• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.469-478
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• 2015

In spite of the reported probiotic effects, Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 (BGN4) showed no βglucosidase activity and failed to biotransform isoflavone glucosides into the more bioactive aglycones during soy milk fermentation. To develop an isoflavone-biotransforming BGN4, we constructed the recombinant B. bifidum BGN4 strain (B919G) by cloning the structural β-glucosidase gene from B. lactis AD011 (AD011) using the expression vector with the constitutively active promoter 919 from BGN4. As a result, B919G highly expressed β-glucosidase and showed higher β-glucosidase activity and heat stability than the source strain of the β-glucosidase gene, AD011. The biotransformation of daidzin and genistin compounds using the crude enzyme extract from B919G was completed within 4 h, and the bioconversion of daidzin and genistin in soy milk during fermentation with B919G also occurred within 6 h, which was much faster and higher than with AD011. The incorporation of this β-glucosidase-producing Bifidobacterium strain in soy milk could lead to the production of fermented soy milk with an elevated amount of bioavailable forms of isoflavones as well as to the indigenous probiotic effects of the Bifidobacterium strain.

• 한국환경성돌연변이발암원학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.163-170
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• 2004

CYP1B1 enzyme metabolize PAHs and estradiol. CYP1B1 metabolize estradiol to 4-hydroxyestradiol that is considered as carcinogenic metabolite. Luciferase activity was induced about 20 folds over that control by 1 nM TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrchlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) and these inductions were dose-dependent. Recent industrialized society, human hasbeen widely been exposed to widespread environmental contaminants such as PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) that are originated from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. PAHs are known to be ligands of the AhR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor). Induction of cytochrome P4501B1(CYP1B1) in cell culture is widely used as a biomarket for PAHs. Therefore we have studied the effect of PAHs in the human breast cancer cells MCF-7 to evaluate bioactivity of PAHs. Cytochrome P4501B1(CYP1B1) is known to be inducible by xenobiotic compounda such as policyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and dioxins such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD). And these induction of CYP1B1 is also regulated by many categories of chemicals. In order to investigate the effects of several chemicals on CYP1B1 gene expression in luciferase gene, and then transfected into these cells. After treatment of chemicals, the luciferase activity was measured. We examined effects of PAHs on the CYP1B1-lucifrease reporter gene and CYP1B1 mRNA level. Benzo(k)fluoranthene showed strong response to CYP1B1 promoter activity stimulation, and also CYP1B1 mRNAs increase in MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. flvonoids such as genistein decreased B(k)F induced luciferase activity at low concentration. it exhibited stimulatory effect at high concentration.

• BMB Reports
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• 제52권12호
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• pp.706-711
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• 2019

Cisplatin (Cis-DDP) is one of the most widely used anti-cancer drugs. It is applicable to many types of cancer, including lung, bladder, and breast cancer. However, its use is now limited because of drug resistance. p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (p90RSK) is one of the downstream effectors in the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathway and high expression of p90RSK is observed in human breast cancer tissues. Therefore, we investigated the role of p90RSK in the Cis-DDP resistance-related signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer cells. First, we discovered that MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited more Cis-DDP resistance than other breast cancer cells, including MCF-7 and BT549 cells. Cis-DDP increased p90RSK activation, whereas the inactivation of p90RSK using a small interfering RNA (siRNA) or dominant-negative kinase mutant plasmid overexpression significantly reduced Cis-DDP-induced cell proliferation and migration via the inhibition of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)2 and MMP9 in MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, p90RSK activation was involved in EMT via the upregulation of mRNA expression, including that of Snail, Twist, ZEB1, N-cadherin, and vimentin. We also investigated NF-κB, the upstream regulator of EMT markers, and discovered that Cis-DDP treatment led to NF-κB translocation in the nucleus as well as its promoter activity. Our results suggest that targeting p90RSK would be a good strategy to increase Cis-DDP sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancers.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.419-427
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• 2017

