• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1163-1178
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• 2010

Plasmids play important roles in horizontal gene transfer among Vibrionaceae, but surprisingly little is known about their replication and incompatibility systems. In this study, we successfully developed a bioinformatics-assisted strategy of experimental identification of seven Vibrio plasmid replicons. Comparative sequences analysis of the seven Vibrio plasmid replicons obtained in this study together with eight published Vibrionaceae plasmid sequences revealed replication-participating elements involved in the ColE1 mode of replication initiation and regulation. Like plasmid ColE1, these Vibrionaceae plasmids encode two RNA species (the primer RNA and the antisense RNA) for replication initiation and regulation, and as a result, the 15 Vibrionaceae plasmids were designated as ColE1-like Vibrionaceae (CLV) plasmids. Two subgroups were obtained for the 15 CLV plasmids, based on comparison of replicon organization and phylogenetic analysis of replication regions. Coexistence of CLV plasmids were demonstrated by direct sequencing analysis and Southern hybridization, strongly suggesting that the incompatibility of CLV plasmids is determined mainly by the RNA I species like the ColE1-like plasmids. Sequences resembling the conserved Xer recombination sites were also identified on the CLV plasmids, indicating that the CLV plasmids probably use the host site-specific recombination system for multimer resolution like that used by ColE1-like plasmids. All the results indicated that the 15 plasmids form a new ColE1-like group, providing a basis for the rapid characterization and classification of Vibrionaceae plasmids.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.92-101
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• 2006

The bacterial diversity of the bovine rumen was examined using a PCR-based approach. 16S rDNA sequences were amplified and cloned from three fractions of rumen (solid, fluid, and epithelium) that are likely to represent different bacterial niches. A total of 113 clones were sequenced, and similarities to known l6S rDNA sequences were examined. About $47.8\%$ of the sequences had $90-97\%$ similarity to 16S rDNA database sequences. Furthermore, about $62.2\%$ of the sequences were $98-100\%$ similar to 16S rDNA database sequences. For the remaining $6.1\%$, the similarity was less than $90\%$. Phylogenetic analysis was also used to infer the makeup of the bacterial communities in the different rumen fractions. The Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides group (CFB, $67.5\%$), low G+C Gram-positive bacteria (LGCGPB, $30\%$), and Proteobacteria $(2.5\%)$ were represented in the rumen fluid clone set; LGCGPB $(75.7\%)$, CFB$(10.8\%)$, Proteobacteria $(5.4\%)$, high G+C Gram-positive bacteria (HGCGPB, $5.4\%$), and Spirochaetes $(2.7\%)$ were represented in the rumen solid clone set; and the CFB group $(94.4\%)$ and LGCGPB $(5.6\%)$ were represented in the rumen epithelium clone set. These findings suggest that the rumen fluid, solid, and epithelium support different microbial populations that may play specific roles in rumen function.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.159-169
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• 2004

Bacterial wihte enteritis ocurred by infection of V. ichthyoenteri is a devastating disease in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) hatcheries in Korea. Since white enteritis has been a problem in aquqtic industries, necessity of a rapid detection method is increased. In an attempt to develop rapid PCR method the detection of V. ichthyoenteri, we examined the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region(ISR) of V. ichthyoenteri and developed species-specific primer for V. ichthyoenteri. The intergenic spacers were amplified by primers complementary to conserved region of 16S and 23S rRNA genes. The intergenic spacer region between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes of V. ichthoenteri were investigated by PCR fragment length typing and DNA sequencing. Analysis of the ISR sequences showed that V. ichthyoenteri contains one types of polymorphic ISRs. The size of ISRs ranged 348bp length and not contains tRNA genes. Mutiple alignment of representative sequences from different Vibrio species revealed several domains of high sequence variability, and allowed to design species-specific primer for detection of Vibrio ichthyoenteri. PCR. The specific of the primer was examined using genomic DNA prepared from 19 different Vibrio species, isolated 18group Vibrio species. The results showed that the PCR reaction using species-specific primer designed in this study can be used to detect V. ichthyoenteri.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.340-344
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• 2003

