• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2007

Carbamates have excellent insecticidal activities against a broad spectrum of insects. They possess knocking-down, fast-killing, and systemic effects, however, they are toxic to mammals. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity test of methylcarbamate and microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in response to methylcarbamate. Methylcarbamate did not show mutations in base substitution strain TA1535 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Methylcarbamate did not show mutations in frame shift TA98 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Methylcarbamate showed DNA damage based on single cell gel/comet assay in L5178Y cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Methylcarbamate did not increase micronuclei in CHO cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles in L5178Y cells in response to methylcarbamate selected differentially expressed 132 genes that could be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of methylcarbamate.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.170-175
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• 2006

The extensive isolation of genes responsive to stressful conditions from a soft coral Scleronephthya gracillimum was described. Soft coral colonies were exposed to thermal and chemical stressors to induce the expression of stress related genes. Differentially expressed genes by natural or anthropogenic stressors were identified by construction of standard and stress exposed-paired subtractive cDNA library. Thirty-two and thirty-seven kinds of candidate genes were identified from thermal or benzo[a]pyrene stress exposed group, respectively, which are associated with cell cycle, cell signaling, transcription, translation, protein metabolism, and other cellular functions. The expected function of each gene was described. The isolated and identified differentially expressed genes have a great potential to identify environmental stressors in global environmental changes and could act as molecular biomarkers for biological responses against environmental changes. Finally, it may open a new paradigm on soft coral health assessment.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.190-198
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• 2018

The petroleum industry is an important part of the world economy. However, the massive exposure of petroleum in nature is a major cause of environmental pollution. Therefore, the microbial mediated biodegradation of petroleum residues is an emerging scientific approach used to resolve these problem. Through the screening of diesel contaminated soil we isolated a rapid phenanthrene and a diesel degrading bacterium identified as Enterobacter cancerogenus DA1 strain through 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The strain was registered in NCBI with an accession number MG270576. The optimal growth condition of the DA1 strain was determined at pH 8 and $35^{\circ}C$, and the highest degradation rate of the diesel was achieved at this condition. At the optimal condition, growth of the strain on the medium containing 0.05% phenanthrene and 0.1% of diesel-fuel was highest at 45 h and 60 h respectively after the incubation period. Biofilm formation was found significantly higher at $35^{\circ}C$ as compared to $30^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$. Likewise, the lipase activity was found significantly higher at 48 h after the incubation compared to 24 h and 72 h. These results suggest that the Enterobacter cancerogenus DA1 could be an efficient candidate, for application through ecofriendly scientific approach, for the biodegradation of petroleum products like diesel.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.1007-1012
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• 2015

EphA7 is a key molecule in regulating the development of the dien- and mesencephalon. To get insight into the mechanism of how EphA7 gene expression is regulated during the dorsal specification of the dien- and mesencephalon, we investigated the cis-acting regulatory sequence driving EphA7 to the dorsal midline of the dien- and mesencephalon. Transgenic LacZ reporter analysis, using overlapping EphA7 BACs, was used to narrow down the dorsal midline-specific enhancer, revealing the 25.3 kb genomic region as the enhancer candidate. Strikingly, this genomic DNA was located far downstream of the EphA7 transcription start site, +302.6 kb to +327.9 kb. Further enhancer mapping, using comparative genomic analysis and transgenic methods, showed that the 187 bp genomic DNA alone, approximately 305 kb downstream of the EphA7 transcription start site, was sufficient to act as the dorsal midline-specific enhancer of EphA7. Importantly, our results indicate that the 187 bp dorsal midline-specific enhancer is critically regulated by homeobox transcription factors during the development of the dien- and mesencephalon.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammation effect of Potentilla chinensis (PC) on Raw264.7 macrophage cells. Ethanol extract of PC decreased the production of nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Ethanol extract was fractioned by n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, water and each fraction was tested for inhibitory effects on inflammation. Among the sequential solvent fractions, PC chloroform extracts (50, 100, 300, and 500 ${\mu}g/mL$) significantly suppressed LPS-stimulated production of NO. During the entire experimental period, 200 and 300 ${\mu}g/mL$ of PC chloroform extracts had no cytotoxicity. LPS-induced NO and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) production were inhibited by PC chloroform extracts up to 50% and 90% of these productions, respectively. PC chloroform extracts reduced the expression of iNOS and COX-2 gene. These results suggest that PC chloroform extracts exhibit strong effects of anti-inflammation and can be a potential candidate in the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.11-26
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• 2003

