• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.92-98
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• 2005

DNA microarray analysis of gene expression in toxicogenomics typically requires relatively large amounts of total RNA. This limits the use of DNA microarray when the sample available is small. To confront this limitation, different methods of linear RNA amplification that generate antisense RNA (aRNA) have been optimized for microarray use. The target preparation strategy using amplified RNA in DNA microarray protocol can be divided into direct-incorporation labeling which resulted in cDNA targets (Cy-dye labeled cDNA from aRNA) and indirect-labeling which resulted in cRNA targets (i.e. Cy-dye labeled aRNA), respectively. However, despite the common use of amplified targets (cDNA or cRNA) from aRNAs, no systemic assessment for the use of amplified targets and bias in terms of hybridization performance has been reported. In this investigation, we have compared the hybridization performance of cRNA targets with cDNA targets from aRNA on a 10 K cDNA microarrays. Under optimized hybridization conditions, we found that 43% of outliers from cDNA technique and 86% from the outlier genes were reproducibly detected by both targets hybridization onto cDNA microarray. This suggests that the cRNA labeling method may have a reduced capacity for detecting the differential gene expression when compared to the cDNA target preparation. However, further validation of this discordant result should be pursued to determine which techniques possesses better accuracy in identifying truly differential genes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.2 s.75
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• pp.240-244
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• 2006

We present a fast and simple protocol for purification of mitochondria, mitochondrial DNA, and RNA from small amounts of tomato leaves. This method uses a high ionic strength medium to isolate mitochondria and extract mitochondrial DNA and RNA from a single preparation and is easily adaptable to other plant species. Mitochondria was confirmed by MitoTracker. The mitochondrial DNA was not contaminated by plastid DNA, was successfully used for PCR. Similarly, the isolated mitochondrial RNA was not contaminated only slightly contaminated (leaves) by plastid RNA. RNA prepared according to our method was acceptable for RT-PCR analysis

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.453-457
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• 2020

The right-handed double-helical structure of DNA (B-DNA), which follows the Watson-Crick model, is the canonical form of DNA existing in normal physiological settings. Even though an alternative left-handed structure of DNA (Z-DNA) was discovered in the late 1970s, Z-form nucleic acid has not received much attention from biologists, because it is extremely unstable under physiological conditions, has an ill-defined mechanism of its formation, and has obscure biological functions. The debate about the physiological relevance of Z-DNA was settled only after a class of proteins was found to potentially recognize the Z-form architecture of DNA. Interestingly, these Z-DNA binding proteins can bind not only the left-handed form of DNA but also the equivalent structure of RNA (Z-RNA). The Z-DNA/RNA binding proteins present from viruses to humans function as important regulators of biological processes. In particular, the proteins ADAR1 and ZBP1 are currently being extensively re-evaluated in the field to understand potential roles of the noncanonical Z-conformation of nucleic acids in host immune responses and human disease. Despite a growing body of evidence supporting the biological importance of Z-DNA/RNA, there remain many unanswered principal questions, such as when Z-form nucleic acids arise and how they signal to downstream pathways. Understanding Z-DNA/RNA and the sensors in different pathophysiological conditions will widen our view on the regulation of immune responses and open a new door of opportunity to develop novel types of immunomodulatory therapeutic possibilities.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.305-310
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• 2009

Plasmid pGKV21 contains a 229-nucleotide (nt) single-strand DNA initiation (ssi) signal. Using asymmetric PCR, we prepared a small single-stranded (ss) DNA fragment of the ssi signal and, using the 229-nt ssDNA fragment, determined the requirements of RNA polymerase for priming and DNA-protein interaction. The ssi fragment prepared was able to generate primer RNAs with almost the same efficiency as the $M13{\Delta}lac182/229$ phage DNA. However, the cssi (complementary strand of the ssi signal) fragment could not synthesize primer RNAs. This result suggests that the 229-nt ssi signal functions in a strand specific manner. Gel retardation and DNase I footprinting demonstrated that the synthesized ssi fragment could interact with both E. coli RNA polymerase and SSB protein to synthesize primer RNA. In Escherichia coli [pWVAp], an addition of rifampicin resulted in an accumulation of ssDNA, indicating that the host-encoded RNA polymerase is involved in the conversion of ssDNA to double-stranded plasmid DNA.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.192-203
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• 2004

The effects of temperatures, starvation, and kind of foods on growth, RNA/DNA ratio and protein contents during metamorphosis and early juvenile stage of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) were examined. During metamorphosis, warm-acclimated fish showed higher RNA and DNA content than those of the cold-acclimated fish, excepting H stage (28 DAH) at which the ratio was higher at cold temperature. RNA/DNA ratio during metamorphosis showed similar values at two temperatures tested. However, after 42 DAH warm-acclimated juveniles had higher DNA content compared with cold-acclimated fish, resulted in marked decreases in RNA/DNA ratios. Higher RNA content at H stage of cold-acclimated fish was consistent with an increase in protein content. Growth of fish rearing at warm temperature was higher than those of fish at cold temperature during all experiments. In starvation experiment, contents of DNA, RNA and protein significantly decreased. Even though there were no significant differences in total length (TL) and body weight between the live mysid-fed and artificial pellet-fed fish at 35 mm TL, both RNA/DNA and protein/DNA ratios of the former group was significantly higher than those of the latter due primarily to lower DNA content of the live mysid-fed group. The results from this study suggest that temperature, starvation and kind of foods should be considered when RNA/DNA ratio applied to assessing the cultured larval and juvenile fish condition.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2010