The group I intron from Tetrahymena thermophila has been demonstrated to employ splicing reactions with its substrate RNA in the trans configuration. Moreover, we have recently shown that the transsplicing group I ribozyme can replace HCV-specific transcripts with a new RNA that exerts anti-viral activity. In this study, we explored the potential use of RNA replacement for cancer treatment by developing trans-splicing group I ribozymes, which could replace tumor-associated RNAs with the RNA sequence attached to the 3' end of the ribozymes. Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) RNA was chosen as a target RNA because it is known as a valid cancer prognostic factor. By performing an RNA mapping strategy that is based on a trans-splicing ribozyme library, we first determined which regions of the TP RNA are accessible to ribozymes, and found that the leader sequences upstream of the AUG start codon appeared to be particularly accessible. Next, we assessed the ribozyme activities by comparing trans-splicing activities of several ribozymes that targeted different regions of the TP RNA. This assessment was performed to verify if the target site predicted to be accessible is truly the most accessible. The ribozyme that could target the most accessible site, identified by mapping studies, was the most active with high fidelity in vitro. Moreover, the specific trans-splicing ribozyme reacted with and altered the TP transcripts by transferring an intended 3' exon tag sequence onto the targeted TP RNA in mammalian cells with high fidelity. These results suggest that the Tetrahymena ribozyme can be utilized to replace TP RNAs in tumors with a new RNA harboring anti-cancer activity, which would revert the malignant phenotype.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.527-532
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• 2004

A subtracted cDNA library specific to osmotic stress of Haloxylon ammodendron (Mey.) Bge seedlings was constructed by suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and T/A cloning. SSH was performed between two groups of H. ammodendron seedlings, one was cultivated in Hoagland (H) solution as a driver and the other group was treated with osmotic stress of the Hoagland solution by the addition of 400 mM mannitol (M), as a tester. The library consisted of about 400 recombinant clones, with the average size being of 500 bp, ranging from 300 bp to 1500 bp. Using a PCR-select differential screening kit, 100 recombinant clones were randomly chosen from the subtracted cDNA library and hybridized with forward,reverse subtracted and unsubtracted probes for two rounds. As a result, 21 positive clones specific to osmotic stress were obtained and some of them were verified by Northern blot analysis. The sequencing analysis of 6 positive clones and the following homology comparison to GenBank [blastx] non-redundant databases characterized that two sequences obtained in this experiment may contribute to novel drought-related genes.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.3703-3706
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• 2010

Biomolecules specific to explosives can be exploited as chemical sensors. Peptides specific to immobilized dinitrotoluene (DNT) were identified using a phage display library. A derivative of DNT that contained an extended amine group, 4-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)butan-1-amine, was synthesized and immobilized using a self-assembled monolayer surface on gold. Filamentous M13 phages displaying random sequences of 12-mer peptides specific to the immobilized DNT-derivate were isolated from the M13 phage library by biopanning. A common peptide sequence was identified from the isolated phages and the synthesized peptides showed selective binding to DNT. When the peptide was immobilized on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) chip, it showed a binding signal to DNT, while toluene barely showed significant binding to the QCM chip. These results demonstrate that peptides screened by biopanning against immobilized DNT can be useful for quick and accurate detection of DNT.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.314-322
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• 2021

Paired box protein, PAX7, is a key molecule for the specification, maintenance and skeletal muscle regeneration of muscle satellite cells. In this study, we identified and characterized the cDNA and amino acid sequences of PAX7 from black sea bream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) via molecular cloning and sequence analysis. A. schlegelii PAX7 cDNA was comprised of 1,524 bp encoding 507 amino acids and multiple sequence alignment analysis of the translated amino acids showed that it contained three domains including paired DNA-binding domain, homeobox domain and OAR domain which were well conserved across various animal species investigated. Pairwise Sequence Alignment indicated that A. schlegelii PAX7 had the same amino acid sequences with that of yellowfin seabream (A. latus) and 99.8% identity and similarity with that of gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata). Molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed that A. schlegelii PAX7 formed a monophyletic group with those of teleost and most closely related with those of the fish that belong to Sparidae family including A. latus and S. aurata. In the investigation of its tissue specific mRNA expression, the expression was specifically identified in skeletal muscle tissue and a weak expression was also shown in gonad tissue. The cultured cells derived from skeletal muscle tissues expressed PAX7 mRNA at early passage but the expression was not observed after several times of subculture.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.257-263
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• 1999

