• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.529-534
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• 1999

Asymmetric PCR and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) methods were combined to analyze human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB allele polymorphism. Asymmetric PCR amplification was applied to generate single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) using the nonradioactive oligonucleotide primers desinged for the polymorphic exon 2 region. The conformational differences of ssDNAs, depending on the allele type, were analyzed by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by ethidium bromide staining. The ssDNAs were clearly separated from double-stranded DNA without interference and obviously migrated depending on their allele type. This method was applied to the genomic DNA either from homozygous or from heterozygous cell lines containing the DR4 allele as template DNA using DR4-specific primers, and satisfying results were obtained. Compared to the standard PCR-SSCP method, this asymmetric PCR-SSCP method has advantages of increased speed, reproducibility, and convenience. Along with PCR-SSP or sequence-based typing, this method will be useful in routine typing of HLA-DRB allele.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2001

Structural and physical properties of type wild type and various selected mutants of the vnd/NK-2 homeodomain, the protein product of the homeobox, and the implication in genetic disease are reviewed. The structure, dynamics and thermodynamics have been Investigated by NMR and by calorimetry. The interactions responsible for the nucleotide sequence-specific binding of the homeodomain to its consensus DNA binding site have been identified. There is a strong correlation between significant structural alterations within the homeodomain or its DNA complex and the appearance of genetic disease. Mutations in positions known to be important in genetic disease have been examined carefully For example, mutation of position 52 of vnd/NK-2 results in a significant structural modification and mutation of position 54 alters the DNA binding specificity and amity The $^{15}N$ relaxation behavior and heteronuclear Overhauser effect data was used to characterize and describe the protein backbone dynamics. These studies were carried out on the wild type and the double mutant proteins both in the free and in the DNA bound states. Finally, the thermodynamic properties associated with DNA binding are described for the vnd/NK-2 homeodomain. These thermodynamic measurements reinforce the hypothesis that water structure around a protein and around DNA significantly contribute to the protein-DNA binding behavior. The results, taken together, demonstrate that structure and dynamic studies of proteins combined with thermodynamic measurements provide a significantly more complete picture of the solution behavior than the individual studies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1629-1635
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• 2016

A novel bacteriophage, PBES 02, infecting Cronobacter sakazakii was isolated and characterized. It has a spherical head of 90 nm in diameter and a tail of 130 nm in length, and belongs to Myoviridae as observed under a transmission electron microscope. The major virion protein appears to be 38 kilodaltons (kDa) in size. The latent period of PBES 02 is 30 min and the burst size is 250. Infectivity of the phage remained intact after exposure to temperatures ranging from 4℃ to 55℃ for 1 h. It was also stable after exposure to pHs ranging from 6 to 10 for 1 h. The phage effectively removed contaminating Cronobacter sakazakii from broth infant formula. PBES 02 has a double-stranded DNA genome of 149,732 bases. Its GC ratio is 50.7%. Sequence analysis revealed that PBES 02 has 299 open reading frames (ORFs) and 14 tRNA genes. Thirty-nine ORFs were annotated, including 24 related to replication and regulation functions, 10 related to structural proteins, and 5 related to DNA packaging. The genome of PBES 02 is closely related to that of two other C. sakazakii phages, CR3 and CR8. Comparison of DNA sequences of genes encoding the major capsid protein revealed a wide geographical distribution of related phages over Asia, Europe, and America.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.781-786
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• 2009

Small interfering synthetic double-stranded RNA (siRNA) was applied to suppress the expression of the human cytotoxic-T-Iymphocyte antigen 4-immunoglobulin (hCTLA4Ig) gene transformed in transgenic rice cell cultures. The sequence of the 21-nucleotide siRNA was deliberately designed and synthesized with overhangs to inactivate the expression of hCTLA4Ig. The chemically synthesized siRNA duplex was combined with polyethyleneimine (PEl) at a mass ratio of 1:10 (0.33 ${\mu}g$ siRNA:3.3 ${\mu}g$ PEl) to produce complexes. The siRNA complexes (siRNA+PEI) were labeled with Cy3 in order to subsequently confirm the delivery by fluorescent microscopy. In addition, the cells were treated with sonoporation at 40 kHz and 419W for 90 s to improve the delivery. The siRNA complexes alone inhibited the expression of hCTLA4Ig to 45% compared with control. The siRNA complexes delivered with sonoporation downregulated the production of hCTLA4Ig to 73%. Therefore, we concluded that the delivery of siRNA complexes into plant cells could be enhanced successfully by sonoporation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.827-831
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• 2007

