• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 1986.12a
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• pp.505.1-505
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• 1986

The gene for iso-1-cytochrome c for Saccharomyces cerevisiae was recloned into a pSP65 vector containing an active bacteriophage SP6 promoter. The iso-1-cytochrome c gene was cloned as an 856 bp Xho 1-Hind III fragment. When the resulting plasmid was digested at the Hind 111 site 279 bases downstream from the termination codon of the gene and transcribed in vitro using SP6 RNA polymerase, full length transcripts were produced. The SP6 iso-1-cytochrome c mRNA was translated using a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system and the protein products analyzed on SDS polyacrylamide gels. One major band was detected by autofluorography. This band was found to have a molecular weight of 12,000 Da and coincided with the Coomassie staining band of apocytochrome c from S. cerebisiae. The product was also shown to be identical with that of standard yeast apocytochrome c on an isoelectric focusing gel. The in vitro synthesized iso-a-cytochrome c was methylated by adding partially purified S-adenosyl-L-methionine . protein-lysine N-methyltransferase (Protein methylase III; EC 2.1.1.43) from S. cerevisiae along with S-adenosyl-L-methionine to the in vitro translation mixtures. The methylation was shown to be inhibited by the addition of the methylase inhibitor S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine or the protein synthesis inhibitor pu omycin. The methyl derivatives in the protein were identified as $\varepsilon$-N-mono, di and trimethyllysine by amino acid analysis. The molar ratio of methyl groups incorporated to that of cytochrome c molecules synthesized showed that 23% of the translated cytochrome c molecules were methylated by protein methylase III.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1022-1026
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• 2010

The different cleavage patterns of pYBamy59 plasmid isolated from E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ and B. longum MG1 by the cell extract of B. longum MG1 suggested that the main reason for its low transformation efficiency was related to the restriction modification (R-M) system. To confirm the correlation between the R-M system and transformation efficiency, in vitro methylation and site-directed mutagenesis were performed in pYBamy59. Sequence analysis of pYBamy59 fragments digested by the cell extract of B. longum MG1 revealed that all fragments were generated by restriction of the sequence recognized by SacII endonuclease. When pYBamy59 from E. coli was methylated in vitro by CpG or GpC methyltransferase, it was protected from SacII digestion. Site-directed mutagenesis, which removed SacII sites from pYBamy59, or in vitro methylation of pYBamy59 showed 8- to 15-fold increases in the transformation efficiency over intact pYBamy59. Modification of the SacII-related R-M system in B. longum MG1 and in vitro methylation in pYBamy 59 can improve the transformation efficiency in this strain. The results showed that the R-M system is a factor to limit introduction of exogenous DNA, and in vitro modification is a convenient method to overcome the barrier of the R-M system for transformation.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2007

Epigenetic modification dependent DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) play an important role in tissue- and stage-specific gene regulation and normal mammalian development. In this study, we show that DNMTs are expressed at different levels during hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation to proerythrocytes. DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B were highly expressed at day 7 after differentiation. We used specific siRNA as a tool to probe the relationship between the expression of DNMTs and erythropoietic differentiation. When introduced siRNA of DMNT1 and DMNT3b in human $CD34^+$ cells, these more differentiated into erythrocytes. This was confirmed by glycophorin A (GPA) positive cell analysis and globin gene expression. $GPA^+$ cells increased up to $20{\sim}30%$, and ${\gamma}$- and ${\epsilon}$-globin genes increased in siRNA transfected cells. Therefore, our data suggest that suppression of DNA methylation can affect positively differentiation of HSC and may contribute to expression of erythrocyte lineage genes including GPA and globins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1573-1579
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• 2018

