• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.164-169
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• 2008

Methylmercury (MeHg) is known to have devastating effects on the mammalian nervous system. In order to characterize the mechanism of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity, we investigated the analysis of transcriptional profiles on human 8k cDNA microarray by treatment of $1.4{\mu}M$ MeHg at 3, 12, 24 and 48h in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. Some of the identified genes by MeHg treatment were significant at early time points (3h), while that of others was at late time points (48h). The early response genes that may represent those involved directly in the MeHg response included pantothenate kinase 3, a kinase (PRKA) anchor protein (yotiao) 9, neurotrophic tyrosine kinase, receptor, type 2 gene, associated with NMDA receptor activity regulation or perturbations of central nervous system homeostasis. Also, when SH-SY5Y cells were subjected to a longer exposure (48h), a relative increase was noted in a gene, glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1, reported that overexpression of this gene may lead to the increased resistance to MeHg. To confirm the alteration of these genes in cultured neurons, we then applied real time-RT PCR with SYBR green. Thus, this result suggests that a neurotoxic effect of the MeHg might be ascribed that MeHg alters neuronal receptor regulation or homeostasis of neuronal cells in the early phase. However, in the late phase, it protects cells from neurotoxic effects of MeHg.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.153-160
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• 2014

Adaptive development of early stage embryo is well established and recently it is explored that the mammalian embryos also have adaptive ability to the stressful environment. However, the mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, to evaluate the possible role of aquaporin in early embryo developmental adaptation, the expression of aquaporin (AQP) 5 gene which is detected during early development were examined by the environmental condition. To compare expression patterns between in vivo and in vitro, we conducted quantitative RT-PCR and analyzed localization of the AQP5 by whole mount immunofluorescence. At in vivo condition, Aqp5 expressed in oocyte and in all the stages of preimplantation embryo. It showed peak at 2-cell stage and decreased continuously until morula stage. At in vitro condition, Aqp5 expression pattern was similar with in vivo embryos. It expressed both at embryonic genome activation phase and second mid-preimplantation gene activation phase, but the fold changes were modified between in vivo embryos and in vitro embryos. During in vivo development, AQP5 was mainly localized in apical membrane of blastomeres of 4-cell and 8-cell stage embryos, and then it was localized in cytoplasm. However, the main localization area of AQP5 was dramatically shifted after 8-cell stage from cytoplasm to nucleus by in vitro development. Those results explore the modification of Aqp5 expression levels and location of its final products by in vitro culture. It suggests that expression of Aqp5 and the roles of AQP5 in homeostasis can be modulated by in vitro culture, and that early stage embryos can develop successfully by themselves adapting to their condition through modulation of the specific gene expression and localization.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.233-239
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• 2003

We have developed a reliable and high-frequency genetic transformation and regeneration system via somatic embryogensis of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus. Embryogenic callus obtained from seed were co- cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101/pIG121Hm harboring genes for intron-$\beta$-glucoronidase(GUS), kanamycin and hygromycin resistance. Following co-cultivation, two types of samples(fine embrogenic calli and early globular embryo clusters) were cultivated on Murashige and Skoog(MS) medium containing 1 mg/L2.4-D for 3day in dark. Transient expression of GUS gene was found to be higher in the early globular embryo clusters than in the embryogenic calli. Also, co-cultivated period affected expression of GUS gene; the best result was obtained when globular embryo clusters were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 3 days. Subsequently, this callus transferred to selective MS medium containing 1mg/L2.4-D, 50mg/L kanamycin or/and 30mg/L hygromycin and 300mg/L cefortaxime. These embryogenic calls were subcultured to the same selection medium at every 2 weeks intervals. Approximately 24.5% of the early globular embryos co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 3days produced kanamycin or/and hygromycin-resistant calli. Transgenic somatic embryos were converted into plantlets in half strength MS medium supplemented with 3mg/L GA$_3$ kanamycin and were confirmed by GUS histochemical assay and polymerase chain reaction analysis. Genomic Southem blot hybridization confirmed the incorporation of NPT II gene into the host genome.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.233-240
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• 2014

