• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2008

We have developed an efficient system of assessing the ability of a gene silencing cassette to silence transcripts from recalcitrant or poorly studied plant species by using a model plant as a host for the gene of interest. Tobacco plants transgenic for Lachrymatory Factor Synthase (LFS) enzyme activity from onion were first produced by introducing a CaMV 35S-onion-lfs gene construct. These plants were then subjected to a second transformation with an RNAi construct directed against the lfs gene sequence. LFS enzyme activity assay showed that the transgenic plants, containing both the lfs gene and the RNAi construct, had significantly reduced LFS activity. This observation was supported by Western analysis for the LFS protein and further validated by quantitative RT-PCR analysis that demonstrated a significant reduction in the lfs transcript level in the dual transformants. In this work, we have demonstrated that the RNAi construct is a suitable candidate for the development of a non-lachrymatory onion. Our model plant RNAi system has wide-reaching applications for assessment and targeting of plant secondary pathway genes, from poorly studied or recalcitrant plant species, that are important in the pharmacological, food and process industries.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.379-387
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• 2007

A hundred and seventeen antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli strains were isolated from public tap and spring waters which were polluted by fecal coliforms. There were no significant differences between two water sources as to the coliform pollution level (p> 0.05). All E. coli isolates were detected to be resistant to one or more antibiotics tested. Nearly 42% of the isolates showed multiresistant phenotype. Three (2.5%) of these isolates contained class 1 integron. Sequencing analysis of variable regions of the class 1 integrons showed two gene cassette arrays, dfr1-aadA1 and dhfrA17-aadA5. Resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was transferable according to the results of conjugation experiments. The rate of tetracycline resistance was 15%. tet(A)-mediated tetracycline resistance was widespread among tetracycline-resistant E. coli isolates. Genotyping by BOX-polymerase chain reaction (BOX-PCR) showed that some of the strains were epidemiologically related. This is the first report on the prevalence and characterization of class 1 integron-containing E. coli isolates of environmental origin in Turkey.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.139-145
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• 2016

In this paper, we propose to evaluate the effect of Resistin-like molecule alpha (Retnla) on the expression of transporters involved in modulating concentrations of peripheral cholesterol and plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. High levels of blood cholesterol are a well-recognized risk factor for atherosclerosis and are eliminated via the process of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). We recently showed that Retnla ameliorates hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis by increasing biliary cholesterol secretion, the final step of the process, in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. However, the role of Retnla in HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux, initial step of RCT pathway, is not yet clear. To identify cholesterol transport genes regulated by Retnla, we performed an extensive microarray-based gene expression screen using livers from Retnla-overexpressing (Tg) mice and control animals. The most significant change in Retnla-Tg mice was an upregulation of ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 4 (Abcg4) transport and was validated using quantitative RT-PCR. The validated gene was also induced by treatment of purified Retnla protein in RAW 264.7 cells incubated with acetylated low-density lipoprotein and Hepa1c1c7 cells. Taken together, these results indicates that Retnla might also accelerate initial step of RCT pathway, suggesting therapeutic value of Retnla in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2020

In order to use nervous necrosis virus (NNV) virus-like particles (VLPs) as a delivery tool for heterologous antigens or plasmids, we attempted to produce red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) VLPs displaying a partial region of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) glycoprotein at the surface and VLPs that are harboring DNA vaccine plasmids within the VLP. A peptide encoding 105 amino acids of VHSV glycoprotein was genetically inserted in the loop region of NNV capsid gene, and VLPs expressing the partial part of VHSV glycoprotein were successfully produced. However, in the transmission electron microscope analysis, the shape and size of the partial VHSV glycoprotein-expressing NNV VLPs were irregular and variable, respectively, indicating that the normal assembly of capsid proteins was inhibited by the relatively long foreign peptide (105 aa) on the loop region. To encapsulate by simultaneous transformation with both NNV capsid gene expressing plasmids and DNA vaccine plasmids (having an eGFP expressing cassette under the CMV promoter), NNV VLPs containing plasmids were produced. The encapsulation of plasmids in the NNV VLPs was demonstrated by PCR and cells exposed to the VLPs encapsulating DNA vaccine plasmids showed fluorescence. These results suggest that the encapsulation of plasmids in NNV VLPs can be done with a simple one-step process, excluding the process of disassembly-reassembly of VLPs, and NNV VLPs can be used as a delivery tool for DNA vaccine vectors.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1268-1276
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• 2012

