• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2002

To develop a new method of conjugation and to determine the distribution of R plasimds, we isolated multi-drug resistant strains from fish pathogenic bacteria in the farms of south and east seacoasts of Korea. Out of the 134 isolates examined, 10 showed resistance to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, colistin, nalidixic acid, oxolinic acid and kanamycin. One out of 10 multi-drug resistance bacteria, Vibfio damsela JE1 (V. damsela JE1), contained transferable R plasmid of chlorarnphenicol- tetracycline resistance genes and other nucleic acids encoding ampicillin and kanamycin resistance. The presence of the R plasmid was confirmed by conjugation using the chromocult medium (CC) as a selective and differential medium for transconiugants with identification based on the growth or colors of the colonies. The frequency of R plasmid transfer with filter mating method was come out much higher than that of broth mating method and appeared to be dependent upon the mating time and temperature. The optimum conditions for filter mating method were found to be 30$^{\circ}C$ and 24hrs as mating temperature and period, respectively, Moreover, donor cells with R plasmid, both isolate and standard bacteria, were shown to have an ability to transfer the plasmid against Escherichia coli K-12 HB101 (E. coli HB101) and Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda) RE14 at fairly high frequencies, finally, we isolated 3 isolates of Sphingomonas sp., carrying R plasmid from 12 multi-drug resistant bacteria in normal microflora of the flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) group used for the isolation of V emsela JE1 four months before. The same size and gene transfer chayateristics of R plasimds with those of V damsela JE1 confirmed that normal microflora have the reservoir activity for R plasmid in natural aquatic environment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.535-538
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• 2000

Streptomyces lavendulae FRI-5 produces the ${\gamma}$-butyrolactone autoregulator IM-2, which is required for nucleoside antibiotic producetion. We have developed a system for introducing DNA into S. lavendule FRI-5 via conjugal transfer from Esherichia cole. Conditions were established for conjugation of the oriT-and attP-containing plasmid pSET152 from E. coli ET12567 (pUZ8002) to FRI-5. Conjugation resulted in integration of the plasmid at the chromosomal C31 attB site. The frequency of intergeneric conjugation varied with the medium used. The highest frequency ($1.6\times10-5$ per recipient) was obtained on ISP medium 2 containing 10mM MgCl2. Southern blot and phenotypic analyses of exconjugants revealed that S. lavendulae FRI-5 contains a unique C31 attB site, and that integration of heterologous DNA into the attB site did not interfere with morphological differentiation or IM-2-dependent signal transduction, including the production of a blue pigment. This system will now enable detailed genetic analysis of the regulation of antibiotic production in S. lavendulae FRI-5.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.190-197
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• 2004

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic synovial inflammation which leads to joint destruction. Gene therapy of RA targets the players of inflammation or articular destruction. However, viral vectors have safety problems and side effects, while non-viral vectors suffer from inefficient gene transfer and fast loss of gene expression. To overcome the limits of non-vial vectors, an EBV-based plasmid which is known to exert prolonged high level gene expression can be used. Methods: pEBVGFP, pEBVIL-10, and pEBVvIL-10 were constructed by cloning GFP, IL-10, and vIL-10 genes into an EBV-based plasmid, respectively. The pGFP was used as a control plasmid. Each constructs were lipofected into HIG-82 rabbit synoviocytes. The expression of GFP was monitored by FACS and confocal microscopy. IL-10 and vIL-10 expressions were measured by ELISA. Results: GFP expression 2 days after transfection was achieved in 33.2% of cells. GFP-expressing cells transfected with pGFP decreased rapidly from 4 days after transfection and disappeared completely by 11 days. Cells transfected with pEBVGFP began to decrease slowly from 4 days. But GFP expression was detected for over 35 days. In addition, HIG-82 cells transfected with pEBVIL-10 ($44.6{\pm}1.5ng/ml$) or pEBVvIL-10 ($51.0{\pm}5.7ng/ml$) secreted these cytokines at high levels. High level cytokine production by hygromycin selection was maintained at least for up to 26 days after transfection. Conclusion: These results suggest that the EBV-based plasmid has a potential to improve non-viral gene transfer system and may be applicable to treat RA without the drawbacks of viral vectors.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.322-331
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• 1992

