• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.66-77
• /
• 2006

This review inquired the recently applied molecular biological and biochemical methods analyzing the microbial community structure of groundwater and, as a result, summarized the functional or taxonomic groups of active microorganisms with major contaminants in groundwater. The development of gene amplification through PCR has been possible to figure out microbial population and identification. Active microbial community structures have been analyzed using a variety of fingerprinting techniques such as DGGE, SSCP, RISA, and microarray and fatty acid analyses such as PLFA and FAME, and the activity of a specific strain has been examined using FISH. Also, this review included the dominant microflora in groundwater contaminated with fuel components such as n-alkanes, BTEX, MTBE, and ethanol and chlorinated compounds such as TCE, PCE, PCB, CE, carbon tetrachloride, and chlorobenzene.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.217-236
• /
• 2016

Polyporoid and corticioid fungi are among the most important wood-decay fungi. Not only do they contribute to nutrient cycling by decomposing wood debris, but they are also valuable sources for natural products. Polyporoid and corticioid wood-inhabiting fungi were investigated in Odaesan National Park. Fruit bodies were collected and identified based on morphological and molecular analyses using 28S and internal transcribed spacer regions of DNA sequences. As a result, a total of 149 species, 69 genera, 22 families, and 11 orders were recognized. Half (74 species) of the species were polypores, and the other half (75 species) were corticioid fungi. Most of the species belonged to Polyporales (92 species) followed by Hymenochaetales (33 species) and Russulales (11 species). At the genus level, a high number of species was observed from Steccherinum, Hyphodontia, Phanerochaete, Postia, and Trametes. Concerning distribution, almost all the species could be found below 1,000 m, and only 20% of the species were observed from above 1,000 m. Stereum subtomentosum, Trametes versicolor, T. hirsuta, T. pubescens, Bjerkandera adusta, and Ganoderma applanatum had wide distribution areas. Deciduous wood was the preferred substrate for the collected species. Sixty-three species were new to this region, and 21 species were new to Korea, of which 17 species were described and illustrated.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.11
• /
• pp.1305-1310
• /
• 2013

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual herb with a long history and it is mainly used as a spice and as a medicine that is effective as a digestive aid, a sedative, and a narcotic, and that helps remove bad breath. Dill grows wild in the districts along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, West Asia, China, and Korea. An estimate of the phylogenetic relationships within dill accessions in 20 countries was inferred using data from the rps16-trnK3-intergenic spacer. The aligned data sets for dill ranged from 747 to 779 nucleotides (bp) as a result of the differences in the insert/delete nucleotides. The sequence variation within the dill accessions was mostly due to nucleotide substitutions, although several small insertions and deletions can be found. Among 100 accessions from 20 countries, the Eastern Asia accessions were more closely related to the North American accessions than to the Central Asia and European accessions. Although some accessions were not congruent completely with geographical locations, the dill accessions with rps16-trnK analysis resulted in plants with better-resolved clades.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.39 no.7
• /
• pp.550-556
• /
• 2016

During meiosis, exchange of DNA segments occurs between paired homologous chromosomes in order to produce recombinant chromosomes, helping to increase genetic diversity within a species. This genetic exchange process is tightly controlled by the eukaryotic RecA homologs Rad51 and Dmc1, which are involved in strand exchange of meiotic recombination, with Rad51 participating specifically in mitotic recombination. Meiotic recombination requires an interaction between homologous chromosomes to repair programmed double-strand breaks (DSBs). In this study, we investigated the budding yeast meiosis-specific proteins Hop2 and Sae3, which function in the Dmc1-dependent pathway. This pathway mediates the homology searching and strand invasion processes. Mek1 kinase participates in switching meiotic recombination from sister bias to homolog bias after DSB formation. In the absence of Hop2 and Sae3, DSBs were produced normally, but showed defects in the DSB-to-single-end invasion transition mediated by Dmc1 and auxiliary factors, and mutant strains failed to complete proper chromosome segregation. However, in the absence of Mek1 kinase activity, Rad51-dependent recombination progressed via sister bias in the $hop2{\Delta}$ or $sae3{\Delta}$ mutants, even in the presence of Dmc1. Thus, Hop2 and Sae3 actively modulate Dmc1-dependent recombination, effectively progressing homolog bias, a process requiring Mek1 kinase activation.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.81-87
• /
• 2014

