• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.448-458
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• 2020

T-DNA insertional mutations in Arabidopsis genes have conferred huge benefits to the research community, greatly facilitating gene function analyses. However, the insertion process can cause chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we show an example of a likely rearrangement following T-DNA insertion in the Anti-Silencing Function 1B (ASF1B) gene locus on Arabidopsis chromosome 5, so that the phenotype was not relevant to the gene of interest, ASF1B. ASF1 is a histone H3/H4 chaperone involved in chromatin remodeling in the sporophyte and during reproduction. Plants that were homozygous for mutant alleles asf1a or asf1b were developmentally normal. However, following self-fertilization of double heterozygotes (ASF1A/asf1a ASF1B/asf1b, hereafter AaBb), defects were visible in both male and female gametes. Half of the AaBb and aaBb ovules displayed arrested embryo sacs with functional megaspore identity. Similarly, half of the AaBb and aaBb pollen grains showed centromere defects, resulting in pollen abortion at the bi-cellular stage of the male gametophyte. However, inheritance of the mutant allele in a given gamete did not solely determine the abortion phenotype. Introducing functional ASF1B failed to rescue the AaBb- and aaBb-mediated abortion, suggesting that heterozygosity in the ASF1B gene causes gametophytic defects, rather than the loss of ASF1. The presence of reproductive defects in heterozygous mutants but not in homozygotes, and the characteristic all-or-nothing pollen viability within tetrads, were both indicative of commonly-observed T-DNA-mediated translocation activity for this allele. Our observations reinforce the importance of complementation tests in assigning gene function using reverse genetics.

• 한국미생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국미생물학회 2005년도 International Meeting of the Microbiological Society of Korea
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• pp.159-161
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• 2005

Hypovirus infection of the chestnut blight fungus Cryphonectria parasitica is a useful model system to study the hypoviral regulation of fungal gene expression. The hypovirus is known to downregulate the fungal laccase1 (lac 1), the modulation of which is tightly governed by the inositol triphosphate ($IP_3$) and calcium second messenger system in a virus-free strain. We cloned the gene cplc1 encoding a phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase C (PLC), in order to better characterize the fungal gene regulation by hypovirus. Sequence analysis of the cplc1 gene indicated that the protein product contained both the X and Y domains, which are the two conserved regions found in all known PLCs, with a 133 amino acid extension between the 2nd ${\beta}$-strand and the ${\alpha}$-helix in the X domain. In addition, the gene organization appeared to be highly similar to that of a ${\delta}$ type PLC. Disruption of the cplc1 gene resulted in slow growth and produced colonies characterized by little aerial mycelia and deep orange in color. In addition, down regulation of lac1 expression was observed. However, temperature sensitivity, osmosensitivity, virulence, and other hypovirulence-associated characteristics did not differ from the wild-type strain. Functional complementation of the cplc1-null mutant with the PLC1 gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae restored lac1 expression, which suggests that the cloned gene encodes PLC activity. The present study indicates that the cplc1 gene is required for appropriate mycelial growth, and that it regulates the lac1 expression, which is also modulated by the hypovirus. Although several PLC genes have been identified in various simple eukaryotic organisms, the deletion analysis of the cplc1 gene in this study appears to be the first report on the functional analysis of PLC in filamentous fungi.

• BMB Reports
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.96-101
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• 2012

Urea-based nitrogen fertilizer was widely utilized in maize production, but transporters involved in urea uptake, translocation and cellular homeostasis have not been identified. Here, we isolated three maize aquapoin genes, ZmNIP2;1, ZmNIP2;4 and ZmTIP4;4, from a cDNA library by heterogous complementation of a urea uptake-defective yeast. ZmNIP2;1 and ZmNIP2;4 belonged to the nodulin 26-like intrinsic proteins (NIPs) localized at plasma membrane, and ZmTIP4;4 belonged to the tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIPs) at vacuolar membrane. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that ZmNIP2;1 was expressed constitutively in various organs while ZmNIP2;4 and ZmTIP4;4 transcripts were abundant in reproductive organs and roots. Expression of ZmTIP4;4 was significantly increased in roots and expanded leaves under nitrogen starvation, while those of ZmNIP2;1 and ZmNIP2;4 remained unaffected. Functions of maize aquapoin genes in urea transport together with their distinct expression manners suggested that they might play diverse roles on urea uptake and translocation, or equilibrating urea concentration across tonoplast.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.259-269
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• 2012

