• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.258-265
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• 1999

Entry into meiosis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regulated by two major factors: the cell type MATa/MAT${\alpha}$ and the nutriational state (starvation) of the cell. The two independent regulations act through IME1and IME2 expression to initiate meiosis. IME2 encodes a meiosis-specific protein kinase, and it enabled MATa/MAT${\alpha}$ diploid cells to undergo meiosis and sporulation. The PCR mutagenesis method was applied for the isolation of thermosensitive ime2 mutants. Among sixty two mutants isolated from the phenotype of defective spore formation under the restrictive temperature, three with the most easily observed temperature-sensitive phenotype (ts ${\cdot}$ime2-11, ts ${\cdot}$ime2-12 and ts ${\cdot}$ime2-13) were selected for further study. To understand the detailed functions of IME2, we examined the defects of these mutants in the early meiotic pathway including the premeiotic DNA replication and exhibited decreased level in meiotic recombination. These results suggest that the IME2 gene plays essential role in meiotic recombination pathway as well as premeiotic DNA replication. As the result of the IME2 overexpression in ${\Delta}$mre4. moreover, it was suggested that the IME2 and MRE4 genes act on the same pathway of initiation step in meiotic recombination.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.156-162
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• 2007

Two lysis-defective but DNA synthesis non-defective temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of mycobacteriophage L1, L1G23ts23 and L1G25ts889 were found to be defective also in phage-specific RNA synthesis in the late period of their growth at 42$^{\circ}C$each to the extent of 50% of that at 32$^{\circ}C$The double mutant, L1G23ts23G25ts889 showed the ts defect in phage RNA synthesis that was nearly additive of those shown individually by the two single-mutant parents. Both G23 and G25 were shown to start functioning sometimes between 30 and 45 min after infection but the former gene might be dispensable after 45 min, while the latter was not. Northern analysis also shows that at 42$^{\circ}C$>, L1G23ts23 affects RNA synthesis more strongly than L1G25ts889 from L1 DNA segments that serve as the template for late gene transcription. Among the 21 virion and 12 non-virion late proteins synthesized by L1, L1G23ts23 is defective in the synthesis of at least 9 virion and all of non-virion proteins at 42$^{\circ}C$>. In contrast, L1G25ts889 is completely defective in synthesis of all the 33 late proteins. Possible roles of G23 and G25 in the positive regulation of transcription of different sets of late genes of L1 have been discussed.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.210-215
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• 1989

In order to elucidate and characterize the signal transduction pathway(s) whereby yeast cells respond to mating pheromone, we have isolated mutants which are able to conjugate in the absence of the alpha-factor receptor. Sixty-one suppressors of a ste2-deletion mutation which also confer a ts conditional "start" arrest phenotypw have been subjected to genetic analysis. The mutants could be assigned to three complementation groups designated CDC70, CDC72 and CDC73, which are unlinked to each other as well as to the previously identified start genes. Quantitation of mating ability of the cdc70, cdc72 and cdc73 mutations in a ste2-deletion background gives levels ranging from 0.1% to 0.3% of wild type, depending on the allele and the gene. The results indicate that the signals from mating pheromone might be mediated by the CDC70, CDC72 and CDC73 products. products.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.729-733
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• 2022

Aggregation of normally soluble proteins can cause disease-related problems. Tryptophan synthase α-subunit (αTS) in E. coli adopts one of most popular structural scaffolds, the TIM barrel fold. Previous mutagenesis of the αTS gene resulted in many aggregation-prone mutant proteins. Here, Y173F (Tyr at residue 173 to Phe) substitution, which imparts increased stability, was tested for its ability to suppress aggregation of aggregation-prone mutant proteins (Y4C, S33L, P28L, P28S, G44S, D46N, P96L, and P96S). Aggregation was suppressed in all eight severe aggregate-forming mutants (all differing in their mutation positions), by the Y173F replacement. P28L αTS, which was available in pure form, was further analyzed and showed reduced secondary structure content, lower stability, and a looser structure with more exposed hydrophobic surface compared to the wild type protein. A double mutant P28L/Y173F protein showed almost no indication of these changes compared to the wild type protein. We hypothesized that Tyr at position 173 in αTS is positioned at the hydrophobic core and may serve to suppress the aggregation of this protein caused by other residues. Important residue (s) could be working widely in the prevention/suppression of protein aggregation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 1991

The yeast L-A virus (4.6 kb dsRNA genome) encodes the major coat protein and a "gag-pol" fusion minor coat protein that separately encapsidate itself and $M_{1}$, a 1.8 kb dsRNA satellite virus encoding a secreted protein toxin (the killer toxin). The teast chromosomal SKI genes prevent viral cytopathology by lowering the virus copy number. Thus, $ski^{-}$ mutants are ts and cs for growth. We transformed a ski2-2 virus-infested mutant with a yeast bank in a high copy cloning vector and selected the rare healthy transformants for analysis. One type of transformant segregated M-O L-A-O cells with high frequency. Elimination of the DNA clone from the ski2-2 strain eliminated this phinotype and introduction of the DNA clone recovered from such transformants into the parent ski2-2 strain, or into ski3 or ski6 mutants gave the same phenotype. This killer-curing phenotype was due to the curing of the helper L-A dsRNA virus. The 6.5 kb insert only had this activity when carried on a high copy vector and in $ski^{-}$ cells (not in $SKI^{+}$ cells). This 6.5 kb insert acts as a mutagen on L-A dsRNA producing a high rate of deletion mutations.mutations.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.259-264
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• 2001

