• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.181-187
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• 2006

최근 돼지의 장기를 사람에게 이식하는 이종간 장기 이식에 관한 연구가 급속히 발전되고 있다. 그러나 돼지의 장기를 이식할 경우 가장 큰 문제점 중의 하나는 돼지 genome 내에 존재하는 내인성 레트로바이러스(porcine endogenous retrovirus; PERV)가 인간에게 그대로 전이될 수 있다는 것이다. 이에 대한 대안으로 최근 활발히 연구되고 있는 RNA 간섭을 통한 PERV RNA의 발현을 최대한 억제하는 방법이 제안되고 있는데, RNA 간섭(RNA interference)은 double-standard RNA(dsRNA)가 상보적인 표적 mRNA를 분해하여 결과적으로 표적 단백질의 발현을 특이적으로 억제하는 현상을 의미한다. 본 연구에서는 PERV에 대한 RNA 간섭 현상을 일으키는 shRNA 유전자를 레트로바이러스 벡터를 이용하여 돼지세포에 RNA)가 상보적인 표적 mRNA를 분해하여 결과적으로 표적 단백질의 발현을 특이적으로 억제하는 현상을 의미하다. 도입한 후 PERV의 발현율 감소 여부를 조사하였다. 그 결과, gag-pol 유전자와 env 유전자 발현은 각각 대조군 세포의 4%와 10% 정도로 억제되었다. 한편, virus 입자의 생산에서 gag-pol 유전자는 대조군 세포에 비해 300배 이상 억제되었으며, env 유전자에서는 20만 배 이상 억제되었다. 이상의 결과를 미루어 볼 때 형질 전환 돼지를 이용한 이종 장기 이식에 있어서 RNA 간섭 현상을 이용한 PERV의 발현을 억제하는 시도는 생물학적안전성을 크게 증가시킬 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.126-132
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aims to provide basic data regarding the bacterial total plate count in the atmospheric environment for related studies. Methods: Total plate count and the identification of culturable bacteria in the atmospheric environment in Incheon took place in 2015 using periodic survey. Correlationship analysis was performed between the number of culturable bacteria and environmental elements. In addition, an estimation of novel bacterial species was undertaken using the similarities and phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene. Results: The total plate count of culturable bacteria was on average $176CFU/m^3$, and did not exceed $610CFU/m^3$ in the atmospheric environment. Periodic monthly measuring of total plate count was highest in June at $293CFU/m^3$, while the lowest was in July at $125CFU/m^3$. Furthermore, as a result of the identification of culturable bacteria, the genera Arthrobacter and Kocuria were dominant, while novel bacterial taxa that belong to the genera Chryseobacterium and Herbiconiux were separated. Conclusion: The total number of culturable bacteria from the atmospheric environment in Korea is on average $176CFU/m^3$. In addition, the genera Arthrobacter and Kocuria dominate. The presence of novel bacterial taxa are expected in the atmospheric environment, such as belonging to the genera Chryseobacterium and Herbiconiux.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.747-754
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• 2005

