• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.554-557
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• 2008

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces gene silencing in a sequence-specific manner by a process known as RNA interference (RNAi). The RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) is a multi-subunit ribonucleoprotein complex that plays a key role in RNAi. VIG (Vasa intronic gene) has been identified as a component of Drosophila RISC; however, the role VIG plays in regulating RNAi is poorly understood. Here, we examined the spatial and temporal expression patterns of VIG-1, the C. elegans ortholog of Drosophila VIG, using a vig-1::gfp fusion construct. This construct contains the 908-bp region immediately upstream of vig-1 gene translation initiation site. Analysis by confocal microscopy demonstrated GFP-VIG-1 expression in a number of tissues including the pharynx, body wall muscle, hypodermis, intestine, reproductive system, and nervous system at the larval and adult stages. Furthermore, western blot analysis showed that VIG-1 is present in each developmental stage examined. To investigate regulatory sequences for vig-1 gene expression, we generated constructs containing deletions in the upstream region. It was determined that the GFP expression pattern of a deletion construct (${\Delta}-908$ to -597) was generally similar to that of the non-deletion construct. In contrast, removal of a larger segment (${\Delta}-908$ to -191) resulted in the loss of GFP expression in most cell types. Collectively, these results indicate that the 406-bp upstream region (-596 to -191) contains essential regulatory sequences required for VIG-1 expression.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.177-184
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• 2008

Acid-labile subunit(ALS)는 85-kDa 크기의 당단백질로서 7.5-kDa의 insulin-like growth factor(IGF) 및 40~45-kDa IGF-binding protein-3와 결합하여 150-kDa ternary complex를 형성하는 혈장단백질이다. 선행연구에서 본 연구진은 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) 방법으로 돼지(porcine) ALS(pALS)의 coding sequence를 합성하여 plasmid vector에 삽입시켜 ‘expression construct’를 제작한 바 있다. 그러나 본 expression construct의 pALS coding sequence에는 PCR error로 추정되는 원인으로 말미암아 2개의 bases에서 mis-sense mutation이 일어난 것이 발견되었다. 본 연구에서는 ‘site-directed mutagenesis’ 방법으로 pALS의 올바른 coding sequence를 합성하여 ‘insert DNA’의 마지막 codon 다음에 ‘His-tag’ sequence가 위치한 pET- 28a(+) plasmid expression vector에 삽입하였다. 본 expression construct는 E. coli BL21(DE3) 세포에서 ‘induction’ 시켰고, 발현된 유전자재조합(recombinant) peptide는 Ni-affinity chromato- graphy로 정제하였다. 이렇게 affinity chro- matography로 정제된 peptide는 SDS-PAGE에서 66kDa 위치에 single band를 나타냄으로써 recombinant pALS의 예상된 질량과 일치하였다. 이상의 결과는 본 연구에서 recombinant pALS peptide가 성공적으로 발현정제되었음을 시사한다.

• Bioinformatics and Biosystems
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.62-65
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• 2007

We present here the strategy of data integration for inference of genetic regulatory modules. First, we construct all possible combinations of regulators of genes using chromatin-immunoprecipitation(ChIP)-chip data. Second, hierarchical clustering method is employed to analyze mRNA expression profiles. Third, integration method is applied to both of the data. Finally, we construct a genetic regulatory module which is involved in the function of ribosomal protein synthesis.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.73-77
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• 2006

Caspase-11 has been known as a dual regulator of apoptosis and inflammatory response. An unusual feature of caspase-11 is that its expression is induced by apoptotic or proinflammatory stimuli. Utilizing these unusual features of caspase-11, we have developed a simple and sensitive assay method to screen pro- or anti-apoptotic/inflammatory molecules. To develop this assay method, we generated a reporter construct where GFP expression is regulated by caspase-11 promoter. When several types of cultured cells were transfected with this reporter construct and subsequently treated with various apoptotic or proinflammatory molecules, expression of GFP by the activation of caspase-11 promoter was easily detected by fluorescence microscopy or spectrofluorometry. In addition, a reduction of the GFP fluorescence was detected when an agent reported to suppress caspase-11 induction was applied. These results suggest that our reporter system can be used to screen pro- or anti-apoptotic/inflammatory molecules.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권10호
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• pp.1508-1513
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• 2006

Myostatin (MSTN) and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are a known inhibitor and stimulators of proliferation and differentiation of muscle cells, respectively. The present study was performed to investigate the relationship of MSTN-induced growth inhibition to expression of the IGF system components and myogenin, a muscle cell-specific transcription factor, in rat L6 myoblasts. The L6 cells transfected with a green fluorescent protein-MSTN plasmid expression construct had a 47% less cell number than mock-transfected cells after 3-d serum-free culture, accompanied by delayed differentiation which was suggested by inhibited aggregation of cells. Moreover, cells transfected with the expression construct had decreased expression of IGF-II and myogenin genes, but not IGF-I or its receptor genes, as examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The reduced mitosis of the L6 cells transfected with the MSTN-expression construct increased following an addition of either IGF-I or IGF-II to the culture medium, but not to the level of mock-transfected cells. By contrast, myogenin gene expression in these cells increased after the addition of either IGF to the level of mock-transfected cells. Collectively, these results suggest that the inhibitory effect of MSTN on L6 cell proliferation and differentiation is likely to be partly mediated by serially suppressed expression of IGF-II and myogenin genes, not IGF-I gene.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.107-111
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• 2005

