• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 2009

This study was performed to comprehend the developmental characteristics of cloned embryos knocked out (KO) of $\alpha$-1,3-galactosyltransferase (GalT) gene. Immature oocytes were collected and cultured for 40 hrs (1-step) or 20hrs (with hormone) + 20hrs (without hormone) (2-step). The embryos transferred with miniature pig ear fibroblast cell were used as control. The reconstructed embryos were cultured in PZM-3 with 5% $CO_2$ in air at $38.5^{\circ}C$ for 6 days. To determine the quality of the blstocysts, TUNEL and quantitative realtime RT-PCR were performed. The embryos were transferred to a surrogate (Landrace) at an earlier stage of the estrus cycle. The maturation rate was significantly higher in 2-step method than that of 1-step (p<0.05). The blastocyst development of GalT KO embryos was significantly lower than that of normal cloned embryos (p<0.05). The total and apoptotic cell number of GalT KO blastocysts was not different statistically from control. The relative abundance of Bax-$\alpha$/Bcl-xl ratio was significantly higher in both cloned blastocysts than that of in vivo blastocysts (p<0.05). Taken together, it can be postulated that the lower developmental potential and higher expression of apoptosis related genes in GalT KO SCNT embryos might be a cause of a low efficiency of GalT KO cloned miniature pig production.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 1994

The research has been carried out to optimize a recombinant S. cerevisine fermentation process for the production of an anticoagulant hirudin. The structural gene coding for hirudin was combined with the GAL10 promoter for controlled expression, the MFal signal sequence for hirudin secretion, and the GAL7 terminator for transcriptional termination. Growth medium composition and environmental conditions were optimized for maximizing cell growth and final hirudin concentration. The optimized conditions included yeast extract 40g/$\ell$, casamino acid 5g/$\ell$, g1ucose 20g/$\ell$, galactose 30g/$\ell$, DO 50% and temperature $30^{\circ}C$. These conditions yielded the specific cell growth rate of $0.13hr^{-1}$, the final cell density of 30g cell/$\ell$ and the final hirudin concentration of 64mg/$\ell$ in the batch fermentation with a 2.5$\ell$ jar fermentor.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.39-45
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• 2023

As advanced sequencing technologies continue to uncover an increasing number of variants in genes associated with human genetic diseases, there is a growing demand for systematic approaches to assess the impact of these variants on human development, health, and disease. While in silico analyses have provided valuable insights, it is essential to complement these findings with model organism studies to determine the functional consequences of genetic variants in vivo. Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent genetic model for such functional studies due to its efficient genetic technologies, high gene conservation with humans, accessibility to mutant fly resources, short life cycles, and cost-effectiveness. The traditional GAL4-UAS system, allowing precise control of gene expression through binary regulation, is frequently employed to assess the effects of monoallelic variants. Recombinase medicated cassette exchange or CRISPR-Cas9-mediated GAL4 insertion within coding introns or substitution of gene body with Kozak-Gal4 result in the loss-of-function of the target gene. This GAL4 insertion strategy also enables the expression of reference complementary DNA (cDNA) or cDNA carrying genetic variants under the control of endogenous regulatory cis elements. Furthermore, the CRISPR-Cas9-directed tissue-specific knockout and cDNA rescue system provides the flexibility to investigate candidate variants in a tissue-specific and/or developmental-timing dependent manner. In this review, we will delve into the diverse genetic techniques available in Drosophila and their applications in diagnosing and studying numerous undiagnosed diseases over the past decade.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.476-481
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• 2020

