• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.59-69
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• 2001

Arsenic exposure is associated with several human diseases, including cancers, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cerebrovascular diseases. In cultured cells, arsenite, an inorganic arsenic com-pound, was demonstrated to interfere with many physiological functions, such as enhancement of oxidative stress, delay of cell cycle progression, and induction of structural and numerical changes of chromosomes. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of arsenic exposure on gene expression profiles by colorimetric cDNA microarray technique. HFW (normal human diploid skin fibroblasts), CL3 (human lung adenocarcinoma cell line), and HaCaT (immortalized human keratinocyte cell line) were treated with 5 $\mu\textrm{M}$ or 10 $\mu\textrm{M}$ sodium arsenite for 6 or 16 h, respectively. By a dual-color detection system, the expression profile of arsenite-treated cultures was compared to that of control cultures. Several genes expressed differentially were identified on the microarray membranes. For example, MDM2, SWI/SNF, ubiquitin specific protease 4, MAP3K11, RecQ protein-like 5, and Ribosomal protein Ll0a were consistently induced in all three cell types by arsenite, whereas prohibitin, cyclin D1, nucleolar protein 1, PCNA, Nm23, and immediate early protein (ETR101) were apparently inhibited. The present results suggest that arsenite insults altered the expression of several genes participating in cellular responses to DNA damage, stress, transcription, and cell cycle arrest.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 2018

The large extracellular domain of glycoprotein hormone receptors is a unique feature within the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) family. After interaction with the hormone, the receptor becomes coupled to Gs, which, in turn stimulates adenylyl cyclase and the production of cAMP. Potential phosphorylation sites exist in the C-terminal region of GPCRs. The experiments described herein represent attempts to determine the functions of the eel follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (eelFSHR). We constructed a mutant of eelFSHR, in which the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail was truncated at residue 614 (eelFSHR-t614). The eelFSHR-t614 lacked all potential phosphorylation sites present in the C-terminal region of eelFSHR. In order to obtain the eelFSHR ligand, we produced recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone ($rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$) in the CHO-suspension cells. The expression level was 2-3 times higher than that of the transient expression of eelFSH in attached CHO-K1 cells. The molecular weight of the $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ protein was identified to be approximately 34 kDa. The cells expressing eelFSHR-t614 showed an increase in agonist-induced cAMP responsiveness. The maximal cAMP responses of cells expressing eelFSHR-t614 were lower than those of cells expressing eelFSHR-wild type (eelFSHR-WT). The $EC_{50}$ following C-terminal deletion in CHO-K1 cells was approximately 60.4% of that of eelFSHR-WT. The maximal response in eelFSHR-t614 cells was also drastically lower than that of eelFSHR-WT. We also found similar results in PathHunter Parental cells expressing ${\beta}$-arrestin. Thus, these data provide evidence that the truncation of the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail phosphorylation sites in the eelFSHR greatly decreased cAMP responsiveness and maximal response in both CHO-K1 cells and Path-Hunter Parental cells expressing ${\beta}$-arrestin.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 2005

Caenorhabditis elegans him-6 mutants, which show a high incidence of males and partial embryonic lethality, are defective in the orthologue of human Bloom's syndrome protein (BLM). When strain him-6(e1104) containing a missense him-6 mutation was irradiated with ${\gamma}$-rays during germ cell development or embryogenesis, embryonic lethality was higher than in the wild type, suggesting a critical function of the wild type gene in mitotic and pachytene stage germ cells as well as in early embryos. Even in the absence of ${\gamma}$-irradiation, apoptosis was elevated in the germ cells of the him-6 strain and this increase was dependent on a functional p53 homologue (CEP-1), suggesting that spontaneous DNA damage accumulates due to him-6 deficiency. However, induction of germline apoptosis by ionizing radiation was not significantly affected by the deficiency, indicating that HIM-6 has no role in the induction of apoptosis by exogenous DNA damage. We conclude that the C. elegans BLM orthologue is involved in DNA repair in promeiotic cells undergoing homologous recombination, as well as in actively dividing germline and somatic cells.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.101-105
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• 2003

