• Molecules and Cells
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.261-268
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• 2006

The Drosophila methuselah (mth) mutant has an approximately 35 percent increase in average lifespan, and enhanced resistance to various forms of stress, including starvation, high temperature, and dietary paraquat. To examine the transcriptional regulation of mth, we used luciferase assays employing Drosophila S2 cells. Two positive control elements were found at -542 ~ -272 (PE1) and +28 ~ +217 (PE2), where putative binding sites for transcription factors including Dorsal (Dl) were identified. Cotransfection of a Dl expression plasmid with a mth-luciferase reporter plasmid resulted in decreased reporter activity. PE1 and PE2, the minimal elements for strong promoter activity, were required for maximal repression by Dl protein. The N-terminal Rel homology domain (RHD) of Dl was not sufficient for repression of mth. We demonstrated by chromatin affinity precipitation (ChAP) assays in S2 cells that Dl bound to the putative PE1 binding site. Unexpectedly, semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the level of mth transcripts was reduced in dl flies. However, the in vivo result support the view that mth expression is regulated by dl, since it is well known that Dl functions as both a transcriptional activator and repressor depending on what other transcription factors are present. These findings suggest that both innate immunity and resistance to stress are controlled by Dl protein.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.248-254
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• 2022

Background: Zinc homeostasis is essential for human health and is regulated by several zinc transporters including ZIP and ZnT. ZIP4 is expressed in the small intestine and is important for zinc absorption from the diet. We investigated in the present study the effects of Panax ginseng (P. ginseng) extract on modulating Zip4 expression and cellular zinc levels in mouse Hepa cells. Methods: Hepa cells were transfected with a luciferase reporter plasmid that contains metal-responsive elements, incubated with P. ginseng extract, and luciferase activity was measured. Using ⁶⁵ZnCl₂, zinc uptake in P. ginseng-treated cells was measured. The expression of Zip4 mRNA and protein in Hepa cells was also investigated. Finally, using a luciferase reporter assay system, the effects of several ginsenosides were monitored. Results: The luciferase activity in cells incubated with P. ginseng extract was significantly higher than that of control cells cultured in normal medium. Hepa cells treated with P. ginseng extract exhibited higher zinc uptake. P. ginseng extract induced Zip4 mRNA expression, which resulted in an enhancement of Zip4 protein expression. Furthermore, some ginsenosides, such as ginsenoside Rc and Re, enhanced luciferase activity driven by intracellular zinc levels. Conclusion: P. ginseng extract induced Zip4 expression at the mRNA and protein level and resulted in higher zinc uptake in Hepa cells. Some ginsenosides facilitated zinc influx. On the basis of these results, we suggest a novel effect of P. ginseng on Zip4-mediated zinc influx, which may provide a new strategy for preventing zinc deficiency.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.226-233
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• 2007

