• 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.17 no.6
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• pp.919-927
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• 2007

Antagonistic fluorescent pseudomonads isolated from rhizospheric soil of rice were characterized by 16S rRNA amplicon and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analyses. Antagonistic isolates were grown in the fermentation media, and production of antibiotics was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Production of fungal cell-wall-degrading enzymes such as protease, cellulase, pectinase, and chitinase was determined. Dendrogram based on the major and differentiating fatty acids resulted into 5 clusters, viz., cluster I (P. pseudoalcaligenes group), cluster II (P. plecoglossicida group), cluster III (P. fluorescens group), cluster IV (P. aeruginosa group), and cluster V (P. putida group). Characteristic presence of high relative proportions of cyclopropane (17:0 CYCLO w7c) was observed in antagonistic bacteria. Data revealed biodiversity among antagonistic fluorescent pseudomonads associated with the rice rhizosphere. Results presented in this study will help to identify the antagonistic isolates and to determine their mechanisms that mediate antagonism against fungal pathogens of rice.

• 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.19 no.12
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• pp.1497-1505
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• 2009

The thermophile Bacillus fordii MH602 was screened for stereospecifically hydrolyzing DL-5-substituted hydantoins to L-$\alpha$-amino acids. Since the reaction occurs at higher temperature, the advantages for enhancement of substrate solubility and for racemization of DL-5-substituted hydantoins during the conversion were achieved. The hydantoin metabolism gene cluster from thermophile is firstly reported in this paper. The genes involved in hydantoin utilization (hyu) were isolated on an 8.2-kb DNA fragment by restriction site-dependent PCR, and six ORFs were identified by DNA sequence analysis. The hyu gene cluster contained four genes with novel cluster organization characteristics: the hydantoinase gene hyuH, putative transport protein gene hyuP, hyperprotein gene hyuHP, and L-carbamoylase gene hyuC. The hyuH and hyuC genes were heterogeneously expressed in E. coli. The results indicated that hyuH and hyuC are involved in the conversion of DL-5-substituted hydantoins to an N-carbamyl intermediate that is subsequently converted to L-$\alpha$-amino acids. Hydantoinase and carbamoylase from B. fordii MH602 compared respectively with reported hydantoinase and carbamoylase showed the highest identities of 71% and 39%. The novel cluster organization characteristics and the difference of the key enzymes between thermopile B. fordii MH602 and other mesophiles were presumed to be related to the evolutionary origins of concerned metabolism.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.881-887
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• 2009

Forty-four eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-producing microbial strains were isolated from the intestines of marine fishes. Among them, one strain showing a maximum level of EPA (4.78% of total fatty acids) was identified as Shewanella sp. BR-2 on the basis of its 168 rRNA sequence. The EPA content reached a maximum level during the mid-exponential phase of cell growth, and gradually decreased with further growth of the cells. A cosmid DNA including the EPA biosynthesis gene cluster consisting of pfaA-E was isolated from a cosmid library of genomic DNA of Shewanella sp. BR-2, named pCosEPA-BR2. An E. coli clone harboring pCosEPA-BR2 produced EPA at a maximum level of 7.5% of total fatty acids, confirming the EPA biosynthesis activity of the cloned gene cluster.

• World Technopolis Review
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.118-128
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• 2012

This paper suggests policy implications for Daedeok Innopolis (DI) in Daejeon by comparing the development and problems of DI with the San Diego biotechnology cluster. DI has strengthened its capabilities for technology commercialization and business activities after having created and managed by the Korean central government. While DI has been successful in increasing the number of institutes, researchers, research activities, however, its dynamism is not rigorous enough to be a regional innovative system. San Diego's scientific and entrepreneurial community shows the importance of formulating social and spatial contexts for mutual interactions and engagements. In San Diego, UCSD and networking organizations, especially CONNECT, are central in promoting interactions and communications between regional constituents including entrepreneurs, academics and local governments. The mechanisms of San Diego biotechnology imply that DI should provide more attention to designing and developing social and geographical space that can unleash the creative power of social interactions. To build an innovative regional system, DI needs to renovate its space, public-private relationship and networking platforms.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.241-244
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• 2003

Root cluster section culture, showing high efficient Protocorm-like body (PLB) formation capacity, were established in Doritaenopsis hybrids. Three types of root were obtained from excised shoots in 1/2MS medium containing different concentrations of NAA; \circled1normal roots, \circled2multiple roots and \circled3abnormal root clusters. Those were placed on 1/2MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L thidiazuron for PLB regeneration. PLB regeneration rate was greater in root cluster section cultures (77.8%) compare to normal root tip cultures(30%). Number of PLBs regenerated from root cluster sections were counted over 11 per explant (5.3 per normal root tip).High frequency of PLB regeneration was achieved in root cluster section culture. This result can be used as an efficient method for clonal proliferation of Doritaenopsis hybrids.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2014

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 22 nucleotides of small noncoding RNAs that control gene expression at the posttranscriptional level through translational inhibition and destabilization of their target mRNAs. The miRNAs are phylogenetically conserved and have been shown to be instrumental in a wide variety of key biological processes including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, metabolism, imprinting, and differentiation. Recently, a paper has shown that expression of the miRNA-302/367 cluster expressed abundantly in mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can directly reprogram mouse and human somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) efficiently in the absence of any of the four factors, Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4. To apply this efficient method to porcine, we analyzed porcine genomic sequence containing predicted porcine miRNA-302/367 cluster through ENSEMBL database, generated a non-replicative episomal vector system including miRNA-302/367 cluster originated from porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEF), and tried to make porcine iPSCs by transfection of the miRNA-302/367 cluster. Colonies expressing EGFP and forming compact shape were found, but they were not established as iPSC lines. Our data in this study show that pig miRNA-302/367 cluster could not satisfy requirement of PEF reprogramming conditions for pluripotency. To make pig iPSC lines by miRNA, further studies on the role of miRNAs in pluripotency and new trials of transfection with conventional reprogramming factors are needed.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 2006

This paper reviews regional innovation policy in Japan. 'Technopolis' policy, the first technology-based regional development policy in the world, was implemented in Japan. Nonetheless, technology-based regional endogenous development did not occur. Then, regional technology transfer was pursued. In order to make use of universities and public research institutes in a region for development, university-industry collaboration and cross-over, such as university spin-offs, were promoted. Within this background, new technology-based regional development policies have been introduced based on a cluster approach. These policies are the knowledge cluster Initiative and the industrial cluster program. However, existing companies have difficulty in carrying out innovation. This paper argues that a cluster to create new start-ups that carry out innovation is also needed and explains a new concept of venturing cluster. Based on this new cluster concept, this paper analyzes the situation of Sapporo in Japan, where many university spin-offs are being created in the biotechnology field.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 1997

One hundred and eighty two lactic acid bacteria, isolated mainly from kimchi, including reference strains were examined for their ability to utilize 95 carbon sources. The test strains were assigned to 5 major, 1 minor and 12 single-membered clusters based on the $S_{SM}$, UPGMA algorithm (at similarity of $80{\%}$). These aggregate clusters were equivalent to the genus Leuconostoc (aggregate cluster M and N), the genus Lactobacillus (aggregate cluster Q and R), and the genera Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc (aggregate cluster O and P) according to the database of the Biolog system. This study demonstrates that rapid identification and classification of isolates originating from kimchi can be achieved on the basis of such carbon source utilization tests.