• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권5호
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• pp.418-425
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• 2019

Multicistronic elements, such as the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) and 2A-like cleavage sequence, serve crucial roles in the eukaryotic ectopic expression of exogenous genes. For utilization of multicistronic elements, the cleavage efficiency and order of elements in multicistronic vectors have been investigated; however, the dynamics of multicistronic element-mediated expression remains unclear. Here, we investigated the dynamics of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) IRES- and porcine teschovirus-1 2A (p2A)-mediated expression. By utilizing real-time fluorescent imaging at a minute-level resolution, we monitored the expression of fluorescent reporters bridged by either EMCV IRES or p2A in two independent cultured cell lines, HEK293 and Neuro2a. We observed significant correlations for the two fluorescent reporters in both multicistronic elements, with a higher correlation coefficient for p2A in HEK293 but similar coefficients for IRES-mediated expression and p2A-mediated expression in Neuro2a. We further analyzed the causal relationship of multicistronic elements by convergent cross mapping (CCM). CCM revealed that in all four conditions examined, the expression of the preceding gene causally affected the dynamics of the subsequent gene. As with the cross correlation, the predictive skill of p2A was higher than that of IRES in HEK293, while the predictive skills of the two multicistronic elements were indistinguishable in Neuro2a. To summarize, we report a significant temporal correlation in both EMCV IRES- and p2A-mediated expression based on the simple bicistronic vector and real-time fluorescent monitoring. The current system also provides a valuable platform to examine the dynamic aspects of expression mediated by diverse multicistronic elements under various physiological conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.361-364
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• 2004

Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known to be essential for HCV replication and most conserved among HCV variants. Hence, IRES RNA is a good therapeutic target for RNA-based inhibitors, such as ribozymes. We previously proposed a new anti-HCV modulation strategy based on trans-splicing ribozymes, which can selectively replace HCV transcripts with a new RNA that exerts anti-HCV activity. To explore this procedure, sites which are accessible to ribozymes in HCV IRES were previously determined by employing an RNA mapping method in vitro. In this study, we evaluate the intracellular accessibility of the ribozymes by comparing the trans-splicing activ­ities in cells of several ribozymes targeting different sites of the HCV IRES RNA. We assessed the intra­cellular activities of the ribozymes by monitoring their target-specific induction degree of both reporter gene activity and cytotoxin expression. The ribozyme capable of targeting the most accessible site iden­tified by the mapping studies then harbored the most active trans-splicing activity in cells. These results suggest that the target sites predicted to be accessible are truly the most accessible in the cells, and thus, could be applied to the development of various RNA-based anti-HCV therapies.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.17-22
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• 2021

Eukaryotic translation is initiated by either cap-dependent or cap-independent way, and the cap-independent translation can be initiated by the internal ribosomal entry site (IRES). In this study, to know whether the 5'UTR leader sequence of marine birnavirus (MABV) segment A and segment B can act as IRES, bicistronic vectors harboring a CMV promoter-driven red fluorescent gene (mCherry) and poliovirus IRES- or MABV's leader sequence-driven green fluorescent gene (eGFP) were constructed, then, transfected into a mammalian cell line (BHK-21 cells) and a fish cell line (CHSE-214 cells). The results showed that the poliovirus IRES worked well in BHK-21 cells, but did not work in CHSE-214 cells. In the evaluation of MABV's leader sequences, the reporter eGFP gene under the 5'UTR leader sequence of MABV's segment A was well-translated in CHSE-214 cells, indicating 5'UTR of MABV's segment A initiates translation in the cap-independent way and can be used as a fish-specific IRES system. However, the 5'UTR leader sequence of MABV's segment B did not initiate translation in CHSE-214 cells. As the precise mechanism of birnavirid IRES-mediated translation is not known, more elaborate investigations are needed to uncover why the leader sequence of segment B could not initiate translation in the present study. In addition, further studies on the host species range of MABV's segment A IRES and on the screening of other fish-specific IRESs are needed.

• BMB Reports
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• 제36권6호
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• pp.538-544
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• 2003

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent of chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The development of alternative antiviral therapies is warranted because current treatments for the HCV infection affect only a limited number of patients and lead to significant toxicities. The HCV genome is exclusively present in the RNA form; therefore, ribozyme strategies to target certain HCV sequences have been proposed as anti-HCV treatments. In this study, we determined which regions of the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) of HCV are accessible to ribozymes by employing an RNA mapping strategy that is based on a trans-splicing ribozyme library. We then discovered that the loop regions of the domain IIIb of HCV IRES appeared to be particularly accessible. Moreover, to verify if the target sites that were predicted to be accessible are truly the most accessible, we assessed the ribozyme activities by comparing not only the trans-splicing activities in vitro but also the trans-cleavage activities in cells of several ribozymes that targeted different sites. The ribozyme that could target the most accessible site identified by mapping studies was then the most active with high fidelity in cells as well as in vitro. These results demonstrate that the RNA mapping strategy represents an effective method to determine the accessible regions of target RNAs and have important implications for the development of various antiviral therapies which are based on RNA such as ribozyme, antisense, or siRNA.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.188-193
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• 2011

