• Title/Summary/Keyword: Host resistance

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The Philippines Coconut Genomics Initiatives: Updates and Opportunities for Capacity Building and Genomics Research Collaboration

  • Hayde Flandez-Galvez;Darlon V. Lantican;Anand Noel C. Manohar;Maria Luz J. Sison;Roanne R. Gardoce;Barbara L. Caoili;Alma O. Canama-Salinas;Melvin P. Dancel;Romnick A. Latina;Cris Q. Cortaga;Don Serville R. Reynoso;Michelle S. Guerrero;Susan M. Rivera;Ernesto E. Emmanuel;Cristeta Cueto;Consorcia E. Reano;Ramon L. Rivera;Don Emanuel M. Cardona;Edward Cedrick J. Fernandez ;Robert Patrick M. Cabangbang;Maria Salve C. Vasquez;Jomari C. Domingo;Reina Esther S. Caro;Alissa Carol M. Ibarra;Frenzee Kroeizha L. Pammit;Jen Daine L. Nocum;Angelica Kate G. Gumpal;Jesmar Cagayan;Ronilo M. Bajaro;Joseph P. Lagman;Cynthia R. Gulay;Noe Fernandez-Pozo;Susan R. Strickler;Lukas A. Mueller
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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    • 2022.10a
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    • pp.30-30
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    • 2022
  • Philippines is the second world supplier of coconut by-products. As its first major genomics project, the Philippine Genome Center program for Agriculture (PGC-Agriculture) took the challenge to sequence and assemble the whole coconut genome. The project aims to provide advance genetics tools for our collaborating coconut researchers while taking the opportunity to initiate local capacity. Combination of different NGS platforms was explored and the Philippine 'Catigan Green Dwarf' (CATD) variety was selected with the breeders to be the crop's reference genome. A high quality genome assembly of CATD was generated and used to characterize important genes of coconut towards the development of resilient and outstanding varieties especially for added high-value traits. The talk will present the significant results of the project as published in various papers including the first report of whole genome sequence of a dwarf coconut variety. Updates will include the challenges hurdled and specific applications such as gene mining for host insect resistance and screening for least damaged coconuts (thus potentially insect resistant varieties). Genome-wide DNA markers as published and genes related to coconut oil qualitative/quantitative traits will also be presented, including initial molecular/biochemical studies that support nutritional and medicinal claims. A web-based genome database is currently built for ease access and wider utility of these genomics tools. Indeed, a major milestone accomplished by the coconut genomics research team, which was facilitated with the all-out government support and strong collaboration among multidisciplinary experts and partnership with advance research institutes.

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Development of an Efficient Method of Screening for Watermelon Plants Resistant to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (수박 덩굴쪼김병에 대한 효율적인 저항성 검정법 개발)

  • Jo, Eun Ju;Lee, Ji Hyun;Choi, Yong Ho;Kim, Jin-Cheol;Choi, Gyung Ja
    • Horticultural Science & Technology
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    • v.33 no.3
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    • pp.409-419
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    • 2015
  • This study was conducted to establish an efficient screening method for watermelon plants resistant to Fusarium wilt (FW), which is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon). An HA isolate was prepared from a wilted watermelon plant in Haman-gun and identified as F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum based on morphological characteristics, molecular analyses of ITS (internal transcribed spacer) and TEF (translation elongation factor $1{\alpha}$) sequences, and host specificity on cucurbits including watermelon, melon, oriental melon, and cucumber. The assay for disease response of watermelon differentials indicated that the HA isolate was race 0. Among seven liquid media tested, the highest amount of Fon spores was produced from V8-juice broth, which was selected as a medium for mass production of Fon. The disease assay for 21 watermelon and 11 watermelon-rootstock cultivars demonstrated that 20 watermelon cultivars except for 'Soknoranggul' were susceptible; 'Soknoranggul' was moderately resistant. All the tested rootstock cultivars were highly resistant to the HA isolate. The evaluation of disease development depending on various conditions suggested that an efficient screening method for FW resistance in watermelon plants is to dip the roots of 10-day-old seedlings in spore suspension of $1.0{\times}10^5-1.0{\times}10^6conidia{\cdot}mL^{-1}$ for 30 min., to transplant the seedlings to plastic pots with a fertilized soil, and then to cultivate the plants at $25^{\circ}C$ for 3 weeks.

