• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.159-165
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• 2013

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the transforming growth factor (TGF-${\beta}$) superfamily and are involved in osteoblastic differentiation. The largest TGF-${\beta}$ superfamily subgroup shares genetic homology with human BMPs (hBMPs) and silkworm decapentaplegic (dpp). In addition, hBMPs are functionally interchangeable with Drosophila dpp. Bombyx mori dpp may induce bone formation in mammalian cells. To test this hypothesis, we synthesized the 1,285-base pairs cDNA of full-length B. mori dpp using total RNAs obtained from the fat body of 3-day-old of the $5^{th}$ instar larvae and cloned the cDNA into the pCEP4 mammalian expression vector. Next, B. mori dpp was expressed in C3H10T1/2 cells. The target cells transfected with the pCEP4-Bm dpp plasmid showed biological functions similar to those of osteogenic differentiation induction growth factors such as hBMPs. We determined the relative mRNA expression rates of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix, osteocalcin, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to validate the osteoblast-specific differentiation effects of B. mori dpp by performing quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Interestingly, mRNA expression levels of the 3 marker genes except RUNX2, in cells expressing B. mori dpp were much higher than those in control cells and C3H10T1/2 cells transfected with pCEP4. These results suggested that B. mori dpp signaling regulates osterix expression during osteogenic differentiation via RUNX2-independent mechanisms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.463-469
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• 2002

Rotaviruses are the world-wide leading causative agents of severe dehydrating gastroenteritis in young children and animals. The outer capsid glycoprotein VP7 and inner capsid glycoprotein VP6 of rotaviruses are highly antigenic and immunogenic. An SFV-based expression system has recently emerged as a useful tool for heterologous protein production in mammalian cells, exhibiting a much more efficient performance compared to other gene expression systems. Accordingly, the current study adopted an SFV-based expression system to express the VP7 of a group A human rotavirus from a Korean isolate, and the VP6 of a group B bovine rotavirus from a Korean isolate, in mammalian cells. The genes of the VP6 and VP7 were inserted into the SFV expression vector pSFV-1. The RNA was transcribed in vitro from pSFV-VP6 and pSFV-VP7 using SP6 polymerase. Each RNA was then electroporated into BHK-21 cells along with pSFV-helper RNA containing the structural protein gene without the packaging signal. The expression of VP6 and VP7 in the cytoplasm was then detected by immunocytochemistry. The recombinant virus was harvested by ultracentrifugation and examined under electron microscopy. After infecting BHK-21 cells with the defective viruses, the expressed proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by a Western blot. The results indicate that an SFV-based expression system fur the VP6 and VP7 of rotaviruses is an efficient tool for developing a diagnostic kit and/or preventive vaccine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1170-1177
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• 2014

Mycobacterium gilvum PYR-GCK is a bacterial strain under study for its bioremediation use on heavy hydrocarbon pollutants in the environment. During the course of our study, mammalian cell entry (mce) genes, known to facilitate pathogenicity in M. tuberculosis, were highly expressed during a comparative and substrate-related cultural global transcriptomic study. RNA sequencing of the global transcriptome of the test strain in two different substrates, pyrene and glucose, showed high expression of the mce genes based on the differential results. After validating the expression of these genes with quantitative real-time PCR, we arrived at the conclusion that the genes were expressed based on the pyrene substrate (a phytosterol compound), and sterol metabolism is said to activate the expression of the mce genes in some actinomycetes bacteria, M. gilvum PYR-GCK in this case. This study is believed to be important based on the fact that some mycobacterial strains are undergoing a continuous research as a result of their use in practical bioremediation of anthropogenic exposure of toxic organic wastes in the environment.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2009

