• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2008

Cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) is allosterically activated by cAMP and functions as a global transcription regulator in enteric bacteria. Structural information on CRP in the absence of cAMP (apo-CRP) is essential to fully understand its allosteric behavior. In this study we demonstrated interdomain interactions in apo-CRP, using a comparative thermodynamic approach to the intact protein and its isolated domains, which were prepared either by limited proteolysis or using recombinant DNA. Thermal denaturation of the intact apo-CRP, monitored by differential scanning calorimetry, revealed an apparently single cooperative transition with a slight asymmetry. Combined with circular dichroism and fluorescence analysis, the thermal denaturation of apo-CRP could be interpreted as a coupled process involving two individual transitions, each attributable to a structural domain. When isolated individually, both of the domains exhibited significantly altered thermal behavior, thus pointing to the existence of non-covalent interdomain interactions in the intact apo-CRP. These observations suggest that the allosteric conformational change of CRP upon binding to cAMP is achieved by perturbing or modifying pre-existing interdomain interactions. They also underline the effectiveness of a comparative approach using calorimetric and structural probes for studying the thermodynamics of a protein.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.53-59
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• 2011

Charge transfer through DNA oligonucleotides has been investigated for potential applications of DNA into molecular electrooptic switching devices. Electrons were injected using gold electrode probes where DNA oligomers were adsorbed that are separated in medium. The results show that increased adsorption of DNA reduces the ionization current due to the combined effect of charge transfer through DNA and surface-limited charge transport. The probe-based charge injection was extended to examine the capability of extinguishing fluorescence of Cy3 dye molecules attached to DNA. It is expected that the results may be employed to implementing a novel electrooptic switching device based on DNA molecules.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.169-173
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• 1997

The measurement of cell death constant in Anabaena flos-aquae was tested by the Live/Dead BacLight Viability kit(Molecular Probes Co., Seatle, WA). When the Live/Dead BacLight Viability kit was applied to Anabaena flos-aquae, the cells with intact cell membranes(live cells) stained fluorescent green, while the cell with damaged membranes(dead cells) stained fluorescent red and the background remained virtually nonfluorescent. The rations of live : dead cells in the cell suspension were controlled artifically and Live/Dead BacLight Viability kit was applied to them. The ratios of green:red fluorescent cells in the cell suspension were the same as those of live : dead cells controlled artifically. It was also approved by the fluorescence emission. The cell death constant was measured in the P-limited Anabaena flos-aquae chemostal culture in the N-fixing and $KNO_3-supplied$ conditions. The culture in N-fixing chemostat had a dead cell proportion of 1.2% at the growth rate of 0.7/day and increased to 2.6% at the growth rate of 0.3/day. The cell death constant of N-fixing culture was 0.008/day.There was a same trend in the $KNO_3-supplied$ chemostat culture. The proportion of dead cell was 1.6% of dead cell proportion at the growth rate of 0.7/day and increased to 4.3% at the growth rate of 0.3/day.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2016

In this study, the treatment of pistachio nuts by Bacillus subtilis UTBSP1, a promising isolate to degrade aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), caused to reduce the growth of Aspergillus flavus R5 and AFB1 content on pistachio nuts. Fluorescence probes revealed that the cell free supernatant fluid from UTBSP1 affects spore viability considerably. Using high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method, 10 fractions were separated and collected from methanol extract of cell free supernatant fluid. Two fractions showed inhibition zones against A. flavus. Mass spectrometric analysis of the both antifungal fractions revealed a high similarity between these anti-A. flavus compounds and cyclic-lipopeptides of surfactin, and fengycin families. Coproduction of surfactin and fengycin acted in a synergistic manner and consequently caused a strong antifungal activity against A. flavus R5. There was a positive significant correlation between the reduction of A. flavus growth and the reduction of AFB1 contamination on pistachio nut by UTBSP1. The results indicated that fengycin and surfactin-producing B. subtilis UTBSP1 can potentially reduce A. flavus growth and AFB1 content in pistachio nut.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.50 no.spc1
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• pp.228-230
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• 2005

The denature polyacrylamide gel stain silver nitrate is used for routine nucleic acid detection. More sensitive stains, such as Vistra Green, SYBR Green are available to address a broad range of DNA applications requiring lower detection limits in polyacrylamide gel formats. Gel Scanners, laser-scanning instruments, provide sensitive fluorescence detection of DNA gel stains. We established one step fluorescent impregnation enhanced sensitivity with simple, rapid and low cost. We have applied this fluorescent staining procedure for the routine analysis of DNA profiles generated by SSR amplification.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.349-353
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• 2003

To explore the application of DNA chip technology for the detection and typing of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the HPV6, 11, 16 and 18 gene fragments were isolated and printed onto aminosilane-coated glass slides by a PixSys 5500 microarrayer as probes to prepare the HPV gene chips. HPV samples, after being labeled with fluorescent dye by restriction display PCR (RD-PCR) technology, were hybridized with the microarray, which was followed by scanning and analysis. The experimental condition for preparing the HPV gene chips was investigated, and the possibility of HPV genotyping using gene chips was discussed. The technique that was established in this study for preparing HPV gene chips is practical. The results of the present study demonstrated the versatility and inspiring prospect of using this technology to detect and genotype HPV.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1452-1458
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• 2009

