• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2011

Since proteomics can be employed to compare changes in the expression levels of many proteins under particular genetic and environmental conditions, using mass spectrometry to establish radiation stimulon, we performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified E. coli proteins whose expressions are affected by high dose of ionizing radiation. After exposure to 3 kGy, it was found that 6 proteins involved in carbon and energy metabolism were reduced. Although 4 of 7 protein spots showing a significant increase in expression level were neither identified nor classified, uridine phosphorylase (Udp), superoxide dismutase (SodB), and thioredoxin-dependent thiol peroxidase (Bcp) were proven to be up-regulated after irradiation. This suggests that E. coli subjected to high doses of radiation (3 kGy) may operate a defense system that is able to detoxify reactive oxygen species and stimulate the salvage pathway of nucleotide synthesis to replenish damaged DNA.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2021

Heterorhabdus papilliger (Claus, 1863) is newly reported from the Tsushima Warm Current realm of the southern Korean waters. Its morphological diagnostic characteristics generally agreed well with the original description and the previous records of H. papilliger. The female of H. papilliger can be recognized by the genital somite, which in lateral view has a more or less rounded genital prominence and an uninflated posterior ventral margin; the second exopodal segment of male right leg 5 with the medial projection with a large, rounded, plumose proximal lobe, and a poorly developed distal lobe. The genetic difference for the partial mtCOI gene between Korean specimens and H. papilliger from Spain and Japan of the same clade is 0.4%, while the difference between Korean specimens is 0.5%. However, the interspecific difference for the mtCOI gene between H. papilliger from the Korean waters and the other Heterorhabdus species is in the range of 14.7-20.8%, suggesting that the former is a valid species.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.480-490
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• 2020

A novel lipase gene, Lip-1420, was isolated from a metagenomic library constructed from reed marsh from Mt. Jumbong in Korea, comprising 112,500 members of recombinant plasmids. The DNA sequence of Lip-1420-subclone (5,513 bp) was found to contain at least 11 ORFs according to the GenBank database. The ORF-3 gene was inserted into the pET21a plasmid containing the C-terminal 6-His tag and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) to express the recombinant lipase protein. Lip-1420 was purified using a fast protein liquid chromatography system. The gene was registered in GenBank (MH628529). The values of Km and Vmax were determined as 0.268 mM and 1.821 units, respectively, at 40℃ and pH 8.0, using p-nitrophenyl palmitate as the substrate. This lipase belongs to family IV taxonomically because it has conserved HGGG and GDSAG motifs in the constitutive amino acid sequence. According to the predicted structural model, the binding sites are represented by residues H78, G81, D150, S151, A152, V181, and D236. Finally, Lip-1420 showed triolein selectivity for methanolysis between triolein (18:1) and tristearin (18:0) substrates. Further study of the selective mechanism and structure-function relationship of this new lipase could be useful for more practical applications.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.214-221
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• 2022

Six species in five families of Lepidoptera were newly recorded from Korea. The adult specimens of these six species were obtained during the rearing caterpillars collected across Korea. Agonopterix omelkoi Lvovsky (Depresariidae) can be distinguished by the ochreous forewing with a dark brown slanted line, a dark brown triangular spot, and a blackish discal dot, and the whitish hindwing. Dichomeris ferruginosa Meyrick (Gelechiidae) can be diagnosed by the light brown forewing with two relatively large blackish dots and suffusion of dark brown along the dorsum and subtermen, and the grayish hindwing. Pseudohedya satoi Kawabe (Tortricidae) can be diagnosed by the dark ochreous forewing with several medially curved dark ochreous medial lines, and the large light grayish tornal marking, and the dark grayish hindwing. Rhodoneura hyphaema (West) (Thyrididae) can be diagnosed by the reddish forewing with a relatively thick postmedial band, and the reddish hindwing with a narrow dark reddish straight medial band. Comibaena subprocumbaria (Oberthür) (Geometridae) can be diagnosed by the greenish forewing with a whitish apical marking that bordered with a brownish or dark reddish line that connected to the termen, and the distal abdominal segments with whitish and dark reddish dots. Perixera absconditaria (Walker) (Geometridae) can be diagnosed by the light brownish forewing with a relatively thick, slanted, dentate brownish postmedial line, and the light brownish hindwing with a small white discal spot. We provide the diagnosis and figures of adults and larvae, and DNA barcoding data.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1515-1526
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• 2022

Eukaryotic chromatin is highly organized in the 3D nuclear space and dynamically regulated in response to environmental stimuli. This genomic organization is arranged in a hierarchical fashion to support various cellular functions, including transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Like other host cellular mechanisms, viral pathogens utilize and modulate host chromatin architecture and its regulatory machinery to control features of their life cycle, such as lytic versus latent status. Combined with previous research focusing on individual loci, recent global genomic studies employing conformational assays coupled with high-throughput sequencing technology have informed models for host and, in some cases, viral 3D chromosomal structure re-organization during infection and the contribution of these alterations to virus-mediated diseases. Here, we review recent discoveries and progress in host and viral chromatin structural dynamics during infection, focusing on a subset of DNA (human herpesviruses and HPV) as well as RNA (HIV, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2) viruses. An understanding of how host and viral genomic structure affect gene expression in both contexts and ultimately viral pathogenesis can facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.307-316
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• 2022

