• Mycobiology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.1-4
• /
• 2002

Genetic relatedness of medically important Exophiala species such as E. dermatitidis, E. mansonii, and three E. jeanselmei varieties: jeanselmei, lecanii-corni, and heteromorpha was examined using PCR-RFLP(restriction fragment length polymorphism) of ribosomal DNA, M-13, $(GTG)_5$ and nucleotide sequences of ribosomal ITS(internal transcribed space) II regions. Three E. jeanselmei varieties showing distinct band patterns for each DNA markers as well as different nucleotide sequences of ribosomal ITS II regions could be considered as a separate species. E. dermatitidis and E. mansonii demonstrated the identical band patterns of RFLP of ribosomal DNA, M-13, and $(GTG)_5$ markers. However, nucleotides sequences of ribosomal ITS II region were different between these two species.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.29 no.10
• /
• pp.1164-1170
• /
• 2019

The present study was carried out to evaluate extracts of Ginko biloba's outer seed coat, their antioxidative effects, and their ability to protect against DNA damage due to hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) treatments in cultured human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells. The bioassays applied for determining the antioxidant effects of a G. biloba outer seed coat water extract (GOSWE) and a G. biloba outer seed coat methanol extract (GOSME) included the DPPH and $H_2O_2$ radical scavenging assays. Our results revealed that GOSME had higher activity than GOSWE against $H_2O_2$ radical scavenging activity in in vitro and in vivo bioassays. Treatment with GOSME significantly increased the viability of $H_2O_2-treated$ HaCaT cells. GOSME's ability to protect against DNA damage was observed via the analysis of plasmids in vitro and genomic DNA in $H_2O_2-treated$ HaCaT cells. According to our data, GOSME is able to protect HaCaT cells from $H_2O_2-induced$ DNA damage and apoptosis by blocking cellular damage related to oxidative stress. In conclusion, our study indicated GOSME might serve as a novel agent for the treatment and prevention of skin disorders caused by oxidative stress.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.390-397
• /
• 2015

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic alcohol and excessive iron intake on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and the progression of alcoholic liver injury in rats. Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into four groups (Control, EtOH, Fe, and EtOH + Fe), and fed either control or ethanol (36% of total calories) liquid diet with or without 0.6% carbonyl iron for eight weeks. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, liver malondialdehyde concentrations were measured by colorimetric assays. Liver histopathology was examined by Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the fixed liver tissues. The integrity of the hepatic mtDNA and nuclear DNA was measured by long-range PCR. The gene expression levels of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (Nd4) were examined by real-time PCR. Results: Serum ALT and AST activities were significantly higher in the EtOH+Fe group, as compared to the Control group. Similarly, among four groups, liver histology showed the most severe lipid accumulation, inflammation, and necrosis in the EtOH + Fe group. PCR amplification of near-full-length (15.9 kb) mtDNA showed more than 50% loss of full-length product in the liver of the EtOH + Fe group, whereas amounts of PCR products of a nuclear DNA were unaffected. In addition, the changes in the mtDNA integrity showed correlation with reductions in the mRNA levels of mitochondrial gene Cox1 and Nd4. Conclusion: Our data suggested that the liver injury associated with excessive iron and alcohol intake involved mtDNA damage and corresponding mitochondrial dysfunction.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.13-19
• /
• 2010

We developed a novel dicistronic system for the expression of target cDNA sequences in the milk of transgenic animals using goat beta-casein/hGH fusion construct, pGbc5.5hGH (Lee, 2006) and internal ribosome entry site (IRES) sequences of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (hG-CSF) cDNA was linked to 3' untranslated region of hGH gene in the pGbc5.5hGH via EMCV IRES sequences. Transgenic mice were generated by microinjection and transgene expression was examined in the milk and mammary gland of transgenic mice at 10 days of lactation. Northern blot analysis showed that hGH gene and hG-CSF cDNA were transcribed as a single dicistronic mRNA. The hG-CSF and hGH proteins were independently translated from the dicistronic mRNA and secreted into the milk of transgenic mice. The highest concentration of hG-CSF and hGH in the milk of transgenic mice were $237{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and $8,990{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively. In contrast, another hG-CSF expression cassette, in which hG-CSF genomic sequences were inserted into a commercial milk-specific expression vector (pBC1), generated a lower level ($91{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) of hG-CSF expression in the milk of transgenic mice. These results demonstrated that the novel pGbc5.5hGH-based dicistronic construct could be useful for an efficient cDNA expression in the milk of transgenic animals.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.113-118
• /
• 2003

