• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.407-416
• /
• 1989

The prospect of live vaccines consisting of genetically modified vaccinia virus expressing foreign genes is exciting, but important issues concerning safety and efficacy need to resolved. Vaccinia virus (VV) is an efficient expression vector with broad host range infectivity and large DNA capacity. This vector has been particularly useful for identifying target antigens for humoral and cell-mediated immunity. The WHO smallpox eradication program, involving the extensive use of VV vaccines, resulted in the late 1970s in the elimination of one of the world's most feared diseases. This achievement is a triumph for preventive medicine and for international collaboration in public health. In 1980, WHO recommended that the routine use of smallpox vaccine should be stopped. Against this background, the prospect of li ve vaccines consisting of genetically modified VV expressing foreign antigens arising from the work of Moss, and Paoletti and their colleagues in 1982 has been greeted with enthusiasm. These investigators have shown that genes coding for immunogenic proteins can be inserted into VV DNA without impairing the ability of the virus to grow in cell culture. Moreover experimental animals infected with VV recombinants containing genes coding for a variety of immunizing proteins have been shown to be protected against challenge infection with the corresponding infectious agent. In this communication, I describe current progress in the construction of a novel plasmid vector that facilitate the insertion and expression of foreign genes in VV as well as the selection of recombinants.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.389-399
• /
• 2009

A group of beneficial plant bacteria has been shown to increase crop growth referring to as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). PGPR can decrease plant disease directly, through the production of antagonistic compounds, and indirectly, through the elicitation of a plant defense response termed induced systemic resistance (ISR). While the mechanism of PGPR-elicited ISR has been studied extensively in the model plant Arabidopsis, it is less well characterized in crop plants such as pepper. In an effort to better understand the mechanism of ISR in crop plants, we investigated the induction of ISR by Bacillus cereus strain BS107 against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria in pepper leaves. We focused on the priming effect of B. cereus strain BS107 on plant defense genes as an ISR mechanism. Of ten known pepper defense genes that were previously reported to be involved in pathogen defense signaling, the expression of Capsicum annum pathogenesis-protein 4 and CaPR1 was systemically primed by the application of strain BS107 onto pepper roots confirming by quantitative-reverse transcriptase PCR. Our results provide novel genetic evidence of the priming effect of a rhizobacterium on the expression of pepper defense genes involved in ISR.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.237-243
• /
• 2020

A novel psychrotolerant Psychrobacillus strain PB01, isolated from an Antarctic iceberg, was comparatively analyzed with five related strains. The complete genome of strain PB01 consists of a single circular chromosome (4.3 Mb) and a plasmid (19 Kb). As potential low-temperature adaptation strategies, strain PB01 has four genes encoding cold-shock proteins, two genes encoding DEAD-box RNA helicases, and eight genes encoding transporters for glycine betaine, which can serve as a cryoprotectant, on the genome. The pan-genome structure of the six Psychrobacillus strains suggests that strain PB01 might have evolved to adapt to extreme environments by changing its genome content to gain higher capacity for DNA repair, translation, and membrane transport. Notably, strain PB01 possesses a complete TCA cycle consisting of eight enzymes as well as three additional Helicobacter pylori-type enzymes: ferredoxin-dependent 2-oxoglutarate synthase, succinyl-CoA/acetoacetyl-CoA transferase, and malate/quinone oxidoreductase. The co-existence of the genes for TCA cycle enzymes has also been identified in the other five Psychrobacillus strains.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.521-529
• /
• 2016

Extensive use of antibiotics over recent decades has led to bacterial resistance against antibiotics, including gentamicin, one of the most effective aminoglycosides. The emergence of resistance is problematic for hospitals, since gentamicin is an important broad-spectrum antibiotic for the control of bacterial pathogens in the clinic. Previous study to identify gentamicin resistance genes from environmental samples have been conducted using culture-dependent screening methods. To overcome these limitations, we employed a metagenome-based culture-independent protocol to identify gentamicin resistance genes. Through functional screening of metagenome libraries derived from soil samples, a fosmid clone was selected as it conferred strong gentamicin resistance. To identify a specific functioning gene conferring gentamicin resistance from a selected fosmid clone (35-40 kb), a shot-gun library was constructed and four shot-gun clones (2-3 kb) were selected. Further characterization of these clones revealed that they contained sequences similar to that of the RNA ligase, T4 rnlA that is known as a toxin gene. The overexpression of the rnlA-like gene in Escherichia coli increased gentamicin resistance, indicating that this toxin gene modulates this trait. The results of our metagenome library analysis suggest that the rnlA-like gene may represent a new class of gentamicin resistance genes in pathogenic bacteria. In addition, we demonstrate that the soil metagenome can provide an important resource for the identification of antibiotic resistance genes, which are valuable molecular targets in efforts to overcome antibiotic resistance.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.183-189
• /
• 2018

The plant hormone auxin regulates the overall metabolic processes essential for plant growth and development. Auxin signaling is mediated by early auxin response genes, which are classified into three major families: AUXIN/INDOLE ACETIC ACID (AUX/IAA), GRETCHEN HAGEN3 (GH3) and SMALL AUIN UP RNA (SAUR). The SAUR gene family is the largest family among early auxin response genes and encodes the small and highly unstable gene products. The functional roles of SAUR genes have remained unclear for many years. The traditional genetic and molecular studies on the SAUR functions have been hampered by their likely genetic redundancy and tandem arrays of highly related genes in the plant genome, together with the molecular characteristics of SAUR. However, recent studies have suggested possible roles of SAUR in a variety of tissues and developmental stages in accordance with the novel approaches such as gain-of-function and RNA silencing techniques. In this review, the recent research progress on the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of SAUR and a set of possible future works are discussed.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.110-115
• /
• 2013