Background: Glycosylation of natural compounds increases the diversity of secondary metabolites. Glycosylation steps are implicated not only in plant growth and development, but also in plant defense responses. Although the activities of uridine-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) have long been recognized, and genes encoding them in several higher plants have been identified, the specific functions of UGTs in planta remain largely unknown. Methods: Spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and GUS histochemical assay. In planta transformation in heterologous Arabidopsis was generated by floral dipping using Agrobacterium tumefaciens (C58C1). Protein localization was analyzed by confocal microscopy via fluorescent protein tagging. Results: PgUGT72AL1 was highly expressed in the rhizome, upper root, and youngest leaf compared with the other organs. GUS staining of the promoter: GUS fusion revealed high expression in different organs, including axillary leaf branch. Overexpression of PgUGT72AL1 resulted in a fused organ in the axillary leaf branch. Conclusion: PgUGT72AL1, which is phylogenetically close to PgUGT71A27, is involved in the production of ginsenoside compound K. Considering that compound K is not reported in raw ginseng material, further characterization of this gene may shed light on the biological function of ginsenosides in ginseng plant growth and development. The organ fusion phenotype could be caused by the defective growth of cells in the boundary region, commonly regulated by phytohormones such as auxins or brassinosteroids, and requires further analysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.837-844
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• 2008

Glucose (xylose) isomerases from Streptomyces sp. have been used for the production of high fructose corn syrup for industrial purposes. An 11-kb DNA fragment containing the xyl gene cluster was isolated from Streptomyces lividans TK24 and its nucleotide sequences were analyzed. It was found that the xyl gene cluster contained a putative transcriptional repressor (xylR), xylulokinase (xylB), and xylose isomerase (xylA) genes. The transcriptional directions of the xylB and xylA genes were divergent, which is consistent to those found in other streptomycetes. A gene encoding XylR was located downstream of the xylB gene in the same direction, and its mutant strain produced xylose isomerase regardless of xylose in the media. The enzyme expression level in the mutant was 4.6 times higher than that in the parent strain under xylose-induced condition. Even in the absence of xylose, the mutant strain produce over 60% of enzyme compared with the xylose-induced condition. Gel mobility shift assay showed that XylR was able to bind to the putative xyl promoter, and its binding was inhibited by the addition of xylose in vitro. This result suggested that XylR acts as a repressor in the S. lividans xylose operon.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.209-214
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• 2011

본 실험에서는 상추 연산홍에 apoptosis 관련 유전자인 Bcl-2 유전자를 도입하여 내병성 상추의 육성을 하기 위한 목적으로 형질전환을 수행하였다. 상추의 자엽조직을 NPTII-35S Promoter와 Bcl-2 유전자가 삽입된 Agrobacterium GV 3101과 공동배양 한 후 0.1 mg/L NAA, 0.5 mg/L BAP, 100 mg/L Kanamycin, 300 mg/L Lilacillin이 첨가된 MS 배지에서 식물체가 유기되었다. Kanamycin 내성을 가진 식물체들을 PCR, Southern blot 분석을 통해 Bcl-2 유전자가 안정적으로 식물체 genome 안에 삽입되었음을 확인하였다. 100개의 형질전환식물체가 확인되었으며 T1식물체를 채종하였다. T1 종자를 파종하여 Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. 균주를 접종하여 내병성 검정을 실시하였고 그 중 2개의 line에서 내병성을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과를 통하여 인간의 apoptosis에 관련하는 유전자가 식물체 내에서 안정된 발현을 통하여 내병성을 증가시켰음을 밝혔다.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.425-441
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• 2010

Forages are the backbone of sustainable agriculture. They includes a wide variety of plant species ranging from grasses, such as tall fescue and bermudagrass, to herbaceous legumes, such as alfalfa and white clover. Abiotic stresses, especially salinity, drought, temperature extremes, high photon irradiance, and levels of inorganic solutes, are the limiting factors in the growth and productivity of major cultivated forage crops. Given the great complexity of forage species and the associated difficulties encountered in traditional breeding methods, the potential from molecular breeding in improving forage crops has been recognized. Plant engineering strategies for abiotic stress tolerance largely rely on the gene expression for enzymes involved in pathways leading to the synthesis of functional and structural metabolites, proteins that confer stress tolerance, or proteins in signaling and regulatory pathways. Genetic engineering allows researchers to control timing, tissue-specificity, and expression level for optimal function of the introduced genes. Thus, the use of either a constitutive or stress-inducible promoter may be useful in certain cases. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made towards the development of transgenic forage plants with improved tolerance to abiotic stresses.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.447-455
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• 2012

