• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.207-215
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• 2003

Gene structure prediction, which is to predict protein coding regions in a given nucleotide sequence, is the most important process in annotating genes and greatly affects gene analysis and genome annotation. As eukaryotic genes have more complicated stuructures in DNA sequences than those of prokaryotic genes, analysis programs for eukaryotic gene structure prediction have more diverse and more complicated computational models. We have developed EGSP, a eukaryotic gene structure program, using duration hidden markov model. The program consists of two major processes, one of which is a training process to produce parameter values from training data sets and the other of which is to predict protein coding regions based on the parameter values. The program predicts multiple genes rather than a single gene from a DNA sequence. A few computational models were implemented to detect signal pattern and their scanning efficiency was tested. Prediction performance was calculated and was compared with those of a few commonly used programs, GenScan, GeneID and Morgan based on a few criteria. The results show that the program can be practically used as a stand-alone program and a module in a system. For gene prediction of eukaryotic microbial genomes, training and prediction analysis was done with Saccharomyces chromosomes and the result shows the program is currently practically applicable to real eukaryotic microbial genomes.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.344-351
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• 2009

A biocontrol bacterium Bacillus licheniformis N1 grown in nutrient broth showed no chitinolytic activity, while its genome contains a gene which encodes a chitinase. The gene for chitinase from B. licheniformis N1 was amplified by PCR and the deduced amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the chitinase exhibited over 95% identity with chitinases from other B. licheniformis strains. Escherichia coli cells carrying the recombinant plasmid displayed chitinase activity as revealed by the formation of a clear zone on chitin containing media, indicating that the gene could be expressed in E. coli cells. Chitinase gene expression in B. licheniformis N1 was not detected by RT-PCR analysis. The protein was over-expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein. The protein could also be produced in B. subtilis 168 strain carrying the chitinase gene of N1 strain. The crude protein extract from E. coli BL21 carrying GST fusion protein or culture supernatant of B. subtilis carrying the chitinase gene exhibited enzyme activity by hydrolyzing chitin analogs, 4-methylumbelliferyl-$\beta$-D-N,N'-diacetylchitobioside and 4-methylumbelliferyl-$\beta$-D-N,N',N"-triacetylchitotrioside. These results indicated that even though the chitinase gene is not expressed in the N1 strain, the coding region is functional and encodes an active chitinase enzyme. Furthermore, B. subtilis 168 transformants expressing the chitinase gene exhibited antifungal activity against Fulvia fulva by suppressing spore germination. Our results suggest that the proper engineering of the expression of the indigenous chitinase gene, which will lead to its expression in the biocontrol strain B. licheniformis N1, may further enhance its biocontrol activity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.112-118
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• 2008

Laccases are multicopper-containing oxidases that catalyze the oxidation of many aromatic compounds with concomitant reduction of oxygen to water. Interest in this enzyme has arisen in many fields of industry, including detoxification, wine stabilization, paper processing, and enzymatic conversion of chemical intermediates. In this study, we cloned a laccase gene (GLlac1) from the white-rot fungus Ganoderma lucidum. The cloned gene consists of 4,357 bp, with its coding region interrupted by nine introns, and the upstream region has putative CAAT and TATA boxes as well as several metal responsive elements (MREs). We also cloned a full-length cDNA of GLlac1, which contains an uninterrupted open reading frame (ORF) of 1,560 bp coding for 520 amino acids with a putative 21-residue signal sequence. The DNA and deduced amino acid sequences of GLlac1 were similar but not identical to those of other fungal laccases. GLlac1 was released from the cells when expressed in P. pastoris, and had high laccase activity. In addition, GLlac1 conferred antioxidative protection from protein degradation, and thus may be useful in bio-medical applications.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2006

Pasteurella multocida is a terrible veterinary pathogen that causes widespread infections in husbandry. To induce homologous and/or heterologous immunity against the infections, outer membrane protein Hs (OmpH) in the envelope of different strains of P. multocida are thought to be attractive vaccine candidates. Previously we cloned and characterized a gene for OmpH from pathogenic P. multocida (A : 3) (In Press, Korean J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2005, 33, December). The gene is composed of 1,047 nucleotides (nt) coding 348 amino acids (aa) with signal peptide of 20 aa. The truncated ompH, a gene without nt coding for the signal peptide, was generated using pRSET A to name "pRSET A/OmpH-F2". This truncated ompH was well expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Truncated OmpH was purified for induction of immunity against live pathogen of fowl cholera (P. multocida A : 3) in mice. Some $50{\mu}g$ of the purified polypeptide was intraperitoneally injected into mice two times with 10 day interval. Lethal dose ($25{\mu}l$) of live P. multocida A : 3 was determined by directly injecting the pathogen into wild mice (n = 25). To demonstrate the vaccine candidate of the truncated OmpH, the live pathogen ($25{\mu}l$) was challenged with the OmpH-immunized mouse group as well as positive & negative controls (n = 80). The results show that the truncated OmpH can be used for an effective vaccine production to prevent fowl cholera caused by pathogenic P. multocida (A : 3).

