• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 1996

Yeast, like many other microbes, encounters large variations in ambient pH in their natural environments. Microorganisms capable of growing over a wide pH range require a versatile, efficient pH homeostatic mechanism protecting intracellular processes against extremes of pH. In several organisms, fusions to the bacterial lacZ gene have been extremely useful for the identification of genes expressed at different time during the life cycle or under different growth conditions. In this study, using the lacZ gene screening system, we surveyed a large number of yeast strains with lacZ insertion to identify genes regulated by pH. A yeast genomic library was constructed and inserted with lacZ by a shuttle mutagenesis procedure. The yeast transformants were individually picked up with a toothpick, replica-plated, and grown in alkaline pH medium. Among the 35,000 colonies screened, 10 candidate strains were identified initially by the $\beta$-gal assay. We finally confirmed two yeast strains carrying the genes whose expression are strictly dependent on pH of growth medium. One of the fusions showing a 10-fold induction in expression level in response to alkali pH was selected and further characterized. The pH-regulated gene was cloned by inverse PCR and a partial sequence of the gene was determined. Identification and characterization of the gene is currently under investigation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.216-225
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• 1998

Metal ion-induced and it’s regulatory genes were screened in virulent salmonella typhimurium UK1 and tested cross-regulation with various stresses. Using the techniqud of P22-MudJ(Km, lacZ)-directed lacZ operon fusion, LF40 cuiA::MudJ and Lf153 cuiD::MudJ which were induced by copper were selected. cuia and cuiD were determined anaerobic coper inducible and copper tolerance response gene, respectively. Also cuiA and cuiD locus were determined at 81 and 8min, respectively, on salmonella Genetic Map. The two regulators were identified as cuaR, and cudR, which controls cuiA and cuiD, respectively. cuaR, and cudR appeared as negative regulators because the expression of cuiA-lac-Z and cuiD-lacZ were increased. Copper adapted UK1 showed high resistance to H$_{2}$O$_{2}$, but cuiD did not. The product of the cudR locus was responsible for decreasing the tolerance to copper and H$_{2}$O$_{2}$. Furthemore cuiA and cuiD locus were found to be part of a regulon under the control of a trans-acting regulators, rpoS, oxyR and relA. Therefore, the results suggest CTR participate with oxidative stress on Salmonella.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.637-640
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• 1997

Raf-1, a cytoplasmic serine/threonine protein kinase, serves as a central intermediate in many signaling pathways in cell proliferation, differentiation, and development. In this study, we investigated that B-raf, Drosophila homolog of the human c-raf-1, is involved in ultraviolet (UV) responsive events by using hypomorphic mutant $D-raf^{c110}$ and Draf-lacZ transgenic fly. At first, effect of UV damage on the survival of wild-type and $D-raf^{C110}$ strains was examined. In terms of $1/LD_{50}$ value, the relative ratio of UV sensitivities of wild-type versus $D-raf^{C110}$ strain was 1 : 2.2. By using quantitative $\beta$-galactosidase activity analysis, transcriptional activity of the D-raf gene promoter was also examined in UV-irradiated Draf-lacZ transgenic larvae. UV irradiation increased the expression of lacZ reporter gene in Draf-lacZ transgenic fly. However, in $D-raf^{C110}$ strain the transcriptional activity of D-raf gene promoter by UV irradiation was extensively reduced. Results obtained in this study suggest that D-raf plays a role in UV response, leading to better survival of Drosophila to UV damage.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.153-159
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• 2000

A 4.4 kb DNA fragment encompassing lacA (galactoside acetyltransferase) and lacZ($\beta$-galactosidase) genes from Lactococus lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 7962 (L. lactis 7962) was introduced ito a Lac strain, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis MG1363 (L. lactis MG1363) by using a lactococcal expression vector, pMG36e and expression level of lacZ was examined. Growth rates and $\beta$-galactosidase ($\beta$-gal) activities of MG1363 cells carrying recombinant plasmid, pMLZ3, on M17 broth containing different carbon sources (1%, w/v) were examined. Contrary to the expectations, MG1363 [pMLZ3] grown on lactose showed the lowest enzyme activity (17 units) and cells grown on galactose had the highest $\beta$-gal activity (41 units). Cells grown on glucose had intermediate activity (33 units). These activities are about one tenth of the values observed in L. lactis 7962 where lacZ is present as a single-copy gene in the chromosome. When the cellular concentrations of lacZ transcript were examined using slot blot hybridization, it was found that MG1363[pMLZ3] produced sufficient amounts of transcript. These results indicate that either proteolytic degradation of $\beta$-gal or other regulatory mechanism prevent the translation or accumulation of $\beta$-gal in L. lactis MG1363 cells. In regard to regulation, the presence of the ccpA gene in L. lactis MG1363 was confirmed by Southern blot.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.1227-1231
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• 2002