Root Colonization by Beneficial Pseudomonas spp. and Bioassay of Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Radish (유용 Pseudomonas 종의 근면점유와 무우 Fusarium시들음병의 억제에 관한 생물학적 정량)

  • Lee, Min-Woong
    • The Korean Journal of Mycology
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    • v.25 no.1 s.80
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    • pp.10-19
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    • 1997
  • Fusarium wilt of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is caused by the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. raphani (FOR) which mainly attacks Raphanus spp. The pathogen is a soil-borne and forms chlamydospores in infected plant residues in soil. Infected pathogen colonizes the vascular tissue, leading to necrosis of the vascular tissue. Growth promoting beneficial organisms such as Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS374 (strain WCS374), P. putida RE10 (strain RE10) and Pseudomonas sp. EN415 (strain EN415) were used for microorganisms-mediated induction of systemic resistance in radish against Fusarium wilt. In this bioassy, the pathogens and bacteria were treated into soil separately or concurrently, and mixed the bacteria with the different level of combination. Significant suppression of the disease by bacterial treatments was generally observed in pot bioassy. The disease incidence of the control recorded 46.5% in the internal observation and 21.1% in the external observation, respectively. The disease incidence of P. putida RE10 recorded 12.2% in the internal observation and 7.8% in the external observation, respectively. However, the disease incidence of P. fluorescens WCS374 which was proved to be highly suppressive to Fusarium wilt indicated 45.6% in the internal observation and 27.8% in the external observation, respectively. The disease incidence of P. putida RE10 mixed with P. fluorescens WCS374 or Pseudomonas sp. EN415 was in the range of 10.0-22.1%. On the other hand, the disease incidence of P. putida RE10 mixed with Pseudomonas sp. EN415 was in the range of 7.8-20.2%. The colonization by FOR was observed in the range of $2.4-5.1{\times}10^3/g$ on the root surface and $0.7-1.3{\times}10^3/g$ in the soil, but the numbers were not statistically different. As compared with $3.8{\times}10^3/g$ root of the control, the colonization of infested ROR indicated $2.9{\times}10^3/g$ root in separate treatments of P. putida RE10, and less than $3.8{\times}10^3/g$ root of the control. Also, the colonization of FOR recorded $5.1{\times}10^3/g$ root in mixed treatments of 3 bacterial strains such as P. putida RE10, P. fluorescens WCS374 and Pseudomonas sp. EN415. The colonization of FOR in soil was less than that of FOR in root part. Based on soil or root part, the colonization of ROR didn't indicate a significant difference. The colonization of introduced 3 fluorescent pseudomonads was observed in the range of $2.3-4.0{\times}10^7/g$ in the root surface and $0.9-1.8{\times}10^7/g$ in soil, but the bacterial densities were significantly different. When growth promoting organisms were introduced into the soil, the population of Pseudomonas sp. in the root part treated with P. putida RE10 was similar in number to the control and recorded the low numerical value as compared with any other treatments. The population density of Pseudomonas sp. in the treatment of P. putida RE10 indicated significant differences in the root part, but didn't show significant differences in soil. The population densities of infested FOR and introduced bacteria on the root were high in contrast to those of soil. P. putida RE10 and Pseudomonas sp. EN415 used in this experiment appeared to induce the resistance of the host against Fusarium wilt.