The change in the electronic absorption and emission energy of 7-aminocoumarin derivatives in binary solvent mixtures has been studied. The electronic transition energy along with the Stokes' shift is correlated with the orientation polarizability of the solvent as well as the empirical solvent polarity parameters $E_T$ (30). It is observed that the emission peak shift traces the change of $E_T$ (30) value very closely in binary solvent mixtures. The emission transition more strongly depends on the solvent polarity than the absorption, which indicates the dipole moment gets larger on excitation. From the dependence of the Stokes’ shift of 7-aminocoumarins with the solvent polarity parameters and the ground state dipole moment obtained by the semi-empirical calculations, the excited state dipole moment was estimated. The fluorescence lifetime change of 7-aminocoumarins in binary solvent mixtures was measured and the results are explained in terms of molecular conformation and solvent polarity. The study indicates the empirical solvent polarity $E_T$ (30) is a good measure of microscopic solvent polarity and it probes in general the non-specific solvent interactions.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.171-179
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• 2015

Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) expression increases proportionally with prostate cancer progression, making it useful in prognosticating intermediate to high-risk prostate cancers. A novel ligand that can specifically bind to PAP would be very helpful for guiding prostate cancer therapy. RNA aptamers bind to target molecules with high specificity and have key advantages such as low immunogenicity and easy synthesis. Here, human PAP-specific aptamers were screened from a 2'-fluoropyrimidine (FY)-modified RNA library by SELEX. The candidate aptamer families were identified within six rounds followed by analysis of their sequences and PAP-specific binding. A gel shift assay was used to identify PAP binding aptamers and the 6N aptamer specifically bound to PAP with a Kd value of 118 nM. RT-PCR and fluorescence labeling analyses revealed that the 6N aptamer bound to PAP-positive mammalian cells, such as PC-3 and LNCaP. IMR-90 negative control cells did not bind the 6N aptamer. Systematic minimization analyses revealed that 50 nucleotide sequences and their two hairpin structures in the 6N 2'-FY RNA aptamer were equally important for PAP binding. Renewed interest in PAP combined with the versatility of RNA aptamers, including conjugation of anti-cancer drugs and nano-imaging probes, could open up a new route for early theragnosis of prostate cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2022

The fungal cell wall and membrane are the principal targets of antifungals. Herein, we report that myricetin exerts antifungal activity against Candida albicans by damaging the cell wall integrity and notably enhancing the membrane permeability. In the presence of sorbitol, an osmotic protectant, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of myricetin against C. albicans increased from 20 to 40 and 80 ㎍/ml in 24 and 72 h, respectively, demonstrating that myricetin disturbs the cell wall integrity of C. albicans. Fluorescence microscopic images showed the presence of propidium iodide-stained C. albicans cells, indicating the myricetin-induced initial damage of the cell membrane. The effects of myricetin on the membrane permeability of C. albicans cells were assessed using crystal violet-uptake and intracellular material-leakage assays. The percentage uptakes of crystal violet for myricetin-treated C. albicans cells at 1×, 2×, and 4× the MIC of myricetin were 36.5, 60.6, and 79.4%, respectively, while those for DMSO-treated C. albicans cells were 28.2, 28.9, and 29.7%, respectively. Additionally, myricetin-treated C. albicans cells showed notable DNA and protein leakage, compared with the DMSO-treated controls. Furthermore, treatment of C. albicans cells with 1× the MIC of myricetin showed a 17.2 and 28.0% reduction in the binding of the lipophilic probes diphenylhexatriene and Nile red, respectively, indicating that myricetin alters the lipid components or order in the C. albicans cell membrane, leading to increased membrane permeability. Therefore, these data will provide insights into the pharmacological worth of myricetin as a prospective antifungal for treating C. albicans infections.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.64-71
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• 2007

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of rapid detection of Down syndrome and Edward syndrome by Interphase Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) analysis. Methods : Aretrospective study in 309 cases of amniotic fluid samples, analysed by interphase FISH with DNA probes specific to chromosome 18 and 21, was performed. All FISH results w ere compared with conventional cytogenetic karyotypings. Results : The results were considered as informative and they were obtained within 48 hrs. A case of Down syndrome and a case of Edward syndrome were diagnosed by FISH and confirmed by subsequent cytogenetic analysis. In 12 cases with normal FISH results, the cytogenetic analysis showed a case of partial trisomy 22, three cases of sex chromosomal aneuploidy, two cases of mosaicism, two cases of microdeletion, and four cases of structural rearrangement. Conclusion : FISH is a rapid and effective diagnostic method, which can be used as an adjunctive test to cytogenetic analysis, for prenatal identification of chromosome aneuploidies. For the more genome-wide screening with variety of probes, the technique of FISH is both expensive and labor-intensive.