목적: 광학과 핵의학 및 자기공명 분자영상 기술은 생체내에서 리포터 유전자의 발현을 비침습적으로 평가할 수 있다. 한가지 이상의 유전자 발현을 영상화 할 수 있는 복합분자영상은 유전자의 발현과 유전자 치료 후 효능의 평가를 다양한 방법으로 반복하여 평가할 수 있다는 장점이 있다. 본 연구에서는 핵의학 영상이 가능한 NIS와 광학 영상이 가능한 EGFP 두가지 유전자를 동시에 발현하는 HepG2-Retro-PNRGW (PGKp-NIS-RSVp-EGFP-WPRE) plasmid를 이용한 간암 세포주(HepG2-NE)를 구축하고, NIS와 EGFP 리포터 유전자의 기능 발현을 체내에서 광학영상과 핵의학 영상으로 확인하고자 하였다. 재료 및 방법: pcDNA-NIS로 부터 NIS 유전자를 분리하여 pRetro-PN vector를 만든 후, pLNRGW (LTR-NeoR-RSV-EGFP-WPRE)로부터 RSV-EGFP-WPRE 조각을 분리하여 최종적으로 NIS와 EGFP 유전자가 동시에 발현할 수 있는 pRetro-PNRGW vector를 구축하였다. 구축된 vector를 이용하여 Retro-PNRGW retrovirus를 생산하였으며, 이를 HepG2 세포에 감염시켜 HepG2-NE 세포주를 만들었다. 이 세포주의 NIS 유전자의 발현은 역전사효소 중합효소 연쇄반응으로 mRNA 발현을 확인하였고, EGFP 유전자의 발현은 형광현미경을 통하여 EGFP 단백질이 발현하는 녹색형광을 관찰함으로써 확인하였다. 이중 리포터 유전자 중 NIS 유전자의 기능은 세포에서 방사능 옥소의 섭취량과 유출량의 측정을 통해서 확인하였다. 이렇게 만들어진 세포를 누드마우스에 이식하여 형광 영상, I-123을 이용한 감마카메라 영상과 I-124를 이용한 소동물용 PET 영상을 획득하였다. 결과: NIS와 EGFP의 이중 리포터 유전자를 가지고 있는 HepG2 세포주가 성공적으로 만들어졌다. 세포의 약 50% 정도가 형광 현미경 아래에서 관찰되었다. NIS 유전자의 발현은 역전사효소 중합효소 연쇄반응 실험을 통해서 확인하였고, NIS가 발현된 세포의 방사능옥소 섭취량은 대조군에 비하여 약 9배 정도 높게 나타났다. 방사능옥소 유출량 실험에서는 약 9분에 반 정도의 옥소가 유출되는 것이 확인되었다. 구축된 세포주를 이식한 후 획득한 형광 영상, 감마카메라과 소동물용 PET 영상에서는 반대쪽의 대조군 세포를 이식한 것에 비하여 뚜렷한 형광신호가 보였고, 더 높은 방사능옥소 섭취가 확인되었다. 결론: NIS와 EGFP의 이중 리포터 유전자를 가지는 간암 세포주가 성공적으로 구축되었고, 소동물에서 두 유전자를 각각 치료용 리포터 유전자와 영상 리포터 유전자로의 사용이 가능할 것이라고 생각된다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.141-146
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• 1997

The role of cAMP in the differentiation process of F9 cells induced by ginsenosides was examined by performing transient transfixion assay with CRE-luciferase reporter plasmid, GR thansactivation assay with GRE-luciferase activity with or without treatment of CAMP and forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, and protein klnase A assay in the presence of ginsenosides. Ginsenosides had no effect on CRE-transactivation activity, whereas retinoic acid induced the activity. When cAMP or forskolin was treated with ginsenosides, GRE-luciferase activity was further augumented by them. In addition, ginsenosides induced protein kinase A activity in the presence of cAMP. These results suggest that ginsenosides activate cAMP-dependent protein kinase A which, in turn, increase GR activity in F9 cells.

• BMB Reports
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.154-159
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• 2009

JARID1B (jumonji AT rich interactive domain 1B) is a large nuclear protein that is highly expressed in breast cancers and is proposed to function as a repressor of gene expression. In this paper, a phage display screen using the N-terminus of JARID1B as bait identified one of the JARID1B interacting proteins, namely PcG protein (Polycomb group) hPc2. We demonstrated that the C-terminal region, including the COOH box, was required for the interaction with the N-terminus of JARID1B. In a reporter assay system, co-expression of JARID1B with hPc2 significantly enhanced the transcriptional repression. These results support a role for hPc2 acting as a transcriptional co-repressor.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.356-363
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• 2015

나무의 유전 공학적 연구를 위해서는 목본 고유의 유전자 및 프로모터 연구가 필수적이다. 우리는 포플러(P. alba ${\times}$ P. glandulosa)의 Pagns-LTP 유전자의 867 bp 프로모터를 분리하였고, ${\beta}$-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter 유전자를 이용한 프로모터의 형질전환 포플러를 제작하여 특성 분석하였다. Pagns-LTP 유전자는 어린뿌리에서 강하게 발현되었고 어린잎에서는 약하게 발현되었으며, 그밖에 다른 조직에서는 발현되지 않았다. 또한, 프로모터의 활성은 뿌리와 어린잎에서 한정되었으며 어린뿌리의 세포 전체에서 강한 활성을 나타내었다. 이에 포플러 ns-LTP 프로모터 내의 cis-element를 조사하고 현사시나무에서 Pagns-LTP 프로모터를 분리한 후 활성을 분석하였다. 프로모터 내의 cis-element를 분석한 결과, 조직 특이적 발현과 호르몬 및 스트레스에 반응하는 다양한 cis-element가 존재함을 확인하였다. 이를 통해 포플러의 ns-LTP는 생장뿐만 아니라, 스트레스에도 관여할 것이라고 추측할 수 있었다. 본 연구는 목본의 유전자 기능 분석 및 다양한 응용 연구를 위해 유용하게 이용될 수 있는 도구로서의 가능성을 제시하였다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.503-510
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• 2015

