• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 1997

Intergeneric hybrids between Aspergillus niger and Perricillium ch~y.sop~um(Tyr ), hyperlipolytic enzyne-producing fungi, were obtained by nuclear transfer technique:. Optimal conditions for formation of intergeneric hybrids were investigated. Maximum production of protoplasts were obtainrd by 1% Novozym 234 at $30^{\circ}C$ for 3 hrs and the most effective osmotic stabilizers for the isolation of protoplasts were 0.6 M KC]. Frequencies of hybrid formation by nuclear transfer were $1.3{\times}$10^{-3}$$ $-3.8{\times}$10^{-3}$$. From the chervation of genetic stability, conidial size, DNA content, ;md nuclear stain, it was suggested that their karyotypes are aneuploid. The hybrids showed 1.4-2.2 fold higher lipase activities than parental strains. It was strongly supported by results of this study that nuclear transfer technique is much more efficient in the formation of intergeneric hybrids than protoplast fusion and is very useful for the improvement of strains.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.287-292
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• 2003

A novel antitumor agent, antibody-endostatin fusion protein $(anti-HER2/neu\;IgG3C_H3-Endostatin,\;AEFP)$ formed by genetic engineering procedure from antibody (Ab) which specifically targets to tumor cells ad angiogenesis inhibitor, endostatin (Endo) that has excellent antitumor effect, minimizes the toxicity of normal cells and selectively kills only tumor cells. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the phamacokinetic parameters and to analyze the localization of AEFP. After an intravenous injection of $150\;{\mu}l\;(5\;{\mu}Ci)\;[^{125}I]Ab,\;[^{125}I]AEFP$ to mice, blood was collected though retroorbital plexus from 15 min to 2880 min. Following the jugular vein injetion of $150\;{\mu}l\;(10\;{\mu}Ci)\;[^{125}I]Endo$, blood was collected by the use of carotid artery cannulation from 0.25 min to 30 min. Consequently, Endo was very rapidly removed from plasma compartment within 30 min. On the other hand, AEFP similar to Ab was slowly cleared from plasma. Also, Endo was metabolized about 40% within 30 min. However, AEFP was shown to metabolize less than 10% within 2880 min. The organ distribution of Endo was in order kidney, lung, spleen. Both Ab and AEFP were localized in order spleen, kidney, liver. Futhermore the tumor/blood distribution ratio of AEFP at 96 hours after injection is about 20 times higher than it of Endo at one hour after injection. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that the anti-cancer or suppression of angiogenesis effect of Endo may be improved by the use of AEFP because the longer half life and stability of AEFP is able to selectively target antigens expressed on tumors.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2001

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely used for various food fermentation. With the recent advances in modern biotechnology, a variety of bio-products with the high economic values have been produced using microorganisms. For molecular cloning and expression studies on the gene of interest, E. coli has been widely used mainly because vector systems are fully developed. Most plasmid vectors currently used for E, coli carry antibiotic-resistant markers. As it is generally believed that the antibiotic resistance markers are potentially transferred to other bacteria, application of the plasmid vectors carrying antibiotic resistance genes as selection markers should be avoided, especially for human consump-tion. By contrast, as LAB have some desirable traits such that the they are GRAS(generally recognized as safe), able to secrete gene products out of cell, and their low protease activities, they are regarded as an ideal organism for the genetic manipulation, including cloning and expression of homologous and heterologous genes. However, the vec-tor systems established for LAB are stil insufficient to over-produce gene products, stably, limiting the use of these organisms for industrial applications. For a past decade, the two popular plasmid vectors, pAM$\beta$1 of Streptococcus faecalis and pGK12 theB. subtilis-E. coli shuttle vector derived from pWV01 of Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris wg 2, were most widely used to construct efficient chimeric vectors to be stably maintained in many industrial strains of LAB. Currently, non-antibiotic markers such as nisin resistance($Nis^{r}$ ) are explored for selecting recombi-nant clone. In addition, a gene encoding S-layer protein, slp/A, on bacterial cell wall was successfully recombined with the proper LAB vectors LAB vectors for excretion of the heterologous gene product from LAB Many food-grade host vec-tor systems were successfully developed, which allowed stable integration of multiple plasmid copies in the vec-mosome of LAB. More recently, an integration vector system based on the site-specific integration apparatus of temperate lactococcal bacteriophage, containing the integrase gene(int) and phage attachment site(attP), was pub-lished. In conclusion, when various vector system, which are maintain stably and expressed strongly in LAB, are developed, lost of such food products as enzymes, pharmaceuticals, bioactive food ingredients for human consump-tion would be produced at a full scale in LAB.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 1988

