• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.203-211
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• 2011

Previous studies have shown that plant-based vegetarian diets, which typically contain a variety of antioxidants and dietary fiber, help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. However, some studies have reported that vegetarian diets can lead to deficiencies in protein and trace minerals compared to non-vegetarian diets. This study was conducted to compare anthropometric measurements, blood parameters, dietary intake, and hair mineral status in long-term vegetarians (MV; moderate vegan, LV; lacto-ovo vegetarian) and non-vegetarians (NV). Thirty MV (12 males, 18 females; mean age, $50.58{\pm}5.05$ years), 15 LV (11 males, four females; mean age, $49.45{\pm}4.97$ years), and 30 NV (15 males, 15 females; mean age, $48.90{\pm}3.62$ years) participated. No significant differences were observed for age, height, weight, or body mass index, but body fat was significant lower in MV and LV males than that in NV males. White blood cell counts of MV, LV, and NV male subjects were significantly different. Dietary intake data showed that plant protein and plant iron intake were significantly higher in MV and LV than those in NV. Animal protein, animal fat, and animal iron intake were significantly higher in NV than those in MV and LV. A hair mineral analysis showed that calcium and iron were higher in the hair of MV and LV than those in NV. Zinc concentration in hair was not significantly different among the groups. The results suggest that vegetarian diets are adequate to sustain mineral status to at least the same degree as that of non-vegetarian diets.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.809-817
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• 2009

The phenotypes associated with a gene function are often the best clue to its role in the plant. Transgenic plants ectopically expressing or suppressing a gene can provide useful information related to the gene function. In this study, we constructed three vectors - pFGL571, pFGL846 and pFGL847 - for the Agrobacterium-mediated ectopic expression of plant genes using pPZP211 and modified CaMV 35S, UBQ3 or UBQ10 promoters. The three vectors have several merits such as small size, high copy in bacteria, enough restriction enzyme sites in multi cloning sites and nucleotide sequence information. Analysis of transgenic plants containing GUS or sGFP reporter genes under the control of modified CaMV 35S, UBQ3 or UBQI0 promoter revealed that all of the three promoters showed high activities during most developmental stages after germination and in floral organs. Furthermore, we generated a RNAi module vector, pFGL727, to suppress plant gene expressions and confirmed that pFGL727 is useful for the suppression of a gene expression using rice transgenic plants. Taken together, our new vectors would be very useful for the ectopic expression or the suppression of plant genes.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.347-350
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• 1990

The association between psoralens and some micelles is measured by the fluorescence quenching of psoralens by methylviologen $(MV^{2+})$ and bromide ion in some ionic micellar solutions. The association constants were estimated to be ca. $10^4$ for all the psoralens studied even though they show different hydrophobicity.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2004

Transient uidA expression was used to optimize parameters required for biolistic transformation of suspension cells of Easter lily, Lilium longiflourm. Maximum uidA expression occurred following bombardment with gold particles as compared to tungsten. A 3hr pre-treatment of suspension cells with 0.125M osmoticum resulted in a 1.5X increase in uidA expression. A helium pressure of 1550 psi combined with a particle travelling distance of 6cm resulted in maximum uidA expression as compared to either 1100, 1200, or 1800 psi. Transient transformation resulted in up to 493 uidA expressing cells/Petri plate. For stable transformation suspension cells of Lilium longiflorum, were co-bombarded with plasmid DNA containing cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) replicase under the rice actin (Act1) promoter and either the bar or PAT genes under the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 355) promoter. Ten regenerated plants contained the transgene as analyzed by PCR, and two of the ten plants were confirmed to contain the transgene by Southern hybridization. The two transgenic plants were independent transformants, one containing the bar gene and the other both the CMV replicase and bar genes. Plants were sprayed at the rosette stage and found to be resistant to 1000 mg/L of phosphinothricin (Trade name-Ignite) indicating expression of the bar gene throughout the leaves when bar was under control of the CaMV 35S promoter.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.474-480
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• 2008

OsMADS1 is a rice MADS box gene necessary for floral development. To identify the key cis-regulatory regions for its expression, we utilized transgenic rice plants expressing GUS fusion constructs. Histochemical analysis revealed that the 5.7-kb OsMADS1 intragenic sequences, encompassing exon 1, intron 1, and a part of exon 2, together with the 1.9-kb 5' upstream promoter region, are required for the GUS expression pattern that coincides with flower-preferential expression of OsMADS1. In contrast, the 5' upstream promoter sequence lacking this intragenic region caused ectopic expression of the reporter gene in both vegetative and reproductive tissues. Notably, incorporation of the intragenic region into the CaMV35S promoter directed the GUS expression pattern similar to that of the endogenous spatial expression of OsMADS1 in flowers. In addition, our transient gene expression assay revealed that the large first intron following the CaMV35S minimal promoter enhances flower-preferential expression of GUS. These results suggest that the OsMADS1 intragenic sequence, largely intron 1, contains a key regulatory region(s) essential for expression.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 2006

