• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.167-177
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• 2009

This study was conducted to characterize the DGAT1 gene in Korean Holstein dairy cattle population and examine the relationship of DGAT1 polymorphisms with milk yield and milk fat yield for the genetic improvement of Korean Holstein dairy cattle. Results indicated that the 411 bp PCR products were successfully amplified by DGAT1 specific primers. Sequence analysis indicated that the DGTA1 Q allele had AUG (Lysine, K) nucleotide sequences in 216-218 bp and q allele had GCG (Alanine, A) sequences in the same position. Nucleotide sequence homology between the DGAT1 sequences generated in this study showed 100% homology with bovine DGAT1 sequences in the NCBI database. The genotype frequencies of DGAT1 QQ, Qq, and qq were 16.43, 36.43, and 47.14%, respectively, in Korean Holstein dairy cattle population. The observed Q and q allele frequencies were 0.35 and 0.65, respectively. Statistically significant (P<0.05) results were identified for milk yield and milk fat yield for the DGAT1 genotypes. The Qq genotype Holsteins have significantly higher milk yield and milk fat yield than those of the QQ and qq genotype Holsteins(P<0.05).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1056-1061
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• 2018

This article reports an agar-degrading marine bacterium and characterizes its agarase. The agar-degrading marine bacterium, KC-1, was isolated from seawater on the shores of Sacheon, in Gyeongnam province, Korea, using Marine Broth 2216 agar medium. To identify the agar-degrading bacterium as Agarivorans sp. KC-1, phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence was used. An extracellular agarase was prepared from a culture medium of Agarivorans sp. KC-1, and used for the characterization of enzyme. The relative activities at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and $70^{\circ}C$ were 65, 91, 96, 100, 77, and 35%, respectively. The relative activities at pH 5, 6, 7, and 8 were 93, 100, 87, and 82%, respectively. The extracellular agarase showed maximum activity (254 units/l) at pH 6.0 and $50^{\circ}C$ in 20 mM of Tris-HCl buffer. The agarase activity was maintained at 90% or more until 2 hr exposure at $20^{\circ}C$, $30^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$, but it was found that the activity decreased sharply from $60^{\circ}C$. A zymogram analysis showed that Agarivorans sp. KC-1 produced 3 agar-degrading enzymes that had molecular weights of 130, 80, and 69 kDa. A thin layer chromatography analysis suggested that Agarivorans sp. KC-1 produced extracellular ${\beta}$-agarases as it hydrolyzed agarose to produce neoagarooligosaccharides, including neoagarohexaose (21.6%), neoagarotetraose (32.2%), and neoagarobiose (46.2%). These results suggest that Agarivorans sp. KC-1 and its thermotolerant ${\beta}$-agarase would be useful for the production of neoagarooligosaccharides that inhibit bacterial growth and delay starch degradation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.153-162
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• 2001

Purpose : The mechanical insights of death of cancer cells by ionizing radiation are not of yet clearly defined. Recent evidences have demonstrated that radiation therapy may induce cell death via activation of signaling pathway for apoptosis in target cells. This study is designed whether ionizing radiation may activate the signaling cascades of apoptosis including caspase family cysteine pretenses, $Bcl_2/Bax$, cytochrome c and Fas/Fas-L in target cells. Materials and Methods : HL-60 cells were irradiated in vitro with 6 MV X-ray at dose ranges from 2 Gy to 32 Gy. The cell viability was tested by M assay and the extent of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis. The activities of caspase proteases were measured by proteolytic cleavages of substrates. Western blot analysis was used to monitor PARP, Caspase-3, Cytochrome-c, Bcl-2, Bax, Fas and Fas-L. Results : Ionizing radiation decreases the viability of HL-60 cells in a time and dose dependent manner. Ionizing radiation-induced death in HL-60 cells is an apoptotic death which is revealed as characteristic ladder-pattern fragmentation of genomic DNA over 16 Gy at 4 hours. ionizing radiation induces the activation of caspase-2, 3, 6, 8 and 9 of HL-60 cells in a time-dependent manner. The activation of caspase-3 pretense is also evidenced by the digestion of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and procaspase 3 with 16Gy ionizing irradiation. Anti-apoptotic Bcl2 expression is decreased but apoptotic Bax expression is increased with mitochondrial cytochrome c release in a time- dependent manner. In addiiton, expression of Fas and Fas-L is also increased in a time dependent manner. Conclusion : These data suggest that ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis is mediated by the activation of various signaling pathways including caspase family cysteine proteases, $Bcl_2/Bax$, Fas and Fas-L in a time and dose dependent manner.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.356-363
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• 2017