It has been well known that the expression of S. typhimurium cadBA operon requires at least two extracellular signals: low pH and high concentration of lysine. To better understand the nature of pH-dependent and lysine dependent signal transduction, mutants were isolated in JF2238(cadA-lacZ) by Tn10 insertion, spontaneous mutagenesis, and EMS treatment. Two mutants were isolated from JF2238, expressed as a cadA-lacZ operon fusion in various growth conditions, and analyzed to have mutations in cadC, a gene encoding a function necessary for transcriptional activation of cadBA. One isolate (cadC6) conferred pH-independent and lysine-independent cadBA expression and the other(cadC4) showed pH-independent and lysine-dependent cadBA expression. cadR::Tn10 and cadR4 mutants were expressed in the absence of exogenously added lysine. They were also resistant to thiosine and complemented by lysP clone from E. coli. Thus, in the absence of exogenous lysine, cadR is a negative regulator of cadBA expression. Cadaverine, the product of lysine decarboxylation, was shown to inhibit expression of cadA-lacZ fusion in cad $C^+$ cell.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.176-180
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• 1989

There are three pseudourdine ($Psi$)bases in the E. coli $tRNA^{phe}$ In order to study the function of the pseudouridine bases in the $tRNA^{phe}$, changes of bases $tRNA^{phe}$ gene to other bases were undertaken by the site-specific mutagenesis. Site-specific mutagenesis of T in the pheW gene, a $tRNA^{phe}$ gene of E. coli, corresponding to the baseat the No.32 position to C and also T corresponding to the base at the No.39 position to C were performed using Kunkel's uracil-containing template method. Identification of mutants were undertaken by the KNA sequencing techniques of the mutated pheW genes and activities of the mutated pheW genes complementing to E. coli NP37 mutant($pheS^{-ts}$) using the recombinant plasmid containing the mutated genes. Neither NP37 harboring pheW gene mutated at No.32 position nor NP37 harboring pheW gene mutated at No.39 position can be grown at non-permissive temperature. The result means that both mutated pheW genes can not complement to E. coli NP37, and that the pseudouridine bases are essential to the activity of the E. coli $tRNA^{phe}$ in vivo.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1997

Unreduced (2n) gametes are meiotic products (pollen or egg) having a sporophytic (somatic) chromosome number, resulting from abnormalities during either microsporogenesis or megasporogenesis. They occur naturally at a low frequency in many plant species. Unreduced (2n) gametes in plants can be identified for four possible ways as follow i) pollen size and/or shape differences between haploid (n) and diploid (2n) pollen, ii) ploidy analysis (chromosome number) of progeny or meiotic analysis (presence of dyads andlor triads at the microspore stage), iii) progeny performance and fertility and iv) dosage of isozyme and DNA markers. Unreduced (2n) gametes can be an effective breeding tool in synthesizing new cultivars, providing a unique method to maximizing heterozygosity, i.e., transferring a large proportion of the non-additive genetic effects (intra- and inter- locus interactions) h m parent to offspring and can also be used to overcome infertility of interploidy crosses. Sexual polyploidization through 2n gametes has been a major route to the formation of naturally occurring polyploids. The three mechanisms of 2n pollen formation in potato have been discovered as follow: i) parallel spindles (ps) or tripolar spindles (ts), ii) premature cytokinesis (pc-I, pc-2) and iii) synaptic mutants (sy-2, sy-3, sy-4). Genetic analysis indicated that the mechanisms of 2n gamete formation were controlled by single recessive gene in potato, alfalfa, red clover, etc., and by two recessive genes in wheat. The use of 2n gametes which can efficiently transfer germplasm fiom wild relatives to cultivated species, especially fiom diploid to tetraploid could make a contribution to the improvement of germplasm base in breeding programs.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.392-400
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• 2005

The genes encoding the DNA gyrase A (GyrA) and B subunits (GyrB) of Methylovorus sp. strain SS1 were cloned and sequenced. gyrA and gyrB coded for proteins of 846 and 799 amino acids with calculated molecular weights of 94,328 and 88,714, respectively, and complemented Escherichia coli gyrA and gyrB temperature sensitive (ts) mutants. To analyze the role of type II topoisomerases in the intrinsic quinolone resistance of methylotrophic bacteria, the sequences of the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) in the A subunit of DNA gyrase and the C subunit (ParC) of topoisomerase IV (Topo IV) of Methylovorus sp. strain SS1, Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 NCIB 9133, Methylobacillus sp, strain SK1 DSM 8269, and Methylophilus methylotrophus NCIB 10515 were determined. The deduced amino acid sequences of the QRDRs of the ParCs in the four methylotrophic bacteria were identical to that of E. coli ParC. The sequences of the QRDR in GyrA were also identical to those in E. coli GyrA except for the amino acids at positions 83, 87, or 95. The $Ser^{83}$ to Thr substitution in Methylovorus sp. strain SS1, and the $Ser^{83}$ to Leu and $Asp^{87}$ to Asn substitutions in the three other methylotrophs, agreed well with the minimal inhibitory concentrations of quinolones in the four bacteria, suggesting that these residues play a role in the intrinsic susceptibility of methylotrophic bacteria to quinolones.