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Relations between Polymorphism of NRAMP1 Gene and Susceptibility to Pulmonary Tuberculosis (NRAMP1 유전자 다형성과 폐결핵의 감수성과의 관계)

  • Lee, Ji Seok;Cho, Jin Hoon;Kim, Ki Uk;Park, Hye-Kyung;Kim, Yun Seong;Lee, Ho Seok;Kim, Yeong Dae;Jeon, Doo Soo;Park, Seung Kyu;Lee, Min Ki;Park, Soon Kew
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.62 no.6
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    • pp.492-498
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    • 2007
  • Background: Several lines of evidence suggest that a host's genetic factors influence the outcome of exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether polymorphism in NRAMP1 (natural resistance associated macrophage protein 1) gene is associated with the susceptibility or resistance to tuberculosis infection for patients with drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis (DS-TB) and multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Methods: Eight genetic polymorphisms of the NRAMP1 gene were investigated in patients suffering with DS-TB (n=100) or MDR-TB (n=102), and in healthy normal controls (NC, n=96). The genetic polymorphisms of NRAMP1 were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: The frequency of D543N A/G heterogygotes was significantly higher in the DS-TB subjects than the NCs (OR=2.10, 95% CI: 1.00 to 4.41, p=0.049). The frequency of 823C/T T/C heterozygotes was significantly higher in the DS-TB subjects (OR=2.79, 95% CI: 1.11 to 7.04, p=0.029) and the MDR-TB subject (OR=3.30, 95% CI 1.33 to 8.18, p=0.010) than in the NCs. However, the frequency of these genotypes was not different between the DS-TB and MDR-TB subjects. Conclusion: A significant association was found between NRAMP1 823 C/T polymorphism and pulmonary tuberculosis. This result suggests that NRAMP1 polymorphism may be involved in the development of pulmonary tuberculosis in Koreans.

Studies on the Occurrence, Host Range, Transmission, and Control of Rice Stripe Disease in Korea (한국에서의 벼 줄무늬잎마름병의 발생, 피해, 기주범위, 전염 및 방제에 관한 연구)

  • Chung Bong Jo
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.13 no.4 s.21
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    • pp.181-204
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    • 1974
  • The study has been carried out to investigate the occurrence, damage, host range, transmission and control of rice stripe virus in Korea since 1965. 1 Disease occur「once and damage : The virus infection during the seedling stage ranged from 1.3 to $8\%$. More symptom expression was found in regrowth of clipped rice than infected intact plants, and the greater infection took place in early seasonal culture than in ordinary seasonal culture. A higher incidence of the disease was found on the rows close to the bank, and gradually decreased toward the centre of the rice paddy. Disease occurrence and plant maturity was highly correlated in that the most japonica rice types were diseased when they were inoculated within 3 to 7 leaf stage, and$50\%$, $20\%$ and no diseaseb were found if they were inoculated at 9, 11 and 13 leaf stages, respectively. Symptom expression required 7-15 days when the plants were inoculated during 3-7 leaf stages, while it was 15-30days in the plants inoculated during 9-15 leaf stages. On Tongil variety the per cent disease was relatively higher when the plants were infected within 1.5-5 leaf stages than those at 9 leaf stage, and no disease was found on the plants infected after 15 leaf stage. The disease resulted in lowered growth rates, maturity and sterility of Tongil variety although the variety is known as tolerant to the virus. 2. Host range: Thirty five species of crops, pasture grasses and weeds were tested for their susceptibility to the virus. Twenty one out of 35 species tested were found to be susceptible. and 3 of them, Cyperus amuricus Maximowics var. laxus, Purcereus sanguinolentus Nees and Eriocaulon robustius Makino, were found as new hosts of the virus. 3. Transmission: The vector of the virus, Laodelphax striatellus, produces 5 generations a year. The peak of second generation adults occurred at June 20th and those of third was at about July 30th in Suweon area. In Jinju area the peak of second generation adult proceeded the peak at Suweon by 5-7 days. The peaak of third generation adult was higher than the second at Jinju, but at Suweon the reverse was true. The occurrence of viruliferous Laodelphax striatellus was 10-15, 9, 17, 8 and about $10\%$ from overwintered nymph, 1st generation nymph, 2nd generation adult, End generation nymph and the remaining generations, respectively. More viruliferous L. striatellus were found in the southern area than in the central area of Korea. The occurrence of viruliferous L. striatellus depended on the circumstances of the year. The per cent viruliferous vectors gin 2nd and 3rd generation adult, however, was consistantly higher than that of other generations. Matings of viruliferous L. striatellus resulted in $90\%$ viruliferous progenies, and the 3rd, 4th and 5th instars of the vector had higher infectiviey than the rest of the vector stages. The virus acquisition rate of non-viruliferous L. striatellus was $7-9\%$, These viruliferous L. striatellus, however, could not transmit the virus for more than 3 serial times. The optimum temperature for the transmission of the viru3 was $25-30^{\circ}C$, while rare transmission occurred when the temperature was below $15^{\circ}C$. The per cent of L. striatellus parasitization by Haplogonatopus atratus were $5-48\%$ during the period from June to the end of August, and the maximum parasitization was $32-48\%$ at around July 10. 4. Control: 1) Cultural practices; The deeper the depth of transplanting more the disease occurrence was found. The higher infection rate, $1.5-3.5\%$, was observed during the late stages of seedling beds, and the rate became lower, $1.0-2.0\%$, in the early period of paddy field in southern area. Early transplanting resulted in more infection than early seasonal culture, and the ordinary seasonal culture showed the lowest infection. The disease also was favored by earlier transplanting even under tile ordinary seasonal culture. The higher the nitrogen fertilizer level the more the disease occurrence was found in the paddy field. 2) Resistant varieties; Tongil varieties shelved the resistant reaction to the virus in greenhouse tests. In the tests for resistance on 955 varieties most japonica types shelved susceptible reactions, while the resistant varieties were found mostly from introduced varietal groups. 3) Chemical control; Earlier applications of chemicals, Disyston and Diazinon, showed better results when the test was made 4 days after inoculation in the greenhouse even though none of the insecticides shelved the complete control of the disease. Three serial applications of chemicals on June 14, June 20 and June 28 showed bettor results than one or two applications at any other dates under field conditions.