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2007

It is difficult to introduce DNA in non-invasive manner into oral cancer cells as well as primary cells for gene manipulation and expression in vivo. So far, several methods for a gene delivery have been performed to solve this problem. Magnetofection is one of the recent methods for gene transfer, and nanoparticles are applied under a magnetic field for DNA delivery. We investigated whether the magnetofection increases the efficiency of a gene delivery into several oral cell lines. By using a plasmid coding the green fluorescent protein (GFP), the efficiency of gene transfer by magnetofection was compared with those by using the calcium phosphate and the commercial transfection agent. Indeed, the magnetofection increased the green fluorescent signal in cells, suggested that this method apparently enhance the efficiency of gene delivery without any defects in various oral cancer cell lines. Finally, we have shown that magnetofection can be a useful technique for gene delivery to difficult-to-transfect cells to perform a functional study of genes in vivo.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.147-151
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• 2000

School of Food Biotechnology, W0050ng University, San 7-6, Jayang~dong. Dong-ku1 Taejon 300-100, Korea - The nucleotide sequence of approximately 2.4 kb immediately adjacent to ptsG gene coding for the glucose permease of Brevibacterium ammoniagenes was detennined. A putative open reading frame (ORP) of 1.467 nucleotides encoding a polypeptide of 489 amino acid residues and a TAA stop codon was identified. The deduced amino acid sequence of the ORF product has a high homology with the 30S ribosomal protein S 1 of Mycohacteriwn tuberculosis (83 % ). M leprae (74%), Streptomyces coelicola (77%), and Escherichia coli (40%). suggesting that the predicted product of ORF is a ribosomal protein S 1. The ORF is located at a distance of 266 nucleotides upstream from ptsC gene with a same translational direction.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 1984

Sep gene, which is one of the cell division genes coding for penicillin binding protein 3 was subcloned from ${\lambda}607sep^{+2}$ to plasmid pBR322. which has a strong promotor such as lac UV5(lacP). It was confirmed that the sep gene cloned to pLJ3 was in the proper orientation for expressionfrom lactose promotor. To analyze the expression efficiency of sep gene within the plasmids newly constructed, sep mRNA was assated by using ${\lambda$\mid$\;607sep^{+2}$ DNA as a probe. Sep mRNA level was increased 25 times in the cells carrying sep gene cloned to pBR322 compared to E. coli C600 which has wild type sep gene within the chromosome instead of plasmed. Furthermore, the cells carrying sep gene cloned to pLJ3 derected the synthesis of about 50 times as much sep mRNA as did cells carrying sep gene cloned to pBR 322, representing that the sep gene was successfully cloned to pLJ3.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 2006

The gene coding for APG8a (At4g21980), a protein from Arabidopsis thaliana, is involved in the autophagy process. The protein is an interesting candidate for structure determination by NMR spectroscopy. Toward this end, APG8a has been produced recombinantly in Escherichia coli and typical NMR experiments such as $^{15}N-HSQC$, HNCA, HN(CO)CA, CBCA(CO)NH, HCCH-TOCSY, HNCO were performed. The backbone resonances, HN, N, CA, CB, and C' were sequence-specifically assigned, and the secondary structures including 3 $\alpha$ helices and $4\beta$ strands were deduced based on the assignments. Due to the intrinsic flexibility or the effect of the denaturant, the backbone resonances were not fully observed. Since the structure calculation by NMR data was not possible, the 3-dimensional model was built based on the sequence homology, and compared with the NMR results. The overall structure of the model could explain and complement the NMR derived secondary structures.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 1998

One of the better-characterized transcription factor of E. coli is the cAMP receptor protein(CRP) and the CRP binds cAMP and DNA. The cAMP-CRP complex is involved in regulation of many genes at bacteria. The cAMP-CRP regulatory element represents, in some respects, a global regulatory network. The aim of this work was to study the structure and the mechanisms controlling the expression of CRP in Serratia marcescens. We have been get 5 different clones from Serratia which stimulated the cells to use maltose as a sole carbon source in E. coli TP2139. The crp gene clone, pCKB12, was confirmed by Southern hybridization with E. coli crp gene. The location of the crp gene was determined by construction subclones carrying various portions of pCKB12. To investigate the potential role of CRP in E. coli, lacZ fused plasmids were constructed and investigated the ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity of the fused plasmid. The Serratiamarcescens cAMP receptor protein can substitute the E. coli CRP in transcriptional activation at the lacZ gene. These results suggest that Serratia marcescens cAMP receptor protein complex functions to regulate several promoters in E. coli.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2010

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a member of serine/threonine protein kinases, which initiates the principal transitions of the eukaryotic cell cycle and is a promising target for cancer therapy. The present study was designed to inhibit cdk2 gene expression to induce cell cycle arrest and cell proliferation suppression. Here, we constructed a series of RNA interference (RNAi) plasmids which can successfully express small interference RNA (siRNA) in the transfected human cells. The results showed that the RNAi plasmids containing the coding sequences for siRNAs down-regulated the cdk2 gene expression in human cancer cells at the mRNA and the protein levels. Furthermore, we found that the cell cycle was arrested at G0G1 phases and the cell proliferation was inhibited by different siRNAs. These results demonstrate that suppression of CDK2 activity by RNAi may be an effective strategy for gene therapy in human cancers.