Transcriptional gene silencing is regulated by the chromatin structure, which is by various factors including histones. Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains transcriptionally silenced regions such as telomeric regions and hidden mating (HM) loci. The positively-charged amino acids on the histone H4 tail were reported to be critical for the telomeric silencing in yeast, by interacting with Dot1, a specific methyltransferase for the $79^{th}$ lysine on histone H3. However, Dot1 did not affect gene silencing within HM loci, but whether the positively-charged amino acids on the H4 tail affect HM silencing has not been defined. To elucidate the function of the H4 tail on HM silencing, we created several MATa-type yeast strains bearing the substitution of arginine with alanine or lysine on the histone H4 tail and checked the sensitivity of MATa-type yeast to alpha pheromone. The arginine point mutants substituted by alanine (R17A, R19A, and R23A) did not show sensitivity to alpha pheromone, but only two arginine mutants substituted by lysine (R17K and R19K) restored the sensitivity to alpha pheromone-like wild type. These data suggested that the basic property of arginine at $17^{th}$ and $19^{th}$ positions in the histone H4 tail is critical for maintaining HM silencing, but that of the $23^{rd}$ arginine is not. Our data implicated that the positive charge of two arginine residues on the histone H4 tail is required for HM silencing in a manner independent of Dot1.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

In this study, bovine Dnmt1 cDNA was sequenced and detected Dnmt1 mRNA level in bovine tissues by northern blot, methylation pattern of genome by southern blot, specific localization of Dnmt1 in mouse and bovine preimplantation embryos by immunocytostaining and Dnmt1 protein level in ovary and testis by western blot. Bovine Dnmt1 cDNA sequence showed more homology with that of human than mouse and rat. The RNA level of Dnmt1 was 10 times higher expression in placenta than other tissues. This indicates that placenta was hypermethylated compared to others organs. The genomic DNA could not be cut by a specific restriction enzyme (HpaII) in placenta, lung and liver of bovine. It suggests that Dnmt1 in some somatic cells was already methylated. Dnmt1, which has the antibody epitope 1316~1616, was distributed in nucleus and cytoplasm including the stage of pronuclear stage and maturation of oocyte and gradually weaken to blastocyst stage compare to negative. In addition, Dnmt1 was strongly expressed in tetraploid embryo and cloned 8-cell than IVF 8-cell. An aberrant pattern of DNA methylation in cloned embryo may be abnormal development of fetus, embryonic lethality and placenta dysfunction. The somatic specific band (190kDa) was appeared in ovary and testis, but oocyte specific band (175kDa) was not. Further investigations are necessary to understand the complex links between the methyltransferases and the transcriptional activity of genes in the cloned bovine tissues.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9955-9960
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• 2014

Background: Promoter hypermethylation is a common event in human cancer. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a gene involved in DNA repair, which is methylated in a variety of cancers. We aimed to explore the methylation status of MGMT gene among the North Eastern population where esophageal cancer incidence and exposure to carcinogens like nitrosamines is high. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 newly diagnosed esophageal cancer cases along with equal number of age, sex and ethnicity matched controls were included in this study. Methylation specific PCR was used to determine the MGMT methylation status in serum samples. Results: Aberrant promoter methylation of the MGMT gene was detected in 70% of esophageal cancer cases. Hypermethylation of MGMT gene was found to be influenced by environmental factors like betel quid and tobacco which contain potent carcinogens like nitrosamines. Tobacco chewing and tobacco smoking habit synergistically with MGMT methylation elevated the risk for esophageal cancer development [adjusted OR=5.02, 95% CI=1.35-18.74; p=0.010 for tobacco chewing and Adjusted OR=3.00, 95% CI=1.22-7.36; p=0.014 for tobacco smoking]. Conclusions: Results suggest that the DNA hypermethylation of MGMT is an important mechanism for MGMT gene silencing resulting in esophageal cancer development and is influenced by the environmental factors. Thus MGMT hypermethylation can be used as a biomarker for esophageal cancer in high incidence region of North East India.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.4063-4070
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• 2016