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Delineating Transcription Factor Networks Governing Virulence of a Global Human Meningitis Fungal Pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans

  • Jung, Kwang-Woo;Yang, Dong-Hoon;Maeng, Shinae;Lee, Kyung-Tae;So, Yee-Seul;Hong, Joohyeon;Choi, Jaeyoung;Byun, Hyo-Jeong;Kim, Hyelim;Bang, Soohyun;Song, Min-Hee;Lee, Jang-Won;Kim, Min Su;Kim, Seo-Young;Ji, Je-Hyun;Park, Goun;Kwon, Hyojeong;Cha, Sooyeon;Meyers, Gena Lee;Wang, Li Li;Jang, Jooyoung;Janbon, Guilhem;Adedoyin, Gloria;Kim, Taeyup;Averette, Anna K.;Heitman, Joseph;Cheong, Eunji;Lee, Yong-Hwan;Lee, Yin-Won;Bahn, Yong-Sun
    • 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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    • 2015.05a
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    • pp.59-59
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    • 2015
  • Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans, but the treatment of cryptococcosis remains challenging. To develop novel therapeutic targets and approaches, signaling cascades controlling pathogenicity of C. neoformans have been extensively studied but the underlying biological regulatory circuits remain elusive, particularly due to the presence of an evolutionarily divergent set of transcription factors (TFs) in this basidiomycetous fungus. In this study, we constructed a high-quality of 322 signature-tagged gene deletion strains for 155 putative TF genes, which were previously predicted using the DNA-binding domain TF database (http://www.transcriptionfactor.org/). We tested in vivo and in vitro phenotypic traits under 32 distinct growth conditions using 322 TF gene deletion strains. At least one phenotypic trait was exhibited by 145 out of 155 TF mutants (93%) and approximately 85% of the TFs (132/155) have been functionally characterized for the first time in this study. Through high-coverage phenome analysis, we discovered myriad novel TFs that play critical roles in growth, differentiation, virulence-factor (melanin, capsule, and urease) formation, stress responses, antifungal drug resistance, and virulence. Large-scale virulence and infectivity assays in insect (Galleria mellonella) and mouse host models identified 34 novel TFs that are critical for pathogenicity. The genotypic and phenotypic data for each TF are available in the C. neoformans TF phenome database (http://tf.cryptococcus.org). In conclusion, our phenome-based functional analysis of the C. neoformans TF mutant library provides key insights into transcriptional networks of basidiomycetous fungi and ubiquitous human fungal pathogens.

