• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.290-297
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• 2021

Leptolyngbya sp. KIOST-1 (LK1) is a newly isolated cyanobacterium that shows no obvious cytotoxicity and contains high protein content for both human and animal diets. However, only limited information is available on its toxic effects. The purpose of this study was to validate the safety of LK1 powder. Following Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines, a single-dose oral toxicity test in Sprague Dawley rats was performed. Genotoxicity was assessed using a bacterial reverse mutation test with Salmonella typhimurium (strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537) and Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA, an in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test using Chinese hamster lung cells, and an in vivo mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test using Hsd:ICR (CD-1) SPF mouse bone marrow. After LK1 administration (2,500 mg/kg), there were no LK1-related body weight changes or necropsy findings. The reverse mutation test showed no increased reverse mutation upon exposure to 5,000 ㎍/plate of the LK1 powder, the maximum tested amount. The chromosome aberration test and micronucleus assay demonstrated no chromosomal abnormalities and genotoxicity, respectively, in the presence of the LK1 powder. The absence of physiological findings and genetic abnormalities suggests that LK1 powder is appropriate as a candidate biomass to be used as a safe food ingredient.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.251-257
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• 1996

The detection of many synthetic chemicals used in industry that may pose a genetic hazard in our environment is subject of great concern at present. In this respect, the genetic toxicity of fenpropathrin ((RS)-.alpha.-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl-2,2,3,3-tetramethyl cyclopropane carboxylate, CAS No.:39514-41-8), a pyrethroid insecticide, was evaluated in bacterial gene mutation system, chromosome aberration in mammalian cell system and in vivo micronucleus assay with rodents. In bacterial gene mutation assay, no mutagenicity of fenpropathrin (62-$5000\mug/plate$) was observed in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, 100, 1535 and 1537 both in the absence and in the presence of S-9 metabolic activaton system. In mammalian cell system using chinese hamster lung fibroblast, no clastogenicity of fenpropathrin was also observed both in the absence and in the presence of metabolic activation system in the concentration range of $7-28\mug/ml$. And also, in vivo micronucleus assay using mouse bone marrow cells, fenpropathrin also revealed no mutagenic potential in the dose range of 27-105 mg/kg body weight of fenpropathrin (i.p.). Consequently, no mutagenic potential of fenpropathrin was observed in vitro bacterial, mammalian mutagenicity systems and in vivo micronucleus assay in the dose ranges used in this experiment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.315-320
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• 1996

The role of glyoxylate bypass in a lysine-producing Corynebacterium lactofermentum strain was analyzed. Unlike the wild type, the strain expressed enzymes of glyoxylate bypass during growth in the fermentation broth containing glucose as the carbon source. To evaluate the importance of glyoxylate bypass in the strain, we disrupted chromosomal aceA by using a cloned fragment of the gene. Site-specific disruption of aceA which codes for the isocitrate lyase, the first enzyme of the bypass, was confirmed by Southern blot analysis. The aceA mutant strain completely lost isocitrate lyase activity and ability to grow in a minimal medium containing acetate as the sole carbon source. The mutant strain was similar to its parental strain in growth characteristics and produced comparable amounts of lysine in shake flasks containing glucose as the carbon source. The amount of oxaloacetate accumulated in the fermentation medium was similar for both strains, suggesting that expression of glyoxylate bypass does not necessarily lead to the increase in intracellular oxaloacetate. These data clearly demonstrate that glyoxylate bypass does not function as one of the routes of carbon supply for lysine production in the strain. It appears that the leakiness of the glyoxylate bypass in the strain might be the result of a secondary mutation which arose during previous strain development by random mutagenesis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2012

Cancers claim millions of lives each year. Early detection that can enable a higher chance of cure is of paramount importance to cancer patients. However, diagnostic tools for many forms of tumors have been lacking. Over the last few years, studies of chimeric RNAs as biomarkers have emerged. Numerous reports using bioinformatics and screening methodologies have described more than 30,000 expressed sequence tags (EST) or cDNA sequences as putative chimeric RNAs. While cancer cells have been well known to contain fusion genes derived from chromosomal translocations, rearrangements or deletions, recent studies suggest that trans-splicing in cells may be another source of chimeric RNA production. Unlike cis-splicing, trans-splicing takes place between two pre-mRNA molecules, which are in most cases derived from two different genes, generating a chimeric non-co-linear RNA. It is possible that trans-splicing occurs in normal cells at high frequencies but the resulting chimeric RNAs exist only at low levels. However the levels of certain RNA chimeras may be elevated in cancers, leading to the formation of fusion genes. In light of the fact that chimeric RNAs have been shown to be overrepresented in various tumors, studies of the mechanisms that produce chimeric RNAs and identification of signature RNA chimeras as biomarkers present an opportunity for the development of diagnoses for early tumor detection.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.301-306
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• 1989

A genomic library of Zymomonas mobilis DNA was constructed in Escherichia coli using plasmid pUC9 Allyl alcohol was used to screen a genomic clone expressing alcohol dehydrogenase. The plasmids isolated from two clones, which were sensitive to allyl alcohol, were found to be related and to share a common 2.6 kb fragment encoding alcohol dehydrogenase II identified as one of two isozymes in Z. mobilis by staining for alcohol dehydrogenase activity on polyacrylamide gel and spectrophotometric analysis of several substrate oxidations.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2004