Background: Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genes may contribute to susceptibility to lung cancer because of their critical involvement in mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the role of CYP2E1 rs2031920 and COMT rs4680 in a case-control study involving 462 lung cancer cases and 379 controls in Japanese. Logistic regression was used to assess adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Multiplicative and additive interactions with cigarette smoking or alcohol use were also examined. Results: Neither CYP2E1 rs2031920 nor COMT rs4680 was associated with lung cancer risk overall. However, smokers with the CC genotype of CYP2E1 rs2031920 (OR = 3.57, 95% CI = 2.26 - 5.63) presented a higher risk of lung cancer than those with at least one T allele (OR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.70 - 4.98) as compared to never-smokers with at least one T allele (reference). Subjects with excessive drinking and the CC genotype of CYP2E1 rs2031920 had a significantly higher risk (OR = 2.22, 95% CI =1.39 - 3.56) than appropriate drinkers with at least one T allele. A similar tendency was observed between COMT rs4680 and either smoking or drinking habits. There were no multiplicative or additive interactions between the polymorphisms and either smoking or alcohol use. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that CYP2E1 rs2031920 and COMT rs4680 are not major contributors to lung cancer risk in our Japanese population. Future studies on the genetics of lung cancer in Japanese and their environment interactions are required.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.88-93
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• 2004

Background:Serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphism region(5-HTTLPR) and catechol-O-methyltransferase( COMT) genes are thought to be important factors in some personality traits and the etiology of anxiety disorder. The goal of this study was to determine the role of these genes in personality traits. Method:The participants included 116 healthy adults with no history of psychiatric disorders and other physical illness for the last 6 months. All participants were tested by Temperament and Character Inventory(TCI). The 5-HTTLPR, COMT val158met gene polymorphisms were analyzed with PCR(Polymerase Chain Reaction). Differences on TCI dimensions and sub-scales among groups were examined with t-test and ANOVA. Result:There were possible relationships of the 5-HTTLPR with self-transcendence(P=0.050) and COMT val158met polymorphism with cooperativeness(P=0.053). Conclusion:We found associations between 5-HTTLPR, COMT polymorphisms and the some TCI character dimensions. Further studies of polymorphisms of other genes and their interactions may clarify the complex relationship between personality and genes.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.611-615
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• 2008

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism for gene silencing. In Arabidopsis, MET1 is the primary DNA methyltransferase that maintains CG DNA methylation. Plants having an overall reduction of MET1 activity, caused by a met1 mutation or a constitutively expressed MET1 antisense gene, display genome hypomethylation, inappropriate gene and transposon transcription, and developmental abnormalities. However, the effect of a transient reduction in MET1 activity caused by inhibiting MET1 expression in a restricted set of cells is not known. For this reason, we generated transgenic plants with a MET1 antisense gene fused to the DEMETER (DME) promoter (DME:MET1 a/s). Here we show that DME is expressed in leaf primordia, lateral root primoridia, in the region distal to the primary root apical meristem, which are regions that include proliferating cells. Endogenous MET1 expression was normal in organs where the DME:MET1 a/s was not expressed. Although DME promoter is active only in a small set of cells, these plants displayed global developmental abnormalities. Moreover, centromeric repeats were hypomethylated. The developmental defects were accumulated by the generations. Thus, not maintaining CG methylation in a small population of proliferating cells flanking the meristems causes global developmental and epigenetic abnormalities that cannot be rescued by restoring MET1 activity. These results suggest that during plant development there is little or no short-term molecular memory for reestablishing certain patterns of CG methylation that are maintained by MET1. Thus, continuous MET1 activity in dividing cells is essential for proper patterns of CG DNA methylation and development.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1456-1462
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• 2009

D-chiro-Inositol, which is the isomer of myo-inositol, is a well known drug for the treatment of type II diabetes. The methylated form of D-chiro-inositol, D-pinitol and D-chiro-inositol are synthesized when the plants are exposed to the abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity and low temperature as osmoprotectants. In soybean, myo-inositol is converted to ononitol by O-methyltransferase, and ononitol is converted to D-pinitol by ononitol epimerase and finally converted to D-chiro-inositol by demethylase. However there have been some reports that in buckwheat, myo-inositol can be converted to D-chiro-inositol directly. This study was conducted to determine the changes of soluble cyclitols in buckwheat seedlings after exposure to salt and drought stresses by GC-FID. The results indicated that myo-inositol may be the precursor of D-chiro-inositol biosynthesis.