We have investigated the genotoxicity of 3 chemicals, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, sodium tetraborate using mammalian erythrocyte with micronucleus induction. It was performed using 9 week male ICR mice. At 24 hours after treatment with 3 chemicals with oral route, mice were sacrificed and bone marrow cells were prepared for smear slides. As a result of counting the micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (MNPCE) of 2,000 polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE), all treatment groups did not show statistically significant increase than negative control group. And there was no clinical sign related with injection of the 3 chemicals. It was concluded that the 3 chemicals did not induce micronucleus in the bone marrow cells of ICR mice, and these results indicate that the 3 chemicals have no mutagenic potential under the condition in each studies.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.337-343
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• 2009

We developed a novel on-chip activity assay using protein arrays for quantitative and rapid analysis of transglutaminase activity in mammalian cells. Transglutaminases are a family of $Ca^{2+}$-dependent enzymes involved in cell regulation as well as human diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, inflammatory diseases and tumor progression. We fabricated the protein arrays by immobilizing N,N'-dimethylcasein (a substrate) on the amine surface of the arrays. We initiated transamidating reaction on the protein arrays and determined the transglutaminase activity by analyzing the fluorescence intensity of biotinylated casein. The on-chip transglutaminase activity assay was proved to be much more sensitive than the $[^3H]putrescine$-incorporation assay. We successfully applied the on-chip assay to a rapid and quantitative analysis of the transglutaminase activity in all-trans retinoic acid-treated NIH 3T3 and SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, the on-chip transglutaminase activity assay was sufficiently sensitive to determine the transglutaminase activity in eleven mammalian cell lines. Thus, this novel on-chip transglutaminase activity assay was confirmed to be a sensitive and high-throughput approach to investigating the roles of transglutaminase in cellular signaling, and, moreover, it is likely to have a strong potential for monitoring human diseases.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2004

In order to investigate the safety of a water extract (ADP) of 1 : 1 mixture of Anemarrhena rhizoma and Phellodendron cortex for alleviating benign prostate hyperplasia, genotoxicity studies in bacterial and mammalian cell assay systems, namely, the Ames bacterial reverse mutation and chromosomal aberration assays were performed. As shown by the results of the Ames bacterial reversion assay, ADP in the range of 625-5000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/plate did not induce mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, TA 100, TA 1535 and TA 1537 strains in the absence or in the presence of S9 (the microsomal fraction of rat liver homogenate) metabolic activation. The $IC_{50}$ (50% cell growth inhibition concentration) values of ADP for the chromosomal aberration assay were determined; these were 2425 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in the absence and 8126 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in the presence of S9 metabolic activation in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast cell culture. No chromosomal aberration was observed in CHL cells treated with ADP at 2425, 1212.5 and 606.25 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in the absence, or at 8126, 4063 and 2031.5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in the presence of S9 metabolic activation. These results show that under the conditions used, ADP does not harmfully affect the bacterial or mammalian cell system at the gene level.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.744-749
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• 2010

The aim of this work was to determine whether intrinsically bent DNA sites are present at, or close to, the mammalian replication origins oriGNAI3 and oriB in the Chinese hamster AMPD2 locus. Using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and in silico analysis, we located four intrinsically bent DNA sites (b1 to b4) in a fragment that contains the oriGNAI3 and one site (b5) proximal to oriB. The helical parameters show that each bent DNA site is curved in a left-handed superhelical writhe. A 2D projection of 3D fragment trajectories revealed that oriGNAI3 is located in a relatively straight segment flanked by bent sites b1 and b2, which map in previously identified Scaffold/Matrix Attachment Region. Sites b3 and b4 are located approximately 2 kb downstream and force the fragment into a strong closed loop structure. The b5 site is also located in an S/MAR that is found just downstream of oriB.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1654-1663
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• 2018

