• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.293-310
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• 2023

Protein-translated mRNA analysis has been extensively used to determine the function of various traits in animals. The non-coding RNA (ncRNA), which was known to be non-functional because it was not encoded as a protein, was re-examined as it was studied to actually function. One of the ncRNAs, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), is known to have a function of regulating mRNA expression, and its importance is emerging. Therefore, lncRNAs are currently being used to understand the traits of various animals as well as human diseases. However, studies on lncRNA annotation and its functions are still lacking in most animals except humans and mice. lncRNAs have unique characteristics of lncRNAs and interact with mRNA through various mechanisms. In order to make lncRNA annotations in animals in the future, it is essential to understand the characteristics of lncRNAs and the mechanisms by which lncRNAs function. In addition, this will allow lncRNAs to be used for a wider variety of traits in a wider range of animals, and it is expected that integrated analysis using other biological information will be possible.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.234-240
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• 1996

A double-stranded RNA binding factor (RBF), characterized as an inhibitor of PKR kinase in our previous study, was evaluated for its RNA binding specificities by RNA gel electrophoretic mobility shift analysis and membrane filter binding assay, RBF displayed affinities for a broad range of RNAs including viral RNAs and synthetic RNAs consiting of stem and loop structures. GC-rich RNA stem helices as short as 11 bp are suggested to represent the minimal binding motif for RBF. RBF binding to all the natural RNAs tested was reversible by poly(I): poly(C) addition, but E. coli 5S RNA was inefficient.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.587-597
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• 2017

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential small RNA molecules that regulate the expression of target mRNAs in plants and animals. Here, we aimed to identify miRNAs and their putative targets in Hibiscus syriacus, the national flower of South Korea. We employed high-throughput sequencing of small RNAs obtained from four different tissues (i.e., leaf, root, flower, and ovary) and identified 33 conserved and 30 novel miRNA families, many of which showed differential tissuespecific expressions. In addition, we computationally predicted novel targets of miRNAs and validated some of them using 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends analysis. One of the validated novel targets of miR477 was a terpene synthase, the primary gene involved in the formation of disease-resistant terpene metabolites such as sterols and phytoalexins. In addition, a predicted target of conserved miRNAs, miR396, is SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE, which is involved in flower initiation and is duplicated in H. syriacus. Collectively, this study provides the first reliable draft of the H. syriacus miRNA transcriptome that should constitute a basis for understanding the biological roles of miRNAs in H. syriacus.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.19.1-19.11
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• 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, have been implicated in various diseases and cellular functions as microregulators of gene expression. Although the history of miRNA investigation in autoimmune $Sj{\ddot{o}}gren^{\prime}s$ syndrome (SjS) is fairly short, a substantial amount of data has already been accumulated. These findings clearly indicate potential clinical implications of miRNAs, such as autoantigen expression and autoantibody production, viral miRNAs regulating the calcium signaling pathway, and aberrant immune cell regulation and cytokine production. Research endeavors in the field are currently underway to select disease-specific diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers by utilizing different types of tissues or biological specimens of SjS patients. Various techniques for miRNA analysis with different stringencies have been applied, with the most recent one being next-generation sequencing. This review compiles and highlights differentially-expressed miRNAs in various samples collected from SjS patients and their potential implications in the pathogenesis of SjS. To facilitate the development of miRNA-targeted personalized therapy in the future, we urge more follow-up studies that confirm these findings and elucidate the immunopathological roles of differentially-expressed miRNAs. Furthermore, improved diagnostic criteria for the disease itself will minimize sampling errors in patient recruitment, preventing the generation of inconsistent data.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2023

We have determined the complete chloroplast genome of Erigeron Canadensis isolated in Korea. The circular chloroplast genome of E. canadensis is 152,767 bp long and has four subregions: 84,317 bp of large single-copy and 18,446 bp of small single-copy regions are separated by 25,004 bp of inverted repeat regions including 133 genes (88 protein-coding genes, eight rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs). The chloroplast genome isolated in Korea differs from the Chinese isolate by 103 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 47 insertions and deletion (INDEL) regions, suggesting different invasion sources of E. canadensis in Korea and China. A nucleotide diversity analysis revealed that the trend of the nucleotide diversity of E. canadensis followed that of 11 Erigeron chloroplasts, except for three peaks. The phylogenetic tree showed that our E. canadensis chloroplast is clustered with E. canadensis reported from China. Erigeron canadensis can be a good target when attempting to understand genetic diversity of invasive species.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.186-193
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• 2017