Laboratory-reared marbled flounder (Pleuronectes yokohamae) juveniles ($23.2{\pm}0.2mm$ total length; age 89 day) were sampled over a 48-h period to determine any diel patterns in RNA/DNA ratios. RNA/DNA ratios were highest during daytime periods (0800, 1100, 1400, 1700 h) and significantly reduced at night (2000, 2300, 0200, 0500 h). Findings from this study indicate a diel variation in biochemical condition and suggest that special care should be taken in designing sampling plans, including sampling time and data analysis to account for this source of variability.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.229-237
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• 1983

Total tRNA genes from Aspergillus nidulans were cloned for the further investigation of the structure and expression of Aspergillus tRNA genes. Aspergillus DNA was isolated from spores and cloned into pBR322 plasmid DNA using BamHI and $T_4$ ligase. The recombinant hybrid DNA was transformed into E. coli HB101 and some 30,000 transformants were initially selected. Of these, about 5,300 E. coli clones containing Aspergillus DNA inserted into plasmid pBR322 at BamHl site have been isolated. The hybridization data obtained from the labeled Aspergillus $^{32}P-tRNA$ indicated that 105 colonies carried the total tRNA genes. From the data above and cohybridization experiment, tRNA genes of Aspergillus nidulans seem to be twice more clustered than those of yeast.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.198-205
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• 2005

Resveratrol (RES) and genistein (GEN) are the dietary natural products known to possess chemopreventive property and also the ability to repair DNA damage induced by mutagens/carcinogens. It is believed that the therapeutic activity of these compounds could be primarily due to their interaction with nucleic acids but detailed reports are not available. We here explore the interaction of these drugs with nucleic acids considering DNA and RNA as a potential therapeutic target. The interaction of RES and GEN has been analysed in buffered solution with DNA [saline sodium citrate (SSC)] and RNA [tris ethylene diammine tetra acetic acid (TE)] using UV-absorption and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The UV analysis revealed lesser binding affinity with nucleic acids at lower concentration of RES (P/D = 5.00 and 10.00), while at higher drug concentration (P/D = 0.75, 1.00 and 2.50) hyperchromic effect with shift in the ${\lambda}_{max}$ is noted for DNA and RNA. A major RES-nucleic acids complexes was observed through base pairs and phosphate backbone groups with K = $35.782\;M^{-1}$ and K = $34.25\;M^{-1}$ for DNA-RES and RNA-RES complexes respectively. At various concentrations of GEN (P/D = 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 2.50) hyperchromicity with shift in the ${\lambda}_{max}$ from 260 $\rightarrow$ 263 om and 260 $\rightarrow$ 270 nm is observed for DNA-GEN and RNA-GEN complexes respectively. The binding constant (from UV analysis) for GEN-nucleic acids complexes could not be obtained due to GEN absorbance overlap with that of nucleic acids at 260 nm. Nevertheless a detailed analysis with regard to the interaction of these drugs (RES/GEN) with DNA and RNA could feasibly be understood by FTIR spectroscopy. The NH band of free DNA and RNA which appeared at $3550-3100\;cm^{-1}$ and $3650-2700\;cm^{-1}$ shifted to $3450-2950\;cm^{-1}$ and $3550-3000\;cm^{-1}$ in DNA-RES and RNA-RES complexes respectively. Similarly shifts corresponding to $3650-3100\;cm^{-1}$ and $3420-3000\;cm^{-1}$ have been observed in DNA-GEN and RNA-GEN complexes respectively. The observed reduction in NH band of free nucleic acids upon complexation of these drugs is an indication of the involvement of the hydroxyl (OH) and imino (NH) group during the interaction of the drugs and nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) through H-bonded formation. The interaction of RES and GEN with bases appears in the order of G $\geq$ T > C > A and A > C $\geq$ T > G. Further interaction of these natural compounds with DNA and RNA is also supported by changes in the vibrational frequency (shift/intensity) in symmetrical and asymmetrical stretching of aromatic rings of drugs in the complex spectra. No appreciable shift is observed in the DNA and RNA marker bands, indicating that the B-DNA form and A-family conformation of RNA are not altered during their interaction with RES and GEN.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.203-207
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• 1998

NAD4 as a gene encoding NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 in the micodhondrion from maize has been cloned using RT-PCR and sequenced for examining RNA edited sites. Analysis of mt cDNA sequences showed the typical RNA editing patterns and unusual base changes as well;RNA editing from cDNA sequences occured base change from c to U in most cases, however transitions from t to g and G to A were also observed. Even though those editings appared to be occurred randomly, RNA edited sites showed mostly in exon 1 and exon 4 regions, when compared with NAD4 cDNA from wheat, locations of edited sites did not consistent with each other suggesting that the phenomenon of RNA editing occured randomly not site-specific manner.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.167-171
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• 1997

As an initial effort to elucidate RNA: protein binding in a way to regulate translation initiation and phosphorylation, a cDNA encoding a double-stranded RNA binding factor (RBFII)was isolated from Hela ZAPII cDNA library by affinity screening using [$\alpha$$^{-32}$P] UMP-labeled HIV Rev-responsive element(RRE) RNA. The nucleotide sequence of RBF (or TRBP) cDNA except the 5’end. At the 5’end, This common ORF was fused in-frame to N-terminal residues of Lac-Z through a unique 138 nt sequence encoding 46residues in the case of RBFII and a 63 nt sequence encoding 21 residuces in the case of RBFI. The context of ATG appearing first in the sequences suggests that both these cDNA inserts are incomplete at the 5’end.