Theobroxide, a novel compound isolated from a fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae, stimulates potato tuber formation and induces flowering of morning glory by initiating the jasmonic acid synthesis pathway. To elucidate the effect of theobroxide on pathogen resistance in plants, Nicotiana benthamiana plants treated with theobroxide were immediately infiltrated with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci. Exogenous application of theobroxide inhibited development of lesion symptoms, and growth of the bacterial cells was significantly retarded. Semiquantitative RT-PCRs using the primers of 18 defense-related genes were performed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of resistance. Among the genes, the theobroxide treatment increased the expression of patho-genesis-related protein 1a (PR1a), pathogenesis-related protein 1b (PR1b), glutathione S-transferase (GST), allen oxide cyclase (AOC), and lipoxyganase (LOX). All these data strongly indicate that theobroxide treatment inhibits disease development by faster induction of defense responses, which can be possible by the induction of defense-related genes including PR1a, PR1b, and GST triggered by the elevated jasmonic acid.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.295-302
• /
• 2002

Uterine cells carry out proliferation and differentiation for preparation the embryonic implantation during pregnancy. Therefore regulation of the cell proliferation is an essential step for uterine preparation, but there is not much information about the proliferation related genes in pregnant uterus. To identify these implantation specific genes, a PCR-select cDNA subtraction method was employed and got a few genes. One of the identified genes is a novel gene encoding oral tumor suppressor doc-1. To detect the doc-1 expression on the pregnant uterus, dot blotting, RT-PCR, and in situ hybridization were employed. Dot blotting revealed that doc-1 mRNA expression increase after implantation. During normal pregnancy, doc-1 mRNA expression was detected as early as day 1 of pregnancy with RT-PCR. Its expression was increased about 15 times after embryonic implantation. doc-1 transcript was localized in luminal epithelial cells but it was very faint during preimplantation. After starting the implantation, it localized in the stromal cells; heightened expression of doc-1 correlates with intense stromal cell proliferation surrounding the implanting blastocyst on day 6 morning. However in the decidualized cells, the intensity of localized doc-1 mRNA was weak. From those results, it is revealed that doc-1 express at pregnant uterus of the mouse. In addition it is suggested that doc-1 is the gene regulating the proliferation of the luminal epithelial cells and stromal cells during early implantation and decidualization.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.322-330
• /
• 2014

The aim of this study was to identify and characterize new Flammulina velutipes laccases from its whole-genome sequence. Of the 15 putative laccase genes detected in the F. velutipes genome, four new laccase genes (fvLac-1, fvLac-2, fvLac3, and fvLac-4) were found to contain four complete copper-binding regions (ten histidine residues and one cysteine residue) and four cysteine residues involved in forming disulfide bridges, fvLac-1, fvLac-2, fvLac3, and fvLac-4, encoding proteins consisting of 516, 518, 515, and 533 amino acid residues, respectively. Potential N-glycosylation sites (Asn-Xaa-Ser/Thr) were identified in the cDNA sequence of fvLac-1 (Asn-454), fvLac-2 (Asn-437 and Asn-455), fvLac-3 (Asn-111 and Asn-237), and fvLac4 (Asn-402 and Asn-457). In addition, the first 19~20 amino acid residues of these proteins were predicted to comprise signal peptides. Laccase activity assays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses clearly reveal that $CuSO_4$ affects the induction and the transcription level of these laccase genes.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.119-124
• /
• 1999

About two thirds of the naturally occurring antibiotics have been discovered from actinomycetes. Therefore, the probability of discovering further new antibiotics from actinomycetes is declining as many known metabolites are isolated repeatedly. However, various efforts leave been made in order to enhance the probability of discovering novel compounds. In the present study, we have developed new screening strategies based on the antibiotic biosynthetic pathway, and the genetic information, utilizing polymerase chain reaction. We have selected macrolide type polyketides. In order to divide the ansamycin group antibotic of macrolide type polyketides, we have selected 3-amino-5-hydroxybenzoic acid (AHBA) moiety which contains a biosynthetically unique structural element in the group as a target molecules. Oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify DNA fragments of macrolide type polyketide synthase and AHBA synthase genes from fourteen actinomycetes species. This method was successfully applied to all three of the known macrolide type polyketide produccing actinomycetes tested. In addition, it also identified the presence of potential macrolide type polyketide producing genes from seven actinomycetes that were known to produce none of macrolide type polyketides, and AHBA biosynthetic genes in one actinomycetes. This technique is potentially useful for the screening of new antibiotices and cloning of their biosynthetic genes.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.243-250
• /
• 2009

Recent studies suggest a novel role of $HIF-1{\alpha}$ under nonhypoxic conditions, including antibacterial and antiviral innate immune responses. However, the identity of the pathogen-associated molecular pattern which triggers $HIF-1{\alpha}$ activation during the antiviral response remains to be identified. Here, we demonstrate that cellular administration of double-stranded nucleic acids, the molecular mimics of viral genomes, results in the induction of $HIF-1{\alpha}$ protein level as well as the increase in $HIF-1{\alpha}$ target gene expression. Whole-genome DNA microarray analysis revealed that double-stranded nucleic acid treatment triggers induction of a number of hypoxia-inducible genes, and induction of these genes are compromised upon siRNA-mediated $HIF-1{\alpha}$ knock-down. Interestingly, $HIF-1{\alpha}$ knock-down also resulted in down-regulation of a number of genes involved in antiviral innate immune responses. Our study demonstrates that $HIF-1{\alpha}$ activation upon nucleic acid-triggered antiviral innate immune responses plays an important role in regulation of genes involved in not only hypoxic response, but also immune response.