• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2018

In this study, we developed a sensitive and specific reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for rapid visual detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) circulated in Korea. The RT-LAMP was completed in 40 min at $62^{\circ}C$ and the results of the assay were directly detected by naked eye without any detection process. The assay specifically amplified all 7 serotypes of FMDV RNAs but not amplified other viral and cellular nucleic acids. The sensitivity of the RT-LAMP was $10^2$, $10^3$ and $10^3TCID_{50}/mL$ for serotype O, A and Asia 1 FMDV, respectively, which was comparable to conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and relatively lower than that of real time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Clinical evaluation of the RT-LAMP using different serotypes of Korean and foreign FMDV strains showed a 100% (35/35) agreement with the results of the RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. These results indicated that RT-LAMP assay developed in this study could be a valuable diagnostic method for FMDV monitoring and surveillance.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.228-236
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• 2008

Validation of viral safety is essential in ensuring the safety of mammalian cell culture-derived biopharmaceuticals, because numerous adventitious viruses have been contaminated during the manufacture of the products. Mammalian cells are highly susceptible to Reovirus type 3 (Reo-3), and there are several reports of Reo-3 contamination during the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. In order to establish the validation system for the Reo-3 safety, a real-time RT-PCR method was developed for quantitative detection of Reo-3 in cell lines, raw materials, manufacturing processes, and final products as well as Reo-3 clearance validation. Specific primers for amplification of Reo-3 RNA was selected, and Reo-3 RNA was quantified by use of SYBR Green I. The sensitivity of the assay was calculated to be $3.2{\times}10^0\;TCID_{50}/ml$. The real-time RT-PCR method was proven to be reproducible and very specific to Reo-3. The established real-time RT-PCR assay was successfully applied to the validation of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell artificially infected with Reo-3. Reo-3 RNA could be quantified in CHO cell as well as culture supernatant. When the real-time RT-PCR assay was applied to the validation of virus removal during a virus filtration process, the result was similar to that of virus infectivity assay. Therefore, it was concluded that this rapid, specific, sensitive, and robust assay could replace infectivity assay for detection and clearance validation of Reo-3.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.52.1-52.10
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• 2023

Accurate and efficient microbial diagnosis is crucial for effective molecular diagnostics, especially in the field of human healthcare. The gold standard equipment widely employed for detecting specific microorganisms in molecular diagnosis is quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). However, its limitations in low metagenomic DNA yield samples necessitate exploring alternative approaches. Digital PCR, by quantifying the number of copies of the target sequence, provides absolute quantification results for the bacterial strain. In this study, we compared the diagnostic efficiency of qRT-PCR and digital PCR in detecting a particular bacterial strain (Staphylococcus aureus), focusing on skin-derived DNA samples. Experimentally, specific primer for S. aureus were designed at transcription elongation factor (greA) gene and the target amplicon were cloned and sequenced to validate efficiency of specificity to the greA gene of S. aureus. To quantify the absolute amount of microorganisms present on the skin, the variable region 5 (V5) of the 16S rRNA gene was used, and primers for S. aureus identification were used to relative their amount in the subject's skin. The findings demonstrate the absolute convenience and efficiency of digital PCR in microbial diagnostics. We suggest that the high sensitivity and precise quantification provided by digital PCR could be a promising tool for detecting specific microorganisms, especially in skin-derived DNA samples with low metagenomic DNA yields, and that further research and implementation is needed to improve medical practice and diagnosis.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.88-92
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• 2007

The effect of dexamethasone injection on the burden of marine birnavirus (MABV) in asymptomatically infected olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) fingerlings was investigated. In real time PCR analysis, the threshold cycle (Ct) value of the fish injected with dexamethasone was significantly lower than that of the fish in the PBS-injected and no-handling groups. The higher amplification of the MABV gene in the dexamethasone-injected group than the 2 control groups was confirmed also by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The results indicate an increase of MABV burden in olive flounder fingerlings after a single injection with dexamethasone.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1896-1901
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• 2010

This study was conducted using quantitative real-time PCR using Lactobacilli as probiotics. Quantitative real-time PCR (RT PCR) was conducted via a method involving SYBR Green 1 and a probe. Plasmid DNA was cloned using the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic species region. Gene clones were diluted from $10^2$ to $10^{10}$. Standard curves were constructed via Ct values obtained from the results of Real-time PCR via the aforementioned SYBR Green 1 and probe method. Plasmid DNA was also cloned using the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic species region and the gene clones were diluted from $10^2$ to $10^{10}$ copy numbers via the probe method. Using RT PCR, a standard curve of plasmid DNA copy numbers was also determined. The slope value for the Y-axis intercept and $R^2$ value were measured as -3.346, 33.18, and 0.993, respectively, via the first method. For the second method, the slope value for the Y-axis intercept and $R^2$ were -3.321, 31.10 and 0.995, respectively. The PCR inhibitor could not express the detection curve at a copy number over $10^{10}$ via either method, owing to high DNA density. The DNA extract from probiotics was diluted without pre-culturing, and 16 products were amplified via both methods. The Ct value was 11.06~18.12 in the first method and 16.74~22.11 in the second method. Measured probiotics and log copy values were largely similar among the methods used. It was concluded that both methods are effective for analysis, but further research will be required to verify the optimal method.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.13.1-13.8
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• 2023