Finding a safe and broad-spectrum medication is a goal of scientists, pharmacists, and physicians, but developing and fabricating the right medicine can be challenging. The current study describes the formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by Fusarium mangiferae. It involves the antibiofilm activity of the nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus. It also involves cytotoxic effect against mammalian cell lines. Well-dispersed nanoparticles are formed by F. mangiferae. The sizes of the nanoparticles were found to range from 25 to 52 nm, and UV-Vis scan showed absorption around 416-420 nm. SEM, TEM, and AFM results displayed spherical and oval shapes. Furthermore, the FTIR histogram detected amide I and amide II compounds responsible for the stability of AgNPs in an aqueous solution. AgNPs were observed to decrease the formation of biofilm at 75% (v/v). DNA reducing, smearing, and perhaps fragmentation were noticed after treating the bacterial cells with 50% (v/v). Additionally, cell lysis was detected releasing proteins in the supernatant. It was also observed that the AgNPs have the ability to cause 59% cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) deaths at 25% (v/v), however, they showed about 31% toxicity against rat embryo fibroblast transformed cell lines (REF). The results of this study prove the efficiency of AgNPs as an antibiofilm against S. aureus, suggesting that AgNPs could be an alternative to antibiotics. It must also be emphasized that AgNPs displayed cytotoxic behavior against mammalian cell lines. Further studies are needed for assessing risk in relation to the possible benefit of prescribing AgNPs.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2004

It has been recognized that the hen, like its mammalian counterparts, provides young chicks with antibodies as protection against hostile invaders. This system facilitates the transfer of specific antibodies from serum to egg yolk, and provides a supply of antibodies called immunoglobulin Y(IgY) to the developing embryo and the hatched chick. The protection against pathogens that the relatively immune-incompetent newly hatched chick has, is through transmission of antibodies from the mother via the egg. Egg yolk, therefore, can be loaded with a large amount of IgY against pathogens which can immobilize the existing or invading pathogens during the embryo development or in day-old chicks. Thus, the immunization of laying hens to various pathogens results in production of different antigen-specific IgY in eggs. Egg yolk contains 8∼20 mg of jmmunoglobulins (IgY) per ml or 136∼340 mg per yolk suggesting that more than 30 g of IgY can be obtained from one immunized hen in a year. By immunizing laying hens with antigens and collecting IgY from egg yolk, low cost antibodies at less than $10 per g compared to more than $20,000 per g of mammalian IgG can be obtained. This IgY technology opens new potential market applications in medicine, public health, veterinary medicine and food safety. A broader use of IgY technology could be applied as biological or diagnostic tool, nutraceutical or functional food development, oral-supplementation for prophylaxis, and as pathogen-specific antimicrobial agents for infectious disease control. This paper has emphasized that when IgY-loaded chicken eggs are produced and consumed, the specific antibody binds, immobilizes and consequently reduces or inhibits the growth or colony forming abilities of microbial pathogens. This concept could serve as an alternative agent to replace the use of antibiotics, since today, more and more antibiotics are less effective in the treatment of infections, due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2006

Khal was a synthetic congener of halocidin, a heterodimeric peptide consisting of 19 and 15 amino acid residues detected in Halocynthia aurantium. This compound was considered a candidate for the development of a novel peptide antibiotic. The genotoxicity of Khal was subjected to high throughput toxicity screening (HTTS) because they revealed strong antibacterial effects. Mouse lymphoma thymidine kinase ($tk^{+/-}$) gene assay (MOLY), single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay and chromosomal aberration assay in mammalian cells and Ames reverse mutation assay in bacterial system were used as simplified, inexpensive, short-term in vitro screening tests in our laboratory. These compounds are not mutagenic in S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains both in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. Before performing the comet assay, $IC_{20}$ of Khal was determined the concentration of $25.51\;{\mu}/mL\;and\;21.99\;{\mu}g/mL$ with and without S-9, respectively. In the comet assay, Khal was not induced DNA damage in mouse lymphoma cell line. Also, the mutation frequencies in the Khal-treated cultures were similar to the vehicle controls. It is suggests that Khal is non-mutagenic in MOLY assay. And no clastogenicity was observed in Khal-treated Chinese hamster lung cells. The results of this battery of assays indicate that Khal has no genotoxic potential in bacterial or mammalian cell systems. Therefore, we suggest that Khal, as the optimal candidates with both no genotoxic potential and antibacterial effects must be chosen.