• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.6-9
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• 2005

Plant biotechnology involving genetic modification has been rather controversial. However, the major issues related to safety are being addressed by continued improvements in technology. Some of the related facts will be highlighted to set the tone for a scientific discussion on the possibilities of using the technology for crop improvement. Our main research interest is to understand the molecular regulation of shoot bud regeneration in plant tissue culture, which is essential for crop improvement by biotechnology. We have isolated and characterized some genes that are associated with adventitious shoot regeneration. These include a MADS-box cDNA (PkMADS1) from paulownia kawakamii, which regulates vegetative shoot development and in vitro shoot regeneration from leaf explants. Another gene we have characterized from petunia codesfor a cytokinin binding protein (PETCBP). Preliminary functional analysis of this gene indicated that this also affects adventitious shoot bud initiation. Also, the antisense suppression of this gene in petunia causedexcessive branching. Results from our work and selected other publications will be used to highlight the possibilities of manipulation of such genes to improve crop species.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.675-690
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• 2007

Bacteriocins in Gram-positive bacteria have attracted much attention because many have a strong antimicrobial activity also against bacteria outside the genera of the producers. Lantibiotics and the pediocin-like bactericins have attracted most attention since they kill a broad spectrum of Gram-positive bacteria including important pathogens. But many other promising Gram-positive bacteriocins have been thoroughly characterized. Recent studies have shown that bacteriocins may playa role in the intestinal flora to protect us against the food-borne pathogens. Bacterial genome sequencing has demonstrated that there may be an arsenal of such compounds and we are only seeing the top of the iceberg. The present review gives a short outlook of the field of bacteriocins with focus on lactic acid bacteria and includes recent findings.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 2009

DNA methylation is known to play an important role in the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. In this study, we isolated NtMET1 from Nicotiana tabacum cv. Havana (SR1) and obtain transgenic plants that reduced MET1 expression level with the double-strand RNA (dsRNA) MET1 gene. Transgenic tobacco plants showed dwarf and abnormal flower development when compared with the wild type. Using methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) analysis, the patterns of cytosine methylation in transformed plants and the wild type were compared. MseI/HpaII selection primers showed an interesting polymorphism, and 153 DNA bands of interest were detected. Among these, 30 selective fragments were sequenced and analyzed with a BLAST search by successful MSAP modifications. The homology search showed that the transposons and tandem repeated sequences were related to the phenotypes. These results suggested that the decreased degree of methylation by dsRNA strategy caused abnormal growth and development in N. tabacum.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 1999.06a
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• pp.65-65
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• 1999

Na$^{＋}$-Ca$^{2＋}$ Exchanger is known to playa critical role in the regulation of intracellular $Ca^{2＋}$ in many tissues and cells. In heart, the Na$^{＋}$-Ca$^{2＋}$ exchange is the principal $Ca^{2＋}$ extrusion mechanism and affects cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. To understand the functional role of cardiac Na$^{＋}$ -Ca$^{2＋}$ exchanger (NCXl) in vivo, we tried to ablate the cardiac Na$^{2+}$-Ca$^{2+}$ exchanger gene locus by the use of the gene targeting technologies.(omitted)ted)

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.287-295
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• 1998

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae MGMT gene encodes a O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase that protects cells from mutation or death by DNA alkylating agents. Using an in vitro transcription system, we analyzed its promoter region to find regulatory elements for transcription initiation. DNase I footprinting and a transcription assay showed that a functional TATA box, 5'-TGATATAGCA-3', is located in the region spanning from -25 to -34. We also found one upstream repressing sequence (URS), -333 to -213, by promoter deletion and competition analysis. Gel mobility shift assays and Southwestern blot analysis using URS region indicate specific complex formations. These results indicate that several cis-acting and trans-acting elements might be involved in the transcriptional regulation of the S. cerevisiae MGMT gene.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.402-408
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• 2010

Plant matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are a family of apoplastic metalloproteases closely related to human matrilysins. Up-regulation of Nicotiana benthamiana matrix metalloprotease 1 (NMMP1) expression by treatment with pathogens, ethephon and aging indicates that the gene is related to plant defense and the aging process through ethylene signaling. NMMP1 expression was higher than in normal growth leaves following infection with an incompatible pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato T1 or a compatible pathogen P. syringae pv. tabaci and in aged leaves. Transient overexpression of NMMP1 in N. benthamiana leaves lowered the growth of P. syringae pv. tabaci. However, NMMP1-silenced leaves showed increased growth of P. syringae pv. tabaci. These data strongly suggest that NMMP1 in N. benthamiana is a defense related gene, which is positively regulated by ethylene.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.195-206
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• 1993

The expression of proenkephalin (proENK) mRNA and Met-enkephalin (ME) secretion in C6 rat glioma cells and bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin (BAMC) cells were elucidated in the present study. The levels of proENK mRNA and ME secreted into the media in BAMC cells were measured in the presence of cycloheximide and 12-tetrade-canoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Cycloheximide (20 nM) abolished the induction of proENK mRNA expression, protein synthesis and ME secretion by TPA (1nM), indicating that de novo protein synthesis was necessary for proENK gene expression and ME secretion.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.283-285
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• 2007

To examine the expressed gene profile during encystation of Acanthamoeba castellanii Castellani, we used differentially expressed gene (DGE) screening by RT-PCR with 20 sets of random primers. From this analysis, we found that approximately 16 genes showed up regulation during encystation. We chose 6 genes, which had relatively higher expression levels, for further investigation. Based on homology search in database, DEG2 showed 55% of similarity with xylose isomerase, DEG9 showed 37% of similarity with Na P-type ATPase, and DEG14 showed 77% of similarity with subtilisin-like serine proteinase. DEG3 and DEG26 were identified as hypothetical proteins and DEG25 exhibited no significant similarity to any known protein. Encystation of Acanthamoeba has been suggested to be a process to resist adverse environmental or nutritional conditions. Further characterization studies of these genes may provide us with more information on the encystation mechanism of Acanthamoeba.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.70-85
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• 2019

Reduction of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signaling (IIS) extends the lifespan of various species. So far, several longevity mouse models have been developed containing mutations related to growth signaling deficiency by targeting growth hormone (GH), IGF1, IGF1 receptor, insulin receptor, and insulin receptor substrate. In addition, p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) knockout leads to lifespan extension. S6K1 encodes an important kinase in the regulation of cell growth. S6K1 is regulated by mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1. The v-myc myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC)-deficient mice also exhibits a longevity phenotype. The gene expression profiles of these mice models have been measured to identify their longevity mechanisms. Here, we summarize our knowledge of long-lived mouse models related to growth and discuss phenotypic characteristics, including organ-specific gene expression patterns.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.473-478
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• 2022

In this study, we examined whether engeletin exerts an effect on the gene expression of MUC5AC mucin, in human pulmonary epithelial NCI-H292 cells. The cells were pretreated with engeletin for 30 min and stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), for the following 24 h. The effect of engeletin on PMA-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) signaling pathway was also investigated. Engeletin suppressed the mRNA expression and production of MUC5AC mucin, induced by PMA through the inhibition of degradation of inhibitory kappa Bα (IkBα) and NF-kB p65 nuclear translocation. These results suggest engeletin inhibits the gene expression of mucin through regulation of NF-kB signaling pathway, in human airway epithelial cells.