Chronic pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy is associated with an increased risk of morbidity/mortality, largely due to maladaptive remodeling and dilatation that progresses to dilated cardiomyopathy. Alternative splicing is an important biological mechanism that generates proteomic complexity and diversity. The recent development of next-generation RNA sequencing has improved our understanding of the qualitative signatures associated with alternative splicing in various biological conditions. However, the role of alternative splicing in cardiac hypertrophy is yet unknown. The present study employed RNA-Seq and a bioinformatic approach to detect the RNA splicing regulatory elements involved in alternative splicing during pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy. We found GC-rich exonic motifs that regulate intron retention in 5' UTRs and AT-rich exonic motifs that are involved in exclusion of the AT-rich elements that cause mRNA instability in 3' UTRs. We also identified motifs in the intronic regions involved in exon exclusion and inclusion, which predicted splicing factors that bind to these motifs. We found, through Western blotting, that the expression levels of three splicing factors, ESRP1, PTB and SF2/ASF, were significantly altered during cardiac hypertrophy. Collectively, the present results suggest that chronic pressure-overload hypertrophy is closely associated with distinct alternative splicing due to altered expression of splicing factors.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.86-95
• /
• 2020

The red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) is an endangered, large-bodied crane native to East Asia. It is a traditional symbol of longevity and its long lifespan has been confirmed both in captivity and in the wild. Lifespan in birds is known to be positively correlated with body size and negatively correlated with metabolic rate, though the genetic mechanisms for the red-crowned crane's long lifespan have not previously been investigated. Using whole genome sequencing and comparative evolutionary analyses against the grey-crowned crane and other avian genomes, including the long-lived common ostrich, we identified redcrowned crane candidate genes with known associations with longevity. Among these are positively selected genes in metabolism and immunity pathways (NDUFA5, NDUFA8, NUDT12, SOD3, CTH, RPA1, PHAX, HNMT, HS2ST1, PPCDC, PSTK CD8B, GP9, IL-9R, and PTPRC). Our analyses provide genetic evidence for low metabolic rate and longevity, accompanied by possible convergent adaptation signatures among distantly related large and long-lived birds. Finally, we identified low genetic diversity in the red-crowned crane, consistent with its listing as an endangered species, and this genome should provide a useful genetic resource for future conservation studies of this rare and iconic species.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.243-248
• /
• 1999

Sialic acids are key determinants for biological processes, such as cell-cell interaction and differentiation. Sialyltransferases contribute to the diversity in carbohydrate structure through their attachment of sialic acid in various terminal positions on glycolipid and glycoprotein (N-linked and O-linked) carbohydrate groups. Gal$\beta$ 1,3(4)GlcNAc $\alpha$2,3-sialyltransferase (ST3Gal III) is involved in the biosynthesis of $sLe^{X}$ and sLe^{a}$ known as selection ligands and tumor-associated carbohydrate structures. The appearance and differential distribution of ST3Gal III mRNA during mice embryogenesis [embryonic (E) days; E9, E11, E13, E15] were investigated by in situ hybridization with digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes coupled with alkaline phosphatase detection. On E9, all tissues were positive for ST3Gal III mRNA expression whereas ST3Gal III mRNA on E11 was not detected throughout all tissues. On E13, ST3GAl III mRNA was expressed in different manner in various tissues. In this stage, ST3Gal III mRNA was positive only in the liver, pancreas and bladder. On E15, specific signal for ST3GAl III was detected in the liver, lung and forebrain. These results indicate that ST3Gal III is differently expressed at developmental stages of mice embryo, and this may be importantly related with regulation of organogenesis in mice.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.804-819
• /
• 2019

