• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.77-90
• /
• 1996

Nucleocapsid protein (NP)which exists in the particle of hantavirus and surrounds the viral RNA genome is one of the major structural proteins and plays role of antigen to elicit the antibody detected predorminantly right after infection of the virus in the patients of hemorragic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)or experimental animals. NP is important target antigen in serological diagnostic system of HFRS utilizing whole antigens from the native virus particle, such as IFA, ELISA and Western blotting. Therefore, the preparation of this protein in the level of higher quantity and purity is desirasble for developed dianosis of the disease. The purpose of this study is the cloning of NP gene which exists in the S genome segment of Maaji (MAA) virus and expression of the gene to obtain qualified, genetically engineered NP to be utilized as an immunodiagnostic antigen. First of all, for the purpose of amplifing the MAA-NP gene by PCR, the specific primers were built from the known nucleotide sequence of Hantaan viral NP gene. The viral cDNA of the NP gene was synthesized by using the primers and RNase $H^-$ AMV reverse transcriptase. Thereafter, using this cDNA as a template, the NP gene was amplified specifically by Taq DNA polymrerase. The pT7blue (R)T-overhang vector systems were used for cloning of the amplified NP gene. The expression system was consisted of BL21 (DE3)pLysS and pET16b as a host and a plasmid repectively. Into Ndel site of pET16b, NP gene was ligated with cohesive end for the expression. Insertion of NP gene in the plasmid was confirmed by PCR and mini prep methods. For expression, IPTG was used and the expressed protein was characterized by Western blotting. The MAA-NP was expressed as the form of inclusion body (insoluble fraction)and the protein purified by affinity and metal chealating columns reacted specifically with the sera from patients of HFRS as to be tested by ELISA and Western blotting.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.91-99
• /
• 2007

For the detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), multiple and ultra-rapid real-time PCR methods were developed. The target DNA sequences were deduced from HIV-1 specific 495bp partial env gene (gi_1184090) and from HIV-2 specific 294 bp partial env gene (gi_1332355), and were synthesized by using PCR-based gene synthesis on the reason of safety. Ultra-rapid real-time PCR was performed by $Genspector^{TM}$ using microchip-based, $1\;{\mu}l$ of reaction volume with extremely short time in each 3 step in PCR. The detection including DNA-amplification and melting temperature analysis was completed inner 15 minutes. The HIV-1 specific 117 bp-long and HIV-2 specific 119 bp-long PCR products were successfully amplified from minimum of template,2.3 molecules of each env gene. This kind of real-time PCR was designated as ultra-rapid real-time PCR in this study and it could be applied not only an alternative detection method against HIV, but also other pathogens using PCR-based detection.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.81-87
• /
• 2016

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is produced by Aspergillus flavus growing in feedstuffs. Early detection of maize contamination by aflatoxigenic fungi is advantageous since aflatoxins exert adverse health effects. In this study, we report the development of an optimized conventional PCR for AFB1 detection and a rapid, sensitive and simple screening Real-time PCR (qPCR) with SYBR Green and two pairs of primers targeting the aflR genes which involved aflatoxin biosynthesis. AFB1 contaminated maize samples were divided into three groups by the toxin concentration. Genomic DNA was extracted from those samples. The target genes for A. flavus were tested by conventional PCR and the PCR products were analyzed by electrophoresis. A conventional PCR was carried out as nested PCR to verify the gene amplicon sizes. PCR-RFLP patterns, obtained with Hinc II and Pvu II enzyme analysis showed the differences to distinguish aflatoxin-producing fungi. However, they are not quantitative and need a separation of the products on gel and their visualization under UV light. On the other hand, qPCR facilitates the monitoring of the reaction as it progresses. It does not require post-PCR handling, which reduces the risk of cross-contamination and handling errors. It results in a much faster throughout. We found that the optimal primer annealing temperature was $65^{\circ}C$. The optimized template and primer concentration were $1.5{\mu}L\;(50ng/{\mu}L)$ and $3{\mu}L\;(10{\mu}M/{\mu}L)$ respectively. SYBR Green qPCR of four genes demonstrated amplification curves and melting peaks for tub1, afIM, afIR, and afID genes are at $88.0^{\circ}C$, $87.5^{\circ}C$, $83.5^{\circ}C$, and $89.5^{\circ}C$ respectively. Consequently, it was found that the four primers had elevated annealing temperatures, nevertheless it is desirable since it enhances the DNA binding specificity of the dye. New qPCR protocol could be employed for the determination of aflatoxin content in feedstuff samples.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.109-118
• /
• 1996

