• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.329-335
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• 2004

To develop a biomarker for the monitoring of the contamination of estrogenic endocrine disrupters in the aquatic environment, reverse transcription -polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of vitellogenin (Vg) mRNA expression was optimized in Bombina orientalis, a Korean red bellied toad species. Based on partial cDNA sequences of both Vg and beta actin genes of B. orientalis, specific primers for RT-PCR of Vg and beta actin mRNAs were developed. Semiquantitative RT-PCR of the Vg mRNA in liver was optimized using a beta actin mRNA as an internal control in both sexes. In female RT-PCR using $1\;\mu{g}$ of the liver cDNA resulted in a linear increment in the PCR product of Vg from 18 to 34 cycles of amplification. In male, on the contrary, the RT- PCR product was first detected at 30 cycles of amplification and a linear increment was observed from 30 to 40 cycles of amplification, suggesting that male B. orientalis expresses minute amount of Vg mRNA which is a $2^{-12}$ equivalent of female. In conclusion, the optimized protocol for semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis of Vg mRNA level in B. orientalis male liver will be useful for the environmental monitoring the xenoestrogen contamination in the freshwater environment in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.300-302
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• 2019

Glutamicibacter halophytocola DR408 isolated from the rhizospheric soil of soybean plant at Jecheon showed drought tolerance and plant growth promotion capacity. The complete genome of strain DR408 comprises 3,770,186 bp, 60.2% GC-content, which include 3,352 protein-coding genes, 64 tRNAs, 19 rRNA, and 3 ncRNA. The genome analysis revealed gene clusters encoding osmolyte synthesis and plant growth promotion enzymes, which are known to contribute to improve drought tolerance of the plant.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2009

Exposures to environmental chemicals that mimic endogenous hormones are proposed for a number of adverse health effects, including infertility, abnormal prenatal and childhood development and above all cancers. In addition, recently miRNA (micro RNA) has been recognized to play an important role in various diseases and in cellular and molecular responses to toxicants. In this study, endocrine disrupting environmental toxicant, nonylphenol (NP) was treated to MCF-7 (Human breast cancer cell) and HepG2 (Human hepatocellular liver carcinoma) cell line at 3 hrs and 48 hrs time point and miRNA analysis using $mirVana^{TM}$ miRNA bioarray was performed and compared with total mRNA microarray data for the same cell line and treatment. Robust data quality was achieved through the use of dye-swap. Analysis of microarray data identifies a total of 20 and 11 miRNA expressions at 3 hrs and 48 hrs exposure to NP in MCF-7 cell line and a total of 14 and 47 miRNA expression at 3 hrs and 48 hrs exposure respectively to NP in HepG2 cell line. Expression profiling of the selected miRNA (let-7c, miR-16, miR-195, miR-200b, miR200c, miR-205, and miR-589) reveals changes in the expression of target genes related to metabolism, immune response, apoptosis, and cell differentiation. The present study can be informative and helpful to understand the role of miRNA in molecular mechanism of chemical toxicity and their influence on hormone dependent disease. Also this study may prove to be a valuable tool for screening potential estrogen mimicking pollutants in the environment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.159-164
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• 2003

Effects of Al on vitellogenin (VTG) and VTG mRNA induction by estradiol-17 $\beta$($E_2$) were examined in primary hepatocyte culture of rainbow trout. Hepatocytes were precultured for 2 days and then E2 ($2{\times}10^{-6}$M) and Al ($10^{-6}-10^{-4}$M) were simultaneously added to the incubation medium. Hepatocytes were cultured for 5 more days. Media and hepatocytes were then analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Northern blotting for VTG and VTG mRNA, respectively. These metal had no appreciable effect on the viability of hepatocytes in culture. However, Al interfered with VTG production and VTG mRNA expression. Al reduced VTG production in a concentration-dependent way and a significant reduction accurred at Al concentrations greater than $5{\times}10^{-5}$M. VTG mRNA expression also decreased with a negative correlation with Al concentration (r＝-0.98). These results suggest that Al inhibit VTG production at the transcriptional level to reduce VTG mRNA expression.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 2016

Heat shock proteins (HSPs), one of the most highly conserved groups of proteins characterized to date, play crucial roles in protecting cells against environmental stresses, such as heat shock, salinity and oxidative stress. The glutathione S-transferases (GST) have important role in detoxification of oxidative stress, environmental chemicals and environmental stress. GST mRNA expression have been used as biomarkers on environmental stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the death rate and the gene expression of Hsp70 and GST during air exposure and starvation. Results showed that, the expression of Hsp70 mRNA was significantly changed in the experiment groups, such as air exposure and starvation. GST mRNA expression was significantly increased in the experimental group of starvation. These results suggest that Hsp70 and GST were played roles in biomarker gene on the air exposure and starvation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.535-543
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• 2020

