• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2008

N-ethyl-N-nitrosoures (ENU) is effective in inducing hypermorphic mutation as well as hypomorphic and antimorphic mutations. Therefore, this mutagen is used to the production of mutant in the mice. In order to perform an effective ENU mutagenesis using BALB/cAnN mice, determination of optimal dosage and dosage regimen of ENU is necessary. And this study tried to develop a suitable screening method and searched for novel and various mutants as model animals in phenotypedriven ENU mutagenesis. We have carried out dosage regimen for mutagenizing dose of 200 mg/kg ENU in the BALB/c mice. Total screened mice were 30,133. As the results of Esaki and Cho's Phenotype Screening, we got 2,516 phenotypic and behavior abnormalities in $G_1,\;G_2\;and\;G_3$ mice. One hundred thirty five $G_1$ phenodeviants were tested for inheritance and 16 dominant mutants were discovered. Forty two recessive mutants were also found in tested 201 micropedigrees. Early-onset mutant mice included the dysmorphology of face, eye, tail, limb, skin, and foot and abnormal behavior like circling, swimming, head tossing, stiff-walking, high cholesterol level, and tremor etc. In this study we could effectively screen $G_3$ recessive mutants. The frequent and concise early-onset screening before weaning will be available for ENU mutagenesis.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.378-384
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• 2011

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a member of genus Begomovirus, was isolated in Korea in 2008. We sequenced and analyzed the DNA-A of 51 TYLCV isolates from Korea, and 13 of the TYLCV isolates were selected as type representatives of TYLCV from six Korean provinces. The 13 TYLCV isolates were classified into Korea Group 1 (KG1, nine isolates) and Korea Group 2 (KG2, four isolates) based on the results of phylogenetic analysis and genome size (2774 and 2781 nucleotides, respectively). A recombination detection program 3 (RDP3) revealed two recombinations between the TYLCV Korea isolates and other TYLCV isolates [Thailand (AF206674), Iran (AJ132711), and Israel (X76319)]. TYLCV Jeju isolate was characterized by two recombination events (E1 and E2) caused by the presence of E1 in ORF V1 and C3, which may seem to be the mutations of the high nucleotide transversion and transition rate. Collectively, our results suggest that the occurrence of nucleotide transversions and transitions in TYLCV DNA-A might have induced novel recombination events within the TYLCV Korea isolates.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.167-169
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• 2011

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288c strain does not show haploid and diploid filamentous growth, and biofilm formation, because it has a flo8 nonsense mutation unlike ${\Sigma}1278b$ strain which has a FLO8 gene. During the heat stress experiments to investigate the role of ScKns1, LAMMER kinase in S. cerevisiae, we found that ${\Sigma}1278b$ strain revealed heat sensitivity at $37^{\circ}C$, a mild heat stress in contrast to S288c strain. We also found that the disruption of ScKns1 and the addition of sorbitol suppress heat sensitivity of ${\Sigma}1278b$ strain. These results suggest the possibility that Flo8 and ScKns1 may interact to transducer a signal for regulating heat stress through a novel signaling pathway.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.101-117
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• 2007

In this paper, we propose a customized genetic algorithm (GA) to find the minimum-cost guideway network (GN) of personal rapid transit (PRT) subject to connectivity, reliability, and traffic capacity constraints. PRT is a novel transportation concept, where a number of automated taxi-sized vehicles run on an elevated GN. One of the most important problems regarding PRT is how to design its GN topology for given station locations and the associated inter-station traffic demands. We model the GN as a directed graph, where its cost, connectivity, reliability, and node traffics are formulated. Based on this formulation, we develop the GA with special genetic operators well suited for the GN design problem. Such operators include steady state selection, repair algorithm, and directed mutation. We perform numerical experiments to determine the adequate GA parameters and compare its performance to other optimization algorithms previously reported. The experimental results verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach for the GN design problem having up to 210 links.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.185-185
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• 2003

To develope the novel anti-allergic drug, many sophoricoside derivatives were synthesized. Among these derivatives, JSH-II-3, JSH-Ⅵ-3, JSH-Ⅶ-3, and JSH-Ⅷ-3 were selected and subjected to high throughput toxicity screening (HTTS) because they revealed strong IL-5 inhibitory activity and limitation of quantity. Mouse lymphoma thymidine kinase (tk$\^$+/-/) gene assay (MOLY) and single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay in mammalian cells were used as HTTS tool in our laboratory. In MOLY assay, JSH-Ⅶ-3 at 50 ∼ 6 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml concentrations was not shown significant mutagenic effect in the absence and presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. However, the concentration of ISH-II-3, 38 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, induced increased mutation frequency (MF) in the presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. Also in comet assay, DNA damage was not observed in JSH-Ⅵ-3 and JSH-Ⅶ-3, wherase concentration of 32.8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in JSH-II-3 and 13.9 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in JSH-Ⅶ-3 were induced DNA damage in the absence of S-9 metabolic activation system. Therefore, we suggest that JSH-Ⅵ-3 and JSH-Ⅶ-3 have no genotoxic effects but JSH-II-3 and JSH-Ⅷ-3 induce some mutagenicity and DNA strand breaks in mouse lymphoma cell line used this study.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.627-636
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• 2016