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Correlation Between Primary Tuberculous Pleurisy and NRAMP1 Genetic Polymorphism (결핵성 흉막염 환자에서 NRAMP1 유전자 다형성에 대한 연구)

  • Kim, Je-Hyeong;Kim, Byung-Gyu;Jung, Ki-Hwan;Park, Sang-Myun;Lee, Sang-Youb;Lee, Sin-Hyung;Sin, Cheol;Cho, Jae-Youn;Shim, Jae-Jeong;In, Kwang-Ho;Yoo, Se-Hwa;Kang, Kyung-Ho
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.48 no.2
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    • pp.155-165
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    • 2000
  • Background: The phagolysosomal function of alveolar macrophage against M. tuberculosis infection is influenced by Nramp1, which is encoded by the NRAMP1 gene. There are several genetic polymorphisms in NRAMP1, and these polymorphisms affect the innate host resistance through the defect in production and function of Nramp1. To investigate this relationship, the NRAMP1 genetic polymorphism in patients with primary tuberculous pleurisy was determined. Methods: Fifty-six primary tuberculous pleurisy patient, who were diagnosed by pleural biopsy, were designated to the pleurisy group and 45 healthy adults were designated to the healthy control group. Three genetic polymorphisms of NRAMP1, such as a single point mutation in intron 4(469+14G/C, INT4), a nonconservative single-base substitution at codon 543 that changes aspartic acid to asparagine(D543N) and a TGTG deletion in the 3' untranslated region(1729+55delI4, 3'UTR), were determined. Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) were used. Results: The frequencies of mutant genotypes of INT4 and 3'UTR were significantly high in pleurisy group(p=0.001, p=0.023). But the frequencies of D543N were not significantly different between the two groups(p=0.079). The odds ratios, which are a comparison with wild genotype for determining mutant genotypes, were 8. 022(95% confidence interval=2.422-26.572) for INT4 and 5.733(95% confidence interval = 1.137~28.916) for 3'UTR ; these were statistically significant But the ratio for D543N was not significant In the combined analysis of the INT4 and 3'UTR polymorphisms, the odds ratios were 6.000(95% confidence interval = 1.461~24.640) for GC/++ genotype and 14.000(95% confidence interval=1.610~121.754) for GC/+del when compared with GG/++ homozygotes ; these were statistically significant. Conclusion: Among the NRAMP1 genetic polymorphisms, a single point mutation in intron 4(469+14G/C, INT4) and a TGTG deletion in the 3' untranslated region(1729+55del4, 3'UTR) were closely related to the primary tuberculous pleurisy.

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Evaluation of the Cell-Mediated Immunity in Treatment Failure Pulmonary Tuberculosis (치료실패 폐결핵 환자의 세포성면역반응에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Jeong-Kyu;Park, Jang-Seo;Kim, Hwa-Jung;Jo, Eun-Gyeong;Min, Dul-Lel;Lim, Jae-Hyun;Suhr, Ji-Won;Paik, Tae-Hyun
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.47 no.1
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    • pp.13-25
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    • 1999
  • Background: Ineffective cell-mediated immune response in human tuberculosis is associated with a depressed Thl cytokine response and reduced production of IFN-$\gamma$. Most persons infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis are healthy tuberculin reactors with protective immunity, but a minority with ineffective immunity develop extensive pulmonary tuberculosis. The cell-mediated immune response is an important aspect of host resistance to mycobacterial infection and is believed to be tightly regulated by a balance between Th1 cytokines including IFN-$\gamma$, IL-12, IL-18, regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and Th2 counterparts such as IL-4, monocyte chemoattractant protein-l (MCP-l). Methods: Proliferation and mRNA expression of IFN-$\gamma$, RANTES and MCP-l by RT-PCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in response to in vitro stimulation with mycobacterial antigens were compared in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with cured and treatment failure and in tuberculin-positive and tuberculin-negative healthy subjects. Results: Defective proliferative responsiveness to aqueous TSP antigen was involved with treatment failure tuberculosis patients. Aqueous TSP antigen-induced IFN-$\gamma$ and RANTES mRNA expression was decreased in treatment failure tuberculosis patients compared with healthy tuberculin reactors and cured tuberculosis patients (23.1 % versus 90.0% for IFN-$\gamma$ and 46.2% versus 70.0% versus 46.2% for RANTES). The frequency of MCP-l mRNA expression to aqueous TSP antigen in treatment failure tuberculosis patients was greater than in healthy tuberculin reactors and cured tuberculosis patients (76.9% versus 40.0%). Conclusion: The increasing expression of MCP-1 mRNA in response to aqueous TSP antigen might be predicted to favor Th1 responses and restricted Th1 responses in treatment failure of pulmonary tuberculosis.

