• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.652-658
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• 1995

We attempted simultaneous expression of genes coding for endoglucanase and $\beta $-glucosidase from Pseudomonas sp. by using a synthetic two-cistron svstem in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two-cistron system, 5'--tac promoter-endoglucanase gene--$\beta $-glucosidase gene-- 3', 5'-tac promoter--$\beta $-glucosidase gene--endoglucanase gene--3' and 5'-tac promoter--endoglucanase gene--SD sequence--$\beta $-glucosidase gene--3, were constructed, and expressed in E. coli and S. cerevisiae. The E. coli and S. cerevisiae contained two-cistron system produced simultaneously endoglucanase and $\beta $-glucosidase. The recombinant genes contained the bacterial signal peptide sequence produced low level of endoglucanase and $\beta $-glucosidase in S. cerevisiae transformants: Approximately above 44% of two enzymes was localized in the intracellular fraction. The production of endoglucanase and $\beta $-glucosidase in veast was not repressed in the presence of glucose or cellobiose. The veast strain contained recombinant DNA with two genes hydrolyzed carboxvmethyl cellulose, and these endoglucanase and $\beta $-glucosidase degraded CMC synergistically to glucose, cellobiose and oligosaccharide. This result suggests the possibility of the direct bioconversion of cellulose to ethanol by the recombinant yeast.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.149-151
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• 1997

A plasmid vector with combined features of yeast shuttle vector and mammalian expression vector was constructed to facilitate expression of cloned gene in both cell-types. All necessary elements required for plasmid maintenance and selection in E. coli, yeast and mammalian cells were size-economically arranged in this plasmid. The numan cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early promoter and yeast GAL1 promoter were sequentially placed in front of the gene to be expressed. The synthetic splicing donor and acceptor sequences were inserted into the immediate upstream and downstream of the GAL1 promotor, allowing the CMV promotor to direct the expression of a given gene in mammalian cell environment by splicing out the interfering GAL1 promotor sequence. When the resulting vector containing LacZ as a gene was introduced into yeast and mammalian cells, both cells efficiently produced .betha.-galactosidase, dimonstrating its dual host usage.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2021

Droughts are one of the abiotic stresses that hinders the growth and productivity of crop plants. Coping with abiotic stress is necessary to understand the molecular regulatory networks that makes plants respond to adverse environmental conditions. In our experiment to find a combination that can cope with abiotic stress (respond to drought), we screened 5 stress-inducible promoters that are expressed only under stress conditions. This founded 36 cis-elements in stress-inducible promoters. With the result we designed 2 synthetic promoters (BL1, BL2) for fine-controlled regulation by assembling cis-elements from the native promoters, which are expressed only under stress caused by droughts. Analysis of the transgenic plant (BL1-GUS, BL2-GUS) showed that the synthetic promoters increased the expression of β-glucuronidase (GUS) in transgenic plants under desiccation. Also in the transient activation assay demonstrated that synthetic promoters induced the co-transformation of effector DREB1A and DREB2C. These results expect that the synthetic promoter with a combination of drought-specific elements can be used to respond to various abiotic stress and is resistant to stress without causing growth retardation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 1990

To examine the effects of sequence variations near the transcriptional start site on the rate of formation of the open complexes at bacteriophage $\lambda P_{R}$ promoter, two mutant promoters were created by site-specific mutagenesis using synthetic oligonucleotides. Mutant I coatains changes at positions -3 and -4 from TT to CC, thus having a 6-bp long G/C stretch between -10 region and transciptional start site (+1). Mutant II has changes at positions -5 and -6 from GG to AA, thereby having a 9-bp long A/T stretch between positions -11 and -3. Selective filter binding assays were performed to measure the rate of formation of the open complexes between the wild-type or two mutant $P_{R}$ promoters on 664 bp fragments and E. coli RNA polymerase at two temperatures. At 37.deg.C, the wild-type and two mutants showed similar rates for the formation of open complex. The second order rate constant $k_{a}$ and $\tau _{int}$, as determined from the .tau.-plot analysis, were $(6.0\pm0.4)\times10^{6}M^{-1}sec^{-1}$ and $11\pm5$sec, respectively. At 18.deg.C, however, the wild-type and two mutant promoters showed differences in the kinetic parameters. k for the wild-type promoter was (2.2$\pm$0.1)\times 10^{6}M^{-1}sec^{-1}$ and $\tau _{int}$ was 76$\pm$sec. Mutant I and II exhibited differences mainly in the rate of isomerization ($\tau_{int,I}=91\pm$10 sec, int,II=34$\pm$ sec), whereas the second order rate constant $k_{a}$ was similar to the wild type value. This result implies that at $18^{\circ}C$, the isomerization rate is determined by both protein conformational change and DNA melting, which are separable kinetically according to the 3-step mechanism of Roe et al.(1984,1985), and that the base changes affected mainly the rate of DNA melting as predicted.lting as predicted.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.304-312
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• 2013