Interleukin-18 (IL-18), otherwise known as interferon-gamma-inducing factor (IGIF), is one of several well characterized and important cytokines that contribute to host defenses. The complementary DNA (cDNA) of mature human interleukin-18 gene (hIL-18) was fused with the signal peptide of the rice amylase 1A gene (Ramy1A) and introduced into the plant expression vector under the control of a duplicated CaMV 35S promoter. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Havana) using the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method. The integration of the hlL-18 gene into the genome of transgenic tobacco plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and its expression was observed in the suspension cells that were derived from the transgenic plant callus by using Northern blot analysis. The hlL-18 protein was detected in the extracts of the transgenic callus and in the medium of the transgenic tobacco suspension culture by using immunoblot analysis. Based upon enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) results, the expression level of the hlL-18 protein approximated $166{\mu}g/L$ in the suspension culture medium. Bioassay results from the induction of $interferon-{\gamma}$ from a KG-1 cell line indicated that the hlL-18 secreted into the suspension culture medium was bioactive.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.577-581
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• 2002

In an attempt to produce recombinant proteins using the pollen enriched in some plant species, a 1.7 kb DNA encoding urease subunit B (UreB) amplified by PCR from Helicobacter pylori urease gene cluster in pH808 plasmid was cloned to be expressed under CaMV35S promoter in lily (Lilium longiflorum) pollen tubes elongated in vitro. Lily pollen at early germinating stage was transformed with the ureB DNA using Agrobacterium via vacuum infiltration and, incubated for a full pollen tube growth 16 - 24 h in the dark in the presence of kanamycin. DNA integration and expression in the transgenic pollen were analyzed by the standard molecular techniques and the results suggest that the pollen in vitro may be employed as a protein factory in a disposable fashion.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2000

Helicobacter pylori, an etiologic agent of gastritis and peptic ulceration, produces urease which elicits a powerful immunoglobulin response in H. pylori-infected individuals. To establish a model plant vaccine agains H. pylori, 750 bp -ureA DNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction from pH 808 plasmid harboring urease gene cluster was cloned and manipulated to be expressed in tobacco plants. From the regenerated transgenic tobacco plants, ureA DNA integration,m its mRNA expression and protein synthesis were analyzed and confirmed by standard molecular techniques. The CaMV 35S promoter-driving ureA construct was expressed to produce a 30 kDa protein which was identical with bacterial UreA in size when detected on immunoblot of SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.385-390
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• 2009

A resveratrol synthase (RS) gene was isolated from peanut (Arachis hypogaea, L. cv. Jinpoong) plants. This gene was placed under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (CaMV35S) and introduced into two Korean varieties of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cvs. Jasim and Jowon) plants by Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. Putative transformants were screened by PCR with primers designed from CaMV 35S promoter, NOS terminator and RS gene. Most of selected transgenic potato plants showed the amplification of expected fragments by PCR of genomic DNA with gene-specific primers, while they were absent in untransformed control plants. Expression of the resveratrol synthase gene was also examined by northern blot analysis. The transformants showed a band which was lacking in the control plant, confirming that the introduced gene is transcribed into mRNA in the transformants. The strength of the band, which reflected the level of mRNA expression, differed among the individual transformants. Among the transformants obtained, the highest trans-resveratrol content in the transgenic young leaves of purple-fleshed "Jashim" was $2.11{\mu}gg^{-1}$ fresh weight and that in the microtubers in vitro of purple fleshed "Jashim" was $8.31{\mu}gg^{-1}$ fresh weight. This amount of resveratrol may have a positive biological effect on human health.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.50-56
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• 2008

As one way to approach to cold defense mechanism in plants, we previously identified the gene for protein-tyrosine phosphatase (CaTPP1) from hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) using cDNA microarray analysis coupled with Northern blot analysis. We showed that the CaTPP1 gene was strongly induced by cold, drought, salt and ABA stresses. The CaTPP1 gene was engineered under control of CaMV 35S promoter for constitutive expression in transgenic tobacco plants by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The resulting CaTPP1 transgenic tobacco plants showed significantly increased cold stress resistance. It also appeared that some of the transgenic tobacco plants showed increased drought tolerance. The CaTPP1 transgenic plants showed no visible phenotypic alteration compared to wild type plants. These results showed the involvement of protein tyrosine phosphatase in tolerance of abiotic stresses including cold and drought stress.