• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권8호
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• pp.2599-2606
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• 2011

The fluorescence of ethidium bound to DNA, poly[d(A-T)$_2$], and poly[d(G-C)$_2$] at a [ethidium]/[DNA] ratio of 0.005 was quenched by porphyrins when both ethidium and the porphyrins simultaneously bound to the same polynucleotide. The quenching was tested using the "inner sphere" and the "Forster resonance energy transfer" (FRET) models, with the latter found to contribute, at least in part, to the quenching. Meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (TMPyP) exhibited a higher quenching and FRET efficiency than cis-bis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (BMPyP) for all of the tested DNA and polynucleotides, demonstrating that energy transfer efficiency is affected by the number of positive charges of porphyrins.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.63-69
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• 2004

Casapse-3 protease is known as a key role of apoptotic enzyme, and caspase-3 activity is a central event that occurs upstream of DNA fragmentation during apoptosis. This study demonstrates that chitosan pretreatment inhibits cadmium-induced apoptosis by attenuating the activity of caspase-3. We also analyzed the protective effect of chitosan on DNA fragmentation induced by cadmium. Cadmium toxicity was examined by DNA fragmentation and nuclear condensation with Hoechst stain. Caspase-3 activities were increased cadmium treated group for 3 hours compared with control. When chitosan (150 mg/ml) was pretreated at 30 min before cadmium treatment, cadmium cytotoxicity was suppressed in a dose-dependent manner evaluated by DNA fragmentation and caspase activity. From these results, it is suggest that the protective effect of chitosan pretreatment against cadmium-induced cytotoxicity is mediated through inhibition of caspase-3 protease activation and DNA fragmentation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.199-203
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• 1994

Several lines evidence indicate that microtubule depolymerization initiates DNA synthesis or enhances the effects of serum or purified growth factors in many types of fibroblasts. Yet little is known about the intracellular events responsible for the mitogenic effect of microtubule disrupting agents. The effects of antitubulin agents on DNA synthesis in sparse and dense cultures in the presence or absence of serum and possible involvement of G-proteins in their mitotic action were examined. In these studies, colchicine by itself appeared to be mitogenic only for confluent quiesecent human lung fibroblasts. In sparse culture, however, colchicine inhibited serum-stimulated DNA synthesis. Colcemid, another antitubulin agent, showed similar effects of growth inhibition and stimulation in sparse and confluent cultures while lumicolhicine, inactive colchicine, did not. The mitogenic effect of two antitubulin agents, colchicine and colcemid, was partially inhibited by pertussis toxin. These data suggest that microtubular integrity is associated with the expression of either negative or positive control on DNA synthesis and mitogenic effect of antitubulin agents may be partially mediated by pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein.

• 대한화학회지
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.193-198
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• 1999

다가 양이온성 고분자인 polyethylenimine(PEI)를 이용한 plasmid DNA의 세포 전이를 검색했다. 먼저 agarose assay에 의한 2, 10, 25, 및 50KD PEI와 DNA의 중화복합체의 최적비율은 분자량에는 영향을 받지 않았고, 최적의 PEI nitrogen/DNA phosphate 중화 비율은 1.5-2.0(nmol/nmol)로 나타났다. 이 복합체들을 이용한 COS1 세포전이에서는 2KD를 제외하고는 naked DNA에 대비 전이가 증가했고, 이 중에서 특히 25KD PEI는 적정 전이조건에서 DEAE-dextran 혹은 lipofectin 보다 다소 증가된 전이율을 보였다. In vitro 세포전이의 최적 PEI/DNA 비는 7.6-13.3(nmol/nmol)이었고 최적 중화복합체를 이루는 비율보다 높게 나타났다. 용액의 pH에 따른 전이율의 변화는 크게 없었으나 산성일때가 약간 더 증가했다. 세포 표적전이와 독성감소를 위해 인지질분자를 사용한 liposome formulation을 PEI/DNA계에 도입하였다. 그 결과, PC/PE 중성 리포솜이 도입된 경우는 25KD를 제외하고는 PEI 단독일 때 혹은 리포솜 단독일 때 보다 전이율이 2-2.5 배씩 증가했다. 그러나 PEI와 같은 양이온성의 DOTAP/PE 리포솜 도입은 charge repulsion 작용으로 오히려 DOTAP/PE 단독계보다 전이가 감소하는 역효과를 보였다. Liposomal PEI계의 세포독성은 PEI 단독일 때 보다 % cell survival이 10-20% 정도 증가했다. 이 결과들은 PEI가 단독으로도 좋은 전이제로 작용 할 뿐 아니라 세포표적 운반이 가능한 중${\cdot}$음성 리포솜의 효과적인 DNA 응축제로도 이용 될 수 있음을 증명했다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.67-78
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• 2019