The thermotolerant methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha is attracting interest as a potential strain for the production of recombinant proteins and biofuels. However, only limited numbers of genome engineering tools are currently available for H. polymorpha. In the present study, we identified the HpPOL3 gene encoding the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase ${\delta}$ of H. polymorpha and mutated the sequence encoding conserved amino acid residues that are important for its proofreading 3'${\rightarrow}$5' exonuclease activity. The resulting $HpPOL3^*$ gene encoding the error-prone proofreading-deficient DNA polymerase ${\delta}$ was cloned under a methanol oxidase promoter to construct the mutator plasmid pHIF8, which also contains additional elements for site-specific chromosomal integration, selection, and excision. In a H. polymorpha mutator strain chromosomally integrated with pHIF8, a $URA3^-$ mutant resistant to 5-fluoroorotic acid was generated at a 50-fold higher frequency than in the wild-type strain, due to the dominant negative expression of $HpPOL3^*$. Moreover, after obtaining the desired mutant, the mutator allele was readily removed from the chromosome by homologous recombination to avoid the uncontrolled accumulation of additional mutations. Our mutator system, which depends on the accumulation of random mutations that are incorporated during DNA replication, will be useful to generate strains with mutant phenotypes, especially those related to unknown or multiple genes on the chromosome.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.7
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• pp.451-460
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• 2010

Starting with the first publication of lacZ gene fusion in 1980, reporter genes have just entered their fourth decade. Initial studies relied on the simple fusion of a promoter or gene with a particular reporter gene of interest. Such constructs were then used to determine the promoter activity under specific conditions or within a given cell or organ. Although this protocol was, and still is, very effective, current research shows a paradigm shift has occurred in the use of reporter systems. With the advent of innovative cloning and synthetic biology techniques and microfluidic/nanodroplet systems, reporter genes and their proteins are now finding themselves used in increasingly intricate and novel applications. For example, researchers have used fluorescent proteins to study biofilm formation and discovered that microchannels develop within the biofilm. Furthermore, there has recently been a "fusion" of art and science; through the construction of genetic circuits and regulatory systems, researchers are using bacteria to "paint" pictures based upon external stimuli. As such, this review will discuss the past and current trends in reporter gene applications as well as some exciting potential applications and models that are being developed based upon these remarkable proteins.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.168-172
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• 2006

In this study. the transcriptional features of a 2.8 kb region spanning the sigH and rplA genes of Bacillus subtilis were clarified using synthetic oligonucleotides complementary to the transcripts of the rpmG, secE, nusG, and rplK genes. The 5' ends of three transcripts corresponding to this region were located and mapped on the chromosome via primer extension analysis. Three regions, designated Prg, Pn, and Prk, which partially share the consensus sequence recognized by ${\sigma}^A$ RNA polymerase, were theorized to function as promoter elements. The rpmG and secE genes of B. subtilis were cotranscribed from the designated prg promoter, whereas the nusG and rplK genes were transcribed separately from the Pn and Prk promoters, respectively. Accordingly, the transcriptional features, as well as the gene organization, of the region encompassing the sigH and rplA genes of B. subtilis, including the rpmG-secE-nusG-rplK genes, were determined to be distinct from those of Escherichia coli. Divergences in terms of gene organization and transcriptional features within the relevant region would serve as excellent criteria for the delineation of phylogenetic relationships among bacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.880-886
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• 2005