The Salmonella rfb gene encoding for the biosynthesis of the oligosaccharide-repeating units of the O-antigenic determinants was cloned and sequenced. A set of nucleotide primers(a forward and reverse) was selected to target a defined region of the guanosine diphospho-mannose(GDP-Man) pyrophosphorylase synthase gene : rfbM of Salmonella C serogroup. The primer set was used to develop a PCR-based rapid and specific detection system for Salmonella C1 serogroup. Amplification bands of predicted size(1,422bp) were generated from 11 different Salmonella C1 isolates. The bands were verified to be specific for the C1 serogroup by Southern blot analysis using reference homologous DNA specificity was further confirmed by the lack of reactivity with heterologous DNA derived from non-salmonella members of the family enterobacteriaeceae. A specificity of 100% was deduced along with a very high sensitivity shown by a detection limit of 1fg of a purified DNA template. The isolated DNA sequence was found to be 99.8% homologous to S montevideo but the related primers amplified with the predicted band sizes with all the Salmonella C1 serogroups tested. It is concluded that the PCR protocol based on the rfbM gene from S cholerasuis is optimal fast and specific for the detection of Salmonella C1 serogroup and also the corresponding probe is suitable for rapid detection of all Salmonella C1 serogroup DNA tested. This technology should facilitate the identification of contaminated pig products and for any other products contaminated with the Salmonalla C1 serogroup. The immediate impact of this developed method will be in the area of food safety of pig products with the potential prospect for adaptation to other food inspection technologies.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.52-58
• /
• 2010

Human histamine H1 receptor (HHR1) is a G protein-coupled receptor and a primary target for antiallergic therapy. Here, the ligand-based three-dimensional pharmacophore models were built from a set of known HHR1 inverse agonists using HypoGen module of CATALYST software. All ten generated pharmacophore models consist of five essential features: hydrogen bond acceptor, ring aromatic, positive ionizable and two hydrophobic functions. Best model had a correlation coefficient of 0.854 for training set compounds and it was validated with an external test set with a high correlation value of 0.925. Using this model Maybridge database containing 60,000 compounds was screened for potential leads. A rigorous screening for drug-like compounds unveiled RH01692 and SPB00834, two novel molecules for HHR1 with good CATALYST fit and estimated activity values. The new lead molecules were docked into the active site of constructed HHR1 homology model based on recently crystallized squid rhodopsin as template. Both the hit compounds were found to have critical interactions with Glu177, Phe432 and other important amino acids. The interpretations of this study may effectively be deployed in designing of novel HHR1 inverse agonists.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.499-509
• /
• 1995

PU.1, a tissue-specific transcription activator, binds to a purine-rich sequence(5'-GAGGAA-3') called PU box. The PU.1 cDNA consists of an open reading frame of 816 nucleotides coding for 272 amino acids. The amino terminal end is highly acidic, while the carboxyl terminal end is highly basic. Transcriptional activation domain is located at the amino terminal end, while DNA binding domain is located at the carboxyl terminal end. Activation of PU.1 transcription factor is supposed to be accomplished by the phosphorylation of serine residue(s). There exist 22 serines in the PU.1. Five(the 41, 45, 132$.$133, and 148th) of the serines(plausible phosphorylation site by casein kinase II), are the primary targets of interest in elucidating the molecular mechanism(s) of the action of the PU.1 gene. In this study, PU.1 cDNA coding for the five serine residues(41th AGC, 45th AGC, 132$.$133th AGC$.$TCA, and 148th TCT), was mutated to alanine codon(41th GCC, 45th GCC, 132$.$133th GCC$.$GCA, and 1481h GCT), respectively, by Splicing-Overlapping-Extension(SOE) using Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR). And each mutated cDNA fragments was ligated into pBluescript KS＋ digested with HindIII and Xba I, to generate mutant clones named pKKS41A, pRKS45A, pMKS132$.$133A, and pMKS148A. The clones will be informative to study the "Structure and Function" of the immu-nologically important gene, PU.1.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.341-350
• /
• 2023

The templated grain growth (TGG) method has gained significant attention for its ability to produce highly textured piezoelectric ceramics with significantly enhanced performance, making it a promising method for transducer and actuator applications. However, the texturing process using the TGG method requires the optimization of multiple steps, which can be challenging for beginners in this field. Therefore, in this tutorial, we provide an overview of the TGG method mainly based on our previous published works, including its various processing steps such as synthesizing anisotropic-shaped templates with size and size distribution control using the molten salt synthesis technique, tape casting, and identifying key factors for proper alignment of the templates in the target matrix system. Our goal is to provide a resource that can serve as a basic reference for researchers and engineers looking to improve their understanding and utilization of the TGG method for producing textured piezoelectric ceramics.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.916-923
• /
• 2022