The iLOV protein belongs to a family of blue-light photoreceptor proteins containing a light-oxygen-voltage sensing domain with a noncovalently bound flavin mononucleotide (FMN) as its chromophore. Owing to advantages such as its small size, oxygen-independent nature, and pH stability, iLOV is an ideal candidate over other reporter fluorescent proteins such as GFP and DsRed. Here, for the first time, we describe the feasibility of applying LOV domain-based fluorescent iLOV as a metal sensor by measuring the fluorescence quenching of a protein with respect to the concentration of metal ions. In the present study, we demonstrated the inherent copper sensing property of the iLOV protein and identified the possible amino acids responsible for metal binding. The fluorescence quenching upon exposure to Cu²⁺ was highly sensitive and exhibited reversibility upon the addition of the metal chelator EDTA. The copper binding constant was found to be 4.72 ± 0.84 µM. In addition, Cu²⁺-bound iLOV showed high fluorescence quenching at near physiological pH. Further computational analysis yielded a better insight into understanding the possible amino acids responsible for Cu²⁺ binding with the iLOV protein.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.213-225
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• 2016

To reduce attrition in drug development, it is crucial to consider the development and implementation of translational phenotypic assays as well as decipher diverse molecular mechanisms of action for new molecular entities. High-throughput fluorescence and confocal microscopes with advanced analysis software have simplified the simultaneous identification and quantification of various cellular processes through what is now referred to as high-content screening (HCS). HCS permits automated identification of modifiers of accessible and biologically relevant targets and can thus be used to detect gene interactions or identify toxic pathways of drug candidates to improve drug discovery and development processes. In this review, we summarize several HCS-compatible, biochemical, and molecular biology-driven assays, including immunohistochemistry, RNAi, reporter gene assay, CRISPR-Cas9 system, and protein-protein interactions to assess a variety of cellular processes, including proliferation, morphological changes, protein expression, localization, post-translational modifications, and protein-protein interactions. These cell-based assay methods can be applied to not only 2D cell culture but also 3D cell culture systems in a high-throughput manner.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.1646-1649
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• 2006

Protein synthesis is the ultimate outcome of gene expression which, in turn, is regulated by several translation factors. We attempted to identify substances that can inhibit the translation process in vitro when the outcome protein is luciferase. To this end, we developed a sensitive cell-free protein synthesis assay using luciferase as the reporter. The synthesis of luciferase increased proportionately as mRNA was added to a $15-{\mu}l$reaction medium in concentrations raging from 5 ng to 500 ng. The maximum amount of luciferase was synthesized when the media were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 40 min. The concentration of each compound that inhibited luciferase production by 50% ($IC_{50}$) was calculated. Hygromycin, puromycin, and cycloheximide yielded an $IC_{50}$ of 0.008, 0.8, and $0.7{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. A filtrate of Streptomyces spp. isolates inhibited protein synthesis up to S-fold when added to the in vitro translation assay mixture.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.156-164
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• 2021

Spirodela polyrhiza, from the Lemnaceae family, are small aquatic plants that offer an alternative plant-based system for the expression of recombinant proteins. However, no turion transformation protocol has been established in this species. In this study, we exploited a pB7YWG2 vector harboring the eYFP gene that encodes enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP), which has been extensively used as a reporter and marker to visualize recombinant protein localization in plants. We adopted Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation via vacuum infiltration to deliver the eYFP gene to turions, special vegetative forms produced by duckweeds to endure harsh conditions. Transgenic turions regenerated several duckweed fronds that exhibited yellow fluorescent emissions under a fluorescence microscope. Western blotting verified the expression of the eYFP protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an efficient protocol for generating transgenic S. polyrhiza expressing eYFP via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation. The ability of turions to withstand harsh conditions increases the portability and versatility of transgenic duckweeds, favoring their use in the further development of therapeutic compounds in plants.