Identification of the genes responsible for the recovery of virulence in brain-passaged Acanthamoeba culbertsoni was attempted via mRNA differential display polymerase chain reaction (mRNA DD-PCR) analysis. In order to identify the regulatory changes in transcription of the virulence related genes by the brain passages, mRNA DD-PCR was performed which enabled the display of differentially transcribed mRNAs after the brain passages. Through mRNA DD-PCR analysis. 96 brain-passaged amoeba specific amplicons were observed and were screened to identify the amplicons that failed to amplify in the non-brain-passaged amoeba mRNAs. Out of the 96 brain-passaged amoeba specific amplicons, 12 turned out to be amplified only from the brain-passaged amoeba mRNAs by DNA slot blot hybridization. The clone, A289C, amplified with an arbitrary primer of UBC ＃289 and the oligo dT$_{11}$-C primer, revealed the highest homology (49.8％) to the amino acid sequences of UPD-galactose lipid transferase of Erwinia amylovora, which is known to act as an important virulence factor. The deduced amino acid sequences of an insert DNA in clone A289C were also revealed to be similar to cpsD, which is the essential gene for the expression of type III capsule in group B streptococcus. Upregulated expression of clone A289C was verified by RNA slot blot hybridization. Similar hydrophobicity values were also observed between A289C (at residues 47-66) and the AmsG gene of E. amylovora (at residues 286-305: transmembrane domains). This result suggested that the insert of clone A289C might play the same function as galactosyl transferase controlled by the AmsG gene in E. amylovora.a.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1987.07a
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• pp.149-155
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• 1987

Growth and development of a higher plant, or any living organism for that matter, could be defined as an orderly expression of the genome in time and space in close interaction with the environment. During differentiation and development of a tissue or organ a group of genes must be selectively turned on or turned off mainly by trans-acting regulators. In this general concept of regulation of regulation of gene expression, a DNA molecule is recognized at a specific nucleotide sequence by DNA-binding factors. Molecular biology of the regulatory factors such as hormones, and their receptors, target DNA sequences and DNA-binding proteins are well advanced. What is not clearly understood is the molecular basis of the interactions between DNA and binding factors, expecially of the usages of the dyad symmetry of the target DNA sequences and the dimeric nature of the DNA-binding proteins. A unique 3-dimensional structure of DNA has been proposed that may play an important role in the orderly expression of the gene. A foldback intercoil (FBI) DNA configuration which was originally found by electron microscopy among mtDNA molecules from pearl millet has some unique features. The FBI configuration of DNA is believed to be formed when a flexible double helix folds back and interwines in the widened major grooves resulting in a four stranded, intercoil DNA whose thickness is the same as that of double stranded DNA. More recently, the FBI structure of DNA has been also induced in vitro by a novel enzyme which was purified from pearl millet mitochondria. It has been proposed that the FBI DNA could be utillized in intramolecular recombination which leads to inversion or deletion, and in intermolecular recombination which can lead to either site-specific recombination, genetic recombination via single strand invasion, or cross strand recombination. The structure and function of DNA in 3-dimensional aspect is emphasized for better understanding orderly expression of genes during growth and development.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2007

Sweet potato feathery mottle virus(SPFMV) is one of the most prevalent viruses infecting sweet potatoes and occurs widely in sweet potato cultivating areas in Korea. To assess their genetic variation, a total of 28 samples infected with SPFMV were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) analysis using DNAs amplified by RT-PCR with specific primer sets corresponding to the coat protein(CP) region of the virus. The similarity matrix by UPGMA procedure indicated that 28 samples infected with SPFMV were classified into three groups based on the number and size of DNA fragments by digestion of CP-encoding regions with 7 enzymes including SalI, AluI, EcoRI, HindIII, FokI, Sau3AI, and DraI bands. Four primer combinations out of 5 designed sets were able to differentiate SPFMV and sweet potato virus G infection, suggesting that these specific primers could be used to differentiate inter-groups of SPFMV. Sequence analysis of the CP genes of 17 SPFMV samples were 97-99% and 91-93% identical at the intra-group and inter-groups of SPFMV, respectively. The N-terminal region of the CP is highly variable and examination of the multiple alignments of amino acid sequences revealed two residues(residues 31 and 32) that were consistently different between SPFMV-O and SPFMV-RC.