• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2008

Recent studies on nuclear transfer and induced pluripotent stem cells have demonstrated that differentiated somatic cells can be returned to the undifferentiated state by reversing their developmental process. These epigenetically reprogrammed somatic cells may again be differentiated into various cell types, and used for cell replacement therapies through autologous transplantation to treat many degenerative diseases. To date, however, reprogramming of somatic cells into undifferentiated cells has been extremely inefficient. Hence, reliable markers to identify the event of reprogramming would assist effective selection of reprogrammed cells. In this study, a transgene construct encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the regulation of human Oct4 promoter was developed as a reporter for the reprogramming of somatic cells. Microinjection of the transgene construct into pronuclei of fertilized mouse eggs resulted in the emission of green fluorescence, suggesting that the undifferentiated cytoplasmic environment provided by fertilized eggs induces the expression of EGFP. Next, the transgene construct was introduced into human embryonic fibroblasts, and the nuclei from these cells were transferred into enucleated porcine oocytes. Along with their in vitro development, nuclear transfer embryos emitted green fluorescence, suggesting the reprogramming of donor nuclei in nuclear transfer embryos. The results of the present study demonstrate that expression of the transgene under the regulation of human Oct4 promoter coincides with epigenetic reprogramming, and may be used as a convenient marker that non-invasively reflects reprogramming of somatic cells.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.135-140
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• 2013

A less simple approach developed for generation of marker-free transgenic plants is to select transformants without the use of selective marker genes. Some results about development of marker-free transgenic plants were obtained using a non-selective approach in several crops such as rice, potato and tobacco. However, the study did not provide evidence on detailed characterization of introduced gene on genome, a critical step for confirming the stable integration and transmission of a foreign gene. In this study, we evaluated structure and integration sites of transgene (mCry1Ac) in the transgenic Bt rice plants which were made via conventional Agrobacterium-mediated transformation by non-selective method. Structure and integration sites of transgene in these transgenic plants had similar fashion as those recovered under selection.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 1997

For genetic engineering to be commercially viable, an efficient transformation system is needed to produce transgenic plane from diverse genotypes ("generalized protocol"). Development of such a system requires optimization of a number of components such as gene transfer agent, plant tissues competent for both regeneration and transformation, and control of transgene expression. Although several novel gene transfer methods have been developed for plane, a majority of stably transformed plane express the introduced genes at low levels. Moreover, silencing of selectable marker genes shortly after their incorporation into plant chromosomes may result in low recovery of transgenic tissues from selection. Matrix attachment regions (MARs) are DNA sequences that bind to the cell's proteinaceous nuclear matrix to form DNA loop domains. MARs have been shown to increase transgene expression in tobacco cells, and reduce position in mature transgenic plants. Flanking an antibiotic resistance transgene with MARs should therefore lead to improved rates of transformation in a diversity of species, and may permit recalcitrant species and genotypes to be successfully transformed. Literature review and recent data from my laboratory suggest that MARs can serve as a transformation booster in recalcitrant plant species.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.183-184
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• 2002

The use of transgenic fish has so far been chiefly limited by the lack of predictable, strong, tissue specific, and position-independent expression of transgenes. For genetic analysis, expression of a marker transgene, easily screenable in the living fish, could facilitate studies of gene targeting, insertional mutagenesis, lineage, and mutational analysis. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.360-367
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• 2011

Beta-carotene producing transformants were produced in the background of 'Nagdongbyeo', a Japonica rice cultivar. Introgression of the carotenoid locus in the transformant, PAC4-2 into the elite cultivar 'Ilpumbyeo' was started. To initiate a backcrossing program, we surveyed 220 SSR markers and found that 38% of them were polymorphic between 'Ilpumbyeo' as a recurrent parent and the PAC4-2 as a recipient parent. The selection strategy comprising foreground and background selection was employed. First, foreground selection was practiced in $BC_1$, $BC_2$, and $BC_3$ generations using the transgene specific PCR-based marker in addition to visual scoring of the seed color. Marker-based background selection combined with phenotypic selection was employed from $BC_3F_2$ to $BC_3F_4$ generations. Blast search indicated that the transgene PAC4-2 was located between SSR markers, RM6 and RM482. 240 $BC_3F_3$ and 63 $BC_3F_4$ lines were evaluated for four agronomic traits including days to heading. Most of the lines were similar to Ilpumbyeo in agronomic traits evaluated. The percentage of PAC4-2 genome ranged from 4% to 21% with a mean of 12.5%, which was higher than the expected for an unselected $BC_3$ backcross population. This could be explained by the fact that two genes for beta-carotene and the stripe virus resistance were targeted in this study. We selected 10 representative $BC_3F_5$ lines from 63 $BC_3F_4$ lines based on agronomic traits and carotenoids content. The selection strategy would be appropriate for the introgression of beta-carotene gene in a breeding program.

• Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2007

The green revolution has significantly helped in increasing the food production. So far, various breeding methods have been exploited, besides them recombination DNA technology provides another approach for increasing the food production. By means of this technology the losses in food production incurred by various biotic and abiotic stresses can be effectively controlled. In most of the transgenic studies scientists have used antibiotic resistant genes as markers for easy selection of transformants but there are risks involved in use of GM foods. To make such foods safer and environment friendly we have discussed a novel strategy i.e. Cre-lox which involves site specific recombination. By means of Cre-lox the marker genes can be specifically removed once the selection of transformants is over. In addition, this strategy can be used to module the hybrid chromosomes, avoid gene silencing and incorporate single copy of a transgene for its higher expression.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

The efficiency of transgenic livestock animal production may be improved by early selection of transgenci preimplantation embryos. To examine the possibility of GFP gene as a non-invasive marker for the early screening of transgenic embryo, the GFP gene was microinjected into rabbit zygotes and the later stages of preimplantation embryos were examined for the expression of GFP. The presence of injected DNA was detected by PCR analysis and the expression of GFP was detected by observing green fluorescence in embryos under a fluorescent microscope. Out of 108 GFP gene-injected rabbit zygotes, seventy three(67.6%) were fluorescence-positive. When 11 fluroresecence-positive blastocysts were analyzed for the presence of GFP gene by PCR, 6(54.5%) were positive, and all of the 8 flrouescence-negative blastocysts were also negative by PCR. The results indicate that the screening of transgene in rabbit embryos by PCR analysis and GFP detection could be a promising method for the preselection of transgenic embryos.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2001

To examine the effect of copy number-dependent transgenic genotype on the expression of foreign gene, stable hemizygous and homozygous transgenic breeding line was established using artificial parthenogenesis. For this purpose, induced diploid gynogenetic transgenesis was optimized in mud loach (Misgurnus mizolepis) using UV-irradiated cyprinid loach (M. anguillicaudatus) sperm and thermal shocks. Optimum UV range for inactivation of cyprinid loach sperm was between 3,150 to $4,050\;ergs/mm^2$ The UV-irradiated sperm were inseminated into eggs from recessive color strain (yellow) or heterozygous transgenic mud loach containing CAT gene. Cold shock at $2^{\circ}C$ for 60 min, 5 min post fertilization successfully restored the diploidy of eggs inseminated with UV-irradiated sperm. Restoration to diploidy was confirmed by flow cytometry and gynogenetic status was verified by examining maternal exclusive inheritance of multi-locus DNA fingerprints, body color and transgenic marker. Putative isogenic transgenic fish clearly showed homozygous status at trans gene locus based on Southern blot hybridization and progeny testing. Further, such homozygous gynogenetic diploids revealed the increased levels of transgene expression, when compared to those of heterozygous (hemizygous) transgenic fish.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 2011

In order to establish a reliable and highly efficient method for genetic transformation of pepper, a monitoring system featuring GFP (green fluorescent protein) as a report marker was applied to Agrobacteriummediated transformation. A callus-induced transformation (CIT) system was used to transform the GFP gene. GFP expression was observed in all tissues of $T_0$, $T_1$ and $T_2$ peppers, constituting the first instance in which the whole pepper plant has exhibited GFP fluorescence. A total of 38 T0 peppers were obtained from 4,200 explants. The transformation rate ranged from 0.47 to 1.83% depending on the genotype, which was higher than that obtained by CIT without the GFP monitoring system. This technique could enhance selection power by monitoring GFP expression at the early stage of callus in vitro. The detection of GFP expression in the callus led to successful identification of the shoot that contained the transgene. Thus, this technique saved lots of time and money for conducting the genetic transformation process of pepper. In addition, a co-transformation technique was applied to the target transgene, CaCS (encoding capsaicinoid synthetase of Capsicum) along with GFP. Paprika varieties were transformed by the CaCS::GFP construct, and GFP expression in callus tissues of paprika was monitored to select the right transformant.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2011

To identify unintended vertical gene-transfer rates from the developed transgenic plants, rapid and unequivocal techniques are needed to identify event-specific markers based on flanking sequences around the transgene and to distinguish zygosity such as homo- and hetero-zygosity. To facilitate evaluation of zygosity, a polymerase chain reaction technique was used to analyze a transgenic pepper line B20 (homozygote), P915 wild type (null zygote), and their F1 hybrids, which were used as transgene contaminated plants. First, we sequenced the 3'-flanking region of the T-DNA (1,277 bp) in the transgenic pepper event B20. Based on sequence information for the 3'- and 5'-flanking region of T-DNA provided in a previous study, a primer pair was designed to amplify full length T-DNA in B20. We successfully amplified the full length T-DNA containing 986 bp from the flanking regions of B20. In addition, a 1,040 bp PCR product, which was where the T-DNA was inserted, was amplified from P915. Finally, both full length T-DNA and the 1,040 bp fragment were simultaneously amplified in the F1 hybrids; P915 ${\times}$ B20, Pungchon ${\times}$ B20, Gumtap ${\times}$ B20. In the present study, we were able to identify zygosity among homozygous transgenic event B20, its wild type P915, and hemizygous F1 hybrids. Therefore, this novel zygosity identification technique, which is based on PCR, can be effectively used to examine gene flow for transgenic pepper event B20.