Importance of accurate molecular diagnosis and quantification of particular disease-related pathogenic microorganisms is highlighted as an introductory step to prevent and care for diseases. In this study, we designed a primer/probe set for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) targeting rgpA gene, known as the specific virulence factor of periodontitis-related pathogenic bacteria 'Porphyromonas gingivalis', and evaluated its diagnostic efficiency by detecting and quantifying relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis within saliva samples collected from clinical subjects. As a result of qRT-PCR, we confirmed that relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis was detected and quantified within all samples of positive control and periodontitis groups. On the contrary, negative results were confirmed in both negative control and healthy groups. Additionally, as a result of comparison with next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based 16S metagenome profiling data, we confirmed relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis, which was not identified on bacterial classification table created through 16S microbiome analysis, in qRT-PCR results. It showed that an approach to quantifying specific microorganisms by applying qRT-PCR method could solve microbial misclassification issues at species level of an NGS-based 16S microbiome study. In this respect, we suggest that P. gingivalis-specific primer/probe set introduced in present study has efficient applicability in various oral healthcare industries, including periodontitis-related microbial molecular diagnosis field.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.796-804
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• 2017

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) have been integrated into vertebrate genomes and have momentously affected host organisms. Horses (Equus caballus) have been domesticated and selected for elite racing ability over centuries. ERVs played an important role in the evolutionary diversification of the horse genome. In the present study, we identified six equine ERV families (EqERVs-E1, I1, M2, P1, S1, and Y4), their full-length viral open reading frames (ORFs), and elucidated their phylogenetic relationships. The divergence time of EqERV families assuming an evolutionary rate of 0.2%/Myr indicated that EqERV-S3 (75.4 million years ago; mya) on chromosome 10 is an old EqERV family and EqERV-P5 (1.2 Mya) on chromosome 12 is a young member. During the evolutionary diversification of horses, the EqERV-I family diverged 1.7 Mya to 38.7 Mya. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) amplification of EqERV pol genes showed greater expression in the cerebellum of the Jeju horse than the Thoroughbred horse. These results could contribute further dynamic studies for horse genome in relation to EqERV gene function.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.7 s.87
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• pp.996-1001
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• 2007

To investigate whether sulindac, sulindac sulfone, and sulindac sulfide could affect cancer cell viabilities, human colorectal HCTl16 cells were treated with 10 ${\mu}M$ of each NSAID. Among treated NSAms, sulindac sulfide dramatically decreased the cell viabilities detected by MTS and the cytotoxic effect showed dose-dependent manner. To understand the molecular mechanism of cell death in response to sulindac sulfide treatment, we performed oligo DNA microarray analysis. We found that 23 genes were up-regulated more than 2 folds, whereas 33 genes were down-regulated more than 2 folds by treatment of 10 ${\mu}M$ sulindac sulfide. Among the up-regulated genes, we selected 3 genes (NAG-1, DDIT3, PCK2) and performed RT-PCR and quantitative real-time PCR to cofirm microarray data. The results of RT-PCR and real-time PCR were highly accorded with those of microarray experiment. As NAG-1 is well-known gene as tumor suppressor, we detected changes of NAG-1 expression by 10 ${\mu}M$ of sulindac, sulindac sulfone, and sulindac sulfide. The results of RT-PCR and quantitacve real-time PCR indicated that sulindac sulfide was the strongest inducer of NAG-1 among treated NSAIDS. This result implies that induction of NAG-1 by sulindac sulfide plays important role in cell death of colorectal cancer. Overall, we speculate that these results may be helpful in understanding the molecular mechanism of the cancer chemoprevention by sulindac sulfide in human colorectal cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1044-1050
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• 2014

Since there is no consensus about the most reliable assays to detect invasive aspergillosis from samples obtained by minimally invasive or noninvasive methods, we compared the efficacy of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for galactomannan (GM) detection and quantitative real-time PCR assay (qRT-PCR) for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Neutropenic, male Sprague-Dawley rats (specific pathogen free; 8 weeks old; weight, $200{\pm}20g$) were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide and infected with Aspergillus fumigatus intratracheally. Tissue and whole blood samples were harvested on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-infection and examined with GM ELISA and qRT-PCR. The A. fumigatus DNA detection sequence was detected in the following number of samples from 12 immunosuppressed, infected rats examined on the scheduled days: day 1 (0/12), day 3 (0/12), day 5 (6/12), and day 7 (8/12) post-infection. The sensitivity and specificity of the qRT-PCR assay was 29.2% and 100%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis indicated a Ct (cycle threshold) cut-off value of 15.35, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.627. The GM assay detected antigen in sera obtained on day 1 (5/12), day 3 (9/12), day 5 (12/12), and day 7 (12/12) post-infection, and thus had a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 100%. The ROC of the GM assay indicated that the optimal Ct cut-off value was 1.40 (AUC, 0.919). The GM assay was more sensitive than the qRT-PCR assay in diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in rats.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2016

Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) are highly toxic to aquatic organisms and human, even at trace concentration. Herein we investigated the effect of Cd on the gene expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in marine ciliate Euplotes crassus. Seven ABC transporters and one GST genes were partially cloned and sequences, and thereafter, transcriptional modulation of these genes after exposure to Cd for 8 h was investigated using quantitative real time RT- PCR (qRT-PCR). As results, sequence analysis and phylogenetic study revealed that E. crassus ABCs are likely typical ABC transports, in particular, B/C family, and GST gene may be similar to GST theta isoform. A significant increase in the expression of ABCs, except for ABCB21 was observed in a concentration dependent manner after exposure to Cd (0.1 and 0.5 mg/l) for 8 h. The GST mRNA level was the highest at 0.5 mg/l Cd and then reduced until control level. These findings suggest that ABCs and GST may be involved in a protective mechanism against Cd-mediated toxicity in E. crassus.