This study investigated the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Ainsliaea acerifolia water extract (AAWE) on HepG2 cells. Five types of caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) were detected in AAWE, namely, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4,5-DCQA; 11.16 mg/g), 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3,4-DCQA; 5.23 mg/g), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA; 4.88 mg/g), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3,5-DCQA; 3.51 mg/g), and 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4-CQA; 3.31 mg/g). AAWE exerted ABTS⁺ antioxidant effects, evidenced by polyphenol content and 2,2'2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH radical scavenging) activities. AAWE (300 ㎍/mL) treatment significantly decreased the activities of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as compared to control and exerted protective effects against the increase in liver function index induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/galactosamine (D-GalN) in HepG2 cells. In addition, the secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α by HepG2 cells induced by LPS/D-GalN significantly increased in all treatment groups compared to that in the control. However, AAWE (100-300 ㎍/mL) treatment significantly decreased the secretion of TNF-α compared to that in the control. These results suggest that AAWE treatment reduces hepatotoxicity by increasing antioxidant activities, reducing GGT, AST, and LDH activities, and inhibiting TNF-α secretion.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2003

A strain YB-10 was isolated from soil as a producer of the extracellular $\beta$-D-galactosidase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of lactose. The strain YB-10 was identified as Streptomyces sp. on the basis of its cultural, morphological and physiological properties. After treating culture supernatant of the isolate with ammonium sulfate, the precipitated protein was used as a crude $\beta$-galactosidase for analyzing its reaction properties with para-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-D-galactosidase(pNP-$\beta$Gal) as a substrate. The $\beta$-galactosidase showed its maximal activity at pH 6.0 and 6$0^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was also active on lactose. The hydrolyzing activity of $\beta$-galactosldase for pNP-$\beta$Gal and lactose was decreased by galactose. Its hydrolyzing activity far lactose was also decreased by glucose, but the activity for pNP-$\beta$Gal was increased to 1.8-folds by glucose.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.128-134
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• 2004

A bacterium producing the $\alpha$-galactosidase was isolated from Korean soybean paste. The isolate YB-42 has been identified as Bacillus licheniformis on the basis on its 16S rRNA sequence, morphology and biochemical properties. The $\alpha$-galactosidase activity was detected in both the culture supernatant and the cell extract of B. licheniformis YB-42. The partially purified extracellular $\alpha$-galactosidase was obtained from the culture supernatant by DEAE-Sepharose column and Q-Sepharose column chromatography. The enzyme showed the maximum activity for hydrolysis of para-nitrophenyl-$\alpha$-D-galactopyranoside (pNP-$\alpha$Gal) at pH 6.5 and $45^{\circ}C$. It was able to hydrolyze oligomeric substrates such as melibiose, raffmose and stachyose to liberate galactose residue, indicating that the a-galactosidase of B. licheniformis YB-42 hydrolyzed $\alpha$-1,6 linkage. The hydrolyzing activity of $\alpha$-galactosidase for both pNP-$\alpha$Gal and melibiose was dramatically decreased by galactose. Both glucose and mannose inhibited the activity for pNP-$\alpha$Gal less than galactose.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1653-1663
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• 2010

The first gene (${\alpha}$-gal1) encoding an extracellular ${\alpha}$-Dgalactosidase from the thermophilic fungus Talaromyces emersonii was cloned and characterized. The ${\alpha}$-gal1 gene consisted of an open reading frame of 1,792 base pairs interrupted by six introns that encoded a mature protein of 452 amino acids, including a 24 amino acid secretory signal sequence. The translated protein had highest identity with other fungal ${\alpha}$-galactosidases belonging to glycosyl hydrolase family 27. The ${\alpha}$-gal1 gene was overexpressed as a secretory protein with an N-terminal histidine tag in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. Recombinant ${\alpha}$-Gal1 was secreted into the culture medium as a monomeric glycoprotein with a maximal yield of 10.75 mg/l and purified to homogeneity using Hisbinding nickel-agarose affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme was maximally active at $70^{\circ}C$, pH 4.5, and lost no activity over 10 days at $50^{\circ}C$. ${\alpha}$-Gal1 followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics ($V_{max}\;of\;240.3{\mu}M/min/mg,\;K_m\;of\;0.294 mM$) and was inhibited competitively by galactose ($K_m{^{obs}}$ of 0.57 mM, $K_i$ of 2.77 mM). The recombinant T. emersonii ${\alpha}$-galactosidase displayed broad substrate preference, being active on both oligo- and polymeric substrates, yet had strict specificity for the ${\alpha}$-galactosidic linkage. Owing to its substrate preference and noteworthy stability, ${\alpha}$-Gal1 is of particular interest for possible biotechnological applications involving the processing of plant materials.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.129-137
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• 2018