The emergence and dissemination of carbapenem-resistant bacteria have resulted in limitations of antibiotic treatment and potential outbreaks of metallo-${\beta}$-lactamase (MBL) producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to carbapenems. In this study, we conducted molecular characterization of the MBL genes of the ${\beta}$-lactam drug-resistant P. aeruginosa and prepared basic data for treatment and prevention of proliferation of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections. Forty-two P. aeruginosa isolates of 254 were resistant to imipenem or meropenem. Among the 42 isolates, 28 isolates were positive for the Hodge test, and 23 isolates were positive for the EDTA-disk synergy test (EDST). MBLs were detected in 59.5% (25/42) of P. aeruginosa isolates. Eight isolates harbored $bla_{IMP-6}$, whereas 17 isolates harbored $bla_{VIM-2}$. The $bla_{IMP-6}$ gene was in a class 1 integron containing five gene cassettes: $bla_{IMP-6}$, qac, aacA4, $bla_{OXA-1}$, and aadA1. Some strains that produce IMP-6 and VIM-2 showed epidemiological relationships. The $bla_{IMP-6}$ gene in carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa showed an identical pattern to a gene cassette that was reported at a hospital in Daegu, Korea. Therefore, MBL-producing P. aeruginosa is already endemic in the community. We are concerned that the existence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria containing the blaMBL gene may increase pressure on antibiotic selection when treating infections. We believe that we should select appropriate antibiotics based on the antibiotic susceptibility test and continue the research to prohibit the emergence and spread of antibiotics resistant bacteria.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.563-570
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• 2016

Two Streptomyces griseus strains, a wild-type strain and an A-factor-dependent transcriptional activator mutant strain harboring multiple copies of a gene, dasA, that encodes a substrate-binding protein of the ATP-binding cassette transporter, showed severe ectopic sporulation of young substrate hyphae in response to glucose. The effect of dasA overexpression on the ectopic sporulation of Streptomyces strains was evaluated by comparing the transcriptomes of the strain harboring multiple copies of dasA and a strain harboring empty vector. By DNA microarray, 4 genes (SGR794, SGR2469, SGR3656, and SGR3657) and 3 clusters (SGR795-797, SGR2377-2378, and SGR6997-6998) were differentially expressed by more than 2-fold in S. griseus strains harboring dasA. The DNA microarray result was validated by low-resolution S1 nuclease mapping.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1098-1105
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• 2017

Vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein (VSV-G) has been widely used for pseudotyping retroviral, lentiviral, and artificial viral vectors. The objective of this study was to establish a potential approach for large-scale production of VSV-G. To this end, VSV-G was cloned with an N-terminal His-tag into Pichia pastoris expression vector pPIC3.5K. Three clones ($Mut^s$) containing the VSV-G expression cassette were identified by PCR. All clones proliferated normally in expansion medium, whereas the proliferation was reduced significantly under induction conditions. VSV-G protein was detected in cell lysates by western blot analysis, and the highest expression level was observed at 96 h post induction. VSV-G could also be obtained from the condition medium of yeast protoplasts. Furthermore, VSV-G could be incorporated into Ad293 cells and was able to induce cell fusion, leading to the transfer of cytoplasmic protein. Finally, VSV-G-mediated DNA transfection was assayed by flow cytometry and luciferase measurement. Incubation of VSV-G lysate with the pGL3-control DNA complex increased the luciferase activity in Ad293 and HeLa cells by about 3-fold. Likewise, incubation of VSV-G lysate with the pCMV-DsRed DNA complex improved the transfection efficiency into Ad293 by 10% and into HeLa cells by about 1-fold. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that VSV-G could be produced from P. pastoris with biofunctionalities, demonstrating that large-scale production of the viral glycoprotein is feasible.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2010

