• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.592-597
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• 2001

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate with the formation of $CO_2$, acetyl-CoA, NADH, and H+. This complex contains multiple copies of three catalytic components including pyruvate dehydrogenase(E1), dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase(E2), and dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (E3). Two regulatory components (E1-kinase and phospho-E1 phosphatase) and functionally less-understood protein (protein X, E3BP) are also involved in the formation of the complex. In this study, cloning and characterization of a gene for human E3BP have been carried out. A cDNA encoding the human E3BP was isolated by database search and cDNA library screening. The primary structure of E3BP has some similar characteristics with that of E2 in the lipoyl domain and the carboxyl-terminal domain, based on the nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence. However, the conserved amino acid moiety including the histidine residue for acetyltransferase activity in E2 is not conserved in the case of human E3BP. The human E3BP was expressed and purified in E. coli. The molecular weight of the protein, excluding the mitochondrial target sequence, was about 50 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. Cloning of human E3BP and expression of the recombinant E3BP will facilitate the understanding of the role(s) of E3BP in mammalian PDC.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.763-770
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• 1998

Salmonella typhimurium is a causitive agent of diarrhea, fever, gastroenteritis, septicemia and sudden death in piglet. The currently used methods such as IFA, ELISA, DNA hybridization assay is needed a long-time and difficult to detect the organism in carrier animal or contaminated sample with other agents. However, it is important to detect rapidly and sensitively S typhimurium in piglet with other infectious pathogens to minimize an economic loss. Two sets of PCR primer, rfbJ forward primer(5'-AGAATATGTAATTGTCAG-3') and reverse primer(5'-TAACCGTTTCAGTAGTTC-3') were designed to amplify a 882 by fragment of Salmonella serovar type B gene. The target genomic DNA for PCR was extracted from the cultivated materials with various enrichment periods in a nonselective enrichment agar and broth with clinical specimens. The PCR is carried out here made it possible to detect the gene from two hours. Also, the amplified fragment with PCR was cloned into pGEM-T vector and digested with restrict enzyme, and sequenced for the identification of Salmonella serotype B rfbJ gene. Duplicated cultivation agar-broth followed by PCR were performed to develop a rapid and sensitive detection of S typhlmurium based on serovar type. This duplicated cultivation-PCR method provides a sensitive and rapid diagnostic tool to detect Salmonella from infected piglet with improved sensitivity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1279-1284
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• 2014

The binding of TATA-binding protein (TBP) to the TATA-box containing promoter region is aided by many other transcriptional factors including TFIIA and TFIIB. The mechanistic insight into the assembly of RNA polymerase II preinitation complex (PIC) has been gained by either directly altering a function of target protein or perturbing molecular interactions using drugs, RNAi, or aptamers. Aptamers have been found particularly useful for studying a role of a subset of PIC on transcription for their ability to inhibit specific molecular interactions. One major hurdle to the wide use of aptamers as specific inhibitors arises from the difficulty with traditional assays to validate and determine specificity, affinity, and binding epitopes for aptamers against targets. Here, using a technique called the bio-layer interferometry (BLI) designed for a label-free, real-time, and multiplexed detection of molecular interactions, we studied the assembly of a subset of PIC, TBP binding to TATA DNA, and two distinct classes of aptamers against TPB in regard to their ability to inhibit TBP binding to TFIIA or TATA DNA. Using BLI, we measured not only equilibrium binding constants ($K_D$), which were overall in close agreement with those obtained by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, but also kinetic constants of binding ($k_{on}$ and $k_{off}$), differentiating aptamers of comparable KDs by their difference in binding kinetics. The assay developed in this study can readily be adopted for high throughput validation of candidate aptamers for specificity, affinity, and epitopes, providing both equilibrium and kinetic information for aptamer interaction with targets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.413-418
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• 2016

