• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.522-528
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• 2003

The RAD4 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is essential for the incision step of UV-induced excision repair. A yeast RAD4 gene has been previously isolated by functional complementation. In order to identify the RAD4 homologous gene from fungus Coprinus cinereus, we have constructed cosmid libraries from electrophoretically separated chromosomes of the C. cinereus. The 13 C. cinereus chromosomes were resolved by pulse-field gel electrophoresis, hybridized with S. cerevisiae RAD4 DNA, and then isolated homologous C. cinereus chromosome. The insert DNA of the RAD4 homolog was contained 3.2 kb. Here, we report the characterization of fungus C. cinereus homolog of yeast RAD4 gene. Southern blot analysis confirmed that C. cinereus contains the RAD4 homolog gene and this gene exists as a single copy in C. cinereus genome. When total RNA isolated from C. cinereus cells was hybridized with the 1.2 kb PvuII DNA fragment of the S. cerevisiae RAD4 gene, a 2.5 kb of transcript was detected. In order to investigation whether the increase of transcripts by DNA damaging agent, transcripts levels were examined after treating the cells. The level of transcript did not increase by untraviolet light (UV). This result indicated that the RAD4 homologous gene is not UV inducible gene. Gene deletion experiments indicate that the RAD4 homologous gene is essential for cell viability.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2001

The present study intends to characterize the DNA damage-inducible responses in eukaryotic cells. The fission yeast, S. pombe, which displays efficient DNA repair systems, was used in this study as a model system for higher eukaryotes. To study UV-inducible responses in S. pombe, five UV-inducible cDNA clones were isolated from S. pombe by using subtration hybridization method. To investigate the expression of isolated genes, the cellular levels of the transcripts of these genes were determined by Northern blot analysis after UV-irradiation. The transcripts of isolated gene (UV130) increased rapidly and reached maximum accumulation after UV-irradiation. Compared to the message levels of control, the levels of maximal increase were approximately 5 fold to UV-irradiation. In order to investigation whether the increase of UV130 transcripts was a specific results of UV-irradiation, UV130 transcript levels were examined after treating the cells to Methylmethane sulfonate (MMS). The transcripts of UV130 were not induced by treatment of 0.25% MMS. These results implied that the effects of damaging agents are complex and different regulatory pathways exist for the induction of these genes. To characterize the structure of UV130 gene, nucleotide sequences were analyzed. The nucleotide sequence of 1,340 nucleotide excluding poly(A) tail contains one open reading frame, which encodes a protein of 270 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequences of UV130 do not exhibit any significant similarity to ther known sequences in the database.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.221-226
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• 2007

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are known to have an infinite proliferation and pluripotency that are associated with complex processes. The objective of this study was to examine expression of genes differentially regulated during differentiation of human ES cells by suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Human ES cells were induced to differentiate into neural precursor cells via embryoid body. Neural precursor cells were isolated physically based on morphological criteria. Immunocytochemical analysis showed expression of pax6 in neural precursor cells, confirming that the isolated cells were neural precursor cells. Undifferentiated human ES cells and neural precursor cells were subject to the SSH. TPX2 (Targeting Protein for Xklp2 (Xenopus centrosomal kinesin-like protein 2)) was identified, cloned and analyzed during differentiation of human ES cells into neural lineages. Expression of TPX2 was gradually down-regulated in embryoid bodies and neural precursor cells relative to undifferentiated ES cells. Targeting Protein for Xklp2 has been shown to be involved in cell division by interaction with microtubule development in cancer cells. Taken together, result of this study suggests that TPX2 may be involved in proliferation and differentiation of human ES cells.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.393-399
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• 1998

Enterobacter sp.B54 which shows antagonistic activity to Phytophthora capsici on potato dextrose agar was selected among 112 strains isolated from Korean soil. After Tn5 lac-induced mutants were obtained through Pl :: Tn5 lac mutagenesis, 2 mutants for loss of antibiosis and 1 mutant for increased antibiosis were screened by using in vitro fungal inhibition assay. When the 3 mutants affected in antibiosis were analyzed by southern hybridization with pRZ102 (ColEl :: Tn5) as a probe, its results suggest that Tn5 lac was randomly inserted into different chromosomal sites in these mutants.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.8 no.3_4
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• pp.93-97
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• 2001

Heterosigma akashiwo has been reported as red-tide causing phytoplankton in the Korean coastal area during summer when they are exposed to high light. It also shows photosynthetic adaptability to strong light during culture in the laboratory. On the basis of these observations, we tried to find out some genes specifically expressed in Heterosimga akashiwo during exposure to high light, assuming that they might have some resistant mechanisms associated with light adaptation. For this purpose, we carried out DD-PCR to detect differentially expressed mRNAs from cells that had been illuminated under high light for 3 days. We found eight cDNA clones that had been expressed specificically for high light. When they were further screened by reverse Northern hybridization, three of them were identified to be positive cDNA clones. When these cDNA fragments were subjected to DNA sequencing and then their base sequences were compared to GenBank database, one of them showed sequence homology 86% identical to the partial sequence of 16S rRNA gene of eubacterium CRO-18.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.590-594
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• 2008

brc-2, an ortholog of BRCA2 in Caenorhabditis elegans, is essential in the maintenance of genetic integrity. In C. elegans, cellular location correlates with meiotic progression, and transgene-induced cosuppression is observed in the germ line but not in somatic cells. We used these unique features to dissect the role of brc-2 in the germ line from that in somatic cells. In situ hybridization of wild type animals revealed that brc-2 gene expression was higher in oocytes than in other germline cells, and was barely detectable in mitotic cells. In contrast, germ cells containing multicopies of the brc-2 transgene showed no significant in situ hybridization signal at any oogenesis stage, confirming that brc-2 expression was functionally cosuppressed in the transgenic germ line. RAD-51 foci formation in response to DNA damage was abrogated in brc-2-cosuppressed germ cells, whereas wild-type germ cells showed strong RAD-51 foci formation. These germ cells exhibited massive chromosome fragmentation and decompaction instead of six bivalent chromosomes in diakinesis. Accordingly, lethality was observed after the early stage of germline development. These results suggest that brc-2 plays essential roles in chromosome integrity in early prophase, and therefore is crucial in meiotic progression and embryonic survival.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2000