To produce L-lysine from cellulosic substrate, the intergeneric protoplast fusion between Cellulomonas flavigena and Corynebacterium glutamicum, Cellulomonas flavigena and Brevibacterium flavum was performed. The fusion frequencies were 1.9$\times$10$^{-6}$ to 2.1$\times$10$^{-6}$ for the regenerated protoplasts when two parental strains were treated with 30% of polyethyleneglycol (M.W.6000) containing 5 mM EDTA at 3$0^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Two fusants, FCB3 and FCC 19 were finally selected by comparision of their genetic stability and L-lysine productivity. The properties of fusants-DNA con-tent, G＋C content and L-lysine productivity-were investigated. The DNA content of fusants was greater than those of the parental strain and their G＋C contents are equal to half of total G＋C con-tent of two parental strains. The fusants showed high productivity of L-lysine from carboxy methyl cellulose as substrate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.157-167
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• 2000

A thermostable chitosanase gene from the isolated strain, Bacillus sp. CK4, was cloned, and its complete DNA sequence was determined. The thermostable chitosanase gene was composed of an 822-bp open reading frame which encodes a protein of 242 amino acids and a signal peptide corresponding to a 30 kDa enzyme in size. The deduced amino acid sequence of the chitosanase from Bacillus sp. CK4 exhibits 76.6%, 15.3%, and 14.2% similarities to those from Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus ehemensis, and Bacillus circulans, respectively. C-terminal homology analysis shows that Bacillus sp. CK4 belongs to the Cluster III group with Bacillus subtilis. The size of the gene was similar to that of a mesophile, Bacillus subtilis showing a higher preference for codons ending in G or C. The functional importance of a conserved region in a novel chitosanase from Bacillus sp. CK4 was investigated. Each of the three carboxylic amino acid residues were changed to E50D/Q, E62D/Q, and D66N/E by site-directed mutagenesis. The D66N/E mutants enzymes had remarkably decreased kinetic parameters such as $V_{max}$ and k$\sub$cat/, indicating that the Asp-66 residue was essential for catalysis. The thermostable chitosanase contains three cysteine residues at position 49, 72, and 211. Titration of the Cys residues with DTNB showed that none of them were involved in disulfide bond. The C49S and C72S mutant enzymes were as stable to thermal inactivation and denaturating agents as the wild-type enzyme. However the half-life of the C211S mutant enzyme was less than 60 min at 80$^{\circ}C$, while that of the wild type enzyme was about 90 min. Moreover, the residual activity of C211S was substantially decreased by 8 M urea, and fully lost catalytic activity by 40% ethanol. These results show that the substitution of Cys with Ser at position 211 seems to affect the conformational stability of the chitosanase.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.359-363
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• 1986

S. diastaticus hydrolysised $\alpha$-1.4 linkage of the starch and was known fermenting yeast strain, but poorly hydrolized $\alpha$-1.6 linkage of the starch. To improve the starch fermentation ability of yeast, we tried that protoplast fusion between S. diastaticus and C. tropicalis and finally two starins of fusant (FPDC42, FPDC43) were obtained. C. tropicalis well hydrolysis both $\alpha$-1.4 and $\alpha$-1.6 linkanges in the starch. The protoplast of parental auxotrophic cells were fused in the presence of 10mM CaCl$_2$ and 35% of polyethylene glycol (M. W. 4,000). The fusion frequency was 10$^{-5}$ to 10$^{-6}$. Properties of the fusants(genetic stability, assimilation of carbon sources, random spore formation, copper resistance, NaCl tolerance, DNA content, cell size and growth rate) were investigated.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1271-1278
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• 2012

Genetic fusion of two proteins frequently induces beneficial effects to the proteins, such as increased solubility, besides the combination of two protein functions. Here, we study the effects of the bacterial surface layer protein SgsE from Geobacillus stearothermophilus NRS 2004/3a on the folding of a C-terminally fused enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) moiety. Although GFPs are generally unable to adopt a functional confirmation in the bacterial periplasm of Escherichia coli cells, we observed periplasmic fluorescence from a chimera of a 150-amino-acid N-terminal truncation of SgsE and EGFP. Based on this finding, unfolding and refolding kinetics of different S-layer-EGFP chimeras, a maltose binding protein-EGFP chimera, and sole EGFP were monitored using green fluorescence as indicator for the folded protein state. Calculated apparent rate constants for unfolding and refolding indicated different folding pathways for EGFP depending on the fusion partner used, and a clearly stabilizing effect was observed for the SgsE_C fusion moiety. Thermal stability, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, and unfolding equilibria were found to be independent of the fused partner. We conclude that the stabilizing effect SgsE_C exerts on EGFP is due to a reduction of degrees of freedom for folding of EGFP in the fused state.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1001-1011
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• 2011