Recombinant bioluminescent bacteria were used to monitor and classify the to xicity of azo dyes. Two constitutive bioluminescent bacteria, Photobacterium phosphoreum and Es-Cherichia coli, E, coli GC2 (lac::luxCOABE), were used to detect the cellular toxicity of the azo dyes. In addition, four stress-inducible bioluminestent E. coli, DPD2794 (recA::luxCDABE), a DNA damage Sensitive strain; DPD2540 (fabA::luxCDABE), a membrane damage sensitive strain; DPD2511 (katG::luxCDABE), an oxidative damage sensitive strain; and TV1061 (grpE::luxCDABE), a protein damage sensitive strain, were used to provide information about the type of toxicity caused by crystal violet, the most toxic dye of the 16 azo dyes tested. These results suggest that azo dyes result in serious cellular toxicity in bacteria, and that toxicity monitoring and classific ation of some azo dyes, In the field, may be possible using these recombinant bioluminescent bacteria.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.121-124
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• 2002

This work was initiated to develope a recombinant oral poliovaccine (OPV), which is highly advanced in safety (minimizing VAPP) by introducing Type 2,3 poliovirus epitopes into our RPS-Vax system. We have introduced several potential vaccine epitopes of poliovirus Type 2, and 3 into RPS-Vax system, resulting in production of recombinant polioviruses. Any of these chimeric viruses, however, were not detected for their foreign gene expression by serotype-specific mouse antiserum. We have designed several folding units to stabilize the introduced vaccine protein and attached short epitope-concatamer or epitope-multimer to them, followed by production of chimeric viruses. Only those who have an HIV-1 Tat-mediated folding unit were nicely detected for the introduced foreign proteins by anti-Tat antiserum and type-specific peptide-induced antisera. Nevertheless, introduced epitopes were not detected in Western blot experiment with each serotype-specific antiserum. None of the mice inoculated with these chimeric viruses showed preventative immunity when challenged with Lansing and Leon wildtype 2 and 3 poliovirus, and the antiserum did not show neutralizing capacity in vitro. Conformational epitope covering B/C loop region of type 2 and 3 were newly designed by computer modeling, and introduced into the RPS-Vax vector system, followed by production of chimeric viruses. Introduced epitope regions were nicely detected by anti-Tag23 mAb or peptide antibody, but still not detected by poliovirus antiserum. Nevertheless, neutralizing antibody was detected in the Tg-PVR mice even when inoculated once with these chimeric viruses. Also, the immunized mice showed perfect preventative immunity against the wild Type poliovirus Lancing or Leon. When boosted appropriately, those chimeric virus-inoculated Tg-PVR mice produced equivalent amounts of neutralizing antibody to those in Sabin 2/3-immunized mice. These data strongly suggest that our recombinant poliovirus (RPS-PV2 and RPS-PV3) can be used as a safe and effective rec-OPV instead of any preexisting poliovaccine.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2006

Plastichouse cultivation for crops and vegetables in the winter has been widely popularized in Korea. In the vinylhouse Ultraviolet B penetration is lower than in the field, and so some problems, as plant overgrowth and outbreak of disease, occurred frequently. The effect of artificial supplement ultraviolet B $(UV-B:280{\sim}320nm)$ radiation on the physiological responses and yield of perilla (perilla frutescens) was investigated UV-B ray was radiated on perilla with the 10th leaf stage at the distance of 90, 120 and 150 cm from the plant canopy for 30 days after planting in the vinylhouse. The production of fresh perilla leaves was high in the order of plastic house, ambient+50% of supplemental UV-B, ambient ambient+100% of supplemental UV-B. Enhanced UV-B radiation affected the intensity of thirty-three proteins in 2-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of proteins and ten proteins out of them seemed to be responsive to UV-B : a protein was, ATP synthase CF1 alpha chain, down regulated and nine proteins (Chlorophyll a/b bindng protein type I, Chlorophyll a/b binding protein type II precursor, Photosystem I P700 chlorophyll a apoprotein A2, DNA recombination and repair protein recF, Galactinol synthase, S-adenosyl-L-methionine, Heat shock protein 21, Calcium-dependent protein kinase(CDPK)-like, Catalase) were up-regulated.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.545-549
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• 2005

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is one of the most important bacterium used in bioleaching, and can utilize $Fe^{2+}$ or sulphide as energy source. Growth curves for Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans under phosphate starvation and normal condition have been tested, showing lag, logarithmic, stationary and aging phases as seen in other bacteria. The logarithmic phases were from 10 to 32 hours for Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans cultivated with normal cultivating condition and from 20 to 60 hrs for Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans cultivated phosphate starvation. Differences of protein patterns of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans growing in case of normal or phosphate starvation were separately investigated after cultivation at $30^{\circ}C$ by the analysis of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-Mass spectrometry. There were total 6 protein spots identified, which were Recombination protein recA, RNA helicase, AP2 domain-containing transcription factor, NADH dehydrogenase I chain D, Hyothetical protein PF1669, and Transaldolase STY3758. From the 6 identified protein spots, 3 proteins were found to be decreased in expression at the cultivating condition of phosphate starvation, while another three upregulated.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2010

