• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.349-355
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• 1994

Viral RNA was extracted from a purified orchid strain of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-O) from Cymbidium "Grace Kelly". Polyadenylated viral RNAs were primed with Not I-oligo (dT) primer-adapter. First-strand cDNAs were reversely transcribed by Moloney murine leukaemia virus reverse transcriptase (RNAse H-), and then second-strand cDNAs were synthesized by RNase H and DNA polymerase I. The resulting double-stranded cDNAs were ligated into pSPORT1 vector and transformed into competent E. coli strain JM109 cells. The size of cDNAs within the recombinant plasmids was ranging from 0.9 to 3.9 kb. Among the selected clones, pTMO-0205 and -0210 covered the 3' half and the 5' half of the viral genomic RNA, respectively, which were covering more than 99% of the viral genemo size based on sequencing analysis. Two cDNA fragments which were 3.1 kb BamHI and NotI fragement released from pTMO-0.205 and 3.3 kb SalI and BamHI fragment released from pTMO-0210 were ligated with T4 DNA ligase. The clone was almost entire length, lacking only 31 nucleotides from the 5' terminus based on the sequencing result. This method was shown to be efficiently applicable to other plant viral gnomic RNA for the construction of cDNA.n of cDNA.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.305-310
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• 2009

Plasmid pGKV21 contains a 229-nucleotide (nt) single-strand DNA initiation (ssi) signal. Using asymmetric PCR, we prepared a small single-stranded (ss) DNA fragment of the ssi signal and, using the 229-nt ssDNA fragment, determined the requirements of RNA polymerase for priming and DNA-protein interaction. The ssi fragment prepared was able to generate primer RNAs with almost the same efficiency as the $M13{\Delta}lac182/229$ phage DNA. However, the cssi (complementary strand of the ssi signal) fragment could not synthesize primer RNAs. This result suggests that the 229-nt ssi signal functions in a strand specific manner. Gel retardation and DNase I footprinting demonstrated that the synthesized ssi fragment could interact with both E. coli RNA polymerase and SSB protein to synthesize primer RNA. In Escherichia coli [pWVAp], an addition of rifampicin resulted in an accumulation of ssDNA, indicating that the host-encoded RNA polymerase is involved in the conversion of ssDNA to double-stranded plasmid DNA.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.637-647
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• 2016

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a critical eukaryotic replication accessory factor that supports DNA binding in DNA processing, such as DNA replication, repair, and recombination. PCNA consists of three toroidal-shaped monomers that encircle double-stranded DNA. The diverse functions of PCNA may be regulated by its interactions with partner proteins. Many of the PCNA partner proteins generally have a conserved PCNA-interacting peptide (PIP) motif, located at the N- or C- terminal region. The PIP motif forms a 3₁₀ helix that enters into the hydrophobic groove produced by an interdomain-connecting loop, a central loop, and a C-terminal tail in the PCNA. Post-translational modification of PCNA also plays a critical role in regulation of its function and binding partner proteins. Structural and biochemical studies of PCNA-protein will be useful in designing therapeutic agents, as well as estimating the outcome of anticancer drug development. This review summarizes the characterization of eukaryotic PCNA in relation to the protein structures, functions, and modifications, and interaction with proteins.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.335-340
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• 2006

A large number of toxicological substances and pharmacological and physical agents can cause reproductive intervention at the cellular and molecular level. The present study was designed to assess the effect of mercury ($HgCl_2$) at 50 to $550{\mu}M$ concentration ranges, in vitro, on the sperm membrane and DNA integrity, viability, and acrosomal status of normal bull spermatozoa. The samples were processed for sperm analyses using semen-diluting fluid (PBS, pH 7.2). We recorded a sharp increase in the lipid peroxidation/LPO rate; the highest was at $550{\mu}M$ mercury concentration, indicating a deleterious effect of mercury on the sperm membrane intactness. There was also a strong negative correlation between LPO rate and % viable spermatozoa (R = 0.987, p<0.001). Data obtained from a comet assay technique revealed that mercury is capable of inducing DNA breaks in the sperm nuclei. Interestingly, 92% of DNA breaks were double-stranded. The correlation between LPO rate and % DNA breaks was 0.984. Performing the gelatin test indicates that mercury is able to alter the integrity of acrosomal membranes showing an abnormal acrosome reaction. In this regard, a strong link was found between LPO rate and % halos (R = 0.990, p<0.001). Collectively, mercury proved to be a potent oxidant in the category of environmental factors affecting bull spermatozoa. Hence, considering the wide spread use of mercury and its compounds, these metals should be regarded with more concern.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 1998