Using differential display techniques, a new acidic pathogenesis-related (PR) protein-1 cDNA (GMPRla) gene was isolated from a cDNA library of soybean (Glycinemax L.Merr, cultivar Jangyup) hypocotyls infected by Phytophthora sojae f. sp. glycines. The 741 bp of fulllength GMPRla clone contains an open reading frame of 525 nucleotides encoding 174 amino acid residues (pI 4.23) with a putative signal peptide of 27 amino acids in the N-terminus. Predicted molecular weight of the protein is 18,767 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of GMPRla has a high level of identity with PR-1 proteins from Brassica napus, Nicotiana tabacum, and Sambucus nigra. The GMPRla mRNA was more strongly expressed in the incompatible than the compatible interaction. The transcript accumulation was induced in the soybbean hypocotyls by treatment with ethephon or DL-$\beta$-amino-n-butyric acid, but not by wounding. In situ hybridization data showed that GMPRIa mRNAs were usually localized in the vascular bundle of hypocotyl tissues, especially phloem tissue. Differences between compatible and incompatible interactions in the timing of GMPRla mRNA accumulation were remarkable, but the spatial distribution of GMPRla mRNA was similar in both interactions. However, more GMPRla mRNA was accumulated in soybean hypocotyls at 6 and 24 h after inoculation.

• ALGAE
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.239-249
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• 2005

Some marine coenocytic green algae could form protoplasts from the extruded protoplasm in seawater. The dissociated cell components of the coenocytic protoplasm could be reunited into live cells and, hence, the formation of new species by mixing protoplasms from different coenocytic cells has been predicted. Our results showed that an incompatibility barrier was present during protoplast formation in coenocytic algae to exclude foreign inorganic particles or alien cell components. No inorganic particles or alien cell components were incorporated into protoplast formed spontaneously in seawater. Even when the inorganic particles or alien cell and/or cell component were incorporated into protoplast in some experimental condition, they were expelled from the protoplast or degenerated within several days. A species-specific cytotoxicity was observed during protoplast hybridization between the protoplasms of Bryopsis spp. and Microdictyon umbilicatum. The cell sap of M. umbilicatum could destroy the cell components of Bryopsis spp., but had no effect on Chaetomorpha moniligera. Species C. moniligera and Bryopsis did not affect protoplast generation of either species. The wound-induced protoplast formation in vitro might have evolved in some coenocytic algae as a dispersal method, and the incompatibility barrier to alien particles or cell and/or cell component could serve as a protective mechanism for successful propagation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.245-250
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• 1995

The carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$) has been demonstrated to have a hepatotoxic effect in human or many other species. To investigate the enzyme induction of mixed function oxygenases in liver of male Sprague-Dawley rats a single 0.1, 0.5 mι/kg dose of carbon tetrachloride were given. At 24 hr after a single dose of 0.1 mι CC1$_4$/kg weight, methanol extract of Hedera rhombea leaves was administered with 100, 500 mg/kg weight. Assays of 7-ethoxyresorufin-Ο-deethylation(EROD),7-benzyloxyresorufin-Ο-deathylation(BROD),4-nitro-phenol-UDP-glucuronosyltransferase(UDPGT), Western blot and RNA slot blot were used as representatives of the activities of cytochrome P-450 enzymes. The change of the activity of CYP1A1 form measured by EROD assay and Western analysis using 1-7-1 monoclonal antibody was not observed. The activity CYP2B1 form by BROD assay and using 2-66-3 monoclonal antibody was remarkably increased. Elevated level of CYP2B1 mRNA was shown by slot hybridization with 2B1-specific probe. Administration of methanol extract of Hedera rhombea leaves reversed the enzyme activity and the level of mRNA, which suggest the chemoprotective effect of methanol extracts of Hedera rhombea leaves to carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxlcity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.447-456
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• 2005

TNF-$\alpha$ plays a pivotal role in inflammation processes which are mainly regulated by endothelial cells. While TNF-$\alpha$ induces apoptosis of several cell types like tumor cells, endothelial cells are resistant to TNFa mediated cell death. The cytotoxic effects of TNF-$\alpha$ on most cells are only evident if RNA or protein synthesis is inhibited, suggesting that de novo RNA or protein synthesis protect cells from TNF-$\alpha$ cytotoxicity, presumably by NF-${\kappa}B$ mediated induction of protective genes. However, the cytoprotective genes involved in NF-${\kappa}B$ dependent endothelial cell survival have not been sufficiently identified. In the present study, the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method was employed to identify rarely transcribed TNF-$\alpha$ inducible genes in human arterial endothelial cells related to cell survival and cell cycle. The TNF-$\alpha$-induced expression of the RNA binding protein $p54^{nrb}$ and the 14-3-3 protein HS1 as shown here for the first time may contribute to the TNF-$\alpha$ mediated cell protection of endothelial cells. These genes have been shown to play pivotal roles in cell survival and cell cycle control in different experimental settings. The concerted expression of these genes together with other genes related to cell protection and cell cycle like DnaJ, $p21^{cip1}$ and the ubiquitin activating enzyme E1 demonstrates the identification of new genes in the context of TNF-$\alpha$ induced gene expression patterns mediating the prosurvival effect of TNF-$\alpha$ in endothelial cells.