• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.243-252
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• 2013

Among the 16 hemagglutinin (HA) subtypes of avian influenza virus (AIV), only the H5 and H7 subtypes have caused highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry. However, most H5 or H7 subtype viruses are categorized as low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). Some AIVs, including the H5 and H7 HPAI viruses, have shown the ability to infect humans directly. In this study, we describe the biological and molecular characterization of an H5N3 AIV (SBD/KR/KNU SYG06/06) isolated from spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) in Korea. A phylogenetic analysis of the eight viral genes showed that the SBD/KR/KNU SYG06/06 isolate belongs to the Eurasian lineage and that the SBD/KR/KNU SYG06/06 isolate was clearly different from HPAI H5N1 strains, including human isolates and the Italian HPAI H5N2 strains. Additionally, no relationship was found between SBD/KR/KNU SYG06/06 and the Korean HPAI H5N1 isolates. The SBD/KR/ KNU SYG06/06 isolate had avian specific receptor binding site residues in the HA protein and the four C-terminal amino acids in the NS1 protein. The HA protein of the SBD/KR/KNU SYG06/06 isolate exhibited the typical LPAI motif at the cleavage site and this virus produced no cytopathic effects in MDCK cells without trypsin. Given these results, we suggest that the H5N3 AIV isolated from the spot-billed duck should be considered an LPAI virus and should have no pathogenic effect in humans.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2002

Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai (O1eaceae) is a monotype of Korea and is distinguished from related genus Forsythia Vahl by the morphological characters such as fruit shape, flower color and etc. Even though several intraspecific taxa were reported according to the color of flowers and shape of fruits, there have been many controversals on the taxonomic indentity and status of rank on those taxa. In the present study, we performed the RAPD analysis to delimit the infraspecific taxa of Abeliophyllum distichum and to investigate the genetic polymorphism and relationships among 12 populations. 212 scorable RAPD markers with 70 common markers were found from the PCR reactions with 16 random oligoprimers and were analyzed by Nei's genetic distance. From 0.108 to 0.321 of genetic variations were showed among the taxa. Some regional groups instead of same taxa were clustered from the phonogram of UPGMA analysis. Also, we could not find distinct lineage among intraspecific taxa. The result from RAPD analysis supported that the infraspecific taxa of Abeliophyllum distichum might be the individual variations and treated as the same taxa. RAPD analysis was very useful to confirm the high gene pool with diverse genetic polymorphism among Abeliophyllum distichum populations.

• Mycobiology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.164-169
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• 2001

A new medium for studies of diversity among populations of $A_1\;and\;A_2$ mating types of Phytophthora infestans has been evolved. The rye A agar and V-8 juice agar media on which P. infestans grows well have been amended with rhizome powder of Cyperus rotundus. A total of 259 isolates of $A_1\;and\;A_2$ mating types representing Japan, Korea, India, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Nepal, U.K and Medico were screened for their growth response on these two media. Most of the A1 isolates did not grow well on them except Thailand while growth of $A_2$ mating types differed as some grew on it whereas others did not. It is quite likely that the populations of $A_2$ mating types that did not grow well on rhizome-amended medium are of different clonal lineage. This suggests that this medium can be used for the study of diversification among the isolates of the same or both the mating types as well as to detect the newly introduced genetically different isolates of P. infestans in a locality where it was not reported earlier.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.403-410
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• 1998

The Tcf-1 (T cell specific factor-1) is a transcription factor uniquely expressed in T-lineage cells. Its expression is developmentally regulated, which is high in the specific stage of immature thymocytes, but is much lower in mature T cells. We cloned the Tcf-1 gene by subtractive hybridization and found it to be highly expressed in the thymus compared to the mRNA level in the spleen as expected. Since apoptosis occurs enormously in the thymus, we were interested in whether Tcf-1 gene expression could be regulated by such a high level of apoptotic assault. By using T cell hybridoma 70.7 cells, we induced apoptosis by incubating cells with anti-CD3 antibody in vitro. After apoptosis induction, Tcf-1 mRNA level was found to be significantly reduced compared to normal cells. Since Tcf-1 is a transcription factor for the CD3-e gene, we tested how CD3-e expression is regulated in apoptotic cells. The surface level of CD3-e protein is also down-regulated after apoptosis induction. Such a down-modulation of CD3-e protein would reduce the TCR/CD3 complex on the cell surface, which would be an important regulator for T cell apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.545-553
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• 1999