The early growth response protein 1 (Egr-1) is a widely reported zinc finger protein and a well known transcription factor encoded by the Egr-1 gene, which plays key roles in many aspects of vertebrate embryogenesis and in adult vertebrates. The Egr-1 expression is important in the formation of the gill vascular system in flounders, which develops during the post-hatching phase and is essential for survival during the juvenile period. However, the complete details of Egr-1 expression during embryo development in olive flounder are not available. We assessed the expression patterns of Egr-1 during the early development of olive flounders by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Microscopic observations showed that gill filament formation corresponded with the Egr-1 expression. Thus, we showed that Egr-1 plays a vital role in angiogenesis in the gill filaments during embryogenesis. Further, Egr-1 expression was found to be strong at 5 days after hatching (DAH), in the development of the gill vascular system, and this strong expression level was maintained throughout all the development stages. Our findings have important implications with respect to the biological role of Egr-1 and evolution of the first respiratory blood vessels in the gills of olive flounder. Further studies are required to elucidate the Egr-1-mediated stress response and to decipher the functional role of Egr-1 in developmental stages.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.34-39
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• 2011

Objectives : An early age at onset of obsessive compulsive symptoms in family studies has been strongly associated with a more familial form of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Further, many reports have suggested that early- and late- onset OCD represent separate subtypes of the disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the glutamate receptor, the ionotropic, n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) subunit 2B gene (GRIN2B) polymorphisms, and onset of OCD in the Korean population. Methods : We recruited 109 OCD patients and classified them into early- (age of onset <18 years) and late-onset groups (age of onset${\geq}$18). Genomic DNA was extracted from their blood after which the genotypes and allelic frequencies of the two GRIN2B polymorphisms (5072T/G and 5988T/C) were compared in the two groups. We also compared genetic data between child- (age of onset${\leq}$15) and adult-onset groups (age of onset${\geq}$19) using the same protocol. Results : There were no significant differences between the early- and late-onset groups with respect to genotype. Moreover, we could not find any differences in genotype frequencies between child and adult-onset groups. Conclusions : Our study suggested that GRIN2B polymorphisms (5072T/G and 5988T/C) do not affect the onset of OCD in Koreans. However, this finding has resulted from a preliminary study and thus, further study is required.

• 인지과학
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.173-191
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• 2017

The theories of cultural evolution hold subtly or clearly different stances about definition of culture, pattern of cultural evolution, biases that affect cultural evolution, and relationship between culture and organism. However, the cultural evolution theories have a common problem to solve: As the evolutionary theory of life tries to explain the early steps and the origin of life, the cultural evolution theories also must explain the early steps of the cultural evolution and the role of the human capability that makes cultural evolution possible. Therefore, explanations of the human's unique traits including the cultural ability are related to determine which one is the most plausible among many cultural evolution theories. Theories that tried to explain human uniqueness commonly depict the coevolution of gene (organism) and culture. We will explicitly call the niche construction theory and the dual inheritance theory the 'gene-culture co-evolutionary theory'. In these theories, the most important concept is the 'concept of positive feedback'. In this paper, we distinguish between core positive feedback and marginal positive feedback, according to whether the trait that the concept of positive feedback explains is the trait of human uniqueness. Both types of positive feedback effectively explain the generality of human uniqueness and the diversity of human traits driven by cultural groups. However, this positive feedback requires an end, in contrast to negative feedback which can be continued in order to maintain homeostasis. We argue that the co-evolutionary process in the gene-culture co-evolutionary theories include only the positive feedback, not covering the cultural evolution after the positive feedback. This thesis strives to define the coevolution concept more comprehensively by suggesting the potential relationships between gene and culture after the positive feedback.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.272-278
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• 2008

