• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.683-690
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• 2010

The yeast strains of Saccharomyces diastaticus produce one of three isozymes of an extracellular glucoamylase I, II or III, a type of exo-enzyme which can hydrolyse starch to generate glucose molecules from non-reducing ends. These enzymes are encoded by the STA1, STA2 and STA3 genes. Another gene, sporulation-specific glucoamylase (SGA), also exists in the genus Saccharomyces which is very homologous to the STA genes. The SGA has been known to be produced in the cytosol during sporulation. However, we hypothesized that the SGA is capable of being secreted to the extracellular region because of about 20 hydrophobic amino acid residues at the N-terminus which can function as a signal peptide. We expressed the cloned SGA gene in S. diastaticus YIY345. In order to compare the biochemical properties of the extracellular glucoamylase and the SGA, the SGA was purified from the culture supernatant through ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex A-50, CM-Sephadex C-50 and Sephadex G-200 chromatography. The molecular weight of the intact SGA was estimated to be about 130 kDa by gel filtration chromatography with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column. Sodium dedecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis showed it was composed of two heterogeneous subunits, 63 kDa and 68 kDa. The deglycosylation of the SGA generated a new 59 kDa band on the SDS-PAGE analysis, indicating that two subunits are glycosylated but the extent of glycosylation is different between them. The optimum pH and temperature of the SGA were 5.5 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively, whereas those for the extracellular glucoamylase were 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$. The SGA were more sensitive to heat and SDS than the extracellular glucoamylase.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.4699-4711
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• 2016

Background: In the last decade, it has become clear that change of gene expression may alter the hematopoietic cell quiescent state and consequently play a major role in leukemogenesis. WT1 is known to be a player in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and FOXP3 has a crucial role in regulating the immune response. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of overexpression of WT1and FOXP3 genes on clinical course in adult and pediatric AML patients in Egypt. Patients and methods: Bone marrow and peripheral blood samples were obtained from 97 de novo non M3 AML patients (63 adult and 34 pediatric). Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect overexpression WT1 and FOXP3 genes. Patient follow up ranged from 0.2 to 39.0 months with a median of 5 months. Results: In the pediatric group; WT1 was significantly expressed with a high total leukocyte count median 50X109/L (p=0.018). In the adult group, WT1 had an adverse impact on complete remission induction, disease-free survival and overall survival (p=0.02, p=0.035, p=0.019 respectively). FOXP3 overexpression was associated with FAB subtypes AML M0 +M1 vs. M2, M4+M5 (p =0.039) and the presence of hepatomegaly (p=0.005). Conclusions: WT1 and FOXP3 overexpression has an adverse impact on clinical presentation, treatment response and survival of pediatric and adult Egyptian AML patients.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.422-431
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• 2004

Water quality modeling was performed for the purpose of diagnosis and prediction of water quality in Gyoung Choen reservoir, using EUTR05/WASP Build model. WASP Builder is capable of visual display in window and it has an advantage of updating and modification for data. Field data of 1992, Spring, Summer, and Fall, were used to calibrate model and these results were validated using data of 2000, Spring, Summer, and Fall. The reservoir was divided into 4 epilimnion segments. Water quality system for modeling were consist of BOD, Chlorophyll-a, DO, $NH_3-N$, $NO_3-N$, T-N, $PO_4-P$, T-P. The results of water quality modelling using EUTR05/WASP Builder, a range of the Correlation for calibration of BOD, T-N, T-P, and Chlorophyll-a according to three seasons are 0.63~0.90, 0.81~0.97, 0.75~0.98, and 0.77~0.98 respectively. And the correlation between simulated and observed values for verification of BOD, T-N, T-P, and Chlorophyll-a according to three seasons are 0.93, 0.94, 0.81, and 0.80 respectively. Among the pollutant sources for a basin of the Gyoung Choen reservoir, generated amount of livestock is the highest and BOD, T-N, T-P of generated loading percentage are 94%, 81%, and 95%. So, we suppose that inflow load amount will decrease 50% and increase 50% only livestock about current load amount. If increasing load amount of livestock 50% in segment 2 and 3, BOD, T-N, and T-P simulated increasing to range of $0.02~0.15mg/{\ell}$, $0.029~0.08mg/{\ell}$, $0.011~0.029mg/{\ell}$ in comparison with current water quality

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.414-419
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• 1996