C형 간염바이러스(hepatitis C virus; HCV) 증식을 효과적이며 특이적으로 제어할 수 있는 유전산물로서, HCV 증식조절인자인 NS5B RNA replicase 존재에 의해 allosteric하게 활성이 유도될 수 있는 HCV internal ribosome entry site (IRES) 표적 hammerhead 리보자임을 개발하였다. 이러한 리보자임은 HCV IRES 염기서열 중 +382 nucleotide 자리를 인지하는 hammerhead 리보자임, NS5B RNA replicase와 특이적으로 결합하는 RNA aptamer 부위, 그리고 aptamer와 NS5B와의 결합에 의해 리보자임 활성을 유도할 수 있도록 구조적 변이를 전달할 수 있는 communication module 부위 등으로 구성되어 있다. 이러한 allosteric 리보자임에 의해 세포 배양에서 HCV의 replicon 복제가 효과적으로 억제됨을 실시간 PCR 분석을 통하여 관찰하였다. 특히, HCV 지놈을 표적하는 리보자임 단독, 또는 HCV NS5B에 대한 RNA aptamer 단독에 의한 HCV 복제 억제능보다 allosteric 리보자임에 의한 HCV 복제 억제능이 더 뛰어났다. 따라서 개발된 allosteric 리보자임은 HCV 증식의 효과적인 증식 억제 선도물질로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• 한국독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국독성학회 2001년도 International Symposium on Dietary and Medicinal Antimutgens and Anticarcinogens
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• pp.189-189
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• 2001

For a continuous expression of human cytochrome p450 3A5 (CYP3A5) and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CYPR) proteins, bicistronic construct (CYP3A5BC-LNCX2) was made using internal ribosome entry site (IRES). As for mammalian cell expression, we used pLNCX2 retroviral vector; and using calcium phosphate, plasmid transfer was achieved in 293GPG cell and transduced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell.(omitted)

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.109-113
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• 2017

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) internal ribosome entry site (IRES) is an RNA structure located in the 5'-UTR of the HCV RNA genome. The HCV IRES consists of four domains I, II, III, and IV, where domains II - IV are recognized by 40S ribosomal subunit and the domain III is bound to eukaryotic initiation factor 3 (eIF3) for translation initiation. Here, we have characterized the tertiary interaction between an L-/K- rich peptide and the HCV IRES domain IV. To probe the peptide binding interface in RNA, we synthesized $^{13}C$- and $^{15}N$-double labeled RNA and the binding site was identified by using the chemical shift perturbation (CSP) NMR methods. Our results showed that the peptide binds to the upper stem of the IRES domain IV, indicating that the tertiary interaction between the IRES domain IV and the peptide would disrupt the initiation of translation of HCV mRNA by blocking the start codon exposure. This study will provide an insight into the new peptide-based anti-viral drug design targeting HCV IRES RNA.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.772-777
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• 1999

The uncaped genomic RNA of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) initiates translation by recruitment of eukaryotic translation initiation factors at the internal ribosome entry site (IRES). N-terminal protease ($N^{pro}$) is the first translation product of the open reading frame (ORF). By using the vaccinia virus SP6 RNA polymerase transient expression system, we showed previously that deletion of $N^{pro}$ region reduced translation by 21%. To better understand the biological significance of $N^{pro}$ for translation, we carried out a mutational analysis of the $N^{pro}$ region of BVDV cloned in the intercistronic region of a bicistronic reporter plasmid. We constructed a bicistronic expression vector in which the entire 5 UTR and the mutated $N^{pro}$ region (${\Delta}386-901$, ${\Delta}415-901$ and ${\Delta}657-901$) was cloned between two reporter genes, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and luciferase (LUC). In vivo translation analyses showed that $N^{pro}$ region was dispensible for efficient translation. The results indicate that the $N^{pro}$ region is not essential for BVDV RNA translation and the 3' boundary of BVDV IRES is expanded into $N^{pro}$ region, suggesting that $N^{pro}$ may not play a major role in BVDV replication.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.89-97
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• 2003

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) belongs to the aphthovirus genus within the picornavirus which has a single copy of a positive sense RNA. The translation initiation process of FMDV occurs by a cap-independent mechanism directed by a highly structured element (∼435 nt) termed an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). We have designed and prepared FMDV 4-2 RNA (28nt) by in vitro transcription. The 2D NMR data revealed that FMDV 4-2 IRES domain RNA has a flexible loop and bulge conformation. In further study, we need to make an isotope labeled RNA sample and conduct 3D NMR experiments to completely determine the 3D structure. This study may establish a new drug design strategy to treat foot-and mouth disease.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.159-165
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• 2007

C형 간염바이러스(hepatitis C virus; HCV)증식을 효과적이며 특이적으로 제어할 수 있는 유전산물을 개발하기 위하여 HCV 중식조절이자인 NS5B RNA replicase 존재에 의해 allosteric하게 그 활성 이 조절될 수 있는 HCV internal ribosome entry site (IRES) 표적 hammerhead 리보자임을 개발하였다. 우선 HCV IRES 염기서열 중+382 nucleotide(nt) 부위가 리보자임에 의해 가장 잘 인식되었음을 관찰하였다. 이러한 allosteric 리보자임은 NS5B RNA replicase와 특이적으로 결합하는 RNA aptamer 부위, aptamer와 NS5B와의 결합에 의해 리보자임 활성을 유도할 수 있도록 구조적 변이를 전달할 수 있는 communication module부위 및 HCV IRES의 +382 nt를 인지하는 hammerhead 리보자임 등으로 구성되도록 설계하였다. 특히 in vitro selection기법을 활용하여 NS5B 의존적으로 리보자임 활성을 증가시킬 수 있는 communication module 염기서열을 밝혀내었다. 이러한 리보자임은 단백질이 없거나 대조 단백질인 bovine serum albumin이 존재할 때에는 절단반응을 유도하지 못하였으나 HCV NS5B 단백질이 존재할 매에만 효과적으로 NS5B 농도 의존적으로 절단 반응을 유도할 수 있음을 관찰하였다. 이러한 allosteric 리보자임은 HCV중식의 효과적인 증식 억제 선도물질 뿐만 아니라 HCV 치료선도물질의 스크리닝용 도구 및 HCV 조절 인자를 탐색할 수 있는 HCV 진단용 리간드로서도 활용될 수 있을 것이다.