• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.830-839
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• 2007

Pradimicins are potent antifungal antibiotics having an unusual dihydrobenzo[$\alpha$]naphthacenequinone aglycone substituted with D-alanine and sugars. Pradimicins are polyketide antibiotics produced by Actinomadura hibisca P157-2. The gene cluster involved in the biosynthesis of pradimicins was cloned and sequenced. The pradimicin gene cluster was localized to a 39-kb DNA segment and its involvement in the biosynthesis of pradimicin was proven by gene inactivation of prmA and prmB(ketosynthases $\alpha\;and\;\beta$). The pradimicin gene cluster consists of 28 open reading frames(ORFs), encoding a type II polyketide synthase(PKS), the enzymes involved in sugar biosynthesis and tailoring enzymes as well as two resistance proteins. The deduced proteins showed strong similarities to the previously validated gene clusters of angucyclic polyketides such as rubromycin, griseorhodin, and fredericamycin. From the pradimicin gene cluster, prmP3 encoding a component of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase complex was disrupted. The production levels of pradimicins of the resulting mutants decreased to 62% of the level produced by the wild-type strain, which indicate that the acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene would have a significant role in the production of pradimicins through supplying the extender unit precursor, malonyl-CoA.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1636-1642
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• 2016

Phenalamide is a bioactive secondary metabolite produced by Myxococcus stipitatus. We identified a 56 kb phenalamide biosynthetic gene cluster from M. stipitatus DSM 14675 by genomic sequence analysis and mutational analysis. The cluster is comprised of 12 genes (MYSTI_04318- MYSTI_04329) encoding three pyruvate dehydrogenase subunits, eight polyketide synthase modules, a non-ribosomal peptide synthase module, a hypothetical protein, and a putative flavin adenine dinucleotide-binding protein. Disruption of the MYSTI_04324 or MYSTI_04325 genes by plasmid insertion resulted in a defect in phenalamide production. The organization of the phenalamide biosynthetic modules encoded by the fifth to tenth genes (MYSTI_04320-MYSTI_04325) was very similar to that of the myxalamid biosynthetic gene cluster from Stigmatella aurantiaca Sg a15, as expected from similar backbone structures of the two substances. However, the loading module and the first extension module of the phenalamide synthase encoded by the first to fourth genes (MYSTI_04326-MYSTI_04329) were found only in the phenalamide biosynthetic gene cluster from M. stipitatus DSM 14675.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1120-1124
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• 2005

Pseudomonas putida KCTC 1639 was newly identified as a potential producer of biodegradable medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates. It exhibited a carbon assimilation pattern quite different from other known P. putida strains, but a more similar pattern with P. oleovorans, which assimilates the carbon sources mainly through ${\beta}$-oxidation rather than the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. The PHA synthesis gene cluster from P. putida KCTC1639 was composed of two gene loci; the PHA synthase gene locus and granule-associated gene locus, which were cloned and deposited in the GenBank under accession numbers AY286491 and AY750858 as a new nucleotide sequence, respectively. The molecular structure and amino acid homology of the new gene cluster were compared with those from Pseudomonas species, including other P. putida strains and P. oleovorans, and a higher than $90\%$ homology was observed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.764-770
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• 2006

Dihydrochalcomycin (GERI-155), produced by Streptomyces sp. KCTC-0041BP isolated from Korean soil, is a 16-membered macrolide antibiotic consisting of two deoxysugar moieties at C-5 and C-20 positions of a branched lactone ring. The cloning and sequencing of a gene cluster for dihydrochalcomycin biosynthesis revealed a 63-kb nucleotide region containing 25 open reading frames (ORFs). The products of all of these 25 ORFs playa role in dihydrochalcomycin biosynthesis and self-resistance against the compounds synthesized. At the core of this cluster lies a 39.6-kb polyketide synthase (PKS) region encoding eight modules in five giant multifunctional protein-coding genes (gerSI-SV). The genes responsible for the biosynthesis of deoxysugar moieties, D-chalcose and D-mycinose, and their modification and attachment were found on either side of this PKS region. The involvement of this gene cluster in dihydrochalcomycin biosynthesis was confirmed by disruption of the dehydratase (DH) domain in module 3 of the PKS gene and by metabolite analysis.

• ALGAE
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2002

A phylogenetic affinity between charophytes and embryophytes (land plants) has been explained by a few chloroplast genomic characters including gene and intron (Manhart and Palmer 1990; Baldauf et al. 1990; Lew and Manhart 1993). Here we show that a charophyte, Spirogyra maxima, has the largest operon of angiosperm chloroplast genomes, rpl23 operon (trnⅠ-rpl23-rpl2-rps19-rpl22-rps3-rpl16-rpl14-rps8-infA-rpl36-rps11-rpoA) containing both embryophyte introns, rpl16.i and rpl2.i. The rpl23 gene cluster of Spirogyra contains a distinct eubacterial promoter sequence upstream of rpl23, which is the first gene of the green algal rpl23 gene cluster. This sequence is completely absent in angiosperms but is present in non-flowering plants. The results imply that, in the rpl23 gene cluster, early charophytes had at least two promoters, one upstream of trnⅠ and and another upstream of rpl23, which partially or completely lost its function in land plants. A comparison of gene clusters of prokaryotes, algal chloroplast DNAs and land plant cpDNAs indicated a loss of numerous genes in chlorophyll a+b eukaryotes. A phylogenetic analysis using presence/absence of genes and introns as characters produced trees with a strongly supported clade containing chlorophyll a+b eukaryotes. Spirogyra and embryophytes formed a clade characterized by the loss of rpl5 and rps9 and the gain of trnⅠ (CAU) and introns in rpl2 and rpl16. The analyses support the hypothesis that the rpl23 gene cluster and the rpl2 and rpl16 introns of land plants originated from a common ancestor of Spirogyra and land plants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1490-1494
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• 2014