Using carotenoid genes of Erwinia herbicola, metabolic engineering was carried out for lycopene production with the pAC-LYCO4 plasmid, which was composed of a chromosomal DNA fragment of E. herbicola containing the crtE, crtB, and crtI genes under the control of the tetracycline promoter and the ipi gene of Haematococcus pluvialis with the trc promoter. Plasmid pAC-LYCm4 was constructed for efficient expression of the four exogenous genes using a strong RBS sequence and the same tetracycline promoter. The optimized expression construct of pAC-LYCm4 increased Iycopene production three times as compared with pAC-LYCO4. pAC-LYCm5 containing ispA behind the four exogenous genes was constructed. There was no significant difference in Iycopene production and cell growth between pAC-LYCm4 and pAC-LYCm5. FPP synthase encoded by ispA was not rate-limiting for Iycopene production. Each gene of crtE, crtB, crtI, and ipi was overexpressed, using pBAD-crtE, pBAD-crtIB, and pBAD-ipiHPI, in addition to their expression from pAC-LYCm4. However, there was no increase oflycopene production with the additional overexpression of each exogenous gene. The four exogenous genes appeared to be not rate-limiting in cells harboring pAC-LYCm4. When pDdxs, pBAD24 containing dxs, was introduced into cells harboring lycopene synthetic plasmids, lycopene production of pAC-LYCO4, pAC-LYCm4, and pAC-LYCm5 was increased by 4.7-, 2.2-, and 2.2-fold, respectively. Lycopene production of pBAD-DXm4 containing crtE, crtB, crtI, ipi, and dxs was 5.2 mg/g dry cell weight with $0.2\%$ arabinose, which was 8.7-fold higher than that of the initial strain with pAC-LYC04. Therefore, the present study showed that proper regulation of a metabolically engineered pathway is important for Iycopene production.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2004

The cycloinulooligosaccharide fructanotransferase(CFTase) gene (cft) from Paenibacillus polymyxa was subcloned into the E. coli-yeast shuttle vector, pYES2.0 (GALI promoter). The constructed plasmid, pYGCFT (9.9 kb) was introduced into S. cerevisiae SEY2102 cell and then the yeast transformant was selected on the synthetic defined media lacking uracil Based on the cyclofructan(CF) spots on thin-layer chromatogram, the gene under the control of GALI promoter was successfully expressed in the yeast transformant. The recombinant CFTase was not secreted into the medium and was predominantly localized in the periplasmic space. CF was started to be produced after 3h of enzymatic reaction with inulin. The pH and temperature optimum for the CF production from inulin was pH 8.0 and 45$^{\circ}C$, respectively. Enzyme activity was stably maintained up to the pH of 10.0. The examination of the inulin sources revealed that a dahlia tuber and Jerusalem artichoke were the best for the production of CF.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.454-459
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• 2013

LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) has been identified as a gene corresponding to PARK8, an autosomal-dominant gene for familial Parkinson's disease (PD). LRRK2 pathogenic-specific mutants induce neurotoxicity and shorten neurites. To elucidate the mechanism underlying LRRK2 expression, we constructed the LRRK2-promoter-luciferase reporter and used it for promoter analysis. We found that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) transactivated LRRK2 in a ligand-dependent manner. Using quantitative RT-PCR and Western analysis, we further showed that treatment with dexamethasone, a synthetic GR ligand, induced LRRK2 expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels, in dopaminergic MN9D cells. Dexamethasone treatment also increased expression of ${\alpha}$-synuclein, another PD causative gene, and enhanced transactivation of the ${\alpha}$-synuclein promoter-luciferase reporter. In addition, dexamethasone treatment to MN9D cells weakly induced cytotoxicity based on an LDH assay. Because glucocorticoid hormones are secreted in response to stress, our data suggest that stress might be a related factor in the pathogenesis of PD.