Nutritional regulation of gene expression associated with growth and feeding behavior in avian species can become an important technique to improve poultry production according to the supply of nutrients in the diet. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) found in chickens has been characterized to be a 70 amino acid polypeptide and plays an important role in growth and metabolism. Although it is been well known that IGF-I is highly associated with embryonic development and post-hatching growth, changes in the distribution of IGF-I gene expression throughout early- to late-embryogenesis have not been studied so far. We revealed that the developmental pattern of IGF-I gene expression during embryogenesis differed among various tissues. No bands of IGF-I mRNA were detected in embryonic liver at 7 days of incubation, and thereafter the amount of hepatic IGF-I mRNA was increased from 14 to 20 days of incubation. In eyes, a peak in IGF-I mRNA levels occurred at mid-embryogenesis, but by contrast, IGF-I mRNA was barely detectable in the heart throughout all incubation periods. In the muscle, no significant difference in IGF-I gene expression was observed during different stages of embryogenesis. After hatching, hepatic IGF-I gene expression as well as plasma IGF-I concentration increases rapidly with age, reaches a peak before sexual maturity, and then declines. The IGF-I gene expression is very sensitive to changes in nutritional conditions. Food-restriction and fasting decreased hepatic IGF-I gene expression and refeeding restored IGF-I gene expression to the level of fed chickens. Dietary protein is also a very strong factor in changing hepatic IGF-I gene expression. Refeeding with dietary protein alone successfully restored hepatic IGF-I gene expression of fasted chickens to the level of fed controls. In most circumstances, IGF-I makes a complex with specific high-affinity IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). So far, four different IGFBPs have been identified in avian species and the major IGFBP in chicken plasma has been reported to be IGFBP-2. We studied the relationship between nutritional status and IGFBP-2 gene expression in various tissues of young chickens. In the liver of fed chickens, almost no IGFBP-2 mRNA was detected. However, fasting markedly increased hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression, and the level was reduced after refeeding. In the gizzard of well-fed young chickens, IGFBP-2 gene expression was detected and fasting significantly elevated gizzard IGFBP-2 mRNA levels to about double that of fed controls. After refeeding, gizzard IGFBP-2 gene expression decreased similar to hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression. In the brain, IGFBP-2 mRNA was observed in fed chickens and had significantly decreased by fasting. In the kidney, IGFBP-2 gene expression was observed but not influenced by fasting and refeeding. Recently, we have demonstrated in vivo that gizzard and hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression in fasted chickens was rapidly reduced by intravenous administration of insulin, as indicated that in young chickens the reduction in gizzard and hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression in vivo stimulated by malnutrition may be, in part, regulated by means of the increase in plasma insulin concentration via an insulin-response element. The influence of dietary protein source (isolated soybean protein vs. casein) and the supplementation of essential amino acids on gizzard IGFBP-2 gene expression was examined. In both soybean protein and casein diet groups, the deficiency of essential amino acids stimulated chickens to increase gizzard IGFBP-2 gene expression. Although amino acid supplementation of a soybean protein diet significantly decreased gizzard IGFBP-2 mRNA levels, a similar reduction was not observed in chickens fed a casein diet supplemented with amino acids. This overview of nutritional regulation of IGF-I and IGFBP-2 gene expression in young chickens would serve for the establishment of the supply of nutrients to diets to improve poultry production.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.251-257
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• 2008

대청호와 용담호로부터 조류 독소인 microcystin을 생산하는 남조세균을 분리하고, 이의 16S rRNA와 microcystin 생합성 유전자(mcyA)를 분석하였다. 분리된 조류 중 대청호에서 분리된 DC-2와 총담호에서 분리된 YD-1, YD-6은 16S rRNA와 mcyA 유전자 염기서열을분석한 결과 Microcystis aeruginosa에 속하는 것으로 판단되었다. 용담호에서 분리된 YDS2-3의 경우, mcyA 유전자는 M. aeruginosa와 매우 유사하나 16S rRNA 유전자는 매우 상이한 것으로 나타나 Microcystis 속에 속하는 새로운 종일 가능성 이 있는 것으로 판단되었다. 대청호와 용담호 시료로부터 mcyA 유전자 library를 구축하여 분리된 조류의 유전자와 비교한 결과, DC-2의 mcyA 유전자가 두 호수에서 가장 우점하는 것과 일치하였다. 본 연구에서 분리된 조류는 독성 조류의 모니터링 및 제어에 관한 연구에 활용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권10호
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• pp.870-879
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• 2020