Myostatin (MSTN) is a secreted growth factor expressed in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue that negatively regulates skeletal muscle mass. Gene knockout of MSTN can result in increasing muscle mass in sheep. The objectives were to investigate whether myostatin gene can be edited in sheep by transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) in tandem with single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides (ssODNs). We designed a pair of TALENs to target a highly conserved sequence in the coding region of the sheep MSTN gene. The activity of the TALENs was verified by using luciferase single-strand annealing reporter assay in HEK 293T cell line. Co-transfection of TALENs and ssODNs oligonucleotides induced precise gene editing of myostatin gene in sheep primary fibroblasts. MSTN gene-edited cells were successfully used as nuclear donors for generating cloned embryos. TALENs combined with ssDNA oligonucleotides provide a useful approach for precise gene modification in livestock animals.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.130-136
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• 2008

Background: Human cytomegalovirus UL18, a MHC class I homologue, has been considered a natural killer (NK) cell decoy. It ligates LIR-1/ILT2 (CD85j), an NK inhibitory receptor, to prevent lysis of infected target cells. However, precise role of UL18 to NK cell cytotoxicity is yet elusive. Difficulty in clarifying the function of UL18 lies in complication in detecting UL18 mainly due to low level expression of UL18 on the surface and gradual loss of its expression. Methods: To overcome this hurdle, cDNA of cytoplasmic tail-less UL18 was constructed and expressed in swine endothelial cell (SEC). The expression level and its stability in the cell surface were monitored with FACS analysis. Results: Surface expression of UL18 is up-regulated by removing cytoplasmic tail portion from UL18F (a full sequence of UL18). SECs transfected with a cDNA of UL18CY (a cytoplasmic tail-less UL18) stably expressed UL18 molecule on the surface without gradual loss of its expression during 6 week continuous cultures. In the NK cytotoxicity assay, UL18 functions either inhibiting or activating NK cell cytotoxicity according to the source of NK cells. We found that there is individual susceptibility in determining whether the engagement of NK cell and UL18 results in overall inhibiting or activating NK cell cytotoxicity. Conclusion: In this study, we found that cytoplasmic tail is closely related to the regulatory function for controlling surface expression of UL18. Furthermore, by constructing stable cell line in which UL18 expression is up-regulated and stable, we provided a useful tool to clarify exact functions of UL18 on various immune cells having ILT2 receptor.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.329-334
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• 2016

Trichomoniasis caused by Trichomonas vaginalis is a common sexually transmitted disease. Its association with several health problems, including preterm birth, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical cancer, and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, emphasizes the importance of improved access to early and accurate detection of T. vaginalis. In this study, a rapid and efficient loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based method for the detection of T. vaginalis was developed and validated, using vaginal swab specimens from subjects suspected to have trichomoniasis. The LAMP assay targeting the actin gene was highly sensitive with detection limits of 1 trichomonad and 1 pg of T. vaginalis DNA per reaction, and specifically amplified the target gene only from T. vaginalis. Validation of this assay showed that it had the highest sensitivity and better agreement with PCR (used as the gold standard) compared to microscopy and multiplex PCR. This study showed that the LAMP assay, targeting the actin gene, could be used to diagnose early infections of T. vaginalis. Thus, we have provided an alternative molecular diagnostic tool and a point-of-care test that may help to prevent trichomoniasis transmission and associated complications.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

The analysis of functional population and its dynamics on the environment is essential for understanding bioremediation in environment. Here, we report a method for oligonucleotide microarray for the monitoring of aliphatic and aromatic degradative genes. This microarray contained 15 unique and group-specific probes which were based on 100 known genes involved pathways in biodegradation. Hybridization specificity tests with pure cultures, strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa KCTC 1636 indicated that the designed probes on the arrays appeared to be specific to their corresponding target genes. It was found that the presence of 8 genes encoding alkane, naphthalene, biphenyl, pyrene (PAH ring-hydroxylating) degradation pathway could be detected in oil contaminated soil sample. Therefore, the findings of this study strongly suggest that oligonucleotide microarray is an effective diagnostic tool for evaluating biodegradation capability in oil contaminated subsurface environment.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2006