In order to understand the transfer and behavior of R gene in water environments. the Kmr gene in the genetically modified microorganisms(GMMs) w,is studied by conjugation. The plasmid variously rearranged in the conjugants were comparatively analyzied by agarosc gel electrophoresis and the specific Km' genes in the gel were tletected with DNA probe. The Kmr genes of the GMM strains(DKC600 and DKC601) were transferred at higher rate than those of natural isola~e(DKI)b, ut the ratc was a little diflurent depending upon the recipient strains. Rearrangement of the plasmids appeared morc drastic in GMM strains than in IIKI as donor. The transfer frequencies of the Km' genes in LR broth were remarkably higher than in the water of AW and FW without regards to the strains. In LA breth. the frequencies of Kmr genes were higher at 25'C-30$^{\circ}$C than at 10$^{\circ}$C and at pH - 7 than pH 9, but temperature and pH of the FW did n,,t affect to the frequency. And the conjugants from GMM strains in FW did not showed any plasmids. except tor 43 kb plasmiil. As results of Southern analysis of the plasmid, variously rearranged in eonjugant cells obtained in LB broth, the Kmr genes were detected at the same position of Km' plasrnids of the donor cell(DK1 and GMM strains). But Km' plasmid disappeared in the conjugants obtained in F'W and their chronlosomes showed strong signal of hybridization. The Kmr plasmid of DKl in the conjugants obtained in FW water was transferred and maintained its size, but the Kmr plasinids of the GMM strains were all integrated into chromosome. Therefore, the Kmr plasmids of DKI anit GMM strains in LH were intactly transferred and other plasmitls were variously rearranged. but Km' gene of DKC600 in FW water was integrated into the chromosorn: without regards to the temperature and pH of the water.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.88-95
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• 1992

The genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMS) could be released accidentally or ii)rexperimental purposes, as the genetic engineering, technique ha:. become very popular inany laboratories of biological sciences. But there have been littlt: informations on transkrbehavior of the genetically ~nodified genes in the natural en\ironmentx. In this stutly.antibiotic resistant bacteria were isolated from nat.ural waters. and then GEM strains wereconstructed i'rom the natural isolate (NI) by ~noclification oi' the Km' plasmitl. Thetransferability of the plasmids in the GEM and NI strains were examinetl by con-jugationin Luria-Bertani broth :it 30$^{\circ}$C. Also the cff'ccts 01' mating strain and pH on their transferfrequency and rearrangement of the plasmids in tl-~ec o~ijugantsM ere comp:irati\ely stuclictl.I'hc transkr frequency of Km' plasmid in donor of GEM and N1 strains wah similar a.;about 10 ' when co~ljugation was conducted wit11 M'I'I strain is recipient at pH 7. butthat of 1)KCOOI was lowered to 1.2X 10 '. And when the lab. stlain was uhccl as recipient.the transfer tendency of the plasmid was about same in both (;EM and NI strains usedas donor. All thc tionor 5trains. except for I)KC601. showecl the Ilighcs~ frequency of about10 ' at pH 7 and the frequcncics were lowered at both pH 5 and 9. Hut the mocliliedKm' plasmid in the cloned strain of DKC601 was transferred hy very low frequency of10 "at pH 5 ant1 7 comparing to other GEM strains. especiall! any co~~.jugantws ere notobtained at pH 4 and 9 even after conjugation for 6 hours. Rearrangement of the plasmidstranskrred into the lab. strain was not found in the conjugants. I\ulcornerut a lot of rearrangclncntwas ohservecl nlhen they were transferred into the NI strain. Such a rearrangement wasmore severe when donor was GEM strain rather then NI strain Hut such ;r phenomenonwas less affected by p!-l values.r phenomenon was less affected by p!-l values.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 1989