Bacteriophage SC 921 of Lactobacillus plantarum, isolated from kimchi, showed high lytic effects at 0.2 M.O.I. level. The phage particle contained 4 major proteins (48, 34, 32, 29 kDa). Intact DNA of phage SC 921 is a double stranded linear molecule, and the genomic size is approximately 66.5 kilobase pairs (kbp). Restriction analysis of the genome showed that Sma I gave single site cut and Xba I gave 2 site cuts, while Cla I, Kpn I, and EcoR I formed 4, 5, and 6 cuts, respectively. Hind III digested phage DNA to many fragments. A restriction map of genomic DNA was constructed using the restriction endonuclease Kpn I, Sma I, and Xba I. Bacteriophage SC 921 was compared with B2 phage which had been reported to infect Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014(KCCM l1322). Bacteriophage SC 921 differs from B2 phage at least in thr size of its genome and phage particle proteins.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.141-147
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• 2016

Rad51 is a key component of homologous recombination (HR) to repair DNA double-strand breaks and it forms Rad51 recombinase filaments of broken single-stranded DNA to promote HR. In addition to its role in DNA repair and cell cycle progression, Rad51 contributes to the reprogramming process during the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells. In light of this, we performed reprogramming experiments to examine the effect of co-expression of Rad51 and four reprogramming factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc, on the reprogramming efficiency. Co-expression of Rad51 significantly increased the numbers of alkaline phosphatase-positive colonies and embryonic stem cell-like colonies during the process of reprogramming. Co-expression ofRad51 significantly increased the expression of epithelial markers at an early stage of reprogramming compared with control cells. Phosphorylated histone H2AX (${\gamma}H2AX$), which initiates the DNA double-strand break repair system, was highly accumulated in reprogramming intermediates upon co-expression of Rad51. This study identified a novel role of Rad51 in enhancing the reprogramming efficiency, possibly by facilitating mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition and by regulating a DNA damage repair pathway during the early phase of the reprogramming process.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1996

The nucleic acid of Synechococcus sp. cyanophage was identified as double-stranded DNA by the result of digestion with enzymes such as exonucleases, DNase, and S1 nuclease, and by acridine orange staining. The cyanophage DNA was cleaved with several restriciton ehdonucleases such as ApaI, BamHI, Bg/II, HaeIII, Eco RI, HindIII, PstI, AND aPAI gave the clearest sets of bands on agarose gels and the fragment numbers for each were 12, 20, 29, 20, and 7, respectively. The sums of the size from Bam HI and PstI digestions were estimated approximately 227$\pm$4 kb, which are in agreement with the result of the pulsed field gel electrphoresis. This virus is thought to have the largest genosome among those of known cyanophages, which corresponds to the largest haed ot 90 nm when compared with the head sizes of cyanophages discovered since 1963.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2007

Helicases are ubiquitous enzymes, which utilize the energy liberated during nucleotide triphosphate hydrolysis to separate double-stranded nucleic acids into single strands. These enzymes are very attractive targets for the development of new antibacterial compounds. The PcrA DNA helicase from Staphylococcus aureus is a good candidate for drug discovery. This enzyme is unique in the genome of S. aureus and essential for this bacterium. Furthermore, it has recently been published that it is possible to identify inhibitors of DNA helicases such as PcrA. In this report, we study the properties of recombinant PcrA from S. aureus purified from Escherichia coli to develop ATPase and helicase assays to screen for inhibitors.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.269-279
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• 2021

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) is an ancient prokaryotic defense system that precisely cuts foreign genomic DNA under the control of a small number of guide RNAs. The CRISPR-Cas9 system facilitates efficient double-stranded DNA cleavage that has been recently adopted for genome editing to create or correct inherited genetic mutations causing disease. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is generally caused by genetic mutations such as base substitutions, deletions, and insertions, which result in diverse developmental defects and remains a leading cause of birth defects. Pediatric CHD patients exhibit a spectrum of cardiac abnormalities such as septal defects, valvular defects, and abnormal chamber development. CHD onset occurs during the prenatal period and often results in early lethality during childhood. Because CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing technology has gained considerable attention for its potential to prevent and treat diseases, we will review the CRISPR-Cas9 system as a genome editing tool and focus on its therapeutic application for CHD.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.32.1-32.7
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• 2020

The mitochondrial genome of a species is an essential resource for its effective conservation and phylogenetic studies. In this article, we present sequencing and characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of a threatened labeonine fish, Cirrhinus reba collected from Khulna region of Bangladesh. The complete mitochondrial genome was 16,597 bp in size, which formed a circular double-stranded DNA molecule containing a total of 37 mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes) with two non-coding regions, an origin of light strand replication (OL) and a displacement loop (D-loop), similar structure with other fishes of Teleostei. The phylogenetic tree demonstrated its close relationship with labeonine fishes. The complete mitogenome of Cirrhinus reba (GenBank no. MN862482) showed 99.96% identity to another haplotype of Cirrhinus reba (AP013325), followed by 90.18% identity with Labeo bata (AP011198).