In addition to the ubiquitous roles of cellular RNA in genetic regulations, gene expression and phenotypic variations in response to environmental cues and chemotactic signals, the regulatory roles of a new type of RNA called extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are an up-and-coming area of research interest. exRNA is transported outside the cell through membrane blebs known as membrane vesicles or extracellular vesicles (EVs). EV formation is predominant and conserved among all microbial forms, including prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and archaea. This review will focus on the three major topics concerning bacterially derived exRNAs, i.e., 1) the discovery of exRNA and influence of extraneous RNA over bacterial gene regulations, 2) the known secretion mechanism for the release of exRNA, and 3) the possible applications that can be devised with these exRNA secreted by different gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Further, this review will also provide an opinion on exRNA- and EV-derived applications such as the species-specific exRNA markers for diagnostics and the possible roles of exRNA in probiotics and the epigenetic regulations of the gut microbiome.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.54-63
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• 2012

This study characterizes three $Anabaena$ strains and 5 $Trichormus$ strains isolated from Korean waters and 3 $Anabaena$ $flos-aquae$ strains procured from the UTEX based on morphological features and molecular analyses. The $Anabaena$ and $Trichormus$ isolates were morphologically assigned to $A.$ $variabilis$ K$\ddot{u}$tzing and $T.$ $variabilis$(K$\ddot{u}$tzing ex Bornet et Flahault) Kom$\acute{a}$rek et Anagnostidis, respectively. The $Anabaena$ and $Trichormus$ strains differed significantly in the mean length of their vegetative cells. The 16S rRNA genes from the $Anabaena$ strains showed a 100% identity to that from $A.$ $variabilis$ ATCC 29413, while the 16S rRNA genes from the $Trichormus$ strains showed a 99.9% identity to that from $T.$ $variabilis$ GREIFSWALD. The overall topology was in agreement for the 16S rRNA gene and $cpcBA$-IGS trees in the both tree-constructing methods. In a neighbor-joining tree based on the 16S rRNA gene, the 3 $Anabaena$ strains were asso-ciated with $A.$ $variabilis$, the 5 $Trichormus$ strains with $T.$ $variabilis$, and the 3 $Anabaena$ (UTEX) strains were with $Nostoc$. To date, this is the first report on $A.$ $variabilis$ and $T.$ $variabilis$ strains originating from Korea.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1519-1526
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• 2010

The behavior of peptide or protein solutes in saline aqueous solution is a fundamental topic in physical chemistry. Addition of ions can strongly alter the thermodynamic and physical properties of peptide molecules in solution. In order to study the effects of added ionic salts on protein conformation and dynamics, we have used the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the behavior of Staphylococcus aureus Hfq protein under two different ionic concentrations: 0.1 M NaCl and 1.0 M NaCl in presence and absence of RNA (a hepta-oligoribonucleotide AU5G). Hfq, a global regulator of gene expression is highly conserved and abundant RNA-binding protein. It is already reported that in vivo the increase of ionic strength results in a drastic reduction of Hfq affinity for $Q{\beta}$ RNA and reduces the tendency of aggregation of Escherichia coli host factor hexamers. Our results revealed the crucial role of 0.1 M NaCl Hfq system on the bases with strong hydrogen bonding interactions and by stabilizing the aromatic stacking of Tyr42 residue of the adjacent subunits/monomers with the adenine and uridine nucleobases. An increase in RNA pore diameter and weakened compactness of the Hfq-RNA complex was clearly observed in 1.0 M NaCl Hfq system with bound RNA. Aggregation of monomers in Hfq and the interaction of Hfq with RNA are greatly affected due to the presence of high ionic strength. Higher the ionic concentration, weaker is the aggregation and interaction. Our results were compatible with the experimental data and this is the first theoretical report for the experimental study done in 1980 by Uhlenbeck group for the present system.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2013

The monthly variations of blood characteristics and RNA/DNA of black sea bream, Acanthopagrus schlegeli, habituated in Geojae costal area were analysed to determine health condition of natural stocks in terms of gonad maturation and spawning season from March 2010 to February 2011. Spawning season determinated by gonadosomatic index is from June to August. RNA/DNA ratio of black sea bream muscle was strongly correlated with spawning season. During the gonad maturation RNA/DNA ratio in dorsal muscle tissue was decreased contrast to rapid increase during spawning season. Blood composition factors increased in terms of gonad maturation are aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, glucose, globulin, alkaline phosphatase and inorganic phosphate. Other blood factors increased during spawning season are alanine aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid and lactate dehydrogenase.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2003

Metallothionein gene expression activity of cadmium was investigated in a human lung epithelial cell line. Cells, grown to near confluence, were exposed to 0∼10 ${\mu}$M Cd metal for 6 hours. Cadmium did not cause morphological alteration in lung epithelial cells that are characteristic of cell damages such as cell shrinkage, detachment of the cell from its neighbors, cytoplasmic and chromatic condensation. However, metallothionein genes of MT-1 and MT-2 were rapidly induced in the treated cell measured by RT-PCR. Regarding the induction pattern of motallothionein mRNA, MT-1 mRNA was induced in a dependent manner. MT-2 mRNA induction, which was measured using oligo primers based on cDNA of human reticulocytes, seemed to be slightly increased in low doses but decreased at high concentration used in the experiment.