A 474-base pair segment covering the hypervariable region of VP2 gene from six Korean infectious bursal disease virus(K-IBDV) isolates(K1, K2, SH/92, 225, 269, 310) and one attenuated IBDV(DAE) were amplified using RT-PCR, sequenced, and compared with published sequences for IBDV. K-IBDV isolates(K1, K2, SH/92, 225, 269) and foreign very virulent(vv) IBDV strains had 94.93~100% amino acid sequence similarity. K-IBDV isolate 310 and other K-IBDV isolates had 84.31~86.07% amino acid sequence similarity. Attenuated strain(DAE), like other attenuated strain, has substitution at positions 279(D to N) and 284(A to T) as well as in the serine-rich heptapeptide region. Five K-IBDV isolates except 310 isolate share unique amino acid residues at positions 222(A), 256(I), 294(I) which are not present in other standard and attenuated strains. At the two hydrophilic region, K-IBDV isolates except 310 isolate had identical amino acids comparing with Belgium vv IBDV 894VB but had four amino acid substitutions comparing with Chinese vv IBDV F9502. The SWSASGS heptapeptide is conserved in all K-IBDV isolates. The sequence of K-IBDV isolate 310 was markedly different from other IBDV strains, evolving from a separate lineage than the others. By phylogenetic analysis, Five K-IBDV isolates except 310 isolate were categorized in one group with foreign vv IBDV isolates but K-IBDV isolate 310 was categorized in a separate group which was differentiated from other compared IBDV strains.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 2014

Human adipose-tissue-derived stromal cells (hADSCs) are abundant in adipose tissue and can differentiate into multi-lineage cell types, including adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes. In order to define the optimal harvest site of adipose tissue harvest site, we solated hADSCs from different subcutaneous sites (upper abdomen, lower abdomen, and thigh) and compared their proliferation and potential to differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblasts. In addition, this study examined the effect of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, on proliferation and differentiation of hADSCs to adipocytes or osteoblasts. hADSCs isolated from different subcutaneous depots have a similar growth rate. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis showed that the expression levels of CD73 and CD90 were similar between hADSCs from abdomen and thigh regions. However, the expression of CD105 was lower in hADSCs from the thigh than in those from the abdomen. Although the adipogenic differentiation potential of hADSCs from both tissue regions was similar, the osteogenic differentiation potential of hADSCs from the thigh was greater than that of hADSCs from the abdomen. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment increased osteogenic differentiation and suppressed adipogenic differentiation of all hADSCs without affecting their growth rate and the treatment of Go6983, a general inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC) blocked the PMA effect. These findings indicate that the thigh region might be a suitable source of hADSCs for bone regeneration and that the PKC signaling pathway may be involved in the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.890-897
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• 2006

In inflammatory responses, induction of cytokines and other immune regulator genes in macrophages by pathogen-associated signal such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plays a crucial role. In this study, the gene expression profile changes by LPS treatment in the macrophage/monocyte lineage cell line RAW264.7 was investigated. A 60-mer oligonucleotide microarray of which probes target 32381 mouse genes was used. A reverse transcription-in vitro translation labeling protocol and a chemileuminescence detection system were employed. The mRNA expression levels in RAW264.7 cells treated for 6 h with LPS and the control vehicle were compared. 747 genes were up-regulated and 523 genes were down-regulated by more than 2 folds. 320 genes showing more than 4-fold change by LPS treatment were further classified for the biological process, molecular function, and signaling pathway. The biological process categories that showed high number of increased genes include the immunity and defense, the nucleic acid metabolism, the protein metabolism and modification, and the signal transduction process. The chemokine-cytokine signaling, interleukin signaling, Toll receptor signaling, and apoptosis signaling pathways involved high number of genes differentially expressed in response to LPS. These expression profile data provide more comprehensive information on LPS-target genes in RAW264.7 cells, which will be useful in comparing gene expression changes induced by extracts and compounds from anti-inflammatory medicinal herbs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.88-94
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• 2007