Methylation of HBV cccDNA has been detected in vivo and in vitro; however, the mechanism and its effects on HBV replication remain unclear. HBx derived from a 1.2-mer HBV replicon upregulated protein levels and enzyme activities of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), 3a, and 3b, resulting in methylation of the negative regulatory region (NRE) in cccDNA, while none of these effects were observed with an HBx-null mutant. The HBx-positive HBV cccDNA expressed higher levels of HBc and produced about 4-fold higher levels of HBV particles than those from the HBx-null counterpart. For these effects, HBx interrupted the action of NRE binding protein via methylation of the C-1619 within NRE, resulting in activation of the core promoter. Treatment with 5-Aza-2′dC or DNMT1 knock-down drastically impaired the ability of HBx to activate the core promoter and stimulate HBV replication in 1.2-mer HBV replicon and in vitro infection systems, indicating the positive role of HBx-mediated cccDNA methylation in HBV replication.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.109-115
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• 2001

Background: The role of the interferon consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP), a member of interferon regulatory factor family, in protecting against a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection has not been firmly elucidated. Thus, it was investigated utilizing the human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells which do not express ICSBP. Methods: HL-60 cells were stably transfected with plasmid containing cDNA for either ICSBP or DNA binding domain (DBD) and tested for their VSV-susceptibilities. The susceptibility of each transfectant group to a VSV infection was determined by a plaque assay at 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-infection in the presence (500 IU/ml) or absence of interferon ${\alpha}$ ($IFN{\alpha}$). Results: In the absence of $IFN{\alpha}$, the three groups showed similar sensitivities to a VSV infection. However, when pre-treated with IFN, the viral titers in both the ICSBP and control clones steadily decreased over 48 h of incubation, indicating the existence of $IFN{\alpha}$-mediated protection against VSV infection. The $IFN{\alpha}$-treated ICSBP clones appeared to be more resistant to infection compared with the control clones, although the difference was not great. On the contrary, the viral titers in the $IFN{\alpha}$-treated DBD clones increased at 24 h then decreased by 48 h. Conclusion: The expression of truncated ICSBP (DBD) does not appear to underlie the impaired protection against a VSV infection in the DBD clones, since even the control clones lacking ICSBP were protected from a VSV infection. This suggests that ICSBP does not play a critical role in the $IFN{\alpha}$- mediated anti-VSV response of HL-60 cells, although it appears to confer some resistance to a VSV infection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제21권12호
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• pp.1336-1344
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• 2011

This study details and examines a novel ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (LM-PCR) method. Named the LM-PCR/Shifter, it relies on the use of a Class IIS restriction enzyme giving restriction fragments with different 4-base, 5' overhangs, this being the Shifter, and the ligation of appropriate oligonucleotide adapters. A sequence of 4-base, 5' overhangs of the adapter and a 4-base sequence of the 3' end of the primer(s) determine a subset of the genomic restriction fragments, which are amplified by PCR. The method permits the differentiation of bacterial species strains on the basis of the different DNA band patterns obtained after electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels stained with ethidium bromide and visualized in UV light. The usefulness of the LM-PCR/Shifter method for genotyping is analyzed by a comparison with the restriction endonuclease analysis of chromosomal DNA by the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (REA-PFGE) and PCR melting profile (PCR MP) methods for isolates of clinical origin. The clustering of the LM-PCR/Shifter fingerprinting data matched those of the REA-PFGE and PCR MP methods. We found that the LM-PCR/Shifter is rapid, and offers good discriminatory power and excellent reproducibility, making it a method that may be effectively applied in epidemiological studies.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.383-395
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• 2006

