• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.291-297
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• 2003

A human endogenous retroviral family (HERV-W) has recently been described that is related to multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV) sequences that have been identified in particles recovered from monocyte cultures from patients with multiple sclerosis. Two pol fragments (HWP-FB10 and HWP-FBl2) of HERV-W family were identified and analysed by the PCR approach with cDNA library of human fetal brain. They showed 89 percent nucleotide sequence similarity with that of the HERV-W (accession no. AF009668). Deletion/insertion or point mutation in the coding region of the pol fragments from human fetal brain resulted in amino acid frameshift that induced a mutated protein. Phylogenetic analysis of the HERV-W family from GenBank database indicates that the HWP-FB10 is very closely related to the AC000064 derived from human chromosome 7q21-q22. Further studies on the genetic relationship with neighbouring genes and functional role of these new HERV-W pol sequences are indicated.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.188-199
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• 2001

A gene encoding the dextransucrase(dsCB) that synthesizes mostly $\alpha-(1\rightarrow6)$ linked dextran with low amount(10%) of $\alpha-(1\rightarrow3)$ branching was cloned and sequenced from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-742CB. The 6.1 kbp DNA fragment carrying dsCB showed one open reading frame(ORF) composed of 4,536bp. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that it begins from the start codon(ATG) at position 698 of the cloned DNA fragment and extends to the termination condon(TAA) at position 5,223. The enzyme is consisted of 1,508 amino acids and has an calculated molecular mass of 168.6kDa. This calculated Mw was in good agreement with an activity band of 170kDa on non-denaturing SDS-PAGE. A recombinant E. coli DH5 $alpha$ harboring pDSCB produced extracellular dextransucrase in 2% sucrose medium, and synthesized both soluble and insoluble dextran. To compare the properties of enzyme with B-742CB dextransucrase, the acceptor reaction, hydrolysis of dextran and methylation were performed. The expressed enzyme showed the same properties as B-742CB dextransucrease, but its ability to synthesize $\alpha-(1\rightarrow3)$ branching was lower than that of B-742CB dextransucrase. In order to identify the critical amino acid residues known as conserved regions related to catalytic activity, Asp-492 was replaced with Asn. D492N resulted in a 1.6 fold decrease in specific activity.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2002

Hepatitis B viral infection which affect about 10% of Korean population manifests asymptomatic carrier, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis and even associates with hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical manifestations induced by hepatitis B virus vary depending on the degree of immune response by cytotoxic T cells against viral epitope-presenting liver cells. Since hepatitis B virus presents high rate of mutaton that might change the presented epitope and eventually alter immune response, viral mutations, especially in promoters and enhancers, have an important implication in hepatic inflammation and viral replication. To identify mutations related to the hepatic inflammation, we investigated sequence variations of hepatitis B viral promotor regions in the presence or absence of symptoms in hepatitis B carriers. For this, sera from persistently hepatitis B virus-infected mother-child pairs were collected. After PCR amplifiation of all hepatitis B viral promoters (C promoter, S1 promoter, S2/S promoter, X promoter) using serum DNA from each pair, viral promotors were sequenced by automatic sequencer and then sequence data were analyzed by ClustalW. In most cases, the dominant type of maternal virus was transmitted to the child. However, in some children, some new host specific viral variants could be observed in Cp, S1p and S2/Sp. The mutations in C promoter did not seem to be vertically transmitted but arose in new host independently after the wild type had been transmitted. Enhancer I containing X promoter revealed high host specific variations as has been reported before. Two S promoters, S1p and S2/Sp, have shown some point mutations in children, but no deletion mutations were detected as in chronic hepatitis patients in whom deletion mutations are frequently found. In conclusion, the children with the vertically transmitted hepatitis B virus mostly retain the dominant type virus that had been transmitted. However, host specific variants tended to accumulate over time, possibly as clinical symptoms develop.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.16 no.6 s.111
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• pp.665-673
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• 2006

This paper proposes a RSM-based hybrid evolutionary Algorithm (RHEA) which combines the merits of the popular programs such as genetic algorithm (GA), tabu search method and response surface methodology (RSM). This algorithm, for improving the convergent speed that is thought to be the demerit of genetic algorithm, uses response surface methodology and simplex method. The mutation of GA offers random variety to finding the optimum solution. In this study, however, systematic variety can be secured through the use of tabu list. Efficiency of this method has been proven by applying traditional left functions and comparing the results to GA. It was also proved that the newly suggested algorithm is very effective to find the global optimum solution to minimize the weight for avoiding the resonance of fresh water tank that is placed in the after body area of ship. According to the study, GA's convergent speed in initial stages is improved by using RSM method. An optimized solution is calculated without the evaluation of additional actual objective function. In a summary, it is concluded that RHEA is a very powerful global optimization algorithm from the view point of convergent speed and global search ability.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.507-514
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• 2010

