• Title/Summary/Keyword: Caenorhabditis Elegans

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A Screen for Genetic Loci on the X Chromosome Required for Body-Wall Muscle Development during Embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

  • Lee, Deok-Gyu;Sin, Ji-Yeon;An, Ju-Hong
    • Animal cells and systems
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    • v.1 no.2
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    • pp.355-361
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    • 1997
  • We have screened available chromosomal deficiencies on the X chromosome for genetic loci whose zygotic expression is required for body-wall muscle development during embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Previously, it had been reported that no sign of muscle development was detected in nullo-X embryos arrested at an early stage of embryogenesis. Based on this observation, it has been suggested that genetic loci exist on the X chromosome whose zygotic expression is essential for body-wall muscle formation. In order to identify such myogenic loci, 9 chromosomal deficiencies covering approximately 45% of the X chromosome have been tested. Homozygous embryos from these deficiency strains were collected and terminal phenotypes of arrested embryos were observed by Nomarski microscopy. As a secondary assay, monoclonal antibodies against two myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms, the products of the myo-3 and unc-54 genes, were used to detect body-wall muscle differentiation. All the homozygous deficiency embryos were positively stained with both MHC antibodies and muscle twitching movement was observed in most cases. Combined with previously analyzed deficiencies, our deficiency screen has covered approximately 70% of the X chromosome. We conclude that the regions covered by the available deficiencies on the X chromosome do not include any myogenic locus required for body-wall muscle formation. Alternatively, the possibility that nullo-X embryo may not form body-wall muscle due to a general failure to differentiate during embryogenesis remains to be tested.

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Effects of Minor Ginsenosides, Ginsenoside Metabolites, and Ginsenoside Epimers on the Growth of Caenorhabditis elegans

  • Lee, Joon-Hee;Ahn, Ji-Yun;Shin, Tae-Joon;Choi, Sun-Hye;Lee, Byung-Hwan;Hwang, Sung-Hee;Kang, Ji-Yeon;Kim, Hyeon-Joong;Park, Chan-Woo;Nah, Seung-Yeol
    • Journal of Ginseng Research
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    • v.35 no.3
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    • pp.375-383
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    • 2011
  • In the previous report, we have demonstrated that ginsenoside Rc, one of major ginsenosides, is a major component for the restoration for normal growth of worms in cholesterol-deprived medium. In the present study, we further investigated the roles of minor ginsenosides, such as ginsenoside $Rh_1$ and $Rh_2$, ginsenoside metabolites such as compound K (CK), protopanaxadiol (PPD), and protopanaxatriol (PPT) and ginsenoside epimers such as 20(R)- and 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ in cholesterol-deprived medium. We found that ginsenoside $Rh_1$ almost restored normal growth of worms in cholesterol-deprived medium in F1 generation. However, supplement of ginsenoside $Rh_2$ caused a suppression of worm growths in cholesterol-deprived medium. In addition, CK and PPD also slightly restored normal growth of worms in cholesterol-deprived medium but PPT not. In experiments using ginsenoside epimers, supplement of 20(S)- but not 20(R)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ in cholesterol-deprived medium also almost restored worm growth. These results indicate that the absence or presence of carbohydrate component at backbone of ginsenoside, the number of carbohydrate attached at carbon-3, and the position of hydroxyl group at carbon-20 of ginsenoside might plays important roles in restoration of worm growth in cholesterol-deprived medium.

Comparison of Functional Gene Annotation of Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara canis using CLC Genomics Workbench

  • Kim, Ki Uk;Park, Sang Kyun;Kang, Shin Ae;Park, Mi Kyung;Cho, Min Kyoung;Jung, Ho-Jin;Kim, Kyung-Yun;Yu, Hak Sun
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.51 no.5
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    • pp.525-530
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    • 2013
  • The ascarids, Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina, are probably the most common gastrointestinal helminths encountered in dogs. In order to understand biological differences of 2 ascarids, we analyzed gene expression profiles of female adults of T. canis and T. leonina using CLC Genomics Workbench, and the results were compared with those of free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. A total of 2,880 and 7,949 ESTs were collected from T. leonina and T. canis, respectively. The length of ESTs ranged from 106 to 4,637 bp with an average insert size of 820 bp. Overall, our results showed that most functional gene annotations of 2 ascarids were quite similar to each other in 3 major categories, i.e., cellular component, biological process, and molecular function. Although some different transcript expression categories were found, the distance was short and it was not enough to explain their different lifestyles. However, we found distinguished transcript differences between ascarid parasites and free-living nematodes. Understanding evolutionary genetic changes might be helpful for studies of the lifestyle and evolution of parasites.