The causative agent of pandemic cholera, Vibrio cholerae, infects the anaerobic environment of the human intestine. Production of cholera toxin (CT), a major virulence factor of V. cholerae, is highly induced during anaerobic respiration with trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) as an alternative electron acceptor. However, the molecular mechanism of TMAO-stimulated CT production is not fully understood. Herein, we reveal that CT production during anaerobic TMAO respiration is affected by glucose fermentation. When the seventh pandemic V. cholerae O1 strain N16961 was grown with TMAO and additional glucose, CT production was markedly reduced. Furthermore, an N16961 Δcrp mutant, devoid of cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP), was defective in CT production during growth by anaerobic TMAO respiration, further suggesting a role of glucose metabolism in regulating TMAO-mediated CT production. TMAO reductase activity was noticeably decreased when grown together with glucose or by mutation of the crp gene. A CRP binding region was identified in the promoter region of the torD gene, which encodes a structural subunit of the TMAO reductase. Gel shift assays further confirmed the binding of purified CRP to the torD promoter sequence. Together, our results suggest that the bacterial ability to respire using TMAO is controlled by CRP, whose activity is dependent on glucose availability. Our results reveal a novel mechanism for the regulation of major virulence factor production by V. cholerae under anaerobic growth conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.34-45
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• 2012

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) subtype is associated with obese humans. Especially, in a patient with severe early-onset obesity, novel heterozygous mutation in the MC4R gene was detected, resulting in an exchange of aspartic acid to asparagine in $90^{th}$ amino acid residue located in the predicted second trans-membrane domain (TM2). Mutations in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene are the most frequent monogenic causes of severe obesity which have been described as heterozygous with loss of function. In order to compare structure difference between MC4R wild type (MC4R-TM2-wt) and mutant (MC4R-TM2-D90N), we designed both MC4R-TM2-wt and MC4R-TM2-D90N construct in pET 21b vector. In this study, we optimized high-yield purification procedure for recombinant TM2-D90N. Eluted recombinant protein was resolubilized under urea condition for thrombin cleavage reaction and we conducted the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with reverse phase column under 1% acetonitrile, 0.01% TFA buffer solution. The molecular size of purified target peptide was confirmed by Tricine-SDS page analysis. To characterize MC4R-TM2-D90N, we have performed $^{15}N$-isotope labeling of peptide using M9 media and purified labeled target peptide for hetero-nuclear NMR spectroscopy.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.233-238
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• 2014

Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) and its brain-specific homologue, PTBP2, are associated with pre-mRNAs and influence pre-mRNA processing, as well as mRNA metabolism and transport. They play important roles in neural differentiation and glioma development. In our study, we detected the expression of the two proteins in glioma cells and predicted that they may be sumoylated using SUMOplot analyses. We confirmed that PTBP1 and PTBP2 can be modified by SUMO1 with co-immunoprecipitation experiments using 293ET cells transiently co-expressing SUMO1 and either PTBP1 or PTBP2. We also found that SUMO1 modification of PTBP2 was enhanced by Ubc9 (E2). The mutation of the sumoylation site (Lys137) of PTBP2 markedly inhibited its modification by SUMO1. Interestingly, in T98G glioma cells, the level of sumoylated PTBP2 was reduced compared to that of normal brain cells. Overall, this study shows that PTBP2 is posttranslationally modified by SUMO1.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2017

Purpose: The goal of this study was the early diagnosis of ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders, especially those focused on benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis. Methods: Fifty patients presenting neonatal cholestasis were evaluated to identify underlying etiologies. Genetic analysis was performed on patients suspected to have syndromic diseases or ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders. Two families with proven ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders were subjected to genetic analyses to confirm the diagnosis and were provided genetic counseling. Whole exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed on the patients and the family members. Results: Idiopathic or viral hepatitis was diagnosed in 34%, metabolic disease in 20%, total parenteral nutrition induced cholestasis in 16%, extrahepatic biliary atresia in 14%, genetic disease in 10%, neonatal lupus in 2%, congenital syphilis in 2%, and choledochal cyst in 2% of the patients. The patient with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis had novel heterozygous mutations of ABCB11 c.11C>G (p.Ser4*) and c.1543A>G (p.Asn515Asp). The patient with benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis had homozygous mutations of ABCB11 c.1331T>C (p.Val444Ala) and heterozygous, c.3084A>G (p.Ala1028Ala). Genetic confirmation of ABCB11 spectrum liver disorder led to early liver transplantation in the progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis patient. In addition, the atypically severe benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis patient was able to avoid unnecessary liver transplantation after genetic analysis. Conclusion: ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders can be clinically indistinguishable as they share similar characteristics related to acute episodes. A comprehensive genetic analysis will facilitate optimal diagnosis and treatment.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.355-363
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• 2020

Bacterial traits for virulence of Ralstonia solanacearum causing lethal wilt in plants were extensively studied but are not yet fully understood. Other than the known virulence factors of Ralstonia solanacearum, this study aimed to identify the novel gene(s) contributing to bacterial virulence of R. solanacearum. Among the transposon-inserted mutants that were previously generated, we selected mutant SL341F12 strain produced exopolysaccharide equivalent to wild type strain but showed reduced virulence compared to wild type. In this mutant, a transposon was found to disrupt the murI gene encoding glutamate racemase which converts L-glutamate to D-glutamate. SL341F12 lost its motility, and its virulence in the tomato plant was markedly diminished compared to that of the wild type. The altered phenotypes of SL341F12 were restored by introducing a full-length murI gene. The expression of genes required for flagella assembly was significantly reduced in SL341F12 compared to that of the wild type or complemented strain, indicating that the loss of bacterial motility in the mutant was due to reduced flagella assembly. A dramatic reduction of the mutant population compared to its wild type was apparent in planta (i.e., root) than its wild type but not in soil and rhizosphere. This may contribute to the impaired virulence in the mutant strain. Accordingly, we concluded that murI in R. solanacearum may be involved in controlling flagella assembly and consequently, the mutation affects bacterial motility and virulence.