Peanut(Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the major oilseed crops. The peanut oil consists of palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids, which are present at levels of 10%, 36-67% and 15-43%, respectively. High oleate mutant of peanut F435 contains 80% oleate and as little as 2% linoleate in seed oil. Previous study indicated that delta 12 fatty acid desaturase is a major enzyme controlling the oleate content in seeds of oilseed crops. F435 sequence alignment of their coding regions disclosed that an extra A(adenine) was inserted at the position +2,823 bp of delta 12 fatty acid desaturase gene. This study was to develop molecular marker (SNP marker) co-segregating with the high oleate trait. Chopyeong ${\times}$ F435 $F_2$ 41 population were investigated using molecular marker and fatty acid assay (NIR and gas chromatography). Finally, this marker segregates Chopyeong type 26 lines, heterotype 9 lines and F435 type 6 lines. These results in our study suggested that SNP marker conform fatty acid assay.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.45-67
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• 2000

2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) is a mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic amino found in cooked meat. The in vivo mutagenicity and hepatocarcinogenicity of MeIQx were examined in mice harboring the lacZ mutation reporter gene ($Muta^{TM}$ Mice) and bitransgenic mice over-expressing the c-myc oncogene. C57B1/$\lambda$lacZ and bitransgenic c-myc (albumin promoter)/$\lambda$lacZ mice were bred and weaned onto an AIN-76 based diet containing $0.06\%$ (w/w) MeIQx or onto control diet. After 30 weeks on diet, only male bitransgenic mice on MeIQx developed hepatocellular carcinoma ($100\%$ incidence) indicating that there was synergism between c-myc over-expression and MeIQx. By 40 weeks, hepatic tumor incidence was $100\%$ ($17\%$) and $44\%$ ($0\%$) in male c-myc/$\lambda$lacZ and C57B1/$\lambda$lacZ mice given MeIQx (or control) diet, respectively, indicating that either MeIQx or c-myc over-expression alone eventually induced hepatic tumors. At either time point, mutant frequency in the lacZ gene was at least 40-fold higher in MeIQx-treated mice than in control mice of either strain. These findings suggest that MeIQx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis is associated with MeIQx-induced mutations. Elevated mutant frequency in MeIQx-treated mice also occurred concomitant with the formation of MeIQx-guanine adducts as detected by the $^{32}P$-postlabeling assay. Irrespective of strain or diet, sequence analysis of the lacZ mutants from male mouse liver showed that the principal sequence alteration was a single guanine-base substitution. Adenine mutations, however, were detected only in animals on control diet. MeIQx-fed mice harboring the c-myc oncogene showed a l.4-2.6-fold higher mutant frequency in the lacZ gene than mice not carrying the transgene. Although there was a trend toward higher adduct levels in c-myc mice, MeIQx-DNA adduct levels were not significantly different between c-myc/$\lambda$lacZ and C57B1/$\lambda$lacZ mice after 30 weeks on diet. Thus, it appeared that factors in addition to MeIQx-DNA adduct levels, such as the enhance rate of proliferation associated with c-myc over-expression, may have accounted for a higher mutant frequency in c-myc mice. In the control diet groups, the lacZ mutant frequency was significantly higher in c-myc/$\lambda$lacZ mice than in 057B1/$\lambda$1acZ mice. The findings are consistent with the notion that c-myc over-expression is associated with an increase in mutagenesis. The mechanism for the synergistic effects of c-myc over-expression on MeIQx hepatocarcinogenicity appears to involve an enhancement of MeIQx-induced mutations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2023

Peroxidasin (PXDN), a multidomain heme peroxidase containing extracellular matrix (ECM) motifs, as well as a catalytic domain, catalyzes the sulfilimine crosslink of collagen IV (Col IV) to reinforce Col IV scaffolds. We previously reported that PXDN is required for endothelial cell (EC) survival and growth signaling through sulfilimine crosslink-dependent matrix assembly. In this study, we examined whether peroxidase activity is required for PXDN function in ECs. First, we constructed a mutant PXDN by point mutation of two highly conserved amino acids, Q823 and D826, which are present in the active site of the peroxidase domain. After isolation of HEK293 clones highly expressing the mutant protein, conditioned medium (CM) was obtained after incubating the cells in serum-free medium for 24 hours and then analyzed by Western blot analysis under nonreducing conditions. The results revealed that the mutant PXDN formed a trimer and that it was cleaved by proprotein convertase-like wild-type (WT) PXDN. However, peroxidase activity was not detected in the CM containing the mutant PXDN, in contrast to that of WT PXDN. In addition, the sulfilimine crosslink ability of the mutant PXDN was lost. Moreover, the CM containing the mutant PXDN failed to promote the growth of PXDN-depleted ECs, unlike the CM containing WT PXDN. These results suggest that the peroxidase activity of PXDN affects EC growth by forming a sulfilimine crosslink.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.652-663
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• 1999