Akt는 다양한 세포에서 성장, 발달, 증식, 분화와 같은 생리적 활성에 중요한 역할을 하고 골격근 세포에서 Akt는 재생 및 비대와 위축을 조절한다고 알려져 있다. 골격근 세포의 분화에 있어서 Akt의 역할을 밝히고자 본 연구를 수행하였다. 골격근 세포를 분화 시키기 위해 고밀도 및 저농도의 serum 상태에서 배양하며, 분화된 C2C12 근아세포는 둥근 모양에서 다핵을 가진 긴 모양으로 바뀐다. 이러한 형태학적 변화는 분화 시킨 후 2일부터 일어났다. 또한, 골격근 분화 표지인자인 myogenin D와 myogenin G의 발현은 2일 후 관찰되었다. C2C12 세포주에 Akt1 또는 Akt2의 발현을 저하시키면 이와 더불어 골격근으로의 분화도 저해됨을 확인하였고, 이와는 반대로 Akt1 또는 Akt2를 과발현 시키면 골격근으로 분화가 촉진됨을 알 수 있었다. 이와 더불어 Akt의 활성은 분화유도 2일 후부터 관찰되었고 7일 이후로는 감소하였다. Kruppel-like factor 4의 발현은 6일부터 증가하는 것이 관찰이 되었다. Kruppel-like factor 4의 발현 또한 Akt1 또는 Akt2의 발현양이 감소된 C2C12 근아세포에서 줄어들어 있는 것을 확인하였다. 또한 Kruppel-like factor 4의 프로모터 부위에 대한 전사조절능력이 Akt1 또는 Akt2의 발현을 저하시켰을 때 같이 떨어짐을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과들로 보아 Akt가 골격근 분화를 조절하는데 있어 중요하며, Kruppel-like factor 4 발현이 이를 조절하는 데 있어 중요한 역할을 할 것이라 판단된다.

• 대한바이러스학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.247-265
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• 1998

To determine the sequence and expression of the VP7 gene of Korean isolates (CAU-9), viral RNA was purified and used for cDNA amplification by RT-PCR. The VP7 cDNA was cloned, sequenced, and expressed using baculovirus expression system. The result showed that the sequence homologies CAU-9 compared with foreign isolated strains Wa, 417, TMC-II, 95B and SA11 were ranged from 74.0% to 95.1 % of nucleotide sequence and 35% to 43% of amino acid sequence, respectively. High homology of CAU-9 was observed in Japanease isolates 417 (nucleotide sequence homology was 95.1% and amino acid sequence homology was 43%). To express VP7 gene, the VP7 cDNA was cloned into pCR-Bac vector and inserted into the genome of baculovirus adjacent to the polyhedrin promoter by cotransfection of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells with wild type baculovirus DNA. In antigenic analysis of Sf9 cells inoculated with the recombinant VP7, immunofluorescence assay revealed positive for viral antigens. In metabolic labeling of Sf9 cell lysates infected with recombinant baculoviruses, it was revealed that the protein of 34 kDa was expressed. The limited study of expressed VP7 protein inoculated with guinea pigs failed to elicit neutalizing antibody. As a results, the sequence analysis and expression of VP7 protein of rotavirus CAU-9 isolated from an infant in Korea could permit the conformation and development of virus like particles which may be useful in designing vaccine strategy.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권7호
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• pp.645-661
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• 2020

Leaf senescence is a developmental process by which a plant actively remobilizes nutrients from aged and photosynthetically inefficient leaves to young growing ones by disassembling organelles and degrading macromolecules. Senescence is accelerated by age and environmental stresses such as prolonged darkness. Phytochrome B (phyB) inhibits leaf senescence by inhibiting phytochrome-interacting factor 4 (PIF4) and PIF5 in prolonged darkness. However, it remains unknown whether phyB mediates the temperature signal that regulates leaf senescence. We found the light-activated form of phyB (Pfr) remains active at least four days after a transfer to darkness at 20℃ but is inactivated more rapidly at 28℃. This faster inactivation of Pfr further increases PIF4 protein levels at the higher ambient temperature. In addition, PIF4 mRNA levels rise faster after the transfer to darkness at high ambient temperature via a mechanism that depends on ELF3 but not phyB. Increased PIF4 protein then binds to the ORE1 promoter and activates its expression together with ABA and ethylene signaling, accelerating leaf senescence at high ambient temperature. Our results support a role for the phy-PIF signaling module in integrating not only light signaling but also temperature signaling in the regulation of leaf senescence.