• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.1555-1560
• /
• 2010

Quantum dots (QDs) are extensively employed for biomedical research as a fluorescence reporter and their use for various labeling applications will continue to increase as they are preferred over conventional labeling methods for various reasons. However, concerns have been raised over the toxicity of these particles in the biological system. Till date no thorough investigation has been carried out to identify the molecular signatures of QD mediated toxicity. In this study we evaluated the toxicity of CdSe, $Cd_{1-x}Zn_xS$/ZnS and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots having different spectral properties (red, blue, green) using human embryonic kidney fibroblast cells (HEK293). Cell viability assay for both short and long duration exposure show concentration material dependent toxicity, in the order of CdSe > $Cd_{1-x}Zn_xS$/ZnS > CdSe/ZnS. Genome wide changes in the expression of genes upon QD exposure was also analyzed by wholegenome microarray. All the three QDs show increase in the expression of genes related to apoptosis, inflammation and response towards stress and wounding. Further comparison of coated versus uncoated CdSe QD-mediated cell death and molecular changes suggests that ZnS coating could reduce QD mediated cytotoxicity to some extent only.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.478-483
• /
• 2015

Decontamination of biological agents utilizes hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$) for its effectiveness and safeness. Bacillus anthracis is a major target for $H_2O_2$ decontamination. To assess the effect of $H_2O_2$ on B. anthracis and identify biomarkers for decontamination, whole transcriptomic profiling of $H_2O_2$-treated B. anthracis was performed. Here we identified deregulation in stress response genes, transcription factors and cellular homeostasis genes. We also found that expression of antisense RNAs increased in B. anthracis during decontamination. We postulate that B. anthracis prioritizes survival and adaptation in response to $H_2O_2$ treatment by changing its gene expression pattern.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.325-334
• /
• 2007

Recently, quorum sensing has been implicated as an important global regulator controlling the production of numerous virulence factors such as capsular polysaccharides in bacterial pathogens. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of smcR, a homolog of V. harveyi luxR identified from V. vulnificus ATCC29307, were analyzed. The amino acid sequence of SmcR from V. vulnificus was 72 to 92% similar to those of LuxR homologs from Vibrio spp. Functions of SmcR were assessed by the construction of an isogenic mutant, whose smcR gene was inactivated by allelic exchanges, and by evaluating its phenotype changes in vitro and in mice. The disruption of smcR resulted in a significant alteration in biofilm formation, in type of colony morphology, and in motility. When compared with the wild-type, the smcR mutant exhibited reduced survival under adverse conditions, such as acidic pH and hyperosmotic stress. The smcR mutant exhibited decreased cytotoxic activity toward INT 407 cells in vitro. Furthermore, the intraperitoneal $LD_{50}$ of the smcR mutant was approximately $10^2$ times higher than that of parental wild-type. Therefore, it appears that SmcR is a novel global regulator, controlling numerous genes contributing to the pathogenesis as well as survival of V. vulnificus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.805-814
• /
• 2008

Liming of acidic soils can prevent aluminum toxicity and improve crop production. Some maize lines show aluminum (Al) tolerance, and exudation of organic acids by roots has been considered to represent an important mechanism involved in the tolerance. However, there is no information about the impact of liming on the structures of bacterial and fungal communities in Cerrado soil, nor if there are differences between the microbial communities from the rhizospheres of Al-tolerant and Al-sensitive maize lines. This study evaluated the effects of liming on the structure of bacterial and fungal communities in bulk soil and rhizospheres of Al-sensitive and Al-tolerant maize (Zea mays L.) lines cultivated in Cerrado soil by PCR-DGGE, 30 and 90 days after sowing. Bacterial fingerprints revealed that the bacterial communities from rhizospheres were more affected by aluminum stress in soil than by the maize line (Al-sensitive or Al-tolerant). Differences in bacterial communities were also observed over time (30 and 90 days after sowing), and these occurred mainly in the Actinobacteria. Conversely, fungal communities from the rhizosphere were weakly affected either by liming or by the rhizosphere, as observed from the DGGE profiles. Furthermore, only a few differences were observed in the DGGE profiles of the fungal populations during plant development when compared with bacterial communities. Cloning and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments obtained from dominant DGGE bands detected in the bacterial profiles of the Cerrado bulk soil revealed that Actinomycetales and Rhizobiales were among the dominant ribotypes.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.149-155
• /
• 2006