Craniosynostosis, the premature fusion of cranial sutures, presumably involves disturbance of the interactions between different tissues within the cranial sutures. Interestingly, point mutaions in the genes encoding for the fibroblast growth factor receptors(FGFRs), especially FGFR2, cause various types of human craniosynostosis syndromes. To elucidate the function of these genes in the early morphogenesis of mouse cranial sutures, we first analyzed by in situ hybridization the expression of FGFR2(BEK) and osteopontin, an early marker of osteogenic differentiation, in the sagittal suture of calvaria during embryonic(E15-E18) and postnatal stage(P1-P3). FGFR2(BEK) was intensely expressed in the osteogenic fronts, whose cells undergo differentiation into osteoprogenitor cells that ultimately lay down the bone matrix. Osteopontin was expressed throughout the parietal bones excluding the osteogenic fronts, the periphery of the parietal bones. To further examine the role of FGF-mediated FGFR signaling in cranial suture, we did in vitro experiments in E15.5 mouse calvarial explants. Interestingly, implantation of FGF2 soaked beads onto both the osteogenic fronts and mid-mesenchyme of sagittal suture after 36 hours organ culture resulted in the increase of the tissue thickness and cell number around FGF2 beads, moreover FGF4-soaked beads implanted onto the osteogenic fronts stimulated suture closure due to an accelerated bone growth, compared to FGF4 beads placed onto mid-mesenchyme of sagittal suture and BSA control beads. In addition FGF2 induced the ectopic expression of osteopontin and Msx1 genes. Taken together, these data indicate that FGF-mediated FGFR signaling has a important role in regulating the cranial bone growth and maintenance of cranial suture, and suggest that FGF-mediated FGFR signaling is involved in regulating the balance between the cell proliferation and differentiation through inducing the expression of osteopontin and Msx1 genes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2024

Since replication of plasmids must be strictly controlled, plasmids that generally perform rolling circle replication generally maintain a constant copy number by strictly controlling the replication initiator Rep at the transcriptional and translational levels. Plasmid pJB01 contains three orfs (copA, repB, repC or repABC) consisting of a single operon. From analysis of amino acid sequence, pJB01 CopA was homologous to the Cops, as a copy number control protein, of other plasmids. When compared with a CopG of pMV158, CopA seems to form the RHH (ribbon-helix-helix) known as a motif of generalized repressor of plasmids. The result of gel mobility shift assay (EMSA) revealed that the purified fusion CopA protein binds to the operator region of the repABC operon. To examine the functional role of CopA on transcriptional level, 3 point mutants were constructed in coding frame of copA such as CopA R16M, K26R and E50V. The repABC mRNA levels of CopA R16M, K26R and E50V mutants increased 1.84, 1.78 and 2.86 folds more than that of CopA wt, respectively. Furthermore, copy numbers owing to mutations in three copA genes also increased 1.86, 1.68 and 2.89 folds more than that of copA wt, respectively. These results suggest that CopA is the transcriptional repressor, and lowers the copy number of pJB01 by reducing repABC mRNA and then RepB, as a replication initiator.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.302-310
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• 2002

Purpose : X-linked agammaglobulinemia(XLA) is an immunodeficiency caused by abnormalities in Bruton's tyrosine kinase(Btk), and is characterized by a deficiency of peripheral blood B cells. We studied cytoplasmic expression of Btk protein and analyzed the Btk gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) from three XLA families in Korea. Methods : Heparinized venous blood samples were collected from four XLA patients and additional family members in three unrelated XLA families. Mononuclear cells were separated from their blood and the intracellular Btk protein was characterized by a flow cytometry. The mutation analysis was performed using direct sequencing. Results : Cytoplasmic expression of Btk protein in monocytes was not detected in the patients with XLA. We observed a novel deletion and two point mutations within introns(intron 1 and intron 18) resulting in alternative splicings. In XLA family 2, a 980 bp deletion(from intron 9+191 T to intron 10-215 C) including exon 10 was found in patient P2. He was the only sporadic case in this study, because his mother and brother showed a normal Btk expression by flow cytometry. Conclusion : These identified genetic alterations support the molecular heterogeneity of Btk gene in XLA disease. Additionally, by means of flow cytometric analysis, we diagnosed three hypogammaglobulinemia patients as XLA. Advancements in diagnostic methods has facilitated a prompt and definite diagnosis of this disease.