Magnaporthe oryzae is destructive plant-pathogenic fungus and causes rice blast. The pathogen uses several mechanisms to circumvent the inhibitory actions of fungicides. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are known to provide protection against toxic compounds in the environment. PC facilitated bioinformatic analysis, particularly with respect to accessing and extracting database information and domain identification. We predicted ABC transporter genes from the M. oryzae genome sequence with computation and bioinformatics tools. A total of thirty three genes were predicted to encode ABC transporters. Three of thirty three putative genes corresponded to three known ABC transporter genes (ABC1, ABC2 and ABC3). Copy numbers of the ABC transporter genes were proven by Southern blot analysis, which revealed that twenty genes tested exist as a single copy. We amplified the DNA complementary to RNA corresponding to eleven of these by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2271-2275
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• 2016

Background: The value of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in fluorescence detection of peritoneal metastases and the underlying mechanisms were evaluated in patients with peritoneal surface malignancies. Materials and Methods: Oral 5-ALA was administered at a concentration of 20 mg/kg body weight with 50 ml of water 2 hours prior to surgery (n=115). The diagnostic value of 5-ALA based fluorescence production was evaluated following white light inspection during prior to cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Then, peptide transporter PEPT1 (ALA influx transporter) and ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG2 (porphyrin efflux transporter) gene expression was determined with quantitative real time (qRT)-PCR and pathological diagnoses confirmed for all tissue samples. Results: The 5-ALA based photodynamic detection rate was 17% for appendiceal mucinous neoplasms, 54% for colorectal cancers, 33% for gastric cancers, 67% for diffuse malign peritoneal mesotheliomas, and 89% for epithelial ovarian cancer of peritoneal metastases. 5-ALA was detected in all cases of peritoneal metastases originating from cholangiocarcinomas whereas it was not able to detect any in granulosa cell and gastrointestinal stromal tumor cases. Furthermore, PEPT1 was overexpressed whereas ABCG2 expression was downregulated in tumors detected with fluorescence. Conclusions: 5-ALA provided 100% specificity and high sensitivity to detect peritoneal metastases in subgroups of patients with peritoneal surface mailgnancies. ALA influx transporter PEPT1 and porphyrin efflux transporter ABCG2 genes are important in tumor specific 5-ALA induced fluorescence in vivo. Further studies should clarify diagnostic utility of 5-ALA in peritoneal surface malignancies.

• Laboraroty Animal Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.279-287
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• 2018

Placenta specific 8 (PLAC8, also known as ONZIN) is a multi-functional protein that is highly expressed in the intestine, lung, spleen, and innate immune cells, and is involved in various diseases, including cancers, obesity, and innate immune deficiency. Here, we generated a Plac8 knockout mouse using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The Cas9 mRNA and two single guide RNAs targeting a region near the translation start codon at Plac8 exon 2 were microinjected into mouse zygotes. This successfully eliminated the conventional translation start site, as confirmed by Sanger sequencing and PCR genotyping analysis. Unlike the previous Plac8 deficient models displaying increased adipose tissue and body weights, our male Plac8 knockout mice showed rather lower body weight than sex-matched littermate controls, though the only difference between these two mouse models is genetic context. Differently from the previously constructed embryonic stem cell-derived Plac8 knockout mouse that contains a neomycin resistance cassette, this knockout mouse model is free from a negative selection marker or other external insertions, which will be useful in future studies aimed at elucidating the multi-functional and physiological roles of PLAC8 in various diseases, without interference from exogenous foreign DNA.