ARice is an important staple food in the world and rice yield is one of the main traits for rice breeding. Several genes involved in increasing the yield have been identified through map-based gene cloning within natural variations in rice. These identified genes are good targets for introducing a genetic trait in molecular breeding. Here, we chose five genes reported to be involved in increasing grain number per panicle in rice; Gn1a, dep1, Apo1, Ghd7, and Nal1. We developed In/Del markers for Gn1a, and dep1, Apo1, and applied the reported SNP markers for Ghd7 and Nal1. We were easily able to examine the genotype of each gene on agarose gel. We tested the genotypes on 479 rice resources that we held with evaluated molecular markers. According to the genotype of each gene, rice resources were divided into 13 haplotypes, and most of the Indica and Japonica varieties were included in haplotypes 1 and 13, respectively. When we examined the effect of each gene on grain number per panicle and panicle number per plant, panicle number per plant in the yield negative allele group for each gene was reduced by approximately 0.3 to 0.8 compared to that in the yield positive allele group. However, the number of yield positive alleles for each gene was higher by about 21 to 27 grains per panicle than that of yield negative alleles. Although most of the varieties were grouped in haplotypes 1 and 13, we believe that this genotype information with evaluated molecular markers will be useful in rice breeding for increasing the yield with grain number per panicle.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.213-219
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• 2007

It has been well established that aluminum (Al) inhibits root tip growth rapidly in acid soil. We report the correlation between Al induced growth inhibition and impaired $H^+-flux$ in mung bean (Vigna radiate L. cv. Kumsung). The root growth inhibition was dependent on Al concentration (0, 10, 25, 50, $100{\mu}M$) and exposure time (12 and 24 h). Using Hematoxylin staining, it was observed that the root damage was occurred preferentially in regions with high Al accumulation. Using the pH indicator, it was shown that the surface pH of root tip was strongly alkalized in the control whereas changed only slightly in the $50{\mu}M$ Al-treated root. The $H^+-ATPase$ activity of plasma membrane vesicles was inhibited by 56% in the Al-treated roots compared to control root. Decrease in the amount of the plasma membrane $H^+-ATPase$ (100 kDa) translation in the plant roots under Al stress was demonstrated by Western blot analysis. These results indicate that the dynamics of $H^+-flux$ across the root tip play an important role in root growth under Al stress.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.264-270
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• 1984

In order to obtain mutagenic data of enzymatic browning reaction products, we investigated their mutagenicity. The rec-assay with Bacillus subtilis strains $H17(rec^+)$ and $M45(rec^-)$ were carried out with their spores. Detection of double strand breakage in calf-thymus DNA was investigated into sample solution with and without $Cu^{2+}$ by the agarose slab gel electrophoresis. In the rec-assay, catechol, pyrocatechol, DL-dopa, 3,4-dihydroxytoluene, hydroquinone, hydroxyhydroquinone with and without $Cu^{2+}$ in 0.05M ana 0.1M at the enzymatic browning reaction products stowed mutagenic action. And also browning solution of 0.05M hydroxyhydroquinone and catechol with $Cu^{2+}$, hydroquinone with and without $Cu^{2+}$ of 0.1M at the enzymatic browning reaction products were strong mutagenic action. The DNA breakability of the enzymatic browning reaction products of 0.1M pyrogallol was stronger than that of 0.05M pyrogallol browning solution with $Cu^{2+}$ and 3,4-dihydroxytoluene browning solution was stronger than that of 0.01M 3,4-dihydroxytoluene browning solution.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 1999

Purpose : The expression of p53, P211WAF/CIP, Bcl-2, and Bax underlying the radiation-induced apoptosis in different pH environments using SCK mammary adenocarcinoma cell line was investigated. Materials and Methods Mammary adenocarcinoma cells of hi) mice (SCK cells) in exponential growth phase were irradiated with a linear accelerator at room temperature. The cells were irradiated with 12 Gy and one hour later, the media was replaced with fresh media at a different pHs. After Incubation at 37Microbioiogy, College of Medicine Dong A University for 0$\~$48 h, the extort of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. The progression of cells through the cell cycle after irradiation in different pHs was also determined with flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to monitor p53, p211WAFfCIP, Bcl-2, and Bu protein levels. Results : The induction of apoptosis by irradiation in pH 6.6 medium was markedly less than that in pH 7.5 medium. The radiation-induced G2IM arrest in pH 6.6 medium lasted markedly longer than that in pH 7.5 medium. Considerable amounts of p53 and p21 proteins already existed at pH 7.5 and increased the level of p53 and p21 significantly after 12 Gy X-irradiation. An incubation at pH 6.6 after 12 Gy X-irradiation did not change the level of p53 and p21 protein levels significantly. Bcl-2 proteins were not significantly affected by radiation and showed no correlation with cell susceptibility to radiation-induced apoptosis in different pHs. An exposure to 12 Gy of X-rays increased the level of Bax protein at pH 7.5 but at pH 6.6, it was slight. Conclusions : The molecular mechanism underlying radiation-induced apoptosis in dinerent pH environments using SCK mammary adenocarcinoma cell line was dependent of the expression p53 and P211YVAF/CIP proteins. We may propose following hypothesis that an acidic stress augments the radiation-induced G2iM arrest, which inhibiting the irradiated cells undergo post-mitotic apoptosis. The effects of environmental acidity on anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic function of Bcl-2 family was unclear in SCK mammary adenocarcinoma cell line.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 1996

