• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.25 no.2 s.81
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• pp.143-151
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• 1997

Interspecific hybrids between Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum (Tyr-), hyperlipolytic enzyme-producing fungi, were obtained by nuclear transfer technique. Optimal conditions for formation of intergeneric hybrids were investigated. Maximum production of protoplasts was obtained by 1% Novozyme 234 at $30^{\circ}C$ for 3 hrs and the most effective osmotic stabilizers for the isolation of protoplasts were 0.6 M KCl. Frequencies of hybrid formation by nuclear transfer were $3.8{\times}10^{-3}{\sim}1.3{\times}10^{-3}$. From the observation of genetic stability, conidial size, DNA content, and nuclear stain, it was suggested that their karyotypes are aneuploid. The hybrids showed $1.2{\sim}1.7$ fold higher lipase activities than parental strains. It was strongly supported by results of this study that nuclear transfer technique is much more efficient in the formation of intergeneric hybrids than protoplast fusion and is very useful for the improvement of strains.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 1999

The leaf blade-segments of albino tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were cultured on MS media containing different concentrations of BAP (0, 0.4, 2.2, 4.4, 22.2 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) with or without NAA (0, 0.5, 2.7 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). Multiple shoots were induced on the media containing 0.4 to 2.2 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ BAP. The best condition for multiple shoot induction with root formation was MS media containing 4.4 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ BAP and 0.5 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ NAA. The regenerated albino plants showed a significant reduction in accumulation of chlorophylls and carotenoids. The drastic reduction of the pigments content was associated with the distinct alterations in gene expression in the albino plants. firstly, the expression of plastid genes, such as rbcL, psbA, 165 rDNA and 235 rDNA, was reduced at the level of transcripts in the regenerated albino plants. Secondly, the alteration of structure of the plastid genes was not detected in the albino plants. However, the copy number of the plastid genes whose transcription level was reduced greatly was increased approximately two-fold, although the transcriptions of nuclear gene (255 rDNA) showed the wild-type level.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 2014

Curcumin is a widely used flavoring agent in food, and it has been reported to inhibit cell growth, to induce apoptosis, and to have antitumor activity in many cancers. Cisplatin is one of the most potent known anticancer agents and shows significant clinical activity against a variety of solid tumors. This study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic apoptotic effects of co-treatment with curcumin and cisplatin on human tongue SCC25 cells. To investigate whether the co-treatment efficiently reduced the viability of the SCC25 cells compared with the two treatments separately, an MTT assay was conducted. The induction and the augmentation of apoptosis were confirmed by DNA electrophoresis, Hoechst staining, and an analysis of DNA hypoploidy. Western blot, MMP and immunofluorescence tests were also performed to evaluate the expression levels and the translocation of apoptosis-related proteins following the co-treatment. In this study, following the co-treatment with curcumin and cisplatin, the SCC25 cells showed several forms of apoptotic manifestation, such as nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, reduction of MMP, increased levels of Bax, decreased levels of Bcl-2, and decreased DNA content. In addition, they showed a release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, translocation of AIF and DFF40 (CAD) to the nuclei, and activation of caspase-7, caspase-3, PARP, and DFF45 (ICAD). In contrast, separate treatments of $5{\mu}M$ of curcumin or $4{\mu}g/ml$ of cisplatin, for 24 hours, did not induce apoptosis. Therefore, our data suggest that combination therapy with curcumin and cisplatin could be considered as a novel therapeutic strategy for human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2009

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker and sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA were used to assess phylogenetic relationships of four Korean oyster species. The average number of species-specific markers identified from five universal rice primers (URPs) by RAPD-PCR was 1.8 for Crassostrea gigas, 3.2 for C. nippona, 3.6 for C. ariakensis, and 4.6 for Ostrea denselamellosa. The length of the ITS (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region ranged from 1,001 to 1,206 bp (ITS1, 426-518 bp; 5.8S, 157 bp; and ITS2, 418-536 bp), while the GC content ranged from 55.5-61.1% (ITS1, 56.8-61.8%; 5.8S, 56-57.3%; and ITS2, 54.1-62.2%). A phylogenetic analysis of the oysters based on our RAPD, ITS1, and ITS2 sequence data revealed a close relationship between C. gigas and C. nippona and a distant relationship between the genera Crassostrea and Ostrea. Our results indicated that RAPD and ITS sequence analysis was a useful tool for the elucidation of phylogenetic relationships and for the selection of species-specific markers in Korean oysters.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2011

Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) is a naturally occurring phenolic compound that is widely used in dentistry as a component of zinc oxide eugenol cement that is commonly applied to the mouth environment. Cisplatin is one of the most potent known anticancer agents and shows significant clinical activity against a variety of solid tumors. This study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic apoptotic effects of co-treatments with eugenol and cisplatin on human melanoma (G361) cells. To investigate whether this co-treatment efficiently reduces the viability of G361 cells compared with each single treatment, an MTT assay was conducted. The induction and augmentation of apoptosis were confirmed by DNA electrophoresis, Hoechst staining and an analysis of DNA hypoploidy. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining were also performed to evaluate the expression levels and the translocation of apoptosis-related proteins following this co-treatment. Furthermore, proteasome activity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) changes were also assayed. The results indicated that a co-treatment with eugenol and cisplatin induced multiple pathways and processes associated with an apoptotic response in G361 cells including nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, a reduction in MMP and proteasome activity, the increase and decrease of Bax and Bcl-2, a decreased DNA content, the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, the translocation of AIF and DFF40 (CAD) into the nucleus, and the activation of caspase-9, caspase-7, caspase-3, PARP and DFF45 (ICAD). In contrast, separate treatments of 300 ${\mu}M$ eugenol or 3 ${\mu}M$ cisplatin for 24 h did not induce apoptosis. Our present data thus suggest that a combination therapy of eugenol and cisplatin is a potential treatment strategy for human melanoma.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.101-110
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• 2013

We investigated the synergistic apoptotic effects of co-treatments with Chios gum mastic (CGM) and eugenol on G361 human melanoma cells. An MTT assay was conducted to investigate whether this co-treatment efficiently reduces the viability of G361 cells compared with each single treatment. The induction and augmentation of apoptosis were confirmed by DNA electrophoresis, Hoechst staining, and analyses of DNA hypoploidy. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining were also performed to evaluate expression and translocation of apoptosis-related proteins following CGM and eugenol co-treatment. Proteasome activity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) changes were also assayed.The results indicated that the co-treatment of CGM and eugenol induces multiple pathways and processes associated with an apoptotic response in G361 cells. These include nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, a reduction in MMP and proteasome activity, an increase of Bax and decrease of Bcl-2, a decreased DNA content, cytochrome c release into the cytosol, the translocation of AIF and DFF40 (CAD) into the nucleus, and the activation of caspase-9, caspase-7, caspase-3, PARP and DFF45 (ICAD). In contrast, separate treatments of $40{\mu}g/ml$ CGM or $300{\mu}M$ eugenol for 24 hours did not induce apoptosis. Our present data thus suggest that a combination therapy of CGM and eugenol is a potential treatment strategy for human melanoma.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.107-114
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• 2006

A dermal sarcoma was found in a freshwater, soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis. The neoplasm consisted of proliferating fibrous tissue and extended from the dermis. The overlying epidermis was hyperplastic and partially folded. The deeper dermis and hypodermis contained three large, discrete necrotic foci of -10 mm diameter. Numerous eosinophilic granule cells and macro phages surrounded the necrotic areas. A mixed population of cells with nuclear pleomorphism was observed between the papillary layers of vessels. This area also had regions of different histological structures: (l) regularly arranged, spindle-shaped cells with compact nuclei in a fine-fibrillar matrix; (2) haphazardly arranged cells ($\leq$ 23 11m diameter) with ovoid, highly hypertrophic, faintly stained nuclei; and (3) cells (3.6-5.8 11m diameter) with irregularly shaped nuclei and marginal condensed chromatin in a myxomatous matrix. Some mitotic figures, binucleate cells, and multinucleate giant cells of up to 50 11m in length were also found. Flow cytometry of propidium iodide-stained cells yielded different histograms for the normal skin and the skin (primarily epidermis) and fibrous dermis of the tumor, indicating DNA heterogeneity in the dermal portion of the tumor. The ploidy indices for the dermal cells were 1.91 and 0.78, as compared to normal cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.481-486
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• 2010

The rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions were studied for sequences of nuclear and chloroplast genes in Sorbus aucuparia. Results suggested that DNA evolution in this species had taken place, on average, at a slower rate in the chloroplast genes than in the nuclear genes: a rate variation pattern similar to those observed in eudicot plants. Within the nucleus, the synonymous substitution rates (Ks) (2.45-2.60) were two-fold higher than nonsynonymous substitution rates (Ka) (1.15-1.30). More notably, the values of Ks (1.20-1.26) were about six-fold higher than those of Ka (0.26-0.42) within the chloroplast genome. Ka/Ks ratios for nuclear and chloroplast genes of S. aucuparia had mean values of 0.178 and 0.056, respectively. A Ka/Ks ratio < 1 indicated negative (purifying) selection. The chloroplast genes had a lower effective number of codons (ENC) values (22.4-32.2) than those of nuclear genes (35.8-38.7). The analysis of the G+C content indicated that the chloroplast genes in this investigation had a higher preference for synonymous codons ending with A and T (G+C content range, 28.4-29.1%) where there was a slight bias toward codons ending with G+C (63.2-64.2%) in the nuclear genome.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 1996

Interspecific hybrids between Aspergillus oryzae var oryzae and A. nidulans 514 were obtained by nuclear transfer technique. Several autotrophic mutants isolated from conidiospores of the two strains were mutagenized with ultraviolet and N-methyl-N-nitrosoguanidine. Optimal conditions for formation of intergeneric hybrids were investigated. Frequencies of hybrid formation by nuclear transfer were $3{\times}10^{-5}{\sim}1{\times}10^{-5}$. From observation of genetic stability, conidial size, DNA content, and nuclear stain, it was suggested that their karyptypes are aneuploid. The hybrids showed 1.1~1.4 fold higher xylanase activities than parental strains did. The xylanase of Aspergiilus sp. TAVD514-3 was purified and some of it's enzymatc characteristics were investigated. The enzyme was purified about 85 fold with an overall yield of 17% from the culture medium by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephadex G-75 gel permeation chromatography, and CM-sephadex A-50 ion exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme functions optimally at pH 9.0 and 80$^{\circ}C$. The enzymatic activity was increased by the presence of $Mg^{2+}$ and $Mn^2$ ions.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 1996

Regardless of the prognostic factors in papillary thyroid cancer, such as sex, age, size of tumor, extent of disease, and distant metastasis, the prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer is sometimes difficult to predict from clinical and microscopic analysis alone and additional prognostic indicators are needed. Recent studies of thyroid cancer have indicated that DNA aneuploidy may be correlated to the biological behavior of malignancy and inversely correlated to the prognosis, but it still remains contraversal. We performed this study to assess DNA ploidy patterns in relation with the previously known prognostic factors in AMES scoring system and lateral neck node metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer. A series of 132 patients with papillary thyroid cancer and 80 patients with benign thyroid tumor(27 follicular adenomas and 53 adenomatous goiters) as a control group from October 1993 to Feburary 1995 were analyzed and their nuclear DNA content was measured with flow cytometry using fresh tissue specimens. DNA aneuploidy was found in 8(6.1%) in papillary cancer and 8(10%) in benign tumor. S-phase traction(SFP) and proliferative index(PI) were higher in thyroid cancers, being 2.18$\pm$4.24%, 6.34$\pm$4.94% in the papillary thyroid cancers and 1.97$\pm$2.93%, 4.44$\pm$3.80% in the benign tumors, respectively. However there was no significant difference of values between two groups(p>0.05). Among variable prognostic factors studied(age, sex, size of tun or, extent of disease, distant metastasis in AMES scoring system and lateral neck node metastasis), DNA aneuploidy was found to be common in distant metastasis(p<0.001) and in lateral neck node metastasis(p>0.035), but there was no significant difference between the high risk and low risk group according to the AMES scoring system(p<0.08). In our study, DNA aneuploidy was not valuable in determining the presence of malignancy and did not correlate to the AMES scoring system. However, follow-up study of more cases will be needed for accurate information about the DNA ploidy as a independent prognostic factor.