We recently extracted lignans such as matairesinol and 2-hydroxyarctigenin from safflower seeds and found that they exhibit a potent cytotoxic effect on human promyleocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. In this study, we investigated whether mechanisms of the matairesinol-induced cell death are associated with the programmed cell death, apoptosis. Matairesinol dose-dependently reduced viability of HL-60 cells with an IC/sun 50/ value of 60 $\mu$M. Staining of cells with Hoechst 33342 revealed distinct morphological features of apoptosis, such as the nuclei broken into chromatin containing fragments of various sizes in the cells exposed to 100 $\mu$M matairesinol for 24 hr. Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA from the cells treated with matairesinol showed internucleosomal DNA degradation into oligonucleosomal sizes. DNA ladder like patterns were easily detected after treatment with matairesinol concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 $\mu$M after 24 hr. In cells treated with 100 $\mu$M matairesinol for differing time periods, the DNA ladder was detectable from 6 hr onward. A time course histogram of the DNA content analyzed by flow cytometry revealed a rapid increase in subdiploid cells and a concomitant decrease in diploid cells exposed to 100 $\mu$M matairesinol. These results indicate that matairesinol-induced HL-60 cell death was due to the DNA damage and apoptosis.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.54-65
• /
• 2022

Species distribution models are a useful tool for predicting future distribution and establishing a preemptive response of invasive species. However, few studies considered the possibility of habitat for the aquatic organism and the number of target sites was relatively small compared to the area. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the emerging tool as the methodology obtaining the bulk of species presence data with high detectability. Thus, this study applied eDNA survey results of Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus to species distribution modeling by seasons in the Anyang stream network. Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model evaluated that both species extended potential distribution area in October compared to July from 89.1% (12,110,675 m²) to 99.3% (13,625,525 m²) for M. salmoides and 76.6% (10,407,350 m²) to 100% (13,724,225 m²) for L. macrochirus. The prediction value by streams was varied according to species and seasons. Also, models elucidate the significant environmental variables which affect the distribution by seasons and species. Our results identified the potential of eDNA methodology as a way to retrieve species data effectively and use data for building a model.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.42-47
• /
• 2024

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of temperature and storage time on the quality and DNA integrity of freeze-dried sperm from individuals with normozoospermia. Methods: Normal sperm samples from 15 men aged 24 to 40 years were studied. Each sample was divided into six groups: fresh, freezing (frozen in liquid nitrogen), freeze-dried then preserved at room temperature for 1 month (FD-1m-RT), freeze-dried then preserved at room temperature for 2 months (FD-2m-RT), freeze-dried then preserved at 4 ℃ for 1 month (FD-1m-4 ℃), and freeze-dried then preserved at 4 ℃ for 2 months (FD-2m-4 ℃). The morphology, progressive motility, vitality, and DNA integrity of the sperm were evaluated in all groups. Results: In all freeze-dried groups, sperm cells were immotile after rehydration. The freeze-dried groups also showed significantly less sperm vitality than the fresh and frozen groups. Significantly more morphological sperm abnormalities were found in the freeze-dried groups, but freeze-drying did not lead to a significantly higher DNA fragmentation index (DFI). The DFI was significantly higher in the FD-2m-RT group than in the other freeze-dried groups. Conclusion: The freeze-drying method preserved the integrity of sperm DNA. The temperature and duration of storage were also identified as factors that influenced the DFI. Accordingly, more research is needed on ways to improve sperm quality in the freeze-drying process.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.7-13
• /
• 2000