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a family of serine/threonine protein phosphatases, plays an important role in balancing the phosphorylation status of cellular proteins for regulating diverse biological functions in eukaryotic organisms. Despite intensive studies in mammals, limited information on its role is available in filamentous fungi. Here, we investigated the functional roles of genes for a putative B' delta regulatory subunit (FgPP2AR) and a catalytic subunit (FgPP2AC) of PP2A in a filamentous ascomycete, Fusarium graminearum. Molecular characterization of an insertional mutant of this plant pathogenic fungus allowed us to identify the roles of FgPP2AR. Targeted gene replacement and complementation analyses demonstrated that the deletion of FgPP2AR, which was constitutively expressed in all growth stages, caused drastic changes in hyphal growth, conidia morphology/germination, gene expression for mycotoxin production, sexual development and pathogenicity. In particular, overproduction of aberrant cylindrical-shaped conidia is suggestive of arthroconidial induction in the ${\Delta}FgPP2AR$ strain, which has never been described in F. graminearum. In contrast, the ${\Delta}FgPP2AC$ strain was not significantly different from its wild-type progenitor in conidiation, trichothecene gene expression, and pathogenicity; however, it showed reduced hyphal growth and no perithecial formation. The double-deletion ${\Delta}FgPP2AR;{\Delta}FgPP2AC$ strain had more severe defects than single-deletion strains in all examined phenotypes. Taken together, our results indicate that both the putative regulatory and catalytic subunits of PP2A are involved in various cellular processes for fungal development in F. graminearum.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.450-456
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• 2006

Pseudomonas fluorescens MC07 is a growth-promoting rhizobacterium that suppresses mycelial growth in fungi such as Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium ultimum, Fusarium oxysporum, and Phytophthora capsici. To determine the role of the bacterium's antifungal activity in disease suppression, we screened 2,500 colonies generated by Tn5lacZ insertions, and isolated a mutant 157 that had lost antifungal activity. The EcoRI fragment carrying Tn5lacZ was cloned into pBluescript II SK(+) and used as a probe to isolate wild-type clones from a genomic library of the parent strain, MC07. Two overlapping cosmid clones, pEH4 and pEH5, that had hybridized with the mutant clone were isolated. pEH4 conferred antifungal activity to the heterologous host P.fluorescens strain 1855.344, whereas pEH5 did not. Through transposon mutagenesis of pEH4 and complementation analyses, we delineated the 14.7-kb DNA region that is responsible for the biosynthesis of an antifungal compound. DNA sequence analysis of the region identified 11 possible open reading frames (ORF), ORF1 through ORF11. A BLAST search of each putative protein implied that the proteins may be involved in an antifungal activity similar to polyketides.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권5호
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• pp.439-446
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• 2009

The biosynthesis study of antibiotics saframycin (SFM) in Streptomyces lavendulae and safracin (SAC) in Pseudomonas fluorescens demonstrated that 3-hydroxy-S-methyl-O-methyltyrosine (3hSmOmTyr), a nonproteinogenic amino acid, is the precursor of the tetrahydroisoquinoline molecular core. In the biosynthetic gene cluster of SAC/SFM, sacD/sfmD encodes a protein with high homology to each other but no sequence similarity to other known enzymes; sacF/sfmM2 and sacG/sfmM3 encode methyltransferases for C-methylation and O-methylation; and sacE/sfinF encodes a small protein with significant sequence similarity to the MbtH-like proteins, which are frequently found in the biosynthetic pathways of non ribosomal peptide antibiotics and siderophores. To address their function, the biosynthetic cassette of 3h5mOmTyr was heterologously expressed in S. coelicolor and P. putida, and an in-frame deletion and complementation in trans were carried out. The results revealed that (i) SfmD catalyzes the hydroxylation of aromatic rings; (ii) sacD/sacF/sacG in the SAC gene cluster and sfmD/sfmM2/sfmM3 in the SFM cluster are sufficient for the biosynthesis of 3h5mOmTyr; and (iii) the mbtH-like gene is not required for the biosynthesis of the 3h5mOmTyr precursor.

• BMB Reports
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.195-201
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• 2000

A human gene has been reported that may encode the enzyme acetohydroxyacid synthase. Previously this enzyme was thought to be absent from animals although it is present in plants and many microorganisms. In plants, this enzyme is the target of a number of commercial herbicides and the use of these compounds may need to be reassessed if the human enzyme exists and proves to be susceptible to inhibition. Here we report the construction of several plasmid vectors containing the cDNA sequence for this protein, and their expression in Escherichia coli. High levels of expression were observed, but most of the protein proved to be insoluble. The small amounts of soluble protein contained little or no acetohydroxyacid synthase activity. Attempts to refold the insoluble protein were successful insofar as the protein became soluble. However, the refolded protein did not gain any acetohydroxyacid synthase activity. In vivo complementation tests of an E. coli mutant produced no evidence that the protein is active. Incorrect folding, or the lack of another subunit, may explain the data but we favor the interpretation that this gene does not encode an acetohydroxyacid synthase.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제28권6호
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• pp.575-581
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• 2009