To explore bacterial diversity for elucidating genetic variability in acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) lactonase structure, we screened 800 bacterial strains. It revealed the presence of a quorum quenching (QQ) AHL-lactonase gene (aiiA) in 42 strains. These 42 strains were identified using rrs (16S rDNA) sequencing as Bacillus strains, predominantly B. cereus. An in silico restriction endonuclease (RE) digestion of 22 AHL lactonase gene (aiiA) sequences (from NCBI database) belonging to 9 different genera, along with 42 aiiA gene sequences from different Bacillus spp. (isolated here) with 14 type II REs, revealed distinct patterns of fragments (nucleotide length and order) with four REs; AluI, DpnII, RsaI, and Tru9I. Our study reflects on the biodiversity of aiiA among Bacillus species. Bacillus sp. strain MBG11 with polymorphism (115Alanine > Valine) may confer increased stability to AHL lactonase, and can be a potential candidate for heterologous expression and mass production. Microbes with ability to produce AHL-lactonases degrade quorum sensing signals such as AHL by opening of the lactone ring. The naturally occurring diversity of QQ molecules provides opportunities to use them for preventing bacterial infections, spoilage of food, and bioremediation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8467-8471
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• 2016

Background: One of the major mechanisms for drug resistance is associated with altered anticancer drug transport, mediated by the human-adenosine triphosphate binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily proteins. The overexpression of adenosine triphosphate binding cassette, sub-family B, member 1 (ABCB1) by multidrug-resistant cancer cells is a serious impediment to chemotherapy. In our study we have studied the possibility that structural single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are the mechanism of ABCB1 overexpression. Materials and Methods: A total of 101 gastric cancer multidrug resistant cases and 100 controls were genotyped with sequence-specific primed PCR (SSP-PCR). Gene expression was evaluated for 70 multidrug resistant cases and 54 controls by real time PCR. The correlation between the two groups was based on secondary structures of RNA predicted by bioinformatics tool. Results: The results of genotyping showed that among 3 studied SNPs, rs28381943 and rs2032586 had significant differences between patient and control groups but there were no differences in the two groups for C3435T. The results of real time PCR showed over-expression of ABCB1 when we compared our data with each of the genotypes in average mode. Prediction of secondary structures in the existence of 2 related SNPs (rs28381943 and rs2032586) showed that the amount of ${\Delta}G$ for original mRNA is higher than the amount of ${\Delta}G$ for the two mentioned SNPs. Conclusions: We have observed that 2 of our studied SNPs (rs283821943 and rs2032586) may elevate the expression of ABCB1 gene, through increase in mRNA stability, while this was not the case for C3435T.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2014

PURPOSE. This study was performed to characterize the effects of zirconia coated with calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite compared to smooth zirconia after bone marrow-derived osteoblast culture. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Bone marrow-derived osteoblasts were cultured on (1) smooth zirconia, (2) zirconia coated with calcium phosphate (CaP), and (3) zirconia coated with hydroxyapatite (HA). The tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT test) was used for cell proliferation evaluation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was measured to evaluate the cellular morphology and differentiation rate. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed for the analysis of surface chemistry. The genetic expression of the osteoblasts and dissolution behavior of the coatings were observed. Assessment of the significance level of the differences between the groups was done with analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS. From the MTT assay, no significant difference between smooth and surface coated zirconia was found (P>.05). From the SEM image, cells on all three groups of discs were sporadically triangular or spread out in shape with formation of filopodia. From the ALP activity assay, the optical density of osteoblasts on smooth zirconia discs was higher than that on surface treated zirconia discs (P>.05). Most of the genes related to cell adhesion showed similar expression level between smooth and surface treated zirconia. The dissolution rate was higher with CaP than HA coating. CONCLUSION. The attachment and growth behavior of bone-marrow-derived osteoblasts cultured on smooth surface coated zirconia showed comparable results. However, the HA coating showed more time-dependent stability compared to the CaP coating.