Dendrites require precise and timely delivery of protein substrates to distal areas to ensure the correct morphology and function of neurons. Many of these protein substrates are supplied in the form of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex consisting of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and mRNAs, which are subsequently translated in distal dendritic areas. It remains elusive, however, whether key RBPs supply mRNA according to local demands individually or in a coordinated manner. In this study, we investigated how Drosophila sensory neurons respond to the dysregulation of a disease-associated RBP, Ataxin-2 (ATX2), which leads to dendritic defects. We found that ATX2 plays a crucial role in spacing dendritic branches for the optimal dendritic receptive fields in Drosophila class IV dendritic arborization (C4da) neurons, where both expression level and subcellular location of ATX2 contribute significantly to this effect. We showed that translational upregulation through the expression of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) further enhanced the ATX2-induced dendritic phenotypes. Additionally, we found that the expression level of another disease-associated RBP, fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), decreased in both cell bodies and dendrites when neurons were faced with aberrant upregulation of ATX2. Finally, we revealed that the PAM2 motif of ATX2, which mediates its interaction with poly(A)-binding protein (PABP), is potentially necessary for the decrease of FMRP in certain neuronal stress conditions. Collectively, our data suggest that dysregulation of RBPs triggers a compensatory regulation of other functionally-overlapping RBPs to minimize RBP dysregulation-associated aberrations that hinder neuronal homeostasis in dendrites.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.81-88
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• 2016

In many fish species, including Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), gonadal development occurs at the expense of stored energy and nutrients. Therefore, reproductive systems are inhibited by limited food supply. It has been well established that reproductive function is highly sensitive to both metabolic status and energy balance. Nothing is known about the possible mediated connection between energy balance and reproduction. Kisspeptin, a neuropeptide product of the Kiss gene has emerged as an essential gatekeeper of reproduction and may be possibly be linked to energy balance and reproduction in non-mammalians. Thus, in this study, the effect of fasting (10 days) on the expression of kisspeptin and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) gene were assessed in Nile tilapia (male and female) using qRT-PCR. In addition, plasma levels of estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) in adult tilapia were measured by ELISA. In male tilapia, fasting reduced Kiss2 and GnRH I mRNA expression in the brain and 11-KT level in comparison with the fed tilapia (p < 0.05). In females, however, there were no significant differences in GnRH I mRNA expression and $E_2$ between fish subjected to fasting and those fed (p > 0.05). These data indicate the impact of nutritional states on kisspeptin as a potential regulatory mechanism for the control of reproduction in male Nile tilapia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.331-336
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• 2010

In rapidly growing tumors, hypoxia commonly develops due to the imbalance between $O_2$ consumption and supply. Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF)-$1{\alpha}$ is a transcription factor responsible for tumor growth and angiogenesis in the hypoxic microenvironment; thus, its inhibition is regarded as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Given that CamKII or PARP inhibitors are emerging anticancer agents, we investigated if they have the potential to be developed as new HIF-$1{\alpha}$-targeting drugs. When treating various cancer cells with the inhibitors, we found that a CamKII inhibitor, KN-62, effectively suppressed HIF-$1{\alpha}$ specifically in hepatoma cells. To examine the effect of KN-62 on HIF-$1{\alpha}$-driven gene expression, we analyzed the EPO-enhancer reporter activity and mRNA levels of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ downstream genes, such as EPO, LOX and CA9. Both the reporter activity and the mRNA expression were repressed by KN-62. We also found that KN-62 suppressed HIF-$1{\alpha}$ by impairing synthesis of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ protein. Based on these results, we propose that KN-62 is a candidate as a HIF-$1{\alpha}$-targeting anticancer agent.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제63권5호
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• pp.1126-1141
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• 2021

Recent evidence has shown that methionine (Met) supplementation can improve milk protein synthesis under hyperthermia (which reduces milk production). To explore the mechanism by which milk protein synthesis is affected by Met supplementation under hyperthermia, mammary alveolar (MAC-T) cells were incubated at a hyperthermic temperature of 42℃ for 6 h in media with different concentrations of Met. While the control group (CON) contained a normal amino acid concentration profile (60 ㎍/mL of Met), the three treatment groups were supplemented with Met at concentrations of 10 ㎍/mL (MET70, 70 ㎍/mL of Met), 20 ㎍/mL (MET80, 80 ㎍/mL of Met), and 30 ㎍/mL (MET90,90 ㎍/mL of Met). Our results show that additional Met supplementation increases the mRNA and protein levels of BCL2 (B-cell lymphoma-2, an anti-apoptosis agent), and decreases the mRNA and protein levels of BAX (Bcl-2-associated X protein, a pro-apoptosis agent), especially at an additional supplementary concentration of 20 ㎍/mL (group Met80). Supplementation with higher concentrations of Met decreased the mRNA levels of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9, and increased protein levels of heat shock protein (HSP70). The total protein levels of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the mTOR signalling pathway-related proteins, AKT, ribosomal protein S6 kinase B1 (RPS6KB1), and ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6), increased with increasing Met supplementation, and peaked at 80 ㎍/mL Met (group Met80). In addition, we also found that additional Met supplementation upregulated the gene expression of αS1-casein (CSN1S1), β-casein (CSN2), and the amino acid transporter genes SLC38A2, SLC38A3 which are known to be mTOR targets. Additional Met supplementation, however, had no effect on the gene expression of κ-casein (CSN3) and solute carrier family 34 member 2 (SLC34A2). Our results suggest that additional Met supplementation with 20 ㎍/mL may promote the synthesis of milk proteins in bovine mammary epithelial cells under hyperthermia by inhibiting apoptosis, activating the AKT-mTOR-RPS6KB1 signalling pathway, and regulating the entry of amino acids into these cells.

