8% to 48.1%. The expression of transgene during embryonic development was shown as stage-specific and transient.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.409-415
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• 1997

The carp $\beta$-actin regulatory sequences and RSV/LTR promoter were tested whether they are functinal to express linked structure gene (chloramphenicol acetyltransferas, CAT) in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) by determining the patterns of gene expression following intramuscular in vivo direct injection. The injection experiments with various concentrations of both pRSVCAT and pFV4CAT clearly revealed the effectiveness of DNA dosage on expression of CAT. The increase of CAT activity was linear in both plasmids, and maximal CAT activity was obtained with 100 ug of pFV4CAT injection. The amounts of CAT expression with pFV4CAT-injected fist were higher than those with pRSVCAT-injected fish. CAT activity was readily detectable as early as one day after injection, slightly increased at day 2, and declined over time. Most amount of DNA intramuscularly injected into olive flounder muscles persisted extrachromosomally without showing any integrated or replicated form in vivo.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2018

To artificially enhance antimicrobial peptide expression in Bombyx mori, we constructed genetically engineered silkworms overexpressing Rel family transcription factor. The truncated BmRelish1 (BmRelish1t) gene contained a Rel homolog domain (RHD), nuclear localization signal (NLS), acidic and hydrophobic amino acid (AHAA)-rich region, and death domain (DD), but no ankyrin-repeat (ANK) domain. The BmRelish1t gene was controlled by B. mori cytoplasmic actin 3 promoter in the PiggyBac transposon vector. Chromosome analysis of G1 generations of a transgenic silkworm with EGFP expression confirmed stable insertion of BmRelish1t. BmRelish1t gene overexpression in transgenic silkworms resulted in higher mRNA expression levels of B. mori antimicrobial peptides such as lebocin(~20.5-fold), moricin(~8.7-fold), and nuecin(~17.4-fold) than those in normal silkworms.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2019

We previously isolated 9 clones that show stronger signal compared to Bombyx mori cytoplasmic actin gene (BmA3) by using a dot blot hybridization. In this study, we focused on one clone among these clones which has high amino acid similarity with ${\beta}$-tubulin gene of B. mori. This clone was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues and developmental stage of B. mori. As result of promoter assay using dual luciferase assay system, we found the highest transcription activity region (-750/-1) in the 5'-flanking region of ${\beta}$-tubulin gene, which has about 47 fold more intensive promoter activity than BmA3 promoter. Moreover, the ${\beta}$-tubulin promoter was normally regulated in Bm5, Sf9, and S2 cells. Therefore, we suggest that ${\beta}$-tubulin promoter may be used more powerful and effectively for transgene expression in various insects containing B. mori as a universal promoter.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.346-354
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• 2006

The full-length cDNA of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) was obtained from liver. The grass carp UCP2 cDNA was determined to be 1152 bp in length with an open reading frame that encodes 310 amino acids. Five introns (Intron 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) in the translated region, and partial sequence of Intron 2 in the untranslated region of grass carp UCP2 gene were also obtained. Gene structure comparison between grass carp and mammalian (human and mouse) UCP2 gene shows that, the UCP2 gene structure of grass carp is much similar to that of human and mouse. Partial UCP2 cDNA sequences of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) and mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella), were further determined. Together with the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) UCP2 sequence from GenBank (AJ243486), multiple alignment result shows that the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the UCP2 gene, were highly conserved among the five major Chinese carps that belong to four subfamilies. Using beta-actin as control, the ratio UCP2/beta-actin mRNA (%) was determined to be $149.4{\pm}15.6$ (common carp), $127.4{\pm}22.1$ (mud carp), $96.7{\pm}12.7$ (silver carp), $94.1{\pm}26.8$ (bighead carp) and $63.7{\pm}16.2$ (grass carp). The relative liver UCP2 expression of the five major Chinese carps, shows a close relationship with their food habit: benthos and detrituseating fish (common carp and mud carp) > planktivorious fish (silver carp and bighead carp) > herbivorious fish (grass carp). We suggest that liver UCP2 might be important for Chinese carps to detoxify cyanotoxins and bacteria in debris and plankton food.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2009

To study the biological activity of interleukin-$1\beta$(IL-$1\beta$), a proinflammatory cytokine, in nile tilapia, Oreochromis niliticus, the recombinant tilapia IL-$1\beta$ was produced in E. coli cells based on pQE vector. Ni-NTA (nitriloacetic acid) metal affinity chromatography was used to purify recombinant protein. The eluted fractions exhibited a single band of protein with a molecular weight of about 25kDa, which is in close agreement with 25.4 kDa predicted by the cDNA sequence. The biological activity of the purified recombinant tilapia IL-$1\beta$ was tested through its effects on IL-$1\beta$ gene expression, which are known as IL-$1\beta$ inducible genes in mammals and fishes. IL-$1\beta$ gene expression induced by poly I:C, a synthetic double stranded RNA, was also assessed in tilapia head kidney cells. IL-$1\beta$ gene expression was analysed using QPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction). The ratio of the indicated gene expression was expressed as the relative mRNA level to $\beta$-actin mRNA level, which is constitutively expressed in macrophages. Consequently, head kidney cells incubated for three hours with rIL-$1\beta$(10, 2, 1 $\mu{g}$/ml) showed a dose dependent increase in IL-$1\beta$ mRNA levels and 1 $\mu{g}$/ml of poly I:C was also able to induce IL-$1\beta$ gene expression in head kidney in tilapia.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.393-406
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• 2019