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Use of Human Serum Albumin Fusion Tags for Recombinant Protein Secretory Expression in the Methylotrophic Yeast Hansenula polymorpha (메탄올 자화효모 Hansenula polymorpha에서의 재조합 단백질 분비발현을 위한 인체 혈청 알부민 융합단편의 활용)

  • Song, Ji-Hye;Hwang, Dong Hyeon;Oh, Doo-Byoung;Rhee, Sang Ki;Kwon, Ohsuk
    • Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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    • v.41 no.1
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    • pp.17-25
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    • 2013
  • The thermotolerant methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha is an attractive model organism for various fundamental studies, such as the genetic control of enzymes involved in methanol metabolism, peroxisome biogenesis, nitrate assimilation, and resistance to heavy metals and oxidative stresses. In addition, H. polymorpha has been highlighted as a promising recombinant protein expression host, especially due to the availability of strong and tightly regulatable promoters. In this study, we investigated the possibility of employing human serum albumin (HSA) as the fusion tag for the secretory expression of heterologous proteins in H. polymorpha. A set of four expression cassettes, which contained the methanol oxidase (MOX) promoter, translational HSA fusion tag, and the terminator of MOX, were constructed. The expression cassettes were also designed to contain sequences for accessory elements including His8-tag, $2{\times}(Gly_4Ser_1)$ linkers, tobacco etch virus protease recognition sites (Tev), multi-cloning sites, and strep-tags. To determine the effects of the size of the HSA fusion tag on the secretory expression of the target protein, each cassette contained the HSA gene fragment truncated at a specific position based on its domain structure. By using the Green fluorescence protein gene as the reporter, the properties of each expression cassette were compared in various conditions. Our results suggest that the translational HSA fusion tag is an efficient tool for the secretory expression of recombinant proteins in H. polymorpha.

Regulation of Gb3 Expression on Dendritic Cells (수지상세포에 있어서 베로독소 수용체의 발현조절)

  • Lim, Suk-Hwan;Kim, Gi-Young;Kim, Hyung-Chun;Kim, Young-Hee;Son, Yong-Hae;Oh, Yang-Hyo;Park, Yeong-Min
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.17 no.4 s.84
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    • pp.482-492
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    • 2007
  • Infection with Shiga-like toxin (SLT)-producing Escherichia coli causes a spectrum of illnesses with high morbidity and mortality. Host mediators play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLT-I toxicity. We here investigated the effect of SLT-I on tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}\;(TNF-{\alpha})$ production, effect of $TNF-{\alpha}$ on glycolipid globotriaosyleramide (Gb3) expression, and relationship between Gb3 level and differential susceptibility of cells to SLT-I. In this study, we observed that detectable levels of $TNF-{\alpha}$ are produced 6 hrs after induction and continued to increase during 48 hrs by SLT-I. It was also found that Vero cells and dendritic cells expressed high levels of Gb3, 83% and 68%, respectively, and that macrophages had a low level of Gb3 (29%) and showed refractory to cytotoxicity against SLT-I. Vero cells and dendritic cells expressing high levels of Gb3 were highly susceptible to SLT-I. furthermore, macrophages showed a resistance to SLT-I cytotoxicity, despite the fact that Gb3 expression was enhanced. These results suggest that the expression of Gb3 is necessary, but not sufficient to confer sensitivity of macrophages to SLT-I and further underpin the important role of SLT-I and its receptor, Gb3, in the pathogenesis of E. coli O157 infection.