C. elegans DLK-1 has been reported to play an important role in synaptogenesis by shaping the structure of presynaptic terminal. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern and regulation of the dlk-1 gene in C. elegans. To determine the expression pattern, we made a dlk-1::gfp fusion construct, named pPDdg1, which consisted of -2.2 kb 5' upstream region, the first exon, the first intron, and a part of the second exon of the dlk-1 gene. By microinjecting this construct into the worm, we observed that the DLK-1::GFP was expressed mainly in neurons. We next examined the regulatory elements of gene expression by deletion analysis of pPDdg1. Removal of a large portion of the 5' upstream region (${\Delta}-361$ to -2246) of the gene had little effect on the expression pattern, whereas deletion of the first intron led to elimination of the DLK-1::GFP expression in most of the neurons. Our results suggest that the first intron of the C. elegans dlk-1 gene contains the regulatory element critical for gene expression.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.404-409
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• 1997

Trout CYP1A-CAT expression construct was generated by cloning -3.5 Kb $5^I$ flanking DNA of trout liver CYP1A gene in front of CAT gene at pCAT-basic vector. Hepa 1 cells, which are known to contain a functional arylhydrbcarbon $receptor^I$ were transfected with trout CYP1A-CAT using lipofectin. 3-Methylcholanthrene (1 nM) was added into hepa 1 cells in culture in order to examine if $5^I$ flanking DNA of trout CYP1A gene could interact with mouse transactivating factors to bring about transcription of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase(CAT) reporter gene. The level of CAT protein was measured by CAT ELISA and the level of CAT mRNA was determined by RTPCR. The treatment of 1 nM 3-methylcholanthrene resulted in two fold increases in CAT protein as well as CAT mRNA compared to untreated control hepa 1 cells. These data indicate that arylhydrocarbon receptors of mouse hepa 1 cells are functional to activate exogenously transfected trout CYP1A-CAT construct in terms of both transcription and translation of CAT. We also examined the effect of 3-methylcholanthrene on endogenous cyplal activity in hepa 1 cell. 3-Methylcholanthrene (1 nM) treatment to hepa 1 cells trahsfected with trout CYP1A-CAT construct stimulated the level of cyp1a1 mRNA by two folds and the activity of ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase by two fold compared to that of control cells. In this study we reported that trout CYP1A-CAT reporter gene expression construct could be expressed by 3-methylcholanthrene treatment in mouse hepa 1 cells. Thus trout CYP1A-CAT could serve as a good model to study the mechanism of regulation of CYP1A1 gene expression.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 1995년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.128-128
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• 1995

To investigate the mechanism of the regulation of cytochrome P450IA1 gene expression, ethoxyresorufin deethylase(EROD) and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase in B6 mouse liver, in isolated perfused rat liver system. and in B6 mouse hepatocyte Hepa-I cells were examined. In C57BL/6N mouse, 3-methylcholan- throne( 3MC ) treatment have resulted in the stimulation of EROD activity based on fluorometry by 2.79 fold comparirng with that of control. Measurement of mRNA of cytochrome P450 was carried out by either nothern blot or dot blot analysis. Findings are similar to that of studies with enzymes. Furhtermore, when RTPCR method was applied to detect mRNA in Hepa I cell and liver tissues the results were more clear. Cytochrome P450IA1 upstream DNA containing CAT construct was transfected into Hepa-1 cells. After transfection of CAT construct, 3MC and flavonoids, such as, chrysin, hesperetin, kaempferol, morin, myricetin and aminoyrine were treated. 48 Hours after treatments, cells were harvested and assayed for CAT mRNA by RTPCR. 3MC treatment to hepa I cells transfected with trout P450IA1-CAT construct increased CAT mRNA by 2.81 fold when it was compared with that of control. This increase CAT mRNA was decreased by concomitantly treated flavonoids and aminopyrine. The level of CAT protein was 29.2-58.0% of 3MC stimulated CAT protein. Results of this study suggested that RTPCR seems to be a very good method to study regulation of gene expression in liver tissue or Hepa cells.

• BMB Reports
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.320-325
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• 1997

Thioredoxin is a multi-functional protein which is ubiquitous in microorganisms, animals and plants. Previously, expression of the E. coli thioredoxin gene was found to be negatively regulated by cAMP. In the present study, the effect of cAMP on two separate promoters of the E. coli thioredoxin gene was investigated. Cyclic AMP had a repressible effect on P1 and P1P2 promoter activity of the constructs. This effect was also observed in the cya strain. The P2 promoter construct gave very high -galactosidase activity, and its expression was not affected by exogenous cAMP. It was assumed that a cis-acting negative element, probably the cAMP-CRP binding site, might have been deleted in the P1 promoter construct. Repression of the thioredoxin gene expression by cAMP appeared to be independent of ppGpp.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제32권5호
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• pp.459-468
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• 2007

이 연구에서는 법랑모세포 분화과정에서 APin의 기능을 알아보고자 APin-protein microarray를 시행한 후 치아발생과 관련이 있는 MEF2, Aurora kinase A, BMPR-IB와 EF-hand calcium binding protein을 분석하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1 CMV-APin construct를 transfection하여 APin의 과발현을 유도한 경우에는 MEF2와 Aurora kinase A 둘 모두에서 발현이 현저히 감소한 반면에, APin의 발현억제를 유도한 경우에는 둘 모두 변화가 없었다. 2. APin의 과발현을 유도한 경우에는 BMPR-IB와 EF-hand calcium binding protein 모두에서 발현이 크게 증가한 반면, APin을 발현억제 시킨 경우에는 BMPR-IB는 변화가 없었고, EF-hand calcium binding protein은 현저히 감소하였다. 위의 결과들로 보아 APin 단백질은 MEF2, Aurora kinase A, BMPR-IB, EF-hand calcium binding protein과 상호작용하여 법랑모세포의 분화와 석회화 과정 중에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 사료된다.