Ezine cheese is a non-starter and long-ripened cheese produced in the Mount of Ida region of Canakkale, Turkey, with a protected designation of origin status. Non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) have a substantial effect on the quality and final sensorial characteristics of long-ripened cheeses. The dominance of NSLAB can be attributed to their high tolerance to the hostile environment in cheese during ripening relative to many other microbial groups and to its ability to inhibit undesired microorganisms. These qualities promote the microbiological stability of long-ripened cheeses. In this study, 144 samples were collected from three dairies during the ripening period of Ezine cheese. Physicochemical composition and NSLAB identification analyses were performed using both conventional and molecular methods. According to the results of a 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, 13 different species belonging to seven genera were identified. Enterococcus faecium (38.42%) and E. faecalis (18.94%) were dominant species during the cheese manufacturing process, surviving 12 months of ripening together with Lactobacillus paracasei (13.68%) and Lb. plantarum (11.05%). The results indicate that NSLAB contributes to the microbiological stability of Ezine cheese over 12 months of ripening. The isolation of NSLAB with antimicrobial activity, potential bacteriocin producers, yielded defined collections of natural NSLAB isolates from Ezine cheese that can be used to generate specific starter cultures for the production of Ezine cheese (PDO).

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.44 no.9
• /
• pp.680-687
• /
• 2021

Coronavirus disease, COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), has a higher case fatality rate in European countries than in others, especially East Asian ones. One potential explanation for this regional difference is the diversity of the viral infection efficiency. Here, we analyzed the allele frequencies of a nonsynonymous variant rs12329760 (V197M) in the TMPRSS2 gene, a key enzyme essential for viral infection and found a significant association between the COVID-19 case fatality rate and the V197M allele frequencies, using over 200,000 present-day and ancient genomic samples. East Asian countries have higher V197M allele frequencies than other regions, including European countries which correlates to their lower case fatality rates. Structural and energy calculation analysis of the V197M amino acid change showed that it destabilizes the TMPRSS2 protein, possibly negatively affecting its ACE2 and viral spike protein processing.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.315-326
• /
• 2021

Ion channels are membrane protein complexes mediating passive ion flux across the cell membranes. Every organism has a certain set of ion channels that define its physiology. Dinoflagellates are ecologically important microorganisms characterized by effective physiological adaptability, which backs up their massive proliferations that often result in harmful blooms (red tides). In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach to identify homologs of known ion channels that belong to 36 ion channel families. We demonstrated that the versatility of the dinoflagellate physiology is underpinned by a high diversity of ion channels including homologs of animal and plant proteins, as well as channels unique to protists. The analysis of 27 transcriptomes allowed reconstructing a consensus ion channel repertoire (channelome) of dinoflagellates including the members of 31 ion channel families: inwardly-rectifying potassium channels, two-pore domain potassium channels, voltage-gated potassium channels (K_v), tandem K_v, cyclic nucleotide-binding domain-containing channels (CNBD), tandem CNBD, eukaryotic ionotropic glutamate receptors, large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels, intermediate/small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels, eukaryotic single-domain voltage-gated cation channels, transient receptor potential channels, two-pore domain calcium channels, four-domain voltage-gated cation channels, cation and anion Cys-loop receptors, small-conductivity mechanosensitive channels, large-conductivity mechanosensitive channels, voltage-gated proton channels, inositole-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors, slow anion channels, aluminum-activated malate transporters and quick anion channels, mitochondrial calcium uniporters, voltage-dependent anion channels, vesicular chloride channels, ionotropic purinergic receptors, animal volage-insensitive cation channels, channelrhodopsins, bestrophins, voltage-gated chloride channels H⁺/Cl^- exchangers, plant calcium-permeable mechanosensitive channels, and trimeric intracellular cation channels. Overall, dinoflagellates represent cells able to respond to physical and chemical stimuli utilizing a wide range of G-protein coupled receptors- and Ca²⁺-dependent signaling pathways. The applied approach not only shed light on the ion channel set in dinoflagellates, but also provided the information on possible molecular mechanisms underlying vital cellular processes dependent on the ion transport.