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid deposition and associated loss of neunons in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes. Several causes of evidence support that the congnitive disturbance is closed associated with the deficit of cerebral acetylcholine neurotransmission, and the effect of carboxyl terminal 105 amino acid fragment (CT105) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) on the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines. We tested it on the scopolamine-induced amnesia model of the ICR mouse using the Morris water maze with repeated orally administration of 1st Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg) and 2nd Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg). The Green-Tea prevents impairment of learning and memory and neuronal loss in mouse models of cognitive disturbance and it demonstrated selectivity for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Furthermore, the repeated administration of Green-Tea, CT105-induced alzheimer's mouse model showed central cholinergic activity by ameliorates learning and memory impairment, and isolation of CD14 microglia showed significantly decreases intracellular release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because of its composite profile, oral therapeutic index and a prophylactic, Green-Tea is considered the better therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.236-240
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• 2003

Human immune system acts to protect the host from infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) and from other noxious insults. However, immune diseases are sometimes caused by the impairment of immune system leading to abnormal immune response. Especially, autoimmune diseases are very diverse and often bring serious damage Although many active investigations to reveal the etiological mechanisms concerning the autoimmune diseases, it still remains unclear. After proposing a HERV (human endogenous retrovirus) as a candidate autoimmune gene in type I diabetes, it is newly attracting our attention for demonstrating that an endogenous human retroviral superantigen can be transactivated by interferon-$\alpha$ (IFN- $\alpha$) or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. These might provide us with powerful clues to carry out further studies to overcome autoimmune diseases as the presentation of a relatively clear connection between endogenous superantigens and human diseases.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.230-238
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• 2013

Many other human species appeared in evolution in the last 6 million years that have not been able to survive to modern times and are broadly known as archaic humans, as opposed to the extant modern humans. It has always been considered fascinating to compare the modern human genome with that of archaic humans to identify modern human-specific sequence variants and figure out those that made modern humans different from their predecessors or cousin species. Neanderthals are the latest humans to become extinct, and many factors made them the best representatives of archaic humans. Even though a number of comparisons have been made sporadically between Neanderthals and modern humans, mostly following a candidate gene approach, the major breakthrough took place with the sequencing of the Neanderthal genome. The initial genome-wide comparison, based on the first draft of the Neanderthal genome, has generated some interesting inferences regarding variations in functional elements that are not shared by the two species and the debated admixture question. However, there are certain other genetic elements that were not included or included at a smaller scale in those studies, and they should be compared comprehensively to better understand the molecular make-up of modern humans and their phenotypic characteristics. Besides briefly discussing the important outcomes of the comparative analyses made so far between modern humans and Neanderthals, we propose that future comparative studies may include retrotransposons, pseudogenes, and conserved non-coding regions, all of which might have played significant roles during the evolution of modern humans.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.246-252
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• 2006

1,2-Dibromoethane(DBE) has been widely used as a soil fumigant, an additive to leaded gasoline and an industrial solvent. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity test of 1,2-dibromoethane and microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in response to 1,2-dibromoethane. 1,2-Dibromoethane showed mutations in base substitution strain TA1535 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 1,2-Dibromoethane showed mutations in frame shift TA98 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 1,2-Dibromoethane showed DNA damage based on single cell gel/comet assay in L5178Y cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 1,2-Dibromoethane increased micronuclei in CRO cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles in L5178Y cells in response to 1,2-dibromoethane selected differentially expressed 241 genes that would be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of 1,2-dibromoethane.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-73
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• 2008

Several aspects of photoperception and light signal transduction have been elucidated by studies with model plants. However, the information available for economically important crops, such as Fabaceae species, is scarce. In order to incorporate the existing genomic tools into a strategy to advance soybean research, we have investigated publicly available expressed sequence tag (EST) sequence databases in order to identify Glycine max sequences related to genes involved in light-regulated developmental control in model plants. Approximately 38,000 sequences from open-access databases were investigated, and all bona fide and putative photoreceptor gene families were found in soybean sequence databases. We have identified G. max orthologs for several families of transcriptional regulators and cytoplasmic proteins mediating photoreceptor-induced responses, although some important Arabidopsis phytochrome-signaling components are absent. Moreover, soybean and Arabidopsis genefamily homologs appear to have undergone a distinct expansion process in some cases. We propose a working model of light perception, signal transduction and response-eliciting in G. max, based on the identified key components from Arabidopsis. These results demonstrate the power of comparative genomics between model systems and crop species to elucidate several aspects of plant physiology and metabolism.