Four different Trichoderma strains, T. harzianum CECT 2413, T. asperellum T53, T. atroviride T11 and T. longibrachiatum T52, which represent three of the four sections contained in this genus, were transformed by two different techniques: a protocol based on the isolation of protoplasts and a protocol based on Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Both methods were set up using hygromycin B or phleomycin resistance as the selection markers. Using these techniques, we obtained phenotypically stable transformants of these four different strains. The highest transformation efficiencies were obtained with the T. longibrachiatum T52 strain: 65-70 $transformants/{\mu}g$ DNA when transformed with the plasmid pAN7-1 (hygromycin B resistance) and 280 $transformants/l0^7$ spores when the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was performed with the plasmid pUR5750 (hygromycin B resistance). Overall, the genetic analysis of the transform ants showed that some of the strains integrated and maintained the transforming DNA in their genome throughout the entire transformation and selection process. In other cases, the integrated DNA was lost.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.417-423
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• 2005

In this study, the nematode-trapping fungus, Monacrosporium sphaeroides, was transformed with a plasmid harboring the hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene, via restriction enzyme-mediated integration (REMI). Frequencies of up to 94 transformants ${\mu}g^{-1}$ per linearized plasmid DNA were obtained by optimizing the PEG concentration, as well as the category and quantity of the added restriction enzyme. $90\%$ of the transformants were determined to be stable for drug resistance when 20 randomly selected transformants were tested. Southern analyses revealed that the transforming DNA was integrated into the M. sphaeroides genome either with or without rearrangement. Five mitotic stable mutant strains were obtained using this approach, all of which had been altered with regard to sporulation capacity and pathogenicity toward nematodes. Southern blot analyses of the five mutants revealed that foreign plasmid DNA had integrated into the genome. Three of the mutants, Tms2316, Tms3583 and Tms1536, exhibited integration at a single location, whereas the remaining two, Tms32 and Tms1913, manifested integration at double or multiple locations. Our results suggest that the transformation of M. sphaeroides via REMI will facilitate insertional mutagenesis, the functional analysis of a variety of genes, and the tagging or cloning of genes of interest.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.309-318
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• 2023

Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most destructive diseases in citrus, which imperils the sustainability of citriculture worldwide. The presumed causal agent of HLB, 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (CLas) is a non-culturable phloem-limited α-proteobacterium transmitted by Asian citrus psyllids (ACP, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama). A widely adopted method for HLB diagnosis is based on quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Although HLB diagnostic qPCR provides high sensitivity and good reproducibility, it is limited by time-consuming DNA preparation from plant tissue or ACP and the requirement of proper lab instruments including a thermal cycler to conduct qPCR. In an attempt to develop a quick assay that can be deployed in the field for CLas detection, we developed a real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (rt-LAMP) assay by targeting the CLas five copy nrdB gene. The rt-LAMP assay using various plant sample types and psyllids successfully detected the nrdB target as low as ~2.6 Log10 copies. Although the rt-LAMP assay was less sensitive than laboratory-based qPCR (detection limit ~10 copies), the data obtained with citrus leaf and bark and ACP showed that the rt-LAMP assay has >96% CLas detection rate, compared to that of laboratory-based qPCR. However, the CLas detection rate in fibrous roots was significantly decreased compared to qPCR due to low CLas titer in some root DNA sample. We also demonstrated that the rt-LAMP assay can be used with a crude leaf DNA extract which is fully deployable in the field for quick and reliable HLB screening.