A powerful tool for chicken transgenesis could be established by employing a germline chimera production through primordial germ cell transplantation. This study was conducted to examine whether foreign gene-transfected gonadal primordial germ cells (gPGCs) have a migration activity into the gonad after transfer to recipient embryos. In Experiment 1, gPGCs of Korean Ogol Chicken were retrieved from 5.5-day-old embryos and subsequently transferred to the dorsal aorta of 2.5-day-old White Leghorn embryos after being labeled with PKH26 fluorescent dye. To confirm migration activity after transplantation, recipient embryos were sacrificed and examined on 3 days after transfer. Sex determination was concomitantly undertaken to examine whether sex of recipient embryos could affect the migration activity of gPGCs. All of embryonic gonads examined showed positive signals with PKH26 fluorescence and W-chromosome specific band by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was detected in male embryos when gPGCs with ZW chromosome were transferred to recipient embryos. In Experiment 2, retrieved gPGCs were transfected with LacZ gene-containing cytomegalovirus promoter ($pCMV{\beta}$) by electroporation and subsequently transferred to recipient embryos. LacZ gene expression was identified in the gonads of 6 or 10-day-old recipient embryos and hatched-chicks. A total of 20 embryos and 12 hatched-chicks were examined and 11 of them (10 embryos and one hatched chicken; 11/32=34.4%) expressed $\beta$-galactosidase, a marker substance of LacZ gene. The results of this study demonstrated that foreign gene-transfected gPGCs can migrate and settle down into the gonad after being transferred into the blood vessel of the recipient embryos. This established technique will contribute to developing a peer biotechnology for transgenic chicken.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.206-213
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• 1995

Glyphosate(N-[phosphonomethyl]glycine) applied to the assimilate-exporting leaves(i.e. third old leaf) of tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum Mil var. Moneymaker). Herbicide binding protein, QB protein(D1), has been immunoblotted using the antibodies raised against the hybrid-protein expressed by a part of spinach psb A gene cloned in frame with the 3'end of lac Z gene to allow expression of the ${\beta}$-galactosidase(EC 3.21.23) in Escherichia coli. Glyphosate has an effect on a turnover of D1 within photosystem II of thylakoid membrane. The dysfunction of D1 protein within light harvesting complex(LHC-II) seems to be a pleiotropic effect of glyphosate.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.811-819
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• 1999

The ${\beta}-CGTase$ gene of alkalophilic Bacillus firmus var. alkalophilus was cloned into E. coli using $pZErO^{TM}-2$ as a vector. The cloned gene encoded a total of 710 amino acid residues consisting of 674 amino acids of the matured protein and 36 amino acids of the signal peptide, including 20 amino acids from the lacZ gene in the vector. Although the cloned ${\beta}-CGTase$ gene did not contain the promoter and start codons, it was expressed by the lac promoter and lacZ start codon in the $pZErO^{TM}$ vector. A comparison was made with the amino acid sequence and ten other CGTases from Bacillus sp. Also, ten highly conserved regions, which are important amino acid residues in catalysis of CGTase, were identified. The lac promoter used for expression of the ${\beta}-CGTase$ gene was induced constitutively in recombinant E. coli even without IPTG possibly because of a lack of the lacI gene in both host and vector, repressing the lacZ gene in the lac operon. Its expression was catabolically repressed by glucose, however, its repression was reduced by soluble starch, mainly because of the extremely high increase of the cAMP level. ${\beta}-CGTase$ can be overproduced in the recombinant E. coli by maintaining intracellular cAMP levels mostly through the intermittent feeding of glucose during cultivation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.393-397
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• 1999

The gene (galE) encoding UDP-galactose-4-epimerase, operative in the galactose metabolic pathway, was cloned together with the $\beta$-galactosidase gene (lacZ) from Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis ATCC7962 (L. lactis 7962). galE was found to have a length of 981 bps and encoded a protein with a molecular mass of 36,209 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a homology with GalE proteins from several other microorganisms. A Northern analysis demonstrated that galE was constitutively expressed by its own promoter. When galactose or lactose was added into medium, the galE transcription was induced by several upstream promoters. The structure of the gal/lac operon of L. lactis 7962 was partially characterized and the gene order around galE was galT-lacA-lacZ-galE-orfX.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.193-202
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• 2002

The polymerase chain reaction(PCR) of target lacZ and uidA genes were used to detect total coliform and Escherichia coli for determining water quality, respectively. Of 109 spring waters, coliform were detected from 38 spring waters by lacZ PCR method but 21 spring waters by culture method accepted by the Ministry of Environment for water quality monitoring. The lacz PCR method gave the results statistically equivalent to those of the culture method(kappa=0.62, McNemar=17.00). The uidA PCR method gave the same results to those of the culture method. The sensitivity and specificity of coliform and E. coli by PCR method were 100% and 80.7%, respectively. Therefore, PCR can be used for the rapid identification of Escherichia coli and coliform in potable water using uidA and lacZ.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 1993

An nlp (Ner like protein) gene from E. coli was previously cloned and sequenced. Here we show that expression of the sugar metabolism related genes, lacZ, malQ and malP, increased 2.5-to 8.3-fold in the presence of a plasmid containing the nlp gene. This suggested that the nlp gene could induce maltose- and lactose-metabolism coordinately with crp*1 in the absence of cAMP. Using the nlp-lacZ fusion gene, it was possible to show the promoter of nlp was active in vivo.