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a pivotal role in the turnover of extracellular matrix (ECM) and in the migration of normal and tumor cells in response to normal physiologic and numerous pathologic conditions. Here, we show that the transcription of the MMP-9 gene is induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation in cells of a macrophage lineage (RAW 264.7 cells). We provide evidence that the NF-$\kappa$B binding site of the MMP-9 gene contributes to its expression in the LPS-signaling pathway, since mutation of NF-$\kappa$B binding site of MMP-9 promoter leads to a dramatic reduction in MMP-9 promoter activation. In addition, the degradation of l$\kappa$B$\alpha$;, and the presences of myeloid differentiation protein (MyD88) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated kinase 6 (TRAF6) were found to be required for LPS-activated MMP-9 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays showed that functional interaction between NF-$\kappa$B and the MMP-9 promoter element is necessary for LPS-activated MMP-9 induction in RAW 264.7 cells. In conclusion, our observations demonstrate that NF-$\kappa$B contributes to LPS-induced MMP-9 gene expression in a mouse macrophage cell line.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.372-382
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• 2014

In this study, the chloroplast (cp) genome sequences from three early diverged leptosporangiate ferns were completed and analyzed in order to understand the evolution of the genome of the fern lineages. The complete cp genome sequence of Osmunda cinnamomea (Osmundales) was 142,812 base pairs (bp). The cp genome structure was similar to that of eusporangiate ferns. The gene/intron losses that frequently occurred in the cp genome of leptosporangiate ferns were not found in the cp genome of O. cinnamomea. In addition, putative RNA editing sites in the cp genome were rare in O. cinnamomea, even though the sites were frequently predicted to be present in leptosporangiate ferns. The complete cp genome sequence of Diplopterygium glaucum (Gleicheniales) was 151,007 bp and has a 9.7 kb inversion between the trnL-CAA and trnV-GCA genes when compared to O. cinnamomea. Several repeated sequences were detected around the inversion break points. The complete cp genome sequence of Lygodium japonicum (Schizaeales) was 157,142 bp and a deletion of the rpoC1 intron was detected. This intron loss was shared by all of the studied species of the genus Lygodium. The GC contents and the effective numbers of codons (ENCs) in ferns varied significantly when compared to seed plants. The ENC values of the early diverged leptosporangiate ferns showed intermediate levels between eusporangiate and core leptosporangiate ferns. However, our phylogenetic tree based on all of the cp gene sequences clearly indicated that the cp genome similarity between O. cinnamomea (Osmundales) and eusporangiate ferns are symplesiomorphies, rather than synapomorphies. Therefore, our data is in agreement with the view that Osmundales is a distinct early diverged lineage in the leptosporangiate ferns.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.299-304
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• 2008

Monocytic cells in myeloid lineage are known for latent site of HCMV Previous studies have suggested that HCMV regulates cell cycle progression in a variety of cells, but studies in monocytic cells are limited. In this study, we attempted to understand cell cycle changes after HCMV infection in the monocytic cell lines. Flow cytometric analyses using propidium iodide revealed that the proportion of G0-G1 phase was increased and the proportion of S phase decreased in HCMV-infected THP-1 cells, but not in HL-60 cells. BrdU-incorporation assay supported that cell proliferation was inhibited in HCMV-infected THP-1 cells by inhibition of de novo DNA synthesis. Western blot analysis revealed that p21, inhibitor of cell cycle progression from G1 phase to S phase, was induced in HCMV-infected THP-1 cells but not in HL-60 cells. Thus, HCMV inhibited cell pro-liferation by arresting the cell cycle at G0-G1 phase through induction of p21 protein in promocytic THP-1 cells.