• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.154-161
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• 2007

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections are responsible for a substantial number of deaths annually and represent a significant threat to public health. According to the latest study, the Tat (Transactivator of transcription) protein is essential in transcription and replication of viral genes, and is among the early expression genes involved in the life cycle of HIV. The virion NC (nucleocapsid) plays an important role in early mRNA expression and contributes to the rapid viral replication that occurs during HIV-1 infection. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate the relationship between the Tat protein and nucleocapsid protein. In a comparison of two independently prepared and hybridized samples, flag NC overexpressed HEK 293T cells and pTat overexpressed HEK 293T cells, and hybridization showed the differences in expression in each case. Among the microarray results confirmed with real-time reverse transcriptase assay, twelve genes were identified to be involved according to their gene expression profiles. Of approximately 8,208 human genes that were analyzed, we monitored candidate genes that might have been related to NC and Tat genes from gene expression profiles. Additionally, the pathways could be viewed and analyzed through the use of Pathway Studio software. The pathways from the gene list were built and paths were found among the molecules/cell objects/processes by the curation method.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2009

Transmission of avian viruses both bird-to-bird and from birds to non-avian species is a major health concern. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is an economically important avian virus that poses substantial risks to the poultry industry. Rapid and sensitive diagnostic methods, such as the enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), are required to track such infections. To develop an ELISA for detecting anti-NDV antibody in avian sera, the nucleocapsid protein (NCP) gene of the NDV La Sota strain was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and the 513-amino acid recombinant NCP was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. To evaluate its ability to replace NDV whole virus antigen as a coating antigen, NCP-coated and whole NDV-coated ELISAs were tested and compared using a panel of NDV positive antisera from chickens. Results using purified NCP were highly correlated with those obtained using whole NDV (r= 0.927), demonstrating that recombinant NCP expressed in Escherichia coli is a suitable substitute antigen for whole NDV in a diagnostic ELISA.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2003

RT-PCR method was applied to detect and clone the nucleocapsid protein (N) gene and glycoprotein (G) gene for sequencing 5 Korean VHSV isolates from cultured olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to investigate their relationship with the VHSV strains described previously and isolated from different geographical area. Generally, VHSV strains were separated phylogenetically according to the major geographical area of isolation: Genogroup I (American type), Genogroup Il (British Isles) and Genogroup ill (European type). This study revealed that all 5 Korean VHSV isolates were belonged to Genogroup I and closely related to Japanese Obama25 type.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.515-530
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• 1995

Coronaviridae에 속하는 transmissible gastroenteritis virus(TGEV)와 porcine epidemic diarrhea virus(PEDV)를 specific하게 detection할 수 있는 방법을 개발하고자 본 연구를 수행하였다. 두 바이러스 모두 RNA 바이러스이기 때문에 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)으로 nucleocapsid(N) protein gene의 cDNA를 증폭시켰다. SmaI으로 처리한 pTZ19R에 ligation시킨 후 염기서열을 밝히고자 sequencing하였다. 각각의 prototype virus와 비교하여 상동성을 밝혔다. 두 바이러스에 대한 cDNA probe를 제작하여 Southern blot hybridization을 실시하였다. TGEV의 경우 백신주인 P45와 병독주인 Miller strain을 사용하였다. cDNA를 증폭시키기 위해 N1/N1R과 N2/N2R 두 가지 primer를 이용한 결과, N1/N1R primer의 경우 586bp 크기의 PCR product를 얻을 수 있었고, N2/N2R primers로 582bp의 cDNA를 증폭시킬 수 있었다. PEDV 실험을 위하여 PED 임상 증상을 나타내는 분변을 이용하여 RT-PCR을 실시하였다. P2/P2R primer로 753bp의 PCR product를 얻을 수 있었다. TGEV의 두 가지 strain의 N protein gene을 sequencing하여 prototype인 Purdue strain과 염기서열 상동성을 조사한 결과, 97%이상의 높은 homology를 나타내었다. PED-V 역시 N protein gene을 sequencing하여 CV777과 염기서열 상동성을 조사한 결과 97%이상의 homology로 PEDV임을 알 수 있었다. TGEV와 PEDV의 염기서열을 비교한 결과 29%의 낮은 homology를 관찰할 수 있었다. 두 가지 바이러스의 N protein gene에 대한 cDNA probe를 제작하여 Southern blot hybridization을 한 결과, 각 바이러스에 매우 특이적 반응을 나타내었다.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.537-545
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• 2005

Even though neutralizing antibodies against the Hantaan virus (HTNV) has been proven to be critical against viral infections, the cellular immune responses to HTNV are also assumed to be important for viral clearance. In this report, we have examined the cellular and humoral immune responses against the HTNV nucleocapsid protein (NP) elicited by virus infection or DNA vaccination. To examine the cellular immune response against HTNV NP, we used $H-2K^b$ restricted T-cell epitopes of NP. The NP-specific $CD8^+$ T cell response was analyzed using a $^{51}Cr-release$ assay, intracellular cytokine staining assay, enzyme-linked immunospot assay and tetramer binding assay in C57BL/6 mice infected with HTNV. Using these methods, we found that HTNV infection elicited a strong NP-specific $CD8^+$ T cell response at eight days after infection. We also found that several different methods to check the NP-specific $CD8^+$ T cell response showed a very high correlation among analysis. In the case of DNA vaccination by plasmid encoding nucleocapsid gene, the NP-specific antibody response was elicited $2\~4$ weeks after immunization and maximized at $6\~8$ weeks. NP-specific $CD8^+$ T cell response reached its peak 3 weeks after immunization. In a challenge test with the recombinant vaccinia virus expressing NP (rVV-HTNV-N), the rVV-HTNV-N titers in DNA vaccinated mice were decreased about 100-fold compared to the negative control mice.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 2009

