• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.413-419
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• 2011

This study was conducted to find out the cadmium (Cd) accumulation and tolerance of Iris pseudacorus and Acorus calamus as aquatic plants native to Korea for Cd removal in water. In the range of Cd concentration from $10{\mu}M$ to $130{\mu}M$, the Cd lethal dose 50 ($LD_{50}$) was $78.5{\mu}M$ in I. pseudacorus and $47.6{\mu}M$ in A. calamus. In I. pseudacorus, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase as antioxidants were relatively effective against oxidative stress caused by Cd, while catalase, superoxide dismutase, and polyphenolics were effective in A. calamus. The polyphenolics known as typical antioxidants were not detected in I. pseudacorus. In both species, the Cd accumulation in plants increased with the higher Cd concentration and the longer processing period. Also, the absorbed Cd was accumulated mainly in the roots. The amount of Cd accumulated in the shoot part was maximally $548.1mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ (82.1% to Cd accumulated in the root part) in I. pseudacorus and $121.4mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ (13.7%) in A. calamus, which implied that both species all were enough evaluated as Cd hyper-accumulators based on 0.01% or more Cd accumulation in the shoot. Especially I. pseudacorus showed outstanding ability to move well Cd into the shoots from the roots and high tolerance to Cd stress.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of cadmium chloride ($CdCl_2$), toxicant, and the protective effect of Chelidonium majus (CM) extract on $CdCl_2$-induced cytotoxicity in cultured NIH3T3 fibroblasts. Cell viability, the effect of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) against $CdCl_2$, and the antioxidative effects including DPPH-free radical scavenging activity, superoxide anion-radical scavenging activity (SSA), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were assessed. $CdCl_2$ caused a significant dose-dependent decrease in cell viability, and $XTT_{50}$ value was determined at 38.7uM of $CdCl_2$. It was determined as highly-toxic by Borenfreund and Puerner' toxic criteria. BHT of antioxidant significantly increased cell viability severely damaged by $CdCl_2$-induced cytotoxicity in these cultures. In the protective effect of CM extract on $CdCl_2$-induced cytotoxicity, CM extract significantly increased cell viability, DPPH-free radical scavenging activity, SSA and inhibitory activity of LDH. From these results, it is suggested that oxidative stress is involved in the cytotoxicity of $CdCl_2$, and CM extract showed protective efficacy on $CdCl_2$-induced cytotoxicity via antioxidative effects. Conclusively, natural resources like CM extract may be a putative antioxidative agent for the detoxification or diminution of toxicity correlated with oxidative stress.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.309-314
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• 1997

The manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is a major component of the cellular defence mechanisms against the toxic effects of the superoxide radical. Within the framework of studies on oxidative stress=responsible enzymes in the Candida sp., the gene encoding the MnSOD was isolated and examined in this study. A specific primer was designed based on conserved regions of MnSOD sequences from other organisms, and was used to isolate the gene by PCR on reverse-transcribed Candida poly($A^{+}$) RNA. The PCR product was used to screen a Candida genomic lambda library and the nucleotide wequence of positive clone was determined. The deduced primary sequence encodes a 25kDa protein which has the conserved residues for enzyme activity and metal binding. The 28 N-terminal amino acids encoded by the Candida cDNA comprise a putatice mitochondrial transit peptide. Potential regulatory elements were identified in the 5' flanking sequences. Northern blot analysis showed that the transcription of the MnSOD gene is induced 5-to 10-fold in response to mercury, cadmium ions and hydrogen peroxide.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.100-107
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• 2007

The moss Physcomitrella patens has two life cycles, filamentous protonema and leafy gametophore. A modified from of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH), mirror orientation selection (MOS), was applied to screen genes differentially expressed in the P. patens protonema. Using reverse Northern blot analysis, differentially expressed clones were identified. The identified genes were involved mainly in metal binding and detoxification. One of these genes was an AP2 (APETALA2) domain-containing protein (PpACP1), which was highly up-regulated in the protonema. Alignment with other AP2/EREBPs (Ethylene Responsive Element Binding Proteins) revealed significant sequence homology of the deduced amino acid sequence in the AP2/EREBP DNA binding domain. Northern analysis under various stress conditions showed that PpACP1 was induced by ethephon, cadmium, copper, ABA, IAA, and cold. In addition, it was highly expressed in suspension-cultured protonema. We suggest that PpACP1 is involved in responses to metals, and that suspension culture enhance the expression of genes responding to metals.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2008

Terpene synthase plays a key role in biosynthesis of triterpene saponins (ginsenosides) and is intermediate in the biosynthesis of a number of secondary metabolites. A terpene synthase (PgTPS) cDNA was isolated and characterized from the root of Panax ginseng c.A. Meyer. The deduced amino acid sequence of PgTPS showed a similarity with A. deliciosa (AAX16121) 61%, V. vinifera (AAS66357) 61%, L. hirsutum (AAG41891) 55%, M. truncatula (AAV36464) 52%. And the segment of a terpene synthase gene was amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). We studied expression of terpene synthase under stressful conditions like chilling, salt, UV, and heavy metal stress treatment. Expression of PgTPS was increased gradually after exposure to stresses such as chilling, salt, and UV illumination. But its transcription seems to be reduced by cadmium and copper treatment.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2017