Water samples were collected from three spots(Namcheon, Changwoncheon and Cheongwoonji) in Changwon and genomic DNA was isolated from them. Quantitative PCR was performed with the isolated DNA as template and primers targeting five different class A extended-spectrum beta-lactamase(ESBL) genes(bla_OXA-1, bla_SHV, bla_TEM, bla_CTX-M-1, bla_CTX-M-9). The number of total ESBL genes from each sample showed large variations between each sample. Thirty nanograms of DNA from Namcheon contained 1.93×10⁶ copies of ESBL genes whereas the same amount of DNA from Changwoncheon contained 1.47×10⁵ copies of ESBL genes. However, the same amount of DNA from Cheongwoonji pond contained only 9.5×10³ copies of ESBL genes. The ratio of each ESBL genes showed little difference between Namcheon river and Changwoncheon river, but DNA from Cheongwoonji pond showed a large difference from the rest. bla_OXA-1 gene was present at 65.3%, and bla_CTX-M-1 gene 33.6% for Namcheon comprising together almost 99%. bla_OXA-1 gene was present at 64.1%, and bla_CTX-M-1 gene 19.1% for Changwoncheon comprising together over 83%. bla_CTX-M-1 gene was present at 87.5% and bla_CTX-M-9 genes 9.8% for Cheongwoonji, a pond which is a closed and isolated environment.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.3.1-3.6
• /
• 2009

Introduction: GTPases known as translation factor play a vital role as ribosomal subunit assembly chaperone. The bacterial Obg proteins ($Spo{\underline{0B}}$-associated ${\underline{G}}TP$-binding protein) belong to the subfamily of P-loop GTPase proteins and now it is considered as one of the new target for antibacterial drug. The majority of bacterial Obgs have been commonly found to be associated with ribosome, implying that these proteins may play a fundamental role in ribosome assembly or maturation. In addition, one of the experimental evidences suggested that Bacillus subtilis Obg (BsObg) protein binds to the L13 ribosomal protein (BsL13) which is known to be one of the early assembly proteins of the 50S ribosomal subunit in Escherichia coli. In order to investigate binding mode between the BsObg and the BsL13, protein-protein docking simulation was carried out after generating 3D structure of the BsL13 structure using homology modeling method. Materials and Methods: Homology model structure of BsL13 was generated using the EcL13 crystal structure as a template. Protein-protein docking of BsObg protein with ribosomal protein BsL13 was performed by DOT, a macro-molecular docking software, in order to predict a reasonable binding mode. The solvated energy minimization calculation of the docked conformation was carried out to refine the structure. Results and Discussion: The possible binding conformation of BsL13 along with activated Obg fold in BsObg was predicted by computational docking study. The final structure is obtained from the solvated energy minimization. From the analysis, three important H-bond interactions between the Obg fold and the L13 were detected: Obg:Tyr27-L13:Glu32, Obg:Asn76-L13:Glu139, and Obg:Ala136-L13:Glu142. The interaction between the BsObg and BsL13 structures were also analyzed by electrostatic potential calculations to examine the interface surfaces. From the results, the key residues for hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction between the two proteins were predicted. Conclusion and Prospects: In this study, we have focused on the binding mode of the BsObg protein with the ribosomal BsL13 protein. The interaction between the activated Obg and target protein was investigated with protein-protein docking calculations. The binding pattern can be further used as a base for structure-based drug design to find a novel antibacterial drug.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.43-50
• /
• 2015

In this study, single PCR and multiplex PCR tests were examined for identification of four types of squid species (giant squid, cuttlefish, octopus, beka squid) purchased from fish market as well as aquatic processed products in Busan. To design the specific primers against each species, the nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial 16s rRNA gene of Architeuthis dux, Todarodes pacificus, Enteroctopus dofleini, Enteroctopus megalocyathus, Uroteuthis chinensis, Uroteuthis duvauceli, Uroteuthis edulis groups were analyzed for the identification of each species registered in the GeneBank (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) and have been used for comparative analysis. In order to obtain the size variation of amplified fragments on multiplex PCR, we designed KOJ-F, OJ-F, OCT-F, HAN-F, ALLR primers for each species. The optimal PCR conditions and primers were selected for four types of squid species to determine target base sequences in its PCR products. In the case of single PCR, giant squid was only amplified by KOJ-F/ALLR primer; cuttlefish was only amplified by OJ-F/ALLR primer; octopus was only amplified by OCT-F/ALLR primer; and beka squid was only amplified by HAN-F/ALLR primer. For multiplex PCR, the mixture of four kinds of genomic DNA (giant squid, cuttlefish, octopus, beka squid) been prepared as a template and used together with the mixture of KOJ-F/OJ-F/OCT-F/HAN-F/ALLR primers in the reaction. By the multiplex PCR, it is confirmed that four samples are correspond to multiple simultaneous amplicon. Finally, we validated the established methods of multiplex PCR in the aquatic processed products. Although the mitochondrial 16s rRNA primers used in this study was useful as a marker for detection of each species among them, the study indicated that the established multiplex PCR method can be more useful tool for monitoring the processed products.