• BMB Reports
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.178-183
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• 2009

Tyrosinase (TYR) plays a critical role in cellular melanogenesis and, thus, has been the major target of pharmacological approaches for the control of skin pigmentation. This study examined an alternative molecular approach using TYR-small interfering RNA (siRNA) to control melanogenesis in the human melanocytes. Both the mRNA and protein levels of TYR were significantly lowered by TYR-siRNA treatment, whereas TYR-related protein 1 and TYR-related protein 2 displayed no such changes. TYR-siRNA treatment inhibited the cellular melanin synthesis from the externally supplied TYR substrate L-tyrosine. TYR-siRNA also suppressed melanin synthesis and decreased the viability of cells exposed to ultraviolet radiation, supporting a critical role of melanin in protection against ultraviolet radiation. These results suggest that molecular approaches using siRNA targeted to the enzymes of melanogenic pathway may provide a novel strategy for the control of cell pigmentation.

• BMB Reports
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• 제28권6호
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• pp.538-545
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• 1995

When DNA replication of simian virus 40 (SV40) is initiated on the replication origin, the regions containing the initiation sites of DNA primase, which participates in the transient RNA primer synthesis for formation of Okazaki fragments in the lagging strand, were chosen as the target sites of antisense RNA for studies of the inhibition of SV40 DNA replication. Four recombinant transcription vectors, pUC-PrI, pUC-PrII, pGEM-PrBS, and pGEM-PrSN, coding antisense RNA, were constructed. Four antisense RNAs (named as I, II, BS, and SN) having the size of 18, 19,58, and 123 nts, respectively, were made from the transcription vectors by in vitro transcription. And then, antisense RNA in the concentration of 2${\mu}m$ were added to COS cells transfected with pATSV-W which is a recombinant plasmid containing the SV40 origin of replication. The inhibitory extent of DNA replication was measured by DpnI resistance and was confirmed by measurement of transient RNA primer synthesis. The result shows that six combinations of antisense RNA (I, II, BS, SN, I+SN, and BS+SN) lead to the inhibition of SV40 DNA replication by up to 85%.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.171-174
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• 1996

Muscle protein synthesis in vitro was measured in chicks fed low-protein(10% CP) and control(20% CP) diets. Right leg muscles (M. gastrocnemius) were mounted on a support made of stainless steel to stretch in constant tension, whereas left leg muscles were unmounted. Both leg muscles were incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium including L-[$4-^3H$] phenylalanine for 60 min to measure in vitro protein synthesis. There was no significant difference in fractional synthesis rate(FSR) of muscle protein between both dietary protein levels, whereas FSR with stretch in constant tension was significantly higher than that without constant tension due to an increase in the absolute synthesis rate(ASR) per unit RNA(the efficiency of RNA to synthesize protein). The ASR of muscle protein in chicks fed the control diet was significantly higher than that in the low-protein diet group.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.129-135
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• 2000

Previously, we have reported that ${\rho}-chlorophenylalanine$ (PCPA), a serotonin depletor, profoundly increased pancreatic fluid and bicarbonate secretion but remarkably inhibited pancreatic amylase secretion in anesthetized rats. The present study was performed to verify the detailed effects of PCPA on pancreatic amylase synthesis that is directly related to amylase exocrine secretion. PCPA significantly decreased pancreatic RNA and protein contents as well as the amylase activity. However, pancreatic DNA content, trypsin and chymotrypsin activities were not influenced by the treatment of PCPA. The rate of pancreatic amylase synthesis, which was assessed by the amount of incorporated $[^{35}S]-methionine$ into amylase for 1 h, was also significantly decreased by 44% in PCPA-treated rats. In order to determine whether the PCPA-induced decrease of amylase synthesis resulted from change in the level of amylase mRNA, Northern blot analysis was performed. The mRNA expression level of amylase was also decreased by 48% in the PCPA-treated rats, indicating that the inhibitory effect of PCPA on the synthesis of pancreatic amylase was mainly regulated at a step prior to translation. It was also revealed in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that the qualitative change of amylase was induced by PCPA. The 54 KDa amylase band seems to be degraded into small molecular weight protein bands in PCPA-treated rats, suggesting that the PCPA- induced decrease of amylase may be partly attributed to the degradation of synthesized amylase.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.534-540
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• 2007

The Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) genome contains six operons (rrnA to F) for ribosomal RNA synthesis. Transcription from rrnD occurs from four promoters (p1 to p4). We found that transcripts from the p1 and p3 promoters were most abundant in vivo in the early exponential phase. However, at later phases of exponential and stationary growth, transcripts from the p1 promoter decreased drastically, with the p3 and p4 transcripts constituting the major forms. Partially purified RNA polymerase supported transcription from the p3 and p4 promoters, whereas pure reconstituted RNA polymerase with core enzyme (E) and the major vegetative sigma factor ${\sigma}^{HrdB}$ ($E{\cdot}{\sigma}^{HrdB}$) did not. In order to assess any potential requirement for additional factor(s) that allow transcription from the p3 and p4 promoters, we fractionated a partially purified RNA polymerase preparation by denaturing gel filtration chromatography. We found that transcription from the p3 and p4 promoters required factor(s) of about 30-35 kDa in addition to RNAP holoenzyme ($E{\cdot}{\sigma}^{HrdB}$). Therefore, transcription from the p3 and p4 promoters, which contain a consensus -10 region but no -35 for ${\sigma}^{HrdB}$ recognition, are likely to be regulated by transcription factor(s) that modulate RNA polymerase holoenzyme activity in S. coelicolor.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.271-276
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• 2008

최근 단백질 합성 과정 중 라이보솜의 일시적인 정지에 의한 라이보솜의 A자리에서 전사체가 분해되는 현상이 여러 생명체에서 보고되었다. 이러한 현상이 라이보솜의 작은 소단위체를 이루고 있는 SSU rRNA의 기능과 관련 있는지를 알아보기 위해, SecM에서 유래한 접착펩타이드에 의한 라이보솜 정지를 우회하는 SSU rRNA 돌연변이체 발굴을 위한 유전학적 시스템을 개발하였다. 이 시스템에서는 SecM에서 유래한 접착펩타이를 포함하는 CAT 단백질을 코딩하는 CAT-SecM 전사체가 플라스미드에서 유래한 SSU rRNA를 포함한 재조합 라이보솜에 의해서만 해독된다. 이러한 재조합 라이보솜은 접착펩타이드를 합성한 후 CAT-SecM mRNA 상에서 일시 정체하며, 재조합 라이보솜의 발현은 이 전사체의 양을 감소시키는 것을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 개발된 시스템을 이용해 라이보솜 검지를 우회하는 SSU rRNA 돌연변이체의 선별이 가능하다는 것을 보여주며, 이러한 변이체에 대한 연구는 단백질 합성 단계에서 일어나는 라이보솜 정지와 전사체 절단 현상에 있어서, SSU rRNA의 역할을 규명하는데 기여할 것이다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.19-26
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• 2012

There are many cyclic peptides with diverse biological activities, such as antibacterial activity, immunosuppressive activity, and anti-tumor activity, and so on. Encouraged by natural cyclic peptides with biological activity, efforts have been made to develop cyclic peptides with both genetic and synthetic methods. The genetic methods include phage display, intein-based cyclic peptides, and mRNA display. The synthetic methods involve individual synthesis, parallel synthesis, as well as split-and-pool synthesis. Recent development of cyclic peptide library based on split-and-pool synthesis allows on-bead screening, in-solution screening, and microarray screening of cyclic peptides for biological activity. Cyclic peptides will be useful as receptor agonist/antagonist, RNA binding molecule, enzyme inhibitor and so on, and more cyclic peptides will emerge as therapeutic agents and biochemical tools.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.111-116
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• 2004