The ubiquitin conjugating enzyme 2 (E2) is core component of ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP) which represents a selective mechanism for intracellular proteolysis in eukaryotic cells. The E2 has been implicated in the intracellular transfer of ubiquitin to target protein. We show here the involvement of E2 in antiviral immune of Bombyx mori to Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV). In this study, mRNA fluorescent differential display PCR (FDD-PCR) was performed with BmNPV highly resistant silkworm strain NB and susceptible silkworm strain 306. At 24 h post BmNPV infection, FDD-PCR with the arbitrary primer AP34 showed that one cDNA band was down-regulated in the midgut of resistant strain, but highly expressed in susceptible strain. The deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA clone share 99% identity with the recently published B. mori ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 (Genbank NO: DQ311351). Fluorescent quantitative PCR corroborated down regulation of E2 in resistant strain. We there conclude that BmNPV infection evokes strong response of susceptible strain including activation of UPP. BmNPV may evolve escape mechanisms that manipulate the UPP in order to persist in the infected host. In addition, the identification of down-regulation of E2 in resistant strain, as well as structure data, are essential to understanding how UPP operates in silkworm antiviral immune to BmNPV disease.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.360-360
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• 1998

C11, a chloride-containing VK3 analog, acts as a mediator of programmed cell death in SK-Hep-1 cell lines, but its molecular mechanisms linked to cell death are not understood. In this study, we investigated the expression of p21 gene and its relationship to apoptosis induced by C11. In SK -hep-1 cells, the addition of C11 resulted in time-dependent growth suppression and DNA fragmentation characteristics of apoptosis. p21 protein was induced during this process, while the protein level of p53 was not changed at the same condition. This apoptotic cell death with p21 induction was also observed in the Hep3B cells lacking functional p53 after treatment of C11. These results suggest that C11-induced apoptosis is associated with up-regulation of p21 protein in p53-independent pathway. Next, in order to confirm whether the p53-independent p21 induction is required for C11-induced apoptosis, we introduced the p21 gene into Hep3B. Overexpression of p21 did not affect the expression of the bcl-2 gene, but DNA fragmentation and PARa cleavage were significantly increased. These data indicate that p21 is involved in C11-induced apoptosis. Although Bcl-2 has been implicated to interfere with an essential signaling molecule involved in the apoptosis pathway, its molecular mechanism and target molecule are poorly understood. To determine the effects of bcl-2 overexpression on apoptosis and to investigate whether BcI-2 interfers with the p53-independent p21 pathway, we transfected the bcl-2 expression vector into SK - Hep-1 cels. Overexpression of Bcl-2 prevented C11-induced apoptosis. Taken together, C11-induced apoptosis is regulated by p52-independent p21 pathway and bcl-2 may inhibit functional activity of p21, therebe may inhibit the C11-induced apoptosis.ptosis.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.159-165
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• 2013

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the transforming growth factor (TGF-${\beta}$) superfamily and are involved in osteoblastic differentiation. The largest TGF-${\beta}$ superfamily subgroup shares genetic homology with human BMPs (hBMPs) and silkworm decapentaplegic (dpp). In addition, hBMPs are functionally interchangeable with Drosophila dpp. Bombyx mori dpp may induce bone formation in mammalian cells. To test this hypothesis, we synthesized the 1,285-base pairs cDNA of full-length B. mori dpp using total RNAs obtained from the fat body of 3-day-old of the $5^{th}$ instar larvae and cloned the cDNA into the pCEP4 mammalian expression vector. Next, B. mori dpp was expressed in C3H10T1/2 cells. The target cells transfected with the pCEP4-Bm dpp plasmid showed biological functions similar to those of osteogenic differentiation induction growth factors such as hBMPs. We determined the relative mRNA expression rates of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix, osteocalcin, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to validate the osteoblast-specific differentiation effects of B. mori dpp by performing quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Interestingly, mRNA expression levels of the 3 marker genes except RUNX2, in cells expressing B. mori dpp were much higher than those in control cells and C3H10T1/2 cells transfected with pCEP4. These results suggested that B. mori dpp signaling regulates osterix expression during osteogenic differentiation via RUNX2-independent mechanisms.