The mechanisms of benzene toxicity is not fully elucidated, although the metabolism of benzene is very well understood. In order to study the mechanism of benzene toxicity, we investigated DNA damage induced by benzene metabolite, 1,2,4-benzenetriol (BT) in HL-60 cells by alkaline comet assay. To investigate the mechanism of cellular DNA damage induced by BT, the cells were treated with antioxidant such as vitamin C, SOD, catalase, and chelating agent such as deferoxamine (DFO), bathocuproinedisulfonic acid (BCDS). BT induced DNA damage in dose-dependent manner at concentration between 10$\mu\textrm{m}$ and 100$\mu\textrm{m}$. The antioxidant vitamin C itself induced DNA damage at higher concentration. The DNA damage induced by BT in HL-60 cells was protected at low concentraiton of vitamin C whereas no protective effect was found at high concentration. In hibitory effect of SOD on DNA damage by BT was observed and this suggested that BT produce superoxide anion (O2-) causing DNA damage. Catalase protected BT-induced DNA damage suggesting that BT produce H2O2 during autooxidation of BT. Both Fe(II)-specific cheiating agent, deferoxamine (DFO) and Cu(I)-specific chelating agent, bathocuproinedisulfonic acid (BCDS) inhibited BT0induced DNA damage. This suggested that DNA damage was caused by active species which was produced DAN damage. This suggested that DNA damage was caused by active species which was produced by the autooxidation of BT in the presence of Cu(II) and Fe(III). These findings suggest that reactive oxygen species play an important role in the mechanism of toxicity induced by benzene metabolites.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.363-370
• /
• 2002

For the development of diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to fungal infection by dermatophytes Trichophyton and Microsporum, detection of the fungal DNA by PCR and analysis of the DNA pattern were undertaken in the present study. A total of 15 strains were tested and those consisted of 3 reference strains and 12 isolates such as: reference strains of T mentagrophytes (downy type, ATCC 9533), T rubrum (IFO 6204) and M gypseum (ATCC 9083), and each isolate of T mentogrophytes (powdery type), T mentagrophytes (granular type), T mentogrophytes (purple-red type), T rubrum, T raubitschekii, T tonsurans, T equinum, T ajelloi, T verrucosum, M cookei, M nanum and M gypseum. The DNA were purely isolated from all strains of Trichophyton spp. and Microsporum spp. by a simple method partly consisted of disruption of fungal cells by lyophilization and grinding and extraction of fungal DNA without phenol treatment which is a routine procedure in DNA isolation. For the detection of fungal DNAs, optimal condition of PCR was determined as preheating once at $94^{\circ}C$ for 5 min, 35 cycles of denaturation at $94^{\circ}C$ for 1 min, annealing at $38^{\circ}C$ for 1 min and polymerization at $72^{\circ}C$ for 2 min, and 1 cycle of final extension at $72^{\circ}C$ for 5 min. In PCR using arbitrary primers AP-1 (5' ACCCGACCTG3') and AP-2 (5' ACGGGCCAGT3'), DNAs in various numbers and sizes were detected from different species of Trichophyton and Microsporum, while DNAs in similar size were also detected in all strains of Trichophyton spp. and Microsporum spp. There were unique DNAs observed from certain dermatophytes by AP-1 such as 1,900 bases in T rubrum, 950 and 1,100 bases in T raubitscheldi, 2,100 bases in T equinum, 400 bases in T verrucosum and 1,150 bases in M gypseum. The unique DNAs were also observed by AP-2 such as 1,200 bases in T ajelloi, 250 bases in T verrucosum, 1,150 bases in M cookei and 2,000 bases in M nanum. The results indicated that PCR can detect a specific DNA from certain Trychophyton and Microsporum spp, which can be the information for further development of diagoomc PCR to dennatophytes.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.23 no.3 s.74
• /
• pp.202-208
• /
• 1995

This study describes the effects of several components on PCR amplification used for RAPD. We used different concentrations of reaction components to obtaine discrete and reproducible PCR products from Pleurotus cornucopiae. The optimum concentrations of reaction components were found to be 80 ng of template DNA, 30 pmole of 10-mer primer, $200\;{\mu}M$ dNTP, 2mM $MgCl_2$, 50 mM KCl, 10 mM Tris-HCl(pH 9.0), 0.1% Triton X-100, 1.5 unit of Taq DNA polymerase (promega) in $50\;{\mu}l$ reaction volume. The optimum annealing temperature was $35^{\circ}C$. These results proved to be valuable for characterization of Pleurotus spp.