The misuse of pesticides has resulted in environmental pollution, which directly or indirectly affects all life on earth. Chlorpyrifos is a chlorinated organophosphorus pesticide that is commonly used in agriculture. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chlorpyrifos on the fertilization function of boar spermatozoa. Sperm samples from boars were subjected to varying concentrations of chlorpyrifos from 10 to 200 µM for two incubation periods, 30 min or 2 hrs. The boar spermatozoa were then evaluated for motility, motion kinematics, viability, acrosome integrity, chromatin stability, and generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). There was a significant percentage reduction in sperm motility and motion kinematic parameters after both incubation periods (p < 0.05). The proportion of viable spermatozoa decreased after incubation for 30 min and 2 hrs in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). A significantly lower percentage of normal acrosomes was observed in spermatozoa exposed to 200 µM chlorpyrifos over both incubation periods, compared to the controls. The damage to sperm DNA was significantly higher when the exposure time to chlorpyrifos was longer. There was a significant increase in the ROS levels in spermatozoa incubated with chlorpyrifos for 2 hrs (p < 0.05). From the results of the present study, it is concluded that direct exposure of boar spermatozoa to chlorpyrifos altered boar sperm characteristics, suggesting potential toxicity that may affect the male reproductive function.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 2022

A fungal isolate belonging to the phylum Ascomycota was isolated and identified as Talaromyces veerkampii in 2017 during a survey of fungal diversity in field soils in Korea. This fungal isolate was identified and described based on macro- and micromorphological and molecular characterization. The identification was also based on partial 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-28S rDNA and calmodulin (CaM)-encoding gene sequencing data. Talaromyces veerkampii has not been previously reported in Korea. Thus, we report here a newly discovered species from soil in Korea along with its morphological and molecular characteristics.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.641-659
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The skin is the outermost organ of the human body and plays a protective role against external environmental damages, such as sunlight and pollution, which affect anti-oxidant defenses and skin inflammation, resulting in erythema or skin reddening, immunosuppression, and epidermal DNA damage. MATERIALS/METHODS: The present study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of red orange complex H extract (ROC) against ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin photoaging in Skh:HR-2 mice. ROC was orally administered at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks, along with UV irradiation of the mice for 10 weeks. RESULTS: ROC improved UV-induced skin barrier parameters, including erythema, melanin production, transepidermal water loss, elasticity, and wrinkle formation. Notably, ROC inhibited the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α) and melanogenesis. In addition, ROC recovered the UV-induced decrease in the hyaluronic acid and collagen levels by enhancing genes expression. Furthermore, ROC significantly downregulated the protein and mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases responsible for collagen degradation. These protective effects of ROC against photoaging are associated with the suppression of UV-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and activator protein 1 activation. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, our findings suggest that the oral administration of ROC exerts potential protective activities against photoaging in UV-irradiated hairless mice.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2023

A northern lineage plant, Stellaria filicaulis (Caryophyllaceae), was newly found in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do of South Korea. This species is distributed in China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and Russia. On the Korean Peninsula, St. filicaulis, however, has been known to grow in North Korea. Species identification was confirmed using morphological characteristics and DNA sequence data, while comparing with materials obtained from herbarium specimens. Stellaria filicaulis is distinguished from St. longifolia by having smooth surface of stem, petals about twice longer than sepals. On the neighbor-joining tree, St. filicaulis formed a clade, and the species is closely related to St. longifolia of the Parviflorae clade. Details of the morphological characters, the type specimens, voucher specimens data, and photographs of St. filicaulis in South Korea are presented. In addition, it is likely that a new habitat will be found by plant biodiversity field surveys through the middle part of the Korean Peninsula. Further research is needed to determine its population size, distribution, and threats, as well as identify appropriate locations for conservation collection of germplasm.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2020.08a
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• pp.74-74
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• 2020

Skin is continuously exposed to a variety of environmental stresses, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UVB is an inherent component of sunlight that crosses the epidermis and reaches the upper dermis, leading to increased oxidative stress, activation of inflammatory response and accumulation of DNA damage among other effects. In the present study, the anti-wrinkle mechanism of Acorus gramineus callus culture supernatant (GB-AGS-PSC) was elucidated in UVB treated HaCaT keratinocytes. GB-AGS-PSC prevented the matrix metalloprotease 1 (MMP-1), elastin, and pro-collagen product and cytotoxicity and SOD inhibition. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that GB-AGS-PSC-treated cells displayed dose-dependent increase in messenger RNA expression levels of Aquaporin 3 (AQP3), Keratin 1(KRT1), fillagrin, and hyaluronan synthase-2 (HAS 2) and decreased expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3, -9, and -13 in UVB treated HaCaT keratinocytes. Additionally, GB-AGS-PSC suppressed TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 product for inflammatory responses in UVB treated HaCaT keratinocytes. Therefore, GB-AGS-PSC may be useful as an anti-photoaging resource for the skin.