Effects of Korean ginseng berry on skin antipigmentation and antiaging via FoxO3a activation

  • Kim, Juewon;Cho, Si Young;Kim, Su Hwan;Cho, Donghyun;Kim, Sunmi;Park, Chan-Woong;Shimizu, Takahiko;Cho, Jae Youl;Seo, Dae Bang;Shin, Song Seok
    • Journal of Ginseng Research
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.277-283
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    • 2017
  • Background: The ginseng berry has various bioactivities, including antidiabetic, anticancer, antiinflammatory, and antioxidative properties. Moreover, we have revealed that the active antiaging component of the ginseng berry, syringaresinol, has the ability to stimulate longevity via gene activation. Despite the many known beneficial effects of ginseng, its effects on skin aging are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of ginseng and the ginseng berry on one of the skin aging processes, melanogenesis, and age-related pigment lipofuscin accumulation, to elucidate the mechanism of action with respect to antiaging. Methods: The human melanoma MNT1 cell line was treated with ginseng root extract, ginseng berry extract, or syringaresinol. Then, the cells were analyzed using a melanin assay, and the tyrosinase activity was estimated. The Caenorhabditis elegans wild type N2 strain was used for the life span assay to analyze the antiaging effects of the samples. A lipofuscin fluorescence assay was performed during 10 passages with the syringaresinol treatment. Results: A 7-d treatment with ginseng berry extract reduced melanin accumulation and tyrosinase activity more than ginseng root extract. These results may be due to the active compound of the ginseng berry, syringaresinol. The antimelanogenic activity was strongly coordinated with the activation of the longevity gene foxo3a. Moreover, the ginseng berry extract had more potent antiaging effects, caused a life span extension, and reduced lipofuscin accumulation. Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggest that these antimelanogenic effects and antiaging effects of ginseng berry mediate the activation of antioxidation-FoxO3a signaling.

Studies on the Function of Peroxidasins in Innate Immune System in C. elegans

  • Cho, Jeong Hoon
    • Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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    • v.12 no.4
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    • pp.142-146
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    • 2019
  • Peroxidasin is a unique member of peroxidase family in that it has extracellular matrix (ECM) motif as well as peroxidase activity. Peroxidasins are involved in consolidation the extracellular matrix during development and in innate immune defense. C. elegans has two functional peroxidasins, PXN-1 and PXN-2, and PXN-2 is known to contribute to innate immune system. However, it is not clear of PXN-1 function in innate immune system. Therefore, this study is focused on the function of PXN-1 and the relationship between PXN-1 and PXN-2 in innate defense system in C. elegans. When pxn-1 was knocked down by RNAi, the worm turned to be more resistant to pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the enhanced resistance was abolished in pxn-1pxn-2 double knock down. By contrast, pxn-2 knock down showed stronger susceptibility to the pathogens. These results suggest that pxn-2 can contribute the pathogen resistance and pxn-1 can suppress the pathogen resistance. To confirm the idea, overexpression experiments were performed. Overexpression of pxn-1 showed more susceptible to pathogens compared to the control and double overexpression of pxn-1pxn-2 overcame the susceptibility of pxn-1 overexpression to the pathogens. On the other hand, pxn-2 overexpression made the worm more resistant to the pathogens and the resistance was maintained in pxn-1pxn-2 double overexpression. The comparison of the susceptibilities to the bacterial pathogens in above mentioned constructs suggests that PXN-1 suppress the function of PXN-2 in defense against bacterial pathogens in Caenorhabditis elegans.