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of polyamines, which are essential for cell growth, differentiation, and proliferation. This report presents the characterization of an ODC-encoding cDNA (SlitODC) isolated from a moth species, the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera); its expression in a polyamine-deficient strain of yeast, S. cerevisiae; and the recovery in polyamine levels and proliferation rate with the introduction of the insect enzyme. SlitODC encodes 448 amino acid residues, 4 amino acids longer than B. mori ODC that has 71% identity, and has a longer C-terminus, consistent with B. mori ODC, than the reported dipteran enzymes. The null mutant yeast strain in the ODC gene, SPE1, showed remarkably depleted polyamine levels; in putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, the levels were > 7, > 1, and > 4%, respectively, of the levels in the wild-type strain. This consequently caused a significant arrest in cell proliferation of > 4% of the wild-type strain in polyamine-free media. The transformed strain, with the substituted SlitODC for the deleted endogenous ODC, grew and proliferated rapidly at even a higher rate than the wild-type strain. Furthermore, its polyamine content was significantly higher than even that in the wild-type strain as well as the spe1-null mutant, particularly with a very continuously enhanced putrescine level, reflecting no inhibition mechanism operating in the putrescine synthesis step by any corresponding insect ODC antizymes to SlitODC in this yeast system.

• 한국작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국작물학회 2017년도 9th Asian Crop Science Association conference
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• pp.149-149
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• 2017

The RING (Really Interesting New Gene) finger proteins are known to play crucial roles in various abiotic stresses in plants. In this study, we report on RING finger E3 ligase, ${\underline{O}ryza}$ ${\underline{s}ativa}$ ${\underline{s}alt$-, ${\underline{A}BA}$- and ${\underline{d}rounght}$ stress-${\underline{i}nduced}$ RING finger ${\underline{p}}rotein{\underline{1}}$ gene (OsSAD1). In vitro ubiquitination assay demonstrated that unlike OsSAD1, a single amino acid substitution ($OsSAD1^{C168A}$) of the RING domain showed no E3 ligase activity, supporting the notion that the activity of most E3s is specified by a RING domain. Result of Yeast-Two hybridization, In vivo protein degradation assay supports that OsSAD1 interacting with 3 substrate, OsSNAC2, OsGRAS44 and OsPIRIN1, and mediates proteolysis of 3 substrates via the 26S proteasome pathway. Subcellular localizations of OsSAD1 while approximately 62% of transient signals were detected in cytosol, 38% of signals were showed nucleus. However, transiently expression of OsSAD1 was detected in cytosol 30% while as 70% of nucleus under 200 mM salt treated rice protoplasts. Results of bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) showed that two nucleus-localized proteins (OsSNAC2 and OsGRAS44) interacted with OsSAD1 in the both cytosol and nucleus. Heterogeneous overexpression of OsSAD1 Heterogeneous overexpresssion of OsSAD1 in Arabidopsis exhibited sensitive phenotypes with respect to Salt-, mannitol-responsive seed germination, seedling growth. In ABA conditions, OsSAD1 overexpression plants showed highly tolerance phenotypes, such as root length and stomatal closure. Our findings suggest that the OsSAD1 may play a negative regulator in salt stress response by modulating levels of its target proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권12호
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• pp.2106-2115
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• 2016

To identify the global effects of (p)ppGpp in the gram-positive bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, which exhibits remarkable resistance to radiation and other stresses, RelA/SpoT homolog (RSHs) mutants were constructed by direct deletion mutagenesis. The results showed that RelA has both synthesis and hydrolysis domains of (p)ppGpp, whereas RelQ only synthesizes (p)ppGpp in D. radiodurans. The growth assay for mutants and complementation analysis revealed that deletion of relA and relQ sensitized the cells to $H_2O_2$, heat shock, and amino acid limitation. Comparative proteomic analysis revealed that the bifunctional RelA is involved in DNA repair, molecular chaperone functions, transcription, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and metabolism, suggesting that relA maintains the cellular (p)ppGpp levels and plays a crucial role in oxidative resistance in D. radiodurans. The D. radiodurans relA and relQ genes are responsible for (p)ppGpp synthesis/hydrolysis and (p)ppGpp hydrolysis, respectively. (p)ppGpp integrates a general stress response with a targeted re-programming of gene regulation to allow bacteria to respond appropriately towards heat shock, oxidative stress, and starvation. This is the first identification of RelA and RelQ involvement in response to oxidative, heat shock, and starvation stresses in D. radiodurans, which further elucidates the remarkable resistance of this bacterium to stresses.