• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.47-54
• /
• 2009

A cDNA clone for a transcript preferentially expressed during an early phase of flooding was isolated from Nicotiana tabacum. Nucleotide sequencing of the cDNA clone identified an open reading frame that has high homology to the previously reported glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins. The open reading frame consists of 157 amino acids with an N-terminal RNA-recognition motif and a C-terminal glycine-rich domain, and thus the cDNA clone was designated as Nicotiana tabaccum glycine-rich RNA-binding protein-1 (NtGRP1). Expression of NtGRP1 was upregulated under flooding stress and also increased, but at much lower levels, under conditions of cold, drought, heat, high salt content, and abscisic acid treatment. RNA homopolymer-binding assay showed that NtGRP1 binds to all the RNA homopolymers tested with a higher affinity to poly r(G) and poly r(A) than to poly r(U) and poly r(C). Nucleic acid-binding assays showed that NtGRP1 binds to ssDNA, dsDNA, and mRNA. NtGRP1 suppressed expression of the fire luciferase gene in vitro, and the suppression of luciferase gene expression could be rescued by addition of oligonucleotides. Collectively, the data suggest NtGRP1 as a negative modulator of gene expression by binding to DNA or RNA in bulk that could be advantageous for plants in a stress condition like flooding.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.232-238
• /
• 2012

Kumjungsansung-Makgeolli$^{(R)}$ is a traditional Korean rice wine that is fermented from traditional nuruk and rice. In this study, we performed the PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis targeting the 16S and 28S rRNA genes to characterize bacterial and fungal diversity during Makgeolli fermentation. The predominant bacteria in the PCR-DGGE profile during Makgeolli fermentation were Lactobacillus spp. (Lactobacillus curvatus, L. kisonensis, L. plantarum, L. sakei, and L. gasseri), Pediococcus spp. (P. acidilactici, P. parvulus, P. agglomerans, and P. pentosaceus), Pantoea spp. (P. agglomerans and P. ananatis), and Citrobacter freundii; these were identified on the base of analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. The dominant bacterium during Makgeolli fermentation was L. curvatus. The predominant fungi in PCR-DGGE profile during Makgeolli fermentation were Pichia kudriavzevii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Asidia idahoensis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, and Torulaspora delbrueckii, and these were identified on the basis of analysis of 28S rRNA gene sequences. The dominant fungal species during Makgeolli fermentation changed from P. kudriavzevii at 0-2 days incubation to S. cerevisiae at 3-6 days incubation. This study suggests that PCR-DGGE analysis could be a suitable tool for the understanding of microbial diversity and structure during Makgeolli fermentation.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.479-484
• /
• 2007

Bacterial communities at 10 cm, 100 cm, and 200 cm depths in a 100-year-old lead-zinc tailing heap were evaluated by constructing 16S rRNA gene libraries. In total, 98 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from 193 clones at a 3% sequence difference level. The OTU number and species richness decreased with the depth. Species composition was significantly different between the three libraries. Fifty-seven percent of the examined clones were Acidobacteria and 27% belonged to Proteobacteria. Other sequences included Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Chlamydiae, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Nitrospira, and three unclassified OTUs. Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were mainly distributed in the rhizosphere of naturally colonizing plants; however, Deltaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi tended to inhabit the deeper tailings (below the 100 cm-depth).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.497-502
• /
• 2002

Thirty-nine strains of Leuconostocs found to be tolerant to $10\%$ or more garlic were selected for further identification, by comparing their whole-cell protein pattern, 16S rRNA gene (first 530 bases) sequence, cellular fatty acid composition, and carbon source metabolism. Two isolates were Identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides and 32 others as Leuconostoc citreum. Five other strains belonging to a cluster could not be allocated to the existing species. 16S rRNA gene sequence and cellular fatty acid composition of the unidentified bacteria exhibited close similarity with Leuconostoc argentinum. The unidentified isolates were not allocated to L. argentinum, because they formed polysaccharide from sucrose, while L. argentinum strains do not. Leuconostocs tolerant to high concentration of garlic were found predominantly on garlic surface, an extreme environment which is unfit for most of other microorganisms.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.21
• /
• pp.9059-9064
• /
• 2014

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ubiquitously expressed small, non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at a post transcriptional/translational level. They have emerging as playing crucial roles in cancer at all stages ranging from initiation to metastasis. As a tumor suppressor miRNA, aberrant expression of microRNA-29b (miR-29b) has been detected in various types of cancer, and its disturbance is related with tumor development and progression. In this review, we summarize the latest findings with regard to the tumor suppressor signatureof miR-29b and its regulatory mechanisms. Our review highlights the diverse relationships between miR-29b and its target genes in malignant tumors.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.279-282
• /
• 2008