It is known that Bacillus subtilis glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS) mischarges E. coli $tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ with glutamate in vitro. It has also been established that the expression of B. subtilis GluRS in Escherichia coli results in the death of the host cell. To ascertain whether E. coli growth inhibition caused by B. subtilis GluRS synthesis is a consequence of Glu-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ formation, we constructed an in vivo test system, in which B. subtilis GluRS gene expression is controlled by IPTG. Such a system permits the investigation of factors affecting E. coli growth. Expression of E. coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) also amelio-rated growth inhibition, presumably by competitively preventing $tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ misacylation. However, when amounts of up to 10 mM L-glutamine, the cognate amino acid for acylation of $tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$, were added to the growth medium, cell growth was unaffected. Overexpression of the B. subtilis gatCAB gene encoding Glu-$tRNA^{Gln}$ amidotransferase (Glu-AdT) rescued cells from toxic effects caused by the formation of the mis-charging GluRS. This result indicates that B. subtilis Glu-AdT recognizes the mischarged E. coli Glu-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$, and converts it to the cognate Gln-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ species. B. subtilis GluRS-dependent Glu-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ formation may cause growth inhibition in the transformed E. coli strain, possibly due to abnormal protein synthesis.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.210-218
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• 2021

Recently, pest-resistant living modified (LM) crops developed using RNA interference (RNAi) technology have been imported into South Korea. However, the potential adverse effects of unintentionally released RNAi-based LM crops on non-target species have not yet been reported. Coccinella septempunctata, which feeds on aphids, is an important natural enemy insect which can be exposed to the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) produced by RNAi-based LM plants. To assess the risk of ingestion of Snf7 dsRNA by C. septempunctata, we first identified the species through morphological analysis of collected insects. A method for species identification at the gene level was developed using a specific C. septempunctata 12S rRNA. Furthermore, an experimental model was devised to assess the risk of Snf7 dsRNA ingestion in C. septempunctata. Snf7 dsRNA was mass-purified using an effective dsRNA synthesis method and its presence in C. septempunctata was confirmed after treatment with purified Snf7 dsRNA. Finally, the survival rate, development time, and dry weight of Snf7 dsRNA-treated C. septempunctata were compared with those of GFP and vATPase A dsRNA control treatments, and no risk was found. This study illustrates an effective Snf7 dsRNA synthesis method, as well as a high-concentration domestic insect risk assessment method which uses dsRNA to assess the risk of unintentional released of LM organisms against non-target species.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.61-70
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• 1983

Synchronized cat kidney cells chronically infected with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) were used to study virus production, the synthesis of group specific antigen (gag) and envelope (env) proteins, the expression of env protein on the cell surface during the cell cycle, and the stability of viral RNA. As detecting method, we developed the radioimmunoassay (RIA) system using beta-emission of $^{131}I$ and demonstrated the validity of this system by comparison with routine RIA system using gamma-emission of $^{125}I$. The produced virus was analysed by developed RIA interval was determined by measuring reverse transcriptase activity. The results show that infected cells produce the complete virus particle containing products of gag, env and pol genes of FeLV, and maximum virus production occurs during mitosis of synchronized cells. Labeling of the cell surface of synchronized cells with $^{131}I$ shows that the amount of $gp70^{env}$ on the cell surface parallels cellular gorwth. Therefore, the cell cycle-dependent release of virus is not petition RIA of synchronized cells with $^{131}I$ labeled viral proteins synthesis during the cell cycle. The rate of synthesis of gag protein shows three peaks, corresponding to the $G_1,\;late\;S\;and\;late\;G_2$ phases of cell cycle. But the rate of synthesis of env protein dose not change, suggesting that in these cells the synthesis of these two gene products in controlled seperately. In Actionomycin D treated cells, the synthesis of viral proteins decreased sharply from 8 hours after treatment, and the late S and $G_2$ peaks of gag protein synthesis were disappeared. This shows the stability of viral RNA for about 6 hours in the absence of continuing viral RNA synthesis.