The carbon-ion beam (CIB) generated by the heavy-ion medical accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) was targeted to 7-day-old rice. Physiological parameters such as growth, and gene expression profiles were examined immediately after CIB irradiation. Dose-dependent growth suppression was seen three days post-irradiation (PI), and all the irradiated plants died by 15 days PI. Microarray (Agilent rice 22K) analysis of the plants immediately after irradiation (iai) revealed effects on gene expression at 270 Gy; 353 genes were up-regulated and 87 down-regulated. Exactly the same set of genes was affected at 90 Gy. Among the highly induced genes were genes involved in information storage and processing, cellular processes and signaling, and metabolism. RT-PCR analysis confirmed the microarray data.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.33-42
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• 2014

Nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON) are predominant Fusarium-producing mycotoxins found in grains, which are mainly produced by Fusarium asiaticum and F. graminearum. NIV is found in most of cereals grown in Korea, but the genetic basis for NIV production by F. asiaticum has not been extensively explored. In this study, 12 genes belonging to the trichothecene biosynthetic gene cluster were compared at the transcriptional level between two NIV-producing F. asiaticum and four DON-producing F. graminearum strains. Chemical analysis revealed that time-course toxin production patterns over 14 days did not differ between NIV and DON strains, excluding F. asiaticum R308, which was a low NIV producer. Both quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Northern analysis revealed that the majority of TRI gene transcripts peaked at day 2 in both NIV and DON producers, which is 2 days earlier than trichothecene accumulation in liquid medium. Comparison of the gene expression profiles identified an NIV-specific pattern in two transcription factor-encoding TRI genes (TRI6 and TRI10) and TRI101, which showed two gene expression peaks during both the early and late incubation periods. In addition, the amount of trichothecenes produced by both DON and NIV producers were correlated with the expression levels of TRI genes, regardless of the trichothecene chemotypes. Therefore, the reduced production of NIV by R308 compared to NIV or DON by the other strains may be attributable to the significantly lower expression levels of the TRI genes, which showed early expression patterns.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.268-279
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• 2021

Citrus scab, caused by the fungal pathogen Elsinoë fawcettii, is one of the most important fungal diseases affecting Citrus spp. Citrus scab affects young tissues, including the leaves, twigs, and fruits, and produces severe fruit blemishes that reduce the market value of fresh fruits. To study the molecular responses of satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu) to E. fawcettii, plant hormone-related gene expression was analyzed in response to host-compatible (SM16-1) and host-incompatible (DAR70024) isolates. In the early phase of infection by E. fawcettii, jasmonic acid- and salicylic acid-related gene expression was induced in response to infection with the compatible isolate. However, as symptoms advanced during the late phase of the infection, the jasmonic acid- and salicylic acid-related gene expression was downregulated. The gene expression patterns were compared between compatible and incompatible interactions. As scabs were accompanied by altered tissue growth surrounding the infection site, we conducted gibberellic acid- and abscisic acid-related gene expression analysis and assessed the content of these acids during scab symptom development. Our results showed that gibberellic and abscisic acid-related gene expression and hormonal changes were reduced and induced in response to the infection, respectively. Accordingly, we propose that jasmonic and salicylic acids play a role in the early response to citrus scab, whereas gibberellic and abscisic acids participate in symptom development.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.515-523
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• 2001

The dinoflagellates have some primitive nuclear features and are evolutionarily intermediate between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The small subunit ribosomal RAN gene, the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of Gonyaulax polyedra were cloned, and their sequences were analyzed to better understand their evolutionary position. The small subunit ribosomal RNA gene was 1,794 nt long, the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene was approximately 3,500 nt long, and the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene was 159 nt long. The first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) was 191 nt long, and the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) was 185 nt long. The intergenic spacer of the ribosomal RNA gene (IGS) was about 2,200 nt long, indicating that 5,800 nt of transcribed sequences were separated by roughly 2,200 nt of intergenic spacer. The ribosomal RNA genes were repeated many times and arranged in a head-to-tail, tandemly repeated manner. The repeating unit of ribosomal RNA gene of G. polyedra was proposed to be 8,000 nt long. Based on the lengths of ribosomal RNA, sequence alignments with representative organisms, and phylogenetic analysis on ribosomal RNA, G. polyedra appears to be one of the alveolates branched from the eukaryotic crown and, among dinoflagellates, it seems to not have emerged early.