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a basic multifunctional protein which has been reported to be a serine phosphoprotein with yet-identified functions. As a first step towards understanding the general role of N protein phosphorylation during virus replication, the non-phosphorylated mutant N gene was constructed by mutating all serine residues to alanine. This recombinant N protein was identified to be unphosphorylated, confirming that serine residues truly function as core amino acids responsible for N protein phosphorylation. The PRRSV N protein has been shown to possess the biological features of nuclear localization and N-N homodimerization which individually play critical roles in virus infection. In the present study, therefore, it was attempted to investigate whether these two properties of the N protein are modulated by its phosphorylation status. However, experimental results showed that the non-phosphorylated N protein was still present in the nucleus and nucleolus, and was able to associate with itself by non-covalent interactions. Taken together, the data suggest phosphorylation-independent regulation of N protein nuclear transport or oligomerization, thereby implying the potential involvement of phosphorylation in regulating the activities of the N protein at other levels including RNA-binding capacity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2009

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), an enveloped single stranded RNA virus in the family Coronaviridae, causes acute viral enteric disease in piglets. Recently outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) have been rare in Europe but frequent in Asia. In Korea, the increase of PED prevalence is showing specially in postweaning pigs. The purpose of this study was to investigate nucleotide sequence of nucleocapsid protein gene of PEDV field isolates from postweaning pigs in Korea and get more information about the viruses. A total of 15 postweaing pigs clinically suspected of PEDV infection by severe watery diarrhea and dehydration were used in this study. Viral RNA was extracted from small intestines and stools of the pigs. The N gene was amplified by nested RT-PCR, purificated, sequenced, analyzed and then compared with published sequences of other PEDV strains. Three PEDVs were isolated from the suspected postweaning pigs. The N gene of three PEDV field isolates consisted of 483 nucleotides. These PEDV field isolates showed nucleotide sequence homology range from 99.6% to 95% with Chinese strains, from 99.8% to 95.2% with Korean strains, from 97.3% to 95.7% with Japanese strains and from 96.5% to 95.7% with Belgium and British strains. The encoded pritein shared range from 98.8% to 95.6% with Chinese strains, from 99.4% to 95% with Korean strains, from 97.5% to 96.3% with Japanese strains, from 95.6% to 95% with Belgium and British strains. By phylogenetic tree analysis based on nucleotide sequence, three PEDV field isolates were clustered into two groups which were Chinese isolate groups and other Korean isolate groups. These results indicated that some of PEDV field isolates prevailing in Korean postweaning pigs may be associated with those of Chinese strains and other Korean strains.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.879-889
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• 2015

The outbreak of viral diseases caused by viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) and red seabream iridovirus (RSIV) have been reported in cultured olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. VHSV has been a serious viral disease that infects the olive flounders in South Korea. Clinical signs of VHSV infection are skin darkening, abdominal distension and haemorrhages. Outbreaks of fish iridoviral disease was first reported from red seabream, Pagrus major farms in Japan. Recently, iridovirus infection have occurred frequently from olive flounder farms in South Korea. In this study, disease surveillance was performed to monitor the prevalence of VHSV and RSIV in olive flounder in 2014. The samples were collected from 60 different olive flounder farms in Jeju from April, May, September, November and December in 2014. RT-PCR (VHSV) or PCR (RSIV) results showed that VHSV were detected in 5 farms, but RSIV has not been detected in any farms. The migration of olive flounder was restricted for the quarantine in 5 farms of VHS outbreak. The nucleocapsid protein (N) gene and glycoprotein (G) gene sequences of the 5 Korean VHSV isolates were successfully amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the VHSV sequences reported here together comparison with the nucleotide sequences available from the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that most of Korea VHSV belong to the genotype IVa and closely related to the strains from Japan and China.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.297-301
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• 2004

A Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV-KP) was isolated from Paprika (Capsicum annuum var. grossum) showing necrosis spot on the leaves and malformation of the fruit in Yesan, Korea. The virus infected Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, Petunia hybrida, Nicotiana glutunosa, Gomphrena globosa, and Physalis floridana. Ten plants including tomato were observed to have systemic TWSV-KP infection. The virus produced necrosis or necrotic ring spots on the inoculated leaves and mosaic, vein necrosis or death on the upper leaves of Datura stramonium, N. clevarandii, N. rustica, and N.tabacum cvs. Thin sections of the infected leaf tissue contained spherical to oval particles, a characteristic of a Tospovirus. The virion contained three molecules of genomic RNAs, which were approximately 9.0, 4.9 and 3.0 kb. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of the purified virion migrated as a single band with molecular weight of about 29 kDa in SDS-PAGE. The N gene of TSWV-KP showed 96.5-97.2% and 97.7-98.5% identities to the three different TSWV isolates of Genbank Database at the nucleotide and amino acid, respectively.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.151-155
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• 2009

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has genetic diversity like most of RNA viruses. HCV major genotypes are classified into several subtypes which are further divided into quasispecies having, genetically different but closely related variants. The HCV core that is a nucleocapsid protein located at the amino terminus of the viral polyprotein is relatively a conserved protein among the HCV isolates and thus it has been one of plausible targets for anti-HCV drug development. However, different quasispecies of HCV core gene have also been found. In this study, we compared the expression level of core protein between two different quasispecies of HCV genotype 1b. Our data demonstrate that a little differences of amino acid sequence lead to substantial difference of expression level. It might be another important reason of different pathogenesis among HCV infected patients.