The xylnX gene encoding a xylanase from Clostridium thermocellum ATCC27405 was cloned in the plasmid pJH27, an E. coli-Bacillus shuttle vector and the resultant recombinant plasmid, pJX18 was transformed into E. coli HB101. The overexpressed xylanase was found to be secreted into the periplasmic space of the recombinant E. coli cells. The crude enzyme was obtained by treating the E. coli cells with lysozyme, and purified by DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography. Molecular wieght of the xylanase was estimated to be 53 kDa by gel filtration. The pI value was determined to be pH 8.8. The N-terminal sequence of the enzyme protein was Asp-Asp-Asn-Asn-Ala-Asn-Leu-Val-Ser-Asn which was considered to be the sequence of that of the mature form protein. The Km value of the enzyme for oat spelt xylan was calculated to be 2.63 mg/ml and the Vmax value was $0.47 {\mu}mole/min$. The xylanase had a pH optimum for its activity at pH 5.4 and a temperature optimum at $60^{\circ}C$. The enzyme hydrolyzed xylan into xylooligosaccharides which were composed mainly of xylobiose (40%) and xyloltriose (12%) after 5 hour reaction. This result indicates that the xylanase from C. thermocellum ATCC27405 is an endo-acting enzyme.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.854-863
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• 2021

Weaning induces physiological changes in intestinal development that affect pigs' growth performance and susceptibility to disease. As a posttranscriptional regulator, microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate cellular homeostasis during intestinal development. We performed small RNA expression profiling in the small intestine of piglets before weaning (BW), 1 week after weaning (1W), and 2 weeks after weaning (2W) to identify weaning-associated differentially expressed miRNAs. We identified 38 differentially expressed miRNAs with varying expression levels among BW, 1W, and 2W. Then, we classified expression patterns of the identified miRNAs into four types. ssc-miR-196a and ssc-miR-451 represent pattern 1, which had an increased expression at 1W and a decreased expression at 2W. ssc-miR-499-5p represents pattern 2, which had an increased expression at 1W and a stable expression at 2W. ssc-miR-7135-3p and ssc-miR-144 represent pattern 3, which had a stable expression at 1W and a decreased expression at 2W. Eleven miRNAs (ssc-miR-542-3p, ssc-miR-214, ssc-miR-758, ssc-miR-4331, ssc-miR-105-1, ssc-miR-1285, ssc-miR-10a-5p, ssc-miR-4332, ssc-miR-503, ssc-miR-6782-3p, and ssc-miR-424-5p) represent pattern 4, which had a decreased expression at 1W and a stable expression at 2W. Moreover, we identified 133 candidate targets for miR-196a using a target prediction database. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that the target genes were associated with 19 biological processes, 4 cellular components, 8 molecular functions, and 7 KEGG pathways, including anterior/posterior pattern specification as well as the cancer, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, GnRH, and neurotrophin signaling pathways. These findings suggest that miRNAs regulate the development of the small intestine during the weaning process in piglets by anterior/posterior pattern specification as well as the cancer, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, GnRH, and neurotrophin signaling pathways.

• Journal of Breast Cancer
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of telomere length with breast cancer risk. We simultaneously explored the association between telomerase reverse transcriptase gene polymorphisms and telomere length. Methods: We used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure relative telomere length (RTL) in genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood from 183 breast cancer cases and 191 healthy controls. Genotyping was performed using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Results: Our results show that breast cancer patients had significantly shorter RTLs than control subjects (p<0.05). When the RTLs were categorized into tertiles, we found that the lowest RTL was significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk compared with the highest RTL (odds ratio [OR], 2.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40-3.90; p=0.001). Subgroup analyses indicated that risk of breast cancer was also significantly increased in the lowest RTL compared with the highest RTL in age >40 years (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.31-4.43;p=0.005), body mass index ${\leq}24kg/m^2$ (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.55-5.10; p=0.001), and postmenopausal women (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.63-9.51; p=0.002), respectively. In addition, individuals with the AA genotype of rs2853677 have longer telomeres than those of breast cancer patients with the AG genotype (p=0.011). Conclusion: Our results suggest that shorter RTL was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. An association was found between the AA genotype of rs2853677 and longer RTLs in the case group. Functional studies are warranted to validate this association and further investigate our findings.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.575-592
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• 2021