Background: The extraction methods of DNA from clinical samples are the major obstacle to use the PCR(polymerase Chain Reaction) in routine labortary for early detection of M. tuberculosis. We tried to improve the extraction method of DNA from sputum for establishment of the PCR in routine labortary by reducing the possibility of cross contamination and performing it easily and safely. Methods: We used the $InstaGene^{TM}$ DNA extraction kit(BioRad Co.) using Chelex 100 ion exchange resin for preparation of DNA. We compared InstaGene method in 100 cases of sputum from proteinase K method which is known as the most commonly used method for DNA purification(Experiment 1). And we compared InstaGene method in 98 cases of sputum from Microwave method developed by a company in Korea(Experiment 2). In experiment 1,245bps of IS6110 were amplified and then 188bps were amplified by nested PCR. In experiment 2,536bps in primary PCR and 276bps in nested PCR were amplified and analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis and EtBr staining. Results: When we chose AFB smear, culture, or AFB smear and culture as a standard test, PCR had low specificity and positive predictive value in both experiments. The InstaGene method has higher value in sensitivity and negative predictive value significantly than proteinase K method. The InstaGene method and the Microwave methods were similar in sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. Conclusion: Even though both methods had lower possibility of cross contamination, shorter time requirement, simplicity, and economic advantages than Proteinase K method, the InstaGene method was a little simpler than the Microwave method. Therefore, in terms of usefulness in clinical application, the Instagene method seems to be the most useful method in DNA extraction for detection of M. tuberculosis using PCR. The reliability of this method will be clarified by further studies with enough clinical samples.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 1993

Background: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a very sensitive method for the detecting of mycobacterial DNA. There are many reports revealing the efficacy of PCR for the diagnosis of M. tuberculosis, but there are many different methods for DNA extraction from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bead beater method is a very useful method for DNA extraction from clinical spectimens, but its procedures are relatively complicated and time-consuming. So we studied other methods for the DNA extraction from Mycobacterium tuberculosis $H_{37}Rv$ and some clinical specimens (5 smear positive sputa and 5 smear negative CSF). Method: We extracted the mycobacterial DNA with 6 different methods from H37Rv strain and clinical specimens. The methods included SDS-microwave oven method, NaOH lysis method, Triton X-100-Proteinase K method, Lysis buffer method, SDS-proteinase K method and bead beater method. The target DNA was 123bp of IS6110 and was detected by examination of ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels. Results: Among 6 methods, SDS-proteinase K method, bead beater method, lysis buffer method and triton X-100-proteinase K method were excellent, but SDS-proteinase K method was the best method in the aspect of simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Conclusion: We suggest that SDS-porteinase K method is a simple and convinient method and might be the best method for the extraction of mycobacterial DNA.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1988

Recovery from potentially lethal damage (PLDR) after irradiation was studied in plateau-phase culture of Vero cells in vitro. Unfed plateau-phase cells were irradiated with dose of 1 to 9Gy using Cs-137 irradiator. Cells then were incubated again and left in situ for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 24 hours and then were trypsinized explanted, and subcultured in fresh RPMI-1640 media containing $0.33\%$ agar. Cell survival was measured by colony forming ability. An adequate number of heavily irradiated Vero cells were added as feeder cells to make the total cell number constant in every culture dish. As the postirradiation in situ incubation time increased, surviving fraction increased by PLDR. The rate of PLDR was so rapid that increased surviving fraction reached saturation level at 2 to 4 hours after in situ incubation. As the radiation dose increased, the rate of PLDR fastened and the magnitude of increased surviving fraction at saturation level by PLOR also increased. In analysis of cell survival curve fitted to the linear-quadratic model, the linear inactivation coefficient $(\alpha)$ decreased largely and reached nearly to zero but the quadratic inactivation coefficient $(\beta)$ increased minimally by increment of postirradiation in situ incubation time. So PLDR mainly affected the damage expressed as $\alpha$, In the multitarget model, significant change was not obtained in $D_0\;but\;in D_q$. Therefore, shoulder region in cell survival curve was mainly affected by PLDR and terminal slope was not influenced at all. And dose-modifying factor by PLDR was relatively higher in shoulder region, that is, in low dose area below 3 Gy.