Three synthetic chemicals, benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-l-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol were selected for genotoxicity testing, based on production quantity and available genotoxic data. In our previous report, benzoyl chloride induced chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast in vitro with and without metabolic activation, while 2-propyn-l-ol and 2-phenoxy ethanol induced only with metabolic activation. To compare the genotoxicity of chromosome aberration assay, the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay subjected using CHL cells. As a result, statistically significant differences of tail moment values of benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-1-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol were observed compared with control values on almost all concentrations with S9 or without S9 metabolic activation system. This results suggest that genotoxic results of the comet assay and the chromosome aberration assay show correlationship of genotoxicity in the CHL fibroblast. In summary, the positive result of chromosome aberration of benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-l-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol was also induced DNA damages in comet assay with same cell line. Consequently, comet assay will be useful and more accurate tool to detect and to confirm the genotoxicity especially DNA damages in CHL fibroblast.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.265-270
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• 2010

Two major endoglucanase genes (cel7B and cel5A) were cloned from Penicillium decumbens 114-2 using the method of modified thermal asymmetric interlaced polymerase chain reaction (TAIL-PCR). The result of Southern blotting suggested that P. decumbens has a single copy of the cel5A gene and a single copy of the cel7B gene in its chromosomal DNA. The expression levels of cel5A and cel7B were determined by means of real-time quantitative PCR, suggesting that the two genes were coordinately expressed, and repressed by glucose and induced by cellulose. Both endoglucanase genes were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the recombinant proteins were purified. The recombinant Cel7B and Cel5A were both optimally active at $60^{\circ}C$ and pH 4.0. The recombinant Cel7B showed more than 8-fold, 30-fold, and 5-fold higher enzyme activities toward carboxymethyl cellulose, barley $\beta$-glucan, and PASC, respectively, in comparison with that of Cel5A. However, their activities toward pNPC and Avicel showed minor differences. The results suggested that Cel7B is a strict endoglucanase, whereas Cel5A showed processivity because of its relative higher ability to hydrolyze the crystal cellulose.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.448-454
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• 1996

Bacteriophage ${\phi}FC1$ is a temperate phage which was identified as a prophage in the Enterococcus faecalis KBL703 chromosome. Phage ${\phi}FC1$ integrates into the host chromosome by site-specific recombination. The phage attachment site P (attP) was localized within the 0.65-kb XhoI-HindIII fragment and the nucleotide sequence of the region was determined. An open reading frame (mj1) which adjoined the phage attachment site encoded a deduced protein related to the site-specific recombinase family. The organization of this region was comparable to other site-specific recombination systems. The molecular weight of the expressed MJ1 in E. coli was in good agreement with the predicted 53,537 Da of the mj1 gene product. Elucidation of the phage-specific integration process in this study would provide useful genetic tools such as a chromosomal integration system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.96-101
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• 1991

Phenotypic changes after plasmid curing experiment suggested that the bacteriocin production phenotype ($Bac^{+}$) might be linked to a chromosomal DNA and the mucin production phenotype ($Muc^{+}$) might be linked to a 62.5 kilobase (kb) plasmid (pMUC62) in Lactobacillus plantarum 27 isolated from meat starter culture. The non-mucoid ($Muc^{-}$) variants were missing pMUC62 but they produced bacteriocin as the wild strain ($Bac^{+}$). There was no difference in antibiotic resistance and sugar fermentation patterns between the wild strain ($Bac^{+}$ $Muc^{+}$) and the nonmucoid ($Bac^{+}$ $Muc^{-}$) variants. Antimicrobial spectrum of bacteriocin produced by both wild strain and $Muc^{-}$ variant of Lb. plantarum 27 included strains of Pediococcus acidilactici (A, M, H), Pediococcus sp. isolated from meat, Lactobacillus sp. isolated from meat, Lb. plantarum NCDO 955 and Staphylococcus aureus 485. Neither of the tested Gram negative bacteria were inhibited by bacteriocin. Antimicrobial activity of crude bacteriocin was retained after autoclaving, DNase or catalase treatment and exposure from pHs 4 to 9 but was lost after treating with several proteolytic enzymes and exposure at pH 10.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.166-173
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• 1992

The expression of Bacillus subtilis $\alpha$-amylase from the phoA-amyE fusion gene in recombinant E. coli was investigated under various environmental conditions. The overexpression of cloned $\alpha$-amylase caused retardations in cell growth and synthesis of alkaline phosphatase (AP) from the chromosomal phoA gene. The change of culture temperature from $37^\circ{C}$ to $30^\circ{C}$ increased the specific activities of both $\alpha$-amylase and $\beta$-lactamase by six and two times, respectively, whereas the AP activity remained unchanged. The experiments with chlorampenicol (a translation inhibitor) suggested the enhancement of $\alpha$-amylase activity at $30^\circ{C}$, and this was partly due to the stability of $\alpha$-amylase itself. The further decrease of the temperature to $25^\circ{C}$ slowed down both the cell growth and cloned-gene expression rate. The $\alpha$-amylase activity showed a maximum at pH of 7.4 while alkaline phosphatase was most effectively produced at pH of 8.3.