To prevent human body injury from oxidative stress, antioxidants are very important and many research about antioxidants are generally being conducted. Hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$) that is one of vitality oxygen species has been seen that cause various diseases, DNA damage and gene change. The purpose of this study was to examine the inhibition effect of Zizania latifolia Rhizoma on apoptosis induced by $H_2O_2$ in Neuro2A cell. Neuro2A cells were cultivated in RPMI(GibcoBRL) with 5% FBS and treated with $H_2O_2$ and Zizania latifolia Rhizoma. We measured the cell viability and analyzed DNA fragmentation. Activity of PARP, Cytochrome C, caspase-9, caspase-3, p53, p21, Bax and Bcl-2 in the cell was examined dy using western blot. The results obtained were as Follows: The cell viability in Zizania latifolia Rhizoma treatment (60ug/ml<) decreased significantly compared with that of none treatment. (P<0.001) Zizania latifolia Rhizoma increased cell viability about twice as much as that being injury by $H_2O_2$. (Zizania Latifolia Rhizoma 20ug/ml, $H_2O_2$ 200uM, P<0.001) DNA fragmentation developed by $H_2O_2$, but was not developed in Zizania latifolia Rhizoma treatment. PARP, Cytochrome C, caspase-9 and caspase-3 activated all by $H_2O_2$ but were not activated in Zizania latifolia Rhizoma treatment. P53, P2l and Bax activated dy $H_2O_2$, and Bcl-2 got into inactivation. But the opposite results appeared in Zizania latifolia Rhizoma treatment. In conclusion, these results suggest that Zizania latifolia Rhizoma inhibit the development of DNA fragmentation and apoptosis by $H_2O_2$ and the antioxidant action of Zizania latifolia Rhizoma is effective. More researches about effect of Zizania latifolia Rhizoma are considered to need.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.48-57
• /
• 2020

The microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii accumulates triacylglycerols (TAGs) in lipid droplets under stress conditions, such as nitrogen starvation. TAG biosynthesis occurs mainly at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and requires fatty acid (FA) substrates supplied from chloroplasts. How FAs are transferred from chloroplast to ER in microalgae was unknown. We previously reported that an Arabidopsis thaliana ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, AtABCA9, facilitates FA transport at the ER during seed development. Here we identified a gene homologous to AtABCA9 in the C. reinhardtii genome, which we named CrABCA2. Under nitrogen deprivation conditions, CrABCA2 expression was upregulated, and the CrABCA2 protein level also increased. CrABCA2 knockdown lines accumulated less TAGs and CrABCA2 overexpression lines accumulated more TAGs than their untransformed parental lines. Transmission electron microscopy showed that CrABCA2 was localized in swollen ER. These results suggest that CrABCA2 transports substrates for TAG biosynthesis to the ER during nitrogen starvation. Our study provides a potential tool for increasing lipid production in microalgae.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.35 no.9
• /
• pp.1121-1126
• /
• 2006

In the present study, the potential hepatoprotective effects of poly herbal formulation, Hepa-1000, against oxidative damages induced by t-BHP were evaluated in HepG2 cells in order to relate in vitro antioxidant activity with cytoprotective effects. The t-BHP induced considerable cell damage in HepG2 cells was shown by significant glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, and increased lipid peroxidation. Hepa-1000-treated cells showed an increased resistance to oxidative challenge, as revealed by higher survival capacity than the one of control cells against t-BHP induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity. In addition, the Hepa-1000 had hepatoprotective effects lowering the activity of GOT and LDH, simultaneously. That is, it could inhibit the cell membrane damages resulting in the increased activities of GOT and LDH in the cell culture media. Furthermore, the Hepa-1000 could reduce t-BHP enhanced lipid peroxidation, which was evaluated by measuring the production of malonedialdehyde. Based on the data described above, it could be suggested that the Hepa-1000 has significant hepatoprotective effects and plays a protective role against lipid peroxidation by free radicals.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.468-476
• /
• 2021