This study describes a phytoplasmal disease occurring in Petunia leaves grown in the glasshouse of the National Horticultural Research Institute, Suwon, Korea. Abnormal growth like flattened stem with flower malformation or phyllody was observed from the plant. The DNA extracted from the diseased leaves was amplified using a universal primer pair of P1/P6 derived from the conserved 16S rRNA gene of Mollicutes giving the expected polymerase chain reaction(PCR) product of 1.5 kb. In the nested PCR assays, the expected DNA fragment of 1.1 kb was amplified with the specific primer pair R16F1/R16R1 that was designed on the basis of aster yellows(AY) phytoplasma 16S rDNA sequences. The 1.1 kb PCR products were cloned and nucleotide sequences were determined, and the sequences of the cloned 168 rRNA gene were deposited in the GenBank database under the accession no. of EU267779. Analysis of the homology percent of the 168 rDNA of PFS-K showed the closest relationship with Hydrangea phyllody phytoplasma(AY265215), Brassica napus phytoplasma(EU123466) and AY phytoplasma CHRY(AY180956). Phytoplasma isolated from the diseased Petunia was designated as Petunia flat stem phytoplasma Korean isolate(PFS-K) in this study. Flattened stem occurring in Petunia was confirmed as infection of AY group of phytoplasma by determination of 16S rRNA gene sequences of phytoplasma and microscopic observation of phytoplasma bodies. This is the first report on the phytoplasmal disease in Petunia in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.566-571
• /
• 2006

An archaeal 16S rRNA gene library was constructed from mangrove soil. Phylogenetic analysis revealed archaea in mangrove soil including the Crenarchaeota (80.4%) and Euryarchaeota (19.6%) phyla. The archaeal community in mangrove soil appears to be a mixture of organisms found in a variety of environments with the majority being of marine origin.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.125-128
• /
• 2005

A 16S ribosomal RNA gene from S. chungbukensis DJ77 has been sequenced. This sequence had a length of 1,502 bp and was extended for 29 bp at 5' and for 37 bp at 3' from the partial sequence (1,435 bp) registered in 2000 year. Besides, 1 bp was newly added near to the 3' end. We made the secondary structure of the 16S rRNA based on E. coli model and found four specific regions. We found constant and variable regions in genus Sphingomonas as the result of multiple alignment of 16S rRNA gene sequences from Sphingomonas spp. and S. chungbukensis DJ77. We found a stem loop structure in S. chungbukensis DJ77, which was only discovered in C. jejuni to date. It showed the structural agreement despite the difference of the sequences from the both organisms. Finally, S. chungbukensis DJ77 belonged to cluster II (Sphingobium) group, after the classification using phylogenetic analysis and nucleotide signature analysis.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.8
• /
• pp.613-619
• /
• 2014

The optic nerve often suffers regenerative failure after injury, leading to serious visual impairment such as glaucoma. The main inhibitory factors, including Nogo-A, oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein, and myelin-associated glycoprotein, exert their inhibitory effects on axonal growth through the same receptor, the Nogo-66 receptor (NgR). Oncomodulin (OM), a calcium-binding protein with a molecular weight of an ~12 kDa, which is secreted from activated macrophages, has been demonstrated to have high and specific affinity for retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and promote greater axonal regeneration than other known polypeptide growth factors. Protamine has been reported to effectively deliver small interference RNA (siRNA) into cells. Accordingly, a fusion protein of OM and truncated protamine (tp) may be used as a vehicle for the delivery of NgR siRNA into RGC for gene therapy. To test this hypothesis, we constructed OM and tp fusion protein (OM/tp) expression vectors. Using the indirect immunofluorescence labeling method, OM/tp fusion proteins were found to have a high affinity for RGC. The gel shift assay showed that the OM/tp fusion proteins retained the capacity to bind to DNA. Using OM/tp fusion proteins as a delivery tool, the siRNA of NgR was effectively transfected into cells and significantly down-regulated NgR expression levels. More importantly, OM/tp-NgR siRNA dramatically promoted axonal growth of RGC compared with the application of OM/tp recombinant protein or NgR siRNA alone in vitro. In addition, OM/tp-NgR siRNA highly elevated intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels and inhibited activation of the Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA). Taken together, our data demonstrated that the recombinant OM/tp fusion proteins retained the functions of both OM and tp, and that OM/tp-NgR siRNA might potentially be used for the treatment of optic nerve injury.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.137-141
• /
• 2013

In this study, nucleotide sequence structures of intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) 1, complete 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene and ITS 2 region were analyzed to identify three Peruvian entomopathogenic fungal isolates. The isolates had highly conserved sequence region in 5.8S rRNA gene and unique sequences in ITS 1 and 2 region among them. 5.8S rRNA gene regions were highly conserved and showed high homoloies among tested isolates. In contrast, ITS region showed species-specific sequence region, resulting in inter-genus differencies. Scanning electron microscopic images of these isolates supported the result of ITS-based identification. From these result, Peruvian entomopathogenic fungal isolate J270, J278, were identified as Beauveria bassiana and J271 was identified as Lecanicillium attenuatum.