In livestock nutrition, natural feed additives are gaining increased attention as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters to improve animal performance. This study investigated the effects of dietary turmeric supplementation on the growth performance and gut health of weaned piglets. A total of 48 weaned piglets (Duroc × [Landrace × Yorkshire]) were used in a 6-week feeding trial. All piglets were allotted to two dietary treatments: corn-soybean meal basal diet without turmeric (control) and with 1% weight per weight (w/w) turmeric powder (turmeric). The results showed that dietary inclusion of turmeric with the basal diet improved final body weight and total average daily gain (p < 0.05). The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in the fecal samples, including acetic, butyric, and propionic acids, were higher in the turmeric group (p < 0.05). The villus height-to-crypt depth ratio was higher in the ileum of turmeric-fed piglets (p = 0.04). The 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal microbiota indicated that, at the phylum level, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the most predominant taxa in all fecal samples. Bacteroidetes were significantly decreased in the turmeric group compared to the control group (p = 0.021). At the genus level, turmeric showed a decreased abundance of Prevotella (p = 0.021) and an increasing trend of Lactobacillus (p = 0.083). Among the total detected species, nine bacterial species showed significant differences between the two groups. The results of this study indicated that turmeric altered the gut microbiota and shortchain fatty acid production. This suggests that turmeric could be used as a potential alternative growth promoter for piglets.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1723-1727
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• 2008

Chlorella sp. CMS-1 strain was isolated from the outdoors cultivation pools in Culmansa Co., Ltd. This strain was found to be a rounded type of 3 ${\mu}m$. Phylogenetic analysis by the 18S rRNA sequencing using isolated strain is most similar to Chlorella sp. IFRPD 1018 gene at the level of nucleotide sequence identity at 99%. Accordingly, the isolated Chlorella strain was named as Chlorella sp. CMS-1 based on its morphological and phylogenetic properties. The concentrations of crude protein and fat were 59% and 0.01%, respectively. Major compositional amino acids (mg%) were glutamic acid 6.21, alanine 5.76, aspartic acid 5.44%, glycine 4.29%, and threonine 3.09% and major free amino acids (mg%) were ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) 7.13%, L-alanine 1.44%, L-glutamic acid 0.90, L-leucine 0.26% and L-glycine 0.20%. The concentrations of major minerals were P 2.25%, K 2.25%, Na 1.09%, Mg 0.63%, and Ca 0.28%.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2311-2314
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• 2012

Genetic polymorphisms of uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferases 1A6 (UGT1A6) and 1A7 (UGT1A7) may lead to genetic instability and colorectal cancer carcinogenesis. Our objective was to measure the interaction between polymorphisms of these repair genes and tobacco smoking in colorectal cancer (CRC). A total of 68 individuals with CRC and 112 non-cancer controls were divided into non-smoker and smoker groups according to pack-years of smoking. Genetic polymorphisms of UGT1A6 and UGT1A7 were examined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). We found a weak association of UGT1A6 polymorphisms with CRC risk (crude odds ratio [OR], 1.65;95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.9-3.1, P=0.107; adjusted OR 1.95%, 95% CI 1.0-3.8, P=0.051). The ORs for the UGT1A7 polymorphisms were statistically significant (crude OR: 26.40, 95% CI: 3.5-198.4, P=0.001; adjusted OR: 21.52, 95% CI: 2.8-164.1, P=0.003). The joint effect of tobacco exposure and UGTIA6 polymorphisms was significantly associated with colorectal cancer risk in non-smokers (crude OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 0.9-5.0, P=0.092; adjusted OR 2.63, 95% CI, 1.0-6.7, P=0.042). In conclusion, our findings suggest that UGT1A6 and UGT1A7 gene polymorphisms are associated with CRC risk in the Japanese population. In particualr, UGT1A6 polymorphisms may strongly increase CRC risk through the formation of carcinogens not associated with smoking.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1012-1018
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to determine whether Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein (APP) is dysregulated in adipose tissues of C57BL/6 male mice by high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity, aging, or streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. APP mRNA expression was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) in subcutaneous (SAT) and epididymal adipose tissues (EAT) from mice in 8 different condition groups. By combining conditions of age (16 weeks/26 weeks of age), diet (normal diet (ND)/high-fat diet), and induction of diabetes (non-diabetic/diabetic), 88 mice were divided into 8 different groups. QPCR demonstrated that APP expression in SAT was significantly increased by about two-fold in HFD-induced obese mice compared to both 16 week-old and 26 week-old mice in the ND group (16 weeks p=0.001; 26 weeks p<0.0001), but no changes in EAT was found. Particular effects of aging on APP gene expression were not observed in either adipose tissue depots. Significantly decreased APP expression was found in SAT in STZ-induced diabetic mice fed on ND or HFD at 16 weeks of age (ND p<0.05; HFD p<0.01). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that APP expression levels correlated with body weight in both the non-diabetic group (R=0.657, p<0.0001, n=39) and the diabetic group (R=0.508, p=<0.0001, n=49), but did not correlate with plasma glucose levels, which suggests that decreased APP expression in STZ-induced diabetic mice is most likely due to weight loss rather than hyperglycemia. These data confirm APP dysregulation by weight changes in humans and suggest a possible role linking midlife obesity with the later development of amyloidogenesis in the brain of older patients with Alzheimer's disease.