• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.112-116
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• 2011

We investigated the effect of paternal folate status on folate content and expression of the folate transporter folate receptor ${\alpha}$ ($FR{\alpha}$) in rat placental tissues. Rats were mated after males were fed a diet containing 0 mg of folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-deficient, PD) or 8 mg folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-supplemented, PS) for 4 weeks. At 20 days of gestation, the litter size, placental weight, and fetal weight were measured, and placental folate content (n=8/group) and expression of $FR{\alpha}$ (n=10/group) were analyzed by microbiological assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. Although there was no difference observed in litter size or fetal weight, but significant reduction (10%) in the weight of the placenta was observed in the PD group compared to that in the PS group. In the PD group, placental folate content was significantly lower (by 35%), whereas $FR{\alpha}$ expression was higher (by 130%) compared to the PS group. Our results suggest that paternal folate status plays a critical role in regulating placental folate metabolism and transport.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.226-228
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• 2001

Human lymphotropic herpesvirus is known to be a major pathogen associated with various diseases in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) recipients. A multiplex nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for the simultaneous detection of human lymphotropic herpesviruses, including Ebstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpesvirus 6 variants A and B (HHV6-A, HHV6-B). To demonstrate the usefulness of multiplex PCR for the analysis of clinical samples, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum from BMT recipients were analysed. The results skewed that a clear detection could be made between EBV, HCMV and HHV-6. This multiplex PCR assay is an efficient and cost-effective approach to the analysis of large numbers of samples to determine the epidemiological importance of EBV HCMV and HHV-6.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.152-157
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• 1997

Infection of human fibroblast (HF) cells with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) result in changes in the intracellular level of second messengers. Since nitric oxide (NO) production has been known to be related with other second messengers, it is probable that HCMV infection of HF cells may involve NO. To test this possibility, the amount of NO was measured following ogenous addition of NO generators such as sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or S-nitroso-N-a-cetylpenicillamine (SNAP) immediately after HCMV infection, however, inhibited virus multiplication. Furthermore, immunoblot experiment using monoclonal antibody to HCMV major immediate early (MIE) proteins or CAT assay using pCMVIE/CAT (plasmid containing CAT gene driven by HCMV MIE promoter) revealed that SNP or SNAP blocked the MIE gene expression. SNP was more effective than SNAP in hibiting HCMV multiplication or MIE gene expression. SNP produced more NO than SNAP in inhibiting HCMV multiplication or MIE gene expression. SNP produced more NO than SNAP. Although the mechanism for the inhibition of HCMV multiplication and MIE gene expression by NO is still elusive some correlation with NO-mediated inhibition of HCMV-induced increase in cytosolic free Ca$\^$2+/ concentration ([Ca$\^$2+/]) was observed. The increase of [Ca$\^$2+/] following HCMV infection was inhibited by SNP, and less effectively by SNAP. Raising [Ca$\^$2+/ with bromo-A23187 partially reversed the SNP block of MIE gene expression. Thus, there appear to e some relationships among NO. [Ca$\^$2+/], and HCMV MIE gene expression.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.153-158
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• 2000

Vancomycin belongs to the vancomycin-risocetin family of glycopeptides, and is a subclass of linear sugar containg peptides composed of seven amino acids. Its strochemical configuration forms the basic of a peptidoglycon monomer. The glycosylated hexapeptide chainconsists of chloro-$\beta$-hydroxytyrosines, p-hytidoglycines, N-anthylleucine and aspartic acid forms a rigid molecular frame work and gives the difficulty in the analysis. Voncomycin in the serum samples is usually estimated by liquid chromatography and the bacterial sensitivity was genereally tested by the microbiological assay. The pressent review deals with the qualitative, quantutative, microbioligical and immunological assays and the comparison of the quantitative methods. Clinical implications of vancomycin have also been cited in the review.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제34권4호
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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.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.316-321
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• 1992

Catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase (C230) catalyses the oxidative ring cleavage of catechol to 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde. This is one of the key reactions in the metabolism of the widespresd pollutant aniline. We have cloned a gene encoding C230 from cells of the aniline degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas acidovorance KCTC2494 strain and expressed in E. coli, A 11.3-kilobase Sau3A partial digested DNA fragment from KCTC2494 was cloned into phagemid vector pBluescript and designated as pLP201. The C230 gene was mapped to a 2.8-kb region, and the derection of transcription was determined. The cloned C230 gene contains its own promoter which can be recognized and employed by E. coli transcriptional apparatus. C230 activities of subclones were identified by enzyme assay and activity staining. The T7 RNA promoter/polymerase system and maxicell analysis showed that a polypeptide with Mw of 35 kDa is the C230 gene product.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.48-53
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• 2009

한국의 여러 지역에서 채취한 토양으로부터 셀룰로오스를 유일한 탄소원으로 이용하여 자라는 591균주의 점액 세균을 순수 분리하였다. 세포, 집락, 그리고 자실체의 모양과 같은 형태적인 특징과 16S rRNA 염기서열은 이들 균주들이 모두 Sorangium cellulosum임을 나타내었다. 그리고 생리활성조사는 114균주 중 최소한 20균주가 Candida albicans의 성장을 저해하는 항진균물질을 생산함을 보여주었다.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.61-64
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• 1999

토양으로부터 유기인계 살충제인 phosphamidon을 분해하는 세균들을 분리하고 Biolog system을 이용하여 동정하였다. 그람양성 세균들은 모두 Bacillus 속에 속하는 종들이었으며 그람음성 세균들은 토양에서 우점하지 않는 세균들이 많았다. 이들중 phosphamidon 함유배지에서 생장률이 높은 균주들을 선택하여 phophamidon 분해능을 조사한 결과 Capnocytophaga gingivalis 로 동정된 YD-17 균주가 가장 높은 생분해능을 나타내어 1000ppm의 phosphamidon 이 배양 21일 후 94%의 잔류량을 보였으며 이는 대조구에 비해 제거율이 52% 증가된 결과였다. 이 때 균주의 생장을 단백질량으로 측정하였는데 분해균주들이 고농도의 phosphamidon에 의해 저해되지 않고 지속적인 생장을 하여 phosphamidon을 탄소원으로 이용하는 생분해가 일어난 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.7-14
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• 1996

Teh baculovirus gp64 glycoprotein is a major component of the envelope of budded virus (BV) and has been shown that it plays an essential role in the infection process, especially virus-cell membrane fusion. We have cloned Autographa californica Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (AcNPV) gp64 protein were examined for membrane fusion activity by using a synchtium formation assay under various conditions. The optimal conditions required for inducing membrane fusion are 1) form pH 4.0 to 4.8 2) 15 min exposure of cells to acidic pH 3) at least 1 .mu.g of gp64 cloned plasmid DNA per 3 * 10$^{6}$ cells 4) and an exposure of cells to acidic pH at 72 h post-transfection. In order to investigate the role of hydrophobicity of the gp64 glycoprotein for the membrane fusion, the two leucine residues (amino acid position at 229 and 230) within hydrophobic region I were substituted to alanine by PCR-derived site-directed mutagenisis and the membrane fusion activity of the mutant was anlaysed. The gp64 glycoprotein carrying double alamine substitution mutation showed no significant difference in fusion activity. This result suggested that minor changes in hydrophobicity at the amino acid position 229 and 230 does not affect the acid-induced membrane fusion activity of the gp64 glycoprotein.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.53-57
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• 2007

A number of essential oils from Mongolian aromatic plants are claimed to have antimicrobial activities. The essential oil of Dracocephalum foetidum, a popular essential oil used in Mongolian traditional medicine, was examined for its antimicrobial activity. Eight human pathogenic microorganisms including B. subtilis, S. aureus, M. lutens, E. hirae, S. mutans, E. coli, C. albicans, and S. cerevisiae were examined. The essential oil of Dracocephalum foetidum exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against most of the pathogenic bacteria and yeast strains that were tested; by both the agar diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay ($MIC\;range\;was\;26-2592{\mu}g/ml$). Interestingly, Dracocephalum foetidum even showed antimicrobial activity against methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. We also analyzed the chemical composition of the oil by GC-MS and identified several major components, including n-Mentha-1,8-dien-10-al, limonene, geranial, and neral.