Glycoprotein hormones have a common $\alpha$-subunit that is involved in the signaling pathway together with G protein, adenylcyclase and cAMP induction; however, it is an unclear how this common structure is related to hormonal action. To determine the biological functions of the COOH-terminal amino acids in the $\alpha$-subunit of these glycoprotein hormones, a tethered-molecule was constructed by fusing the $NH_2$-terminus of the $\alpha$-subunit to the COOH-terminus of the $\beta$-subunit of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). The following deletion mutants were created by PCR; Ile was inserted at position 96 to form ${\Delta}96$, Lys was substituted at position 95 to form ${\Delta}95$, His was inserted at position 93 to form ${\Delta}93$ and Tyr was substituted at position 87 to form ${\Delta}87$. Each mutant was transfected into CHO-K1 cells. Tethered-wt eCG, and ${\Delta}96$, ${\Delta}95$, and ${\Delta}93$ mutants were efficiently secreted into the medium but the ${\Delta}87$ mutant was not secreted. Interestingly, the RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and northern blot analyses confirmed that the RNA was transcribed in the ${\Delta}87$ mutant. However, the ${\Delta}87$ mutant protein was not detected in the medium or the intracellular fraction of the cell lysates. The LH- and FSH-like activities of the recombinant proteins were assayed in terms of cAMP production using rat LH/CG and rat FSH receptors. The metabolic clearance rate (MCR) was determined by injecting rec-eCG (2 IU) into the tail vein. The ${\Delta}95$ and ${\Delta}93$ mutants were completely inactive in both the LH- and FSH-like activity assays. The ${\Delta}96$ mutant showed slight activity in the LH-like activity assay. In comparison to the wild type, the activity of the ${\Delta}96$ mutant in the FSH-like activity assay was the highest among all the mutants. The MCR assay in which rec-eCG was injected showed a peak at 10 min in all the treatment groups, which disappeared 4 h after injection. These results imply a direct interaction between the receptor and the COOH-terminal region of the a-subunit. The data also reveal a significant difference in the mechanism by which the eCG hormone interacts with the rLH and rFSH receptors. The COOH-terminal region of the $\alpha$-subunit is very important for the secretion and functioning of this hormone.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.395-399
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• 2000

Five different freeze-dried recombinant bioluminescent bacteria were used for the detection of cellular stresses caused by endocrine disrupting chemicals. These strains were DPD2794 (recA::luxCDABE), which is sensitive to DNA damage, DPD2540 (fabA::luxCDABE), sensitive to cellular membrane damage, DPD2511 (katG::luxCDABE), sensitive to oxidative damage, and TV1061 (grpE::luxCDABE), sensitive to protein damage. GC2, which emits bioluminescence constitutively, was also used in this study. The toxicity of several chemicals was measured using GC2. Damage caused by known endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as nonyl phenol, bisphenol A, and styrene, was detected and classified according to toxicity mode, while others, such as phathalate and DDT, were not detected with the bacteria. These results suggest that endocrine disrupting chemicals are toxic in bacteria, and do not act via an estrogenic effect, and that toxicity monitoring and classification of some endocrine disrupting chemicals may be possible in the field using these freeze-dried recombinant bioluminescent bacteria.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.4 s.140
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• pp.303-312
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• 2006

Interactions between GRA proteins of dense granules in Toxoplasma gondii and host cell proteins were analyzed by yeast two-hybrid technique. The cMyc-GRA fusion proteins expressed from pGBKT7 plasmid in Y187 yeast were bound to host cell proteins from pGADT7-Rec-HeLa cDNA library transformed to AH109 yeast by mating method. By the selection procedures, a total of 939 colonies of the SD/-AHLT culture, 348 colonies of the $X-\alpha-gal$ positive and PCR, 157 colonies of the $X-\beta-gal$ assay were chosen for sequencing the cDNA and finally 90 colonies containing ORF were selected to analyze the interactions. GRA proteins interacted with a variety of host cell proteins such as enzymes, structural and functional proteins of organellar proteins of broad spectrum. Several specific bindings of each GRA protein to host proteins were discussed presumptively the role of GRA proteins after secreting into the parasitophorous vacuoles (PV) and the PV membrane in the parasitism of this parasite.