Acute vascular rejection has been known as a main barrier occurring in a xenograted tissue of alpha 1,3-galactosyltransferase knock-out (GalT KO) pig into a non-human primate (NHP). Adenosine which is a final metabolite following sequential hydrolysis of nucleotide by ecto-nucleotidases such as CD39 and CD73, act as a regulator of coagulation, and inflammation. Thus xenotransplantation of CD39 and CD73 expressing pig under the GalT KO background could lead to enhanced survival of recipient NHP. We constructed a human CD39 and CD73 expression cassette designed for endothelial cell-specific expression using porcine Icam2 promoter (pIcam2-hCD39/hCD73). We performed isolation of endothelial cells (pAEC) from aorta of 4 week-old GalT KO and membrane cofactor protein expressing pig ($GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$). We were able to verify that isolated cells were endothelial-like cells using immunofluorescence staining analysis with von Willebrand factor antibody, which is well known as an endothelial maker, and tubal formation assay. To find optimal condition for efficient transfection into pAEC, we performed transfection with GFP expression vector using four programs of nucleofection, M-003, U-023, W-023 and Y-022. We were able find that the program W-023 was optimal for pAEC with regard to viability and transfection efficiency by flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy analyses. Finally, we were able to obtain $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}/CD39/CD73$ pAEC expressing CD39 and CD73 at levels of 33.3% and 26.8%, respectively. We suggested that pACE isolated from $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$ pig might be provided as a basic resource to understand biochemical and molecular mechanisms of the rejections and as an alternative donor cells to generate $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}/CD39/CD73$ pig expressing CD39 and CD73 at endothelial cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.608-613
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• 2016

Recently, it has been reported that some preservatives used in cosmetics lead to skin problems. Among the many cosmetic ingredients, 1, 2-hexanediol (HD) is used as both a preservative and humectant. In order to develop safer ingredients, we studied the synthesis of 1, 2-hexanediol galactoside (HD-G) by a transgalactosylation reaction using β-galactosidase (β-gal)-containing recombinant Escherichia coli cells. The transgalactosylation reaction was carried out under high-lactose conditions for 24 hr. After 12 hr had elapsed, a new spot was identified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis, and we presumptively designated this new spot as HD-G. Then, we carried out the purification of the presumptive HD-G spot from the reaction mixture by using silica gel chromatography, and its mass was measured by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. The purified new spot on the chromatograph was identified a sodium adduct ion ([M+Na]⁺, m/z = 303.1423) of HD-G. In addition, when purified HD-G was hydrolyzed using commercially available E. coli β-gal, it was observed that a galactose molecule was released from HD-G. That is, it was demonstrated that HD-G is a galactoside derivative of HD. Finally, we confirmed that HD-G was enzymatically synthesized by E. coli β -gal as a new molecular entity. In the future, we plan to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations of HD-G against different bacterial species. The cytotoxicity of HD-G against human skin cells will also be examined. It is expected hopefully that the galactosylation of HD would improve the functionality of HD-G.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.155-159
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• 1994

Two Zymomonas mobilis strains (ZM63 and ZM6307), containing both lactose and galactose operons, were constructed. $\beta$-Galactosidase and galactokinase assays indicated that both operons were expressed in both strains. The transport systems available for lactose uptake by Zymomonas mobilis were investigated using $^{14}C$-labelled lactose. After the outer membrane, which was considered to be a possible barrier to lactose uptake, was disrupted by treatment with EDTA and $Ca^{2+}$ ions, some increase in lactose uptake was observed in ZM6306 ($lac^+$) and ZM6307 ($lac^+\;gal^+$), but not in the parent, ZM6. This suggested that the outer membrane of Zymomonas mobilis acts as a barrier to lactose uptake to some degree, and also that the lactose permease is operational in Zymomonas mobilis.