• 한국양식학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.190-195
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• 2008

본 연구는 Paracyclopina nana의 먹이생물로써의 우수성을 핵산과 소화효소 활성을 기준으로 넙치 Paralichthys olivaceus 자어를 대상으로 밝히기 위한 것이었다. 실험은 P. nana 단독구(C 실험구), Artemia nauplii 단독구(A 실험구) 그리고 혼합구(M 실험구)로 나누어서 실시하였다. 넙치 자어의 체장은 부화 28일째, P. nana 단독 공급구에서 높게 나타났다. 건조중량당 핵산 함량은 C, M 실험구에서 A 실험구보다 함량이 빠르게 증가하였으며, RNA/DNA ratio는 C 실험구가 M, A 실험구보다 감소 경향이 빨랐다. 이들 자어의 생존률은 실험구에 따른 차이는 없었지만, 비색소침착률은 C, M 실험구에서 낮게 나타났으며, 실험 종료 시 변태율은 C 실험구에서 가장 높게 나타났고, A 실험구에서 유의적으로 가장 낮게 나타났다. $\alpha$-amylase 활성은 모든 실험구에서 증가하는 활성의 경향을 보였다. TAP 활성은 A 실험구에서 26일째 이후 9 mU/larva의 활성으로 높게 나타났으나, 다른 실험구에서는 $5{\sim}6$ mU/larva로 증가하지 않았다. $TAP/{\alpha}-amylase$ 활성의 비에서 A 실험구는 실험기간 동안 유의적으로 변화가 없었으나, C, M 실험구는 유의적으로 낮아지는 경향을 보였다. 결과적으로 실험구들의 성장, 핵산 함량의 변태와 관련된 시기적 증감 현상, 그리고 C, M 실험구에서 지속적으로 낮아지는 $TAP/{\alpha}-amylase$ 활성비를 보았을 때, 넙치 자어의 가장 높은 성장률을 볼 수 있었던 요각류인 P. nana를 공급하는 것이 이 시기의 효과적인 사육 방법인 것으로 판단된다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.221-229
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• 2013

Cathepsins are members of the multigene family of lysosomal cysteine proteinases and have regulated function in several life processes. The potential role of cathepsin F cysteine gene was expected as protease in the yolk processing mechanism during early developmental stage, but expression analysis was unknown after fertilization. The alignment analysis showed that amino acid sequence of cathepsin F from olive flounder liver expressed sequence tag (EST) homologous to cathepsin F of other known cathepsin F sequences with 87-98% identity. In this study, we examined the gene expression analysis of cathepsin F in various tissues at variety age flounder. Tissue distribution of the cathepsin F mRNA has been shown to be ubiquitous and constitutive pattern regardless of age in each group, although derived from cDNA library using liver sample. The mRNA level of cathepsin F more increased as developmental proceed during embryogenesis and early developmental stage, especially increased in the blastula, hatching stage and 3 days post hatching (dph). As a result, it may suggest that the proteolysis of yolk proteins (YPs) has been implicated as a mechanism for nutrient supply during early larval stages in olive flounder.