In August 2017, anthracnose symptoms were observed on the petioles and leaf veins of Korean radish (Rhaphanus sativus) in Hongcheon, Jeongseon, and Pyeongchang of the Gangwon province, Korea. Many grayish to dark-brown spots of 1-2 mm in diameter, appeared on the lower surface and leaf veins of the radish leaves. The spots gradually enlarged and coalesced to form dark-brown irregular lesions. Ten Colletotrichum isolates were obtained from the affected tissues of the Korean radish. Out of them, eight isolates were identified as C. higginsianum and two isolates were identified as C. truncatum based on morphological characteristics and multi-locus molecular phylogenetic analysis using the internal transcribed spacers and intervening 5.8S rDNA (ITS), partial beta-tubulin gene (TUB2), partial actin gene (ACT), and partial chitin synthase-1 gene (CHS1). The pathogenicity test was carried out on wounded and unwounded Korean radish (cv. Siraegimu and Osarimu), and Chinese cabbage (cv. Chuno and Smart) by inoculating with a spore suspension. All isolates except one C. truncatum isolate developed typical symptoms on both wounded and unwounded Korean radish. In Chinese cabbage, only the plants inoculated with C. higginsianum isolates developed symptoms regardless of the wound. This is the first report of anthracnose caused by C. truncatum on Korean radish in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5815-5818
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• 2014

For an exact comparison of mRNA transcription in different samples or tissues with real time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), it is crucial to select a suitable internal reference gene. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and beta-actin (ACTB) have been frequently considered as house-keeping genes to normalize for changes in specific gene expression. However, it has been reported that these genes are unsuitable references in some cases, because their transcription is significantly variable under particular experimental conditions and among tissues. The present study was aimed to investigate which reference genes are most suitable for the study of gastric cancer tissues using qRT-PCR. 50 pairs of gastric cancer and corresponding peritumoral tissues were obtained from patients with gastric cancer. Absolute qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression of GAPDH, ACTB, RPII and 18sRNA in the gastric cancer samples. Comparing gastric cancer with corresponding peritumoral tissues, GAPDH, ACTB and RPII were obviously upregulated 6.49, 5.0 and 3.68 fold, respectively. Yet 18sRNA had no obvious expression change in gastric cancer tissues and the corresponding peritumoral tissues. The expression of GAPDH, ${\beta}$-actin, RPII and 18sRNA showed no obvious changes in normal gastric epithelial cells compared with gastric cancer cell lines. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a widely used clinical tumor marker, was used as a validation gene. Only when 18sRNA was used as the normalizing gene was CEA obviously elevated in gastric cancer tissues compared with peritumoral tissues. Our data show that 18sRNA is stably expressed in gastric cancer samples and corresponding peritumoral tissues. These observations confirm that there is no universal reference gene and underline the importance of specific optimization of potential reference genes for any experimental condition.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.162-172
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• 2002

Schizosaccharomyces pombe is suited for the study of cytokinesis as it divides by forming a septum in the middle of the cell at the end of mitosis. To enhance our understanding of the cytokinesis, we have carried out a genetic screen for temperature-sensitive S. pombe mutants that show defects in septum formation and cell division. Here we present the isolation and characterization of a new temperature-sensitive mutant, sun1(septum uncontrolled), which undergoes uncontrolled septation during cell division cycle at restrictive temperature $(37^{\circ}C)$. In sun1 mutant, actin ring and septum are positioned at random locations and angles, and nuclear division cycle continues. These observations suggest that the sun] gene product is required for the proper placement of the actin ring as well as precise septation. The sun] mutant is monogenic recessive mutation unlinked to previously known various cdc genes of S. pombe. In a screen for $sunl^+$ gene to complement the sun] mutant, we have cloned a gene, $susl^+$(suppressor of sun1 mutant), that encodes a protein of 689 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence of $susl^+$ gene is similar to the human hMadlp and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mad1p, a component of the spindle checkpoint in eukaryotic cells. The null mutant of $susl^+$ gene grows normally at various temperatures and has the increased sensitivity to anti-microtubule drug, while $susl^+$ mutant shows no sensitivity to microtubule destabilizing drugs. The putative S. pombe Sus1p directly interacts with S. pombe Mad2p in yeast two-hybrid assays. These data suggest that the newly isolated susr gene encodes S. pombe Mad1p and suppresses sun] mutant defective in controlled septation in a cell division cycle.