Myostatin is a member of the transforming growth factor-${\beta}$(TGF-${\beta}$ super-family. It acts as a negative regulator for skeletal muscle growth. Myostatin mutations are characterized by a visible, generalized increase in muscle mass in double muscled cattle breeds. To understand the biochemistry and physiology of the Chinese Yellow bovine myostatin gene, we report here for the first time expression of the gene in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Primers of the myostatin gene of Chinese Yellow Cattle were designed on the basis of the reported bovine myostatin mRNA sequence (Gen-Bank Accession No. NM005259) and optimized for E. coli codon usage. XhoI and EcoRI restriction enzyme sites were incorporated in the primers, and then cloning vector and expression vector were constructed in a different host bacterium. The expressed protein had a molecule mass of about 16 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions. The expressed protein reacted specifically with myostatin monoclonal antibody on immunoblots. Our studies should lead to the investigation of the differences in myostatin genes of various cattle and could benefit human health and food animal agriculture.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.443-455
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• 2001

An energy method has been used for an elastic formulation of bending vibration and buckling analysis of laminated composite plates on two-parameter elastic foundations. A quasi-elastic method is used for the solution of viscoelastic analysis of the laminated composite plates. The third-order shear deformation theory is applied by using the double-fourier series. To validate the derived equations the obtained displacements for simply supported orthotropic plates on elastic foundations are compared with those of LUSAS program Numerical results of the viscoelastic bending vibration and buckling analysis are presented to show the effects of layup sequence number of layers material anisotropy and shear modulus of foundations.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.591-594
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• 2005

One of the small proteins from Helicobacter pylori, HP1242, was investigated by the solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. HP1242 is known as a 76-residue conserved hypothetical protein and its function cannot be identified based on sequence homology. Here, the results of the backbone $^1H$, $^{15}N$, and $^{13}C$ resonance assignments of the HP1242 are reported using double- and triple-resonance techniques. About 95% of all of the $^1HN$, $^{15}N$, $^{13}CO$, $^{13}C{\alpha}$, and $^{13}C{\beta}$ resonances that cover 75 non- Proline residues of the 76 residues are clarified through sequential- and specific- assignments. In addition, three helical regions were clearly identified on the basis of the resonance assignments.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.201-206
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• 2003

Two lymphoid-specific proteins, RAG1 and RAG2, are required for the initiation of the V(D)J recombination in vitro. The V(D)J cleavage that is mediated by RAG proteins at the border between the coding and signal sequences results in the production of a hairpin at the coding end and a double-stranded break at the signal end. Two hairpin coding ends are re-opened, modified, and sealed; whereas, the signal ends are directly ligated. Here I report that only RAG1 can carry out a distinct endonucleolytic activity in vitro using an oligonucleotide substrate that is tethered by a short single-stranded DNA. The purified RAG1 protein alone formed a nick at the near position to the recombination signal sequence. This endonucleolytic activity was eliminated by immunoprecipitation using the RAG1-specific antibody, and required the 3'-hydroxy group. All of the RAG1 mutants that were incapable of the nick and hairpin formation in the V(D)J cleavage analysis also showed this new endonucleolytic activity. This suggests that the nicking activity that was observed might be functionally different from the nick formation in the V(D)J cleavage.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2015

The present study investigates the sloshing phenomena in a two-dimensional rectangular tank at a low filling level by using a level set method based on finite volume method. The code validations are performed by comparing between the present results and previous numerical and experimental results, which gives a good agreement. Various excitation frequencies and excitation amplitude of the 30% filling height tank have been considered in order to observe the dependence of the sloshing behavior on the excitation frequency and amplitude. Regardless of excitation amplitude, the maximum value of wall pressure occurs when the excitation frequency reaches the natural frequency. The time sequence of free surface and corresponding streamlines for excitation frequencies have been presented to analysis the variation of wall pressure according to time, which contributes to explain the double peaks in the time variation of wall pressure.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2008

Introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into some cells or organisms results in degradation of its homologous mRNA, a process called RNA interference (RNAi). The dsRNAs are processed into short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that subsequently bind to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), causing degradation of target mRNAs. Because of this sequence-specific ability to silence target genes, RNAi has been extensively used to study gene functions and has the potential to control disease pathogens or vectors. With this promise of RNAi to control pathogens and vectors, this paper reviews the current status of RNAi in protozoans, animal parasitic helminths and disease-transmitting vectors, such as insects. Many pathogens and vectors cause severe parasitic diseases in tropical regions and it is difficult to control once the host has been invaded. Intracellularly, RNAi can be highly effective in impeding parasitic development and proliferation within the host. To fully realize its potential as a means to control tropical diseases, appropriate delivery methods for RNAi should be developed, and possible off-target effects should be minimized for specific gene suppression. RNAi can also be utilized to reduce vector competence to interfere with disease transmission, as genes critical for pathogenesis of tropical diseases are knockdowned via RNAi.