In mammals, cap-dependent translation of mRNAs is initiated by two distinct mechanisms: cap-binding complex (CBC; a heterodimer of CBP80 and 20)-dependent translation (CT) and eIF4E-dependent translation (ET). Both translation initiation mechanisms share common features in driving cap- dependent translation; nevertheless, they can be distinguished from each other based on their molecular features and biological roles. CT is largely associated with mRNA surveillance such as nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), whereas ET is predominantly involved in the bulk of protein synthesis. However, several recent studies have demonstrated that CT and ET have similar roles in protein synthesis and mRNA surveillance. In a subset of mRNAs, CT preferentially drives the cap-dependent translation, as ET does, and ET is responsible for mRNA surveillance, as CT does. In this review, we summarize and compare the molecular features of CT and ET with a focus on the emerging roles of CT in translation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.194-200
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• 2017

Eukaryotic gene expression is precisely regulated at all points between transcription and translation. In this review, we focus on translational control mediated by the 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of mRNAs. mRNA 3'-UTRs contain cis-acting elements that function in the regulation of protein translation or mRNA decay. Each RNA binding protein that binds to these cis-acting elements regulates mRNA translation via various mechanisms targeting the mRNA cap structure, the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-eIF4G complex, ribosomes, and the poly (A) tail. We also discuss translation-mediated regulation of mRNA fate.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to investigate expression patterns of the prolactin (PRL) and c-fos genes by 17$\beta$-estradiol (17$\beta$-E) and stress in the mouse pituitary. In the pituitary, the levels of PRL mRNA were found high with some fluctuation at 30, 50, and 90 min whereas the levels of PRL mRNA were low at 120 min when ovariectomized female mice were injected with 17$\beta$-E or vehicle. PRL mRNA levels began to increase again at 4 h and remained high up to 24 h only in the 17$\beta$-E- treated mice. The overall changes in c-fos mRNA by 17$\beta$-E were very similar to those in PRL mRNA in the pituitary. Subsequent study revealed that these high initial levels of PRL and c-fos mRNAs were caused by stress during Injection, not by 17$\beta$-E, since vehicle injection alone into the ovariectomized mice could increase the levels of PRL and c-fos mRNAs. The stress-induced elevations of PRL and c-fos mRNAs were inhibited by bromocriptin, a dopamine agonist, suggesting that the dopaminergic system is involved in the action route of injection stress. In addition, the induced levels of c-fos mRNA by 17$\beta$-E and stress in the pituitary were very low compared with those in the uterus. The time course changes in c-fos mRNA level were different between the pituitary and uterus. Taken together, these data indicate that PRL and c-tos gene expression in the pituitary are regulated by 17$\beta$-E and stress in a parallel manner, supporting the notion that c-Fos plays a role in regulation of PRL gene expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.954-960
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• 2008

MiRNAs (microRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules of ~21 nucleotides that down- regulate the expression of target genes at post-transcriptional level. In this study, we first accomplished a preliminary scan of miRNA expression using 65 and 90 day fetal pig skeletal muscle samples by microarray hybridization, and 34 miRNAs showed strong positive signals. Five of these miRNAs were selected for further investigation by real-time RT-PCR. The statistical analyses indicated that three miRNAs exhibited significant differential expression (p<0.05) during porcine muscle development from 65 to 90 days of gestation, e.g., miR-24 and miR-424 were down-regulated while miR-133a was up-regulated. Multi-tissue RT-PCR was performed to detect the expression patterns of the five miRNA precursors. The results showed that most of these precursor miRNAs were ubiquitously expressed in different porcine tissues.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.10
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• pp.25.1-25.10
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• 2018

The central dogma of gene expression propounds that DNA is transcribed to mRNA and finally gets translated into protein. Only 2-3% of the genomic DNA is transcribed to protein-coding mRNA. Interestingly, only a further minuscule part of genomic DNA encodes for long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are characteristically more than 200 nucleotides long and can be transcribed from both protein-coding (e.g. H19 and TUG1) as well as non-coding DNA by RNA polymerase II. The lncRNAs do not have open reading frames (with some exceptions), 3`-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) and necessarily these RNAs lack any translation-termination regions, however, these can be spliced, capped and polyadenylated as mRNA molecules. The flexibility of lncRNAs confers them specific 3D-conformations that eventually enable the lncRNAs to interact with proteins, DNA or other RNA molecules via base pairing or by forming networks. The lncRNAs play a major role in gene regulation, cell differentiation, cancer cell invasion and metastasis and chromatin remodeling. Deregulation of lncRNA is also responsible for numerous diseases in mammals. Various studies have revealed their significance as biomarkers for prognosis and diagnosis of cancer. The aim of this review is to overview the salient features, evolution, biogenesis and biological importance of these molecules in the mammalian system.