Plasmid DNA was isolated from Lactobacillus casei SW-M1($Lac^{+}$strain). The curing frequencies of pPLac plasmid from L. casei SW-M1 showed 43% for acriflavin treatment and 53% for ethidium bromide treatment after 3 times transfer. On the charaterization of pPLac plasmid, it was found that the plasmid contained gene encoding phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase for lactose utilization. Lactose-PTS(phosphotransferase system)was involved in membrane transport system in $Lac^{+}$ strain. Induction of phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase was specially effective by galactose, lower effect with lactose and glucose but not by IPTG(isopropyl-$\beta$-D-thiogalactoside). This result showed that induction of phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase by IPTG did not appeared. The catabolite repression of phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase synthesis by glucose was not found in L. casei.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 1986

Antibiotic resistant bacteria isolated from the river water in Cheongju City were studied on the transfer of their R-plasmids in water environment. The R-plasmids were transferred by conjugation between the isolates ai the frequencies of 1.1$\times$10$^{-6}$ to 1.2$\times$10$^{-7}$ under laboratory condition and 1.2$\times$10$^{-7}$ to 1.0$\times$10$^{-9}$ in natural environment. The R-plasmids isolated from those bacteria were also transferred into the recipient cells of E. coli HB101 at the frequencies of 1.7-6.7$\times$10$^{-6}$. The AP$^{r}$Cm$^{r}$Tc$^{r}$-plasmid of isolate T-44 which were transformation by conjugation and transformation was determined to be 9.01 kilobses in molecular size. When the AP$^{r}$Cm$^{r}$Tc$^{r}$-plasmid DNA was treated with restriction endonuclease, the plasmid appeared to have one restriction site for EroRI and BamHI, respectively, and three sites for Pst I endonuclease.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.408-415
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• 1991

TOL plsmid size of Flavobacterium odoratum SUB53 was estimated as 83 Md and the optimum concentration of m-toluate degradation by TOL plasmid was 5 mM. $H_{2}$ production by Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides KCTC1425 was largely dependent on nitrogenase activity and showed the highest at 30 mM malate with 7 mM glutamate as nitrogen source. Nitrogenase activities were inhibited by 0.3 mM $NH_{4}^{+}$ions, to be appeared the decrease of $H_{2}$ production. Conjugation of TOL plasmids from F. odoratum SUB53 and Pseudomonas putida mt-2 to R. sphaeroides showed the optimum at the exponential stage of recipient cells in presence of helper plasmid pRK2013. According to the investigation of catechol-1,2-oxygenase (C-1, 2-O) and catechol-2,3-oxygenase (C-2,3-O) activities of R. sphaeroides C1 (TOL SUB53) and C2 (TOL mt-2), the gene for C-2,3-O is located on TOL plasmid and gene for C-1, 2-O on the chromosome of R. sphaeroides. m-Toluate was biodegraded by TOL plasmid in R. sphaeroides C1 and C2, presumably to be produced $H_{2}$ gas from the secondary metabolites of m-toluate.e.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2003

Viral and non-viral vectors have been used in the delivery of genetic materials into animal cells and tissues, with each approach having pros and cons. Non-viral vectors have many useful merits such as easy preparation, low immunity and size tolerance of a transgene when compared to those of viral vectors. Delivery specificity may be achieved by complex formation between receptor ligands and a non-viral vector. In the present study, non-viral vector systems are investigated in an effort to find a practical delivery means for gene therapy, Receptor-ligand interaction between transferrin-receptor and transferrin was utilized for efficient gene transfer into cancer cells. A plasmid vector, pcDNA3 (LacZ) was ligated with a small duplexed oligo fragment in which a Biotin- VN$^{TM}$ phosphoramidite was placed in the middle of the oligo. The plasmid vector labeled by biotin was then conjugated with biotin-labeled transferrin via streptavidin. This trimeric conjugates were delivered to a hepatoma cell line, HepG2. The delivery efficiency of the trimeric conjugate was 2-fold higher than that of cationic liposomes used for transfection of a plasmid vector. These results demonstrate that a plasmid vector can be efficiently transferred into cells by forming a trimeric complex of plasmid vector-linker-ligand.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.62.2-62.2
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• 1997