To probe the genomic properties of microbes thriving in desert lakes, we sequenced the full genome of a betaproteobacterial strain (SL110) belonging to the understudied genus Caenimonas of the family Comamonadaceae. This strain was isolated from a freshwater lake in the western Gobi Desert, Northern China. Its genome contains genes encoding carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, nitric oxide reductase, and sulfur oxidation enzymes, highlighting the potentially important contribution of this group of bacteria to the cycling of inorganic elements in nature. Unexpectedly, a coenzyme $F_{420}$ biosynthesis gene cluster was identified. A further search for $F_{420}$ biosynthesis gene homologs in genomic databases suggests the possible widespread presence of $F_{420}$ biosynthesis gene clusters in proteobacterial genomes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.286-290
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• 2006

A genomic library of Streptococcus vestibularis ATCC49124 was constructed in an E. coli plasmid vector, and the urease-positive transformants harboring the urease gene cluster were isolated on Christensen-urea agar plates. The minimal DNA region required for urease activity was located in a 5.6 kb DNA fragment, and a DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of a partial ureI gene and seven complete open reading frames, corresponding to ureA, B, C, E, F, G, and D, respectively. The nucleotide sequence over the entire ure gene cluster and 3'-end flanking region of S. vestibularis was up to 95% identical to that of S. salivarius, another closely related oral bacterium, and S. thermophilus, isolated from dairy products. The predicted amino acid sequences for the structural peptides were 98-100% identical to the corresponding peptides in S. salivarius and S. thermophilus, respectively, whereas those for the accessory proteins were 96-100% identical. The recombinant E. coli strain containing the S. vestibularis ure gene cluster expressed a high level of the functional urease holoenzyme when grown in a medium supplemented with 1 mM nickel chloride. The enzyme was purified over 49-fold by using DEAE-Sepharose FF, Superdex HR 200, and Mono-Q HR 5/5 column chromatography. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 2,019 U/mg, and the Michaelis constant ($K_{m}$) of the enzyme was estimated to be 1.4 mM urea. A Superose 6HR gel filtration chromatography study demonstrated that the native molecular weight was about 196 kDa.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2022

Epicoccum nigrum produces epipyrone A (orevactaene), a yellow polyketide pigment. Its biosynthetic gene cluster was previously characterized in E. nigrum KACC 40642. The YES liquid culture of this strain revealed high-level production of epicoccamide (EPC), with an identity that was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and molecular mass search using the SuperNatural database V2 webserver. The production of EPC was further confirmed by compound isolation and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. EPC is a highly reduced polyketide with tetramic acid and mannosyl moieties. The EPC structure guided us to localize the hypothetical EPC biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) in E. nigrum ICMP 19927 genome sequence. The BGC contains genes encoding highly reducing (HR)-fungal polyketide synthase (fPKS)-nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), glycosyltransferase (GT), enoylreductase, cytochrome P450, and N-methyltrasnferase. Targeted inactivation of the HR-fPKS-NRPS and GT genes abolished EPC production, supporting the successful localization of EPC BGC. This study provides a platform to explore the hidden biological activities of EPC, a bolaamphiphilic compound.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.248-255
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• 2005

To understand the response of cancer cells to anticancer drugs at the gene expression level, we examined the gene expression changes in response to five anticancer drugs, 5-fluorouracil, cytarabine, cisplatin, paclitaxel, and cytochalasin D in NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells. Of the five drugs, 5-fluorouracil had the most distinctive gene expression signature. By clustering genes whose expression changed significantly, we identified three clusters with unique gene expression patterns. The first cluster reflected the up-regulation of gene expression by cisplatin, and included genes involved in cell death and DNA repair. The second cluster pointed to a general reduction of gene expression by most of the anticancer drugs tested. A number of genes in this cluster are involved in signal transduction that is important for communication between cells and reception of extracellular signals. The last cluster represented reduced gene expression in response to 5-fluorouracil, the genes involved being implicated in DNA metabolism, the cell cycle, and RNA processing. Since the gene expression signature of 5-fluorouracil was unique, we investigated it in more detail. Significance analysis of microarray data (SAM) identified 808 genes whose expression was significantly altered by 5-fluorouracil. Among the up-regulated genes, those affecting apoptosis were the most noteworthy. The down-regulated genes were mainly associated with transcription-and translation-related processes which are known targets of 5-fluorouracil. These results suggest that the gene expression signature of an anticancer drug is closely related to its physiological action and the response of caner cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1890-1894
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• 2008

Apoemulsan is a biopolymer with potent emulsification activity, produced by Acinetobacter venetian us RAG-1 (RAG-1). The wee gene cluster is responsible for apoemulsan biosynthesis. The analysis of (i) a putative polysaccharide copolymerase mutant (${\Delta}wzc$), (ii) a putative polymerase mutant (${\Delta}wzy$), and (iii) an apoemulsan-deficient variant (${\Delta}2$) indicated that the wee gene cluster controls the synthesis of two polysaccharides: high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW). LMW polysaccharide of wee origin was present in LPS isolated from RAG-1 cells, suggesting a link to the Lipid A-core of LPS molecules. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that apoemulsan is copurified with LPS polysaccharide, with implications in the emulsification activity of RAG-1 polymer.