In recent years, there has been an increase in the morbidity of gastritis in Korea due to lifestyle factors mostly changes in eating habits and stress. Gastritis is more likely to progress to gastric cancer, and therefore it is important to prevent and manage gastritis through lifestyle adjustment and treatment at an early stage. In this study, cabbage, which was found to be effective in gastritis, was mixed and fermented with other crucifer plants such as kale and broccoli to evaluate the overall efficacy of fermented brassica puree on alcoholic acute gastritis. Based on our results, fermented brassica puree alleviated gastric injury induced by 150 mM HCl/60% ethanol. In addition, it was confirmed that PGE₂, a gastric mucosal protective factor, was increased, and other positive effects such as an increase of MUC1 and regulation of PKC were observed. The results of this study suggest that fermented brassica puree can relieve acute alcoholic gastritis by regulating PGE and the expression of MUC1, a gene related to mucus secretion, and activating PKC, which is related to mucosal cell activity.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.364-368
• /
• 2018

The R2R3-type protein IbMYB1 transcription factor is a key regulator for anthocyanin biosynthesis in the storage roots of sweet potatoes. It was previously demonstrated that the IbMYB1 expression stimulates anthocyanin pigmentation in tobacco leaves, arabidopsis and storage roots of sweet potatoes. In this study, we generated the transgenic potato plants that express the IbMYB1 genes, which accumulated high levels of anthocyanins under the control of either the tuber-specific patatin (PAT) promoter or oxidative stress-inducible peroxidase anionic 2 (SWPA2) promoter. The PAT-MYB1 transgenic lines exhibited higher anthocyanin levels in the tuber than the empty vector control (EV) or SWPA2-MYB1 plants. When combined, our results indicated that overexpression of the IbMYB1 is a highly promising strategy for the generation of transgenic plants with enhanced tissue specific anthocyanin production.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.178-187
• /
• 2019

Plants are exposed to biotic stresses caused by pathogen attack and complex abiotic stresses including heat and drought by dynamic climate changes. To alleviate these stresses, we investigated two bacterial stains, H26-2 and H30-3 in two cultivars ('Ryeokkwang' and 'Buram-3-ho') of Chinese cabbage in plastic pots in a greenhouse. We evaluated effects of bacterial strains on plant growth-promotion and mitigation of heat and drought stresses; the role of exopolysaccharides as one of bacterial determinants on alleviating stresses; biocontrol activity against soft rot caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum PCC21. Strains H26-2 and H30-3 significantly increased fresh weights compared to a $MgSO_4$ solution; reduced leaf wilting and promoted recovery after re-watering under heat and drought stresses. Chinese cabbages treated with H26-2 and H30-3 increased leaf abscisic acid (ABA) content and reduced stomatal opening after stresses treatments, in addition, these strains stably colonized and maintained their populations in rhizosphere during heat and drought stresses. As well as tested bacterial cells, exopolysaccharides (EPS) of H30-3 could be one of bacterial determinants for alleviation of tested stresses in Chinese cabbages, however, the effects were different to cultivars of Chinese cabbages. In addition to bacterial activity to abiotic stresses, H30-3 could suppress incidence (%) of soft rot in 'Buram-3-ho'. The tested strains were identified as Bacillus aryabhattai H26-2 and B. siamensis H30-3 based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Taken together, H26-2 and H30-3 could be candidates for both plant growth promotion and mitigation of heat and drought stresses in Chinese cabbage.