Bioremediation is a technique using microorganisms to clean up contaminated pollutants including heavy metals. It is well known that yeasts have a high capacity to remove a wide range of metals by biosorption. Therefore, this study was focused on to obtain yeast mutant that has strong tolerance to zinc (Zn), one of representative heavy metals. The Zn resistant yeast mutant (ZnR) was induced and isolated by growing yeast cells in media containing 1 mM $ZnCl_2$ and gradually increasing the concentration until 80 mM $ZnCl_2$, in which cells were adapted and survived. The induced ZnR cells showed strong tolerance to Zn stress compared with control cells. Moreover, the ZnR cells showed increased tolerance to cadmium and nickel stress but decreased tolerance to copper stress. The increased tolerance of ZnR cells to Zn stress was due to mutation of genes. This study can be useful in bioremediation of heavy metals as the metal tolerant microorganism was artificially induced in short time.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.179-184
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• 2009

Hemibarbus mylodon (Cypriniformes) is an endemic freshwater fish species in the Korean peninsula, for which urgent conservation efforts are needed. To understand their stress responses in relation to metal toxicity and thermal elevation, we performed a real-time RT-PCR-based expression assay of hepatic copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), a key antioxidant enzyme, in response to experimental heavy metal exposure or heat treatment. The transcription of hepatic Cu/Zn-SOD was differentially modulated by acute exposure to Cu, cadmium (Cd), or Zn. Exposure to each metal at $5{\mu}M$ for 24 h revealed that Cu stimulated the mRNA expression of Cu/Zn-SOD to a greater extent than the other two heavy metals. The elevation in Cu/Zn-SOD transcripts in response to Cu exposure was dose-dependent (0.5 to $5{\mu}M$). Time course analysis of Cu/Zn-SOD expression in response to Cd exposure ($5{\mu}M$) revealed a transient pattern up to day 7. Exposure to thermal stress (an increase from 22 to $30^{\circ}C$ at a rate of $1^{\circ}C/h$ followed by $30^{\circ}C$ for 18 h) did not significantly alter SOD transcription, although heat shock protein 90 kDa (HSP90) transcription was positively correlated with an increase in temperature.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.326-331
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• 2003

The fission yeast cells that contained the cloned glutathione synthetase (GS) gene showed 1.4-fold higher glutathione (GSB) content and 1.9-fold higher GS activity than the cells without the cloned GS gene. Interestingly, $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity increased 2.1-fold in the S. pombe cells that contained the cloned GS gene. The S. pombe cells that harbored the multi copy-number plasmid pRGS49 (containing the cloned GS gene) showed a higher level of survival on solid media with cadmium chloride (1 mM) or mercuric chloride ($10\;{\mu}M$) than the cells that harbored the YEp357R vector. The 506 bp upstream sequence from the translational initiation point and N-terminal8 amino acid-coding region were fused into the promoteriess $\beta$-galactosidase gene of the shuttle vector YEp367R to generate the fusion plasmid pUGS39. Synthesis of $\beta$-galactosidase from the fusion plasmid pUGS39 was significantly enhanced by cadmium chloride and NO-generating S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and sodium nitroprusside (SN). It was also induced by L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine, a specific inhibitor of $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS). We also found that the expression of the S. pombe GS gene is regulated by the Atf1-Spc1-Wis1 signal pathway.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.640-648
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the inhibitory effect of heavy metals [Cd(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II)] on the growth of Rhodobacter species (Rhodobacter blasticus, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, and Rhodobacter capsulatus) and their potential use for Cd(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) bioremoval from liquid media. The presence of toxic heavy metals prolonged the lag phase in growth and reduced biomass growth for all three Rhodobacter species at concentrations of Cd, Ni, and Zn above 10 mg/L. However, all three Rhodobacter species also had a relatively high specific growth rate against each toxic heavy metal stress test for concentrations below 20 mg/L and possessed a potential bioaccumulation ability. The removal efficiency by all strains was highest for Cd(II), followed by Ni(II), and lowest for Zn(II), with the removal efficiency of Cd(II) by Rhodobacter species being 66% or more. Among the three strains, R. blasticus showed a higher removal efficiency of Cd(II) and Ni(II) than R. capsulatus and R. sphaeroides. Results also suggest that the bio-removal processes of toxic heavy metal ions by Rhodobacter species involve both bioaccumulation (intracellular uptake) and biosorption (surface binding).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1557-1567
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• 2012

Glutathione reductase (GR, E.C. 1.6.4.2) is an important enzyme that reduces glutathione disulfide (GSSG) to a sulfydryl form (GSH) in the presence of an NADPH-dependent system. This is a critical antioxidant mechanism. Owing to the significance of GR, this enzyme has been examined in a number of animals, plants, and microbes. We performed a study to evaluate the molecular properties of GR (OsGR) from rice (Oryza sativa). To determine whether heterologous expression of OsGR can reduce the deleterious effects of unfavorable abiotic conditions, we constructed a transgenic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain expressing the GR gene cloned into the yeast expression vector p426GPD. OsGR expression was confirmed by a semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (semiquantitative RT-PCR) assay, Western-blotting, and a test for enzyme activity. OsGR expression increased the ability of the yeast cells to adapt and recover from $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress and various stimuli including heat shock and exposure to menadione, heavy metals (iron, zinc, copper, and cadmium), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), ethanol, and sulfuric acid. However, augmented OsGR expression did not affect the yeast fermentation capacity owing to reduction of OsGR by multiple factors produced during the fermentation process. These results suggest that ectopic OsGR expression conferred acquired tolerance by improving cellular homeostasis and resistance against different stresses in the genetically modified yeast strain, but did not affect fermentation ability.