• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2005

In this study we developed the transposon-mediated shuttle vector 'Hanpvid', which composed of HaNPV (Heliothis armigera nuclear polyhedrosis virus) genomic DNA and a transposon cassette from Bacmid of Bac-to-Bac system. Hanpvid replicates in E. coli in the same way as Bacmid and retains infective function in cotton bollworm cells (Hz-AM1). Using Hanpvid we constructed a recombinant virus, which could infect Hz-AM1 cells and generate recombinant HaNPV (rHa-Bar) containing the barnase gene, a ribonuclease gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Since the expression vector carrying barnase gene cannot replicate in the absence of barstar, a specific inhibitor of barnase, we constructed a new cotton bollworm cell line (AM1-NB) using the marker rescue method. In AM1-NB barstar was integrated into the cellular chromosome to sustain the replication of rHa-Bar. To screen out recombinant HaNPV for potential use as biopesticide, Hz-AM1 and AM1-NB cell lines were infected with rHa-Bar, respectively. The results obtained indicate that Viral progenies in AM1-NB were 23 and 160 times greater than those in Hz-AM1 48 h and 72 h after infection, respectively. With additional insertion of the polyhedron gene from AcNPV (Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus) into the Hanpvid genome, rHa-Bar regained the polyhedron phenotype and its pest-killing rate greatly improved. Toxic analysis showed that the lethal dosages ($LD_{50}$) and the lethal time(s) ($LT_{50}$) of rHa-Bar were reduced by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to wt-HaNPV in the third instar larvae of cotton bollworm. This study shows that in AM1-NB barnase can be effectively produced and used as pest-killing agent for the biological control of cotton pests.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.531-537
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• 1999

The present study was carried out to investigate the pathogenicity and pathogenesis of wild rats(Rattus norvegicus), trapped in nature, intranasally infected with Aujeszky's disease virus(ADV/NYJ-1-87) by histopathology, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization(ISH). Fifteen rats inoculated intranasally were roughened haircoat, anorexia, listlessness, and depression second day after inoculation, and three rats died in 66-72 hours. Eight rats showed severe pruritus at the face that was accompanied by frequent face-washing movements of the forelegs, and then became violent and spasmodic for an hour or until they died. Four rats slowly recovered after showing mild clinical signs of the disease. Microscopic lesions in infected rats were characterized by meningitis, perivascular round cell infiltration, focal gliosis, and neuronal degeneration and necrosis. And intranuclear inclusion bodies were frequently detected in the cerebral cortex and medulla. Positive reaction to ADV by immunohistochemistry and ISH were detected in the following areas : trigermimal ganglion, brain, tonsil, nasal mucosa, spleen, lung and liver. The result has suggested that ADV intranasally infected in wild rats is followed by replication in epithelial calls of nasal mucosa and tonsil, then invade local lymph nodes by way of the lymphatics. It is also believed that the virus invades bipolar olfactory cells and trigerminal ganglion; and then spread into central nervous system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1651-1658
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• 2020

Since Zika virus (ZIKV) was first detected in Uganda in 1947, serious outbreaks have occurred globally in Yap Island, French Polynesia and Brazil. Even though the number of infections and spread of ZIKV have risen sharply, the pathogenesis and replication mechanisms of ZIKV have not been well studied. ZIKV, a recently highlighted Flavivirus, is a mosquito-borne emerging virus causing microcephaly and the Guillain-Barre syndrome in fetuses and adults, respectively. ZIKV polyprotein consists of three structural proteins named C, prM and E and seven nonstructural proteins named NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5 in an 11-kb single-stranded positive sense RNA genome. The function of individual ZIKV genes on the host innate immune response has barely been studied. In this study, we investigated the modulations of the NF-κB promoter activity induced by the MDA5/RIG-I signaling pathway. According to our results, two nonstructural proteins, NS2A and NS4A, dramatically suppressed the NF-κB promoter activity by inhibiting signaling factors involved in the MDA5/RIG-I signaling pathway. Interestingly, NS2A suppressed all components of MDA5/RIG-I signaling pathway, but NS4A inhibited most signaling molecules, except IKKε and IRF3-5D. In addition, both NS2A and NS4A downregulated MDA5-induced NF-κB promoter activity in a dosedependent manner. Taken together, our results suggest that NS2A and NS4A signifcantly antagonize MDA5/RIG-I-mediated NF-κB production, and these proteins seem to be controlled by different mechanisms. This study could help understand the mechanisms of how ZIKV controls innate immune responses and may also assist in the development of ZIKV-specific therapeutics.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.3676-3680
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• 2012

An Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-based plasmid contains the EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) gene and EBV replication origin (oriP) sequence. Since EBNA1 (the only EBV-encoded protein) is combined with oriP, it is replicated simultaneously with chromosomal DNA in human, primate, and canine cells and is faithfully segregated at a stable copy number upon cell division. Consequently, it can be used to stably express gene inserts over a prolonged time in target cells. We have previously shown that the polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer can be surface-modified with L-arginine. Arginine is present at a high frequency in the transactivator of transcription (Tat) sequences of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It presents high membrane permeability and permits effective transfer of DNA inside the cells. In this study, we constructed two kinds of recombinant DNA by inserting the luciferase gene and enhanced green fluorescence protein (eGFP) gene as reporter genes into the pCEP4 plasmid vector. We measured dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential after preparing PAMAM-based cationic polymer/EBV-based plasmid complexes. We performed transfection of HEK 293 cell lines with the polyplexes, and monitored luciferase activity and green fluorescence protein (GFP) expression. Our results show that PAMAM-based cationic polymer/EBV plasmid complexes provide enhanced and sustained gene expression.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.104-111
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• 2016

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito borne pathogen, belongs to Flaviviridae family having a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome, currently known for causing large epidemics in Brazil. Its infection can cause microcephaly, a serious birth defect during pregnancy. The recent outbreak of ZIKV in February 2016 in Brazil realized it as a major health risk, demands an enhanced surveillance and a need to develop novel drugs against ZIKV. Amodiaquine, prochlorperazine, quinacrine, and berberine are few promising drugs approved by Food and Drug Administration against dengue virus which also belong to Flaviviridae family. In this study, we performed molecular docking analysis of these drugs against nonstructural 3 (NS3) protein of ZIKV. The protease activity of NS3 is necessary for viral replication and its prohibition could be considered as a strategy for treatment of ZIKV infection. Amongst these four drugs, berberine has shown highest binding affinity of -5.8 kcal/mol and it is binding around the active site region of the receptor. Based on the properties of berberine, more similar compounds were retrieved from ZINC database and a structure-based virtual screening was carried out by AutoDock Vina in PyRx 0.8. Best 10 novel drug-like compounds were identified and amongst them ZINC53047591 (2-(benzylsulfanyl)-3-cyclohexyl-3H-spiro[benzo[h]quinazoline-5,1'-cyclopentan]-4(6H)-one) was found to interact with NS3 protein with binding energy of -7.1 kcal/mol and formed H-bonds with Ser135 and Asn152 amino acid residues. Observations made in this study may extend an assuring platform for developing anti-viral competitive inhibitors against ZIKV infection.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.81-85
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• 2018

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is an essential element of cell growth and can also affect the viral replication. In this study, we tried to find out whether FBS concentration affects the viral infectivity titer of IHNV and IPNV. EPC cells were suspended with MEM supplemented with various concentrations of FBS (MEM0, MEM2, MEM5 and MEM10) and cultured in 96-well plate. Each virus was 10-fold diluted virus and inoculated in 96-well plate. The highest infectivity titer of IHNV was $10^{7.88}\;TCID_{50}/mL$ in 96-well plate using MEM5 and the lowest one was $10^{7.30}\;TCID_{50}/mL$ in 96-well plate using MEM10. The highest infectivity titer of IPNV was $10^{7.47}\;TCID_{50}/mL$ in 96-well plate using MEM5 and the lowest one was $10^{6.97}\;TCID_{50}/mL$ in 96-well plate using MEM10. This study showed that not only 0% FBS but 10% FBS leads low infectivity titer of IHNV and IPNV. Therefore, it is considered that the desirable concentration of FBS is 2% or 5% for measurement of infectivity titer of IHNV and IPNV.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.632-640
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• 2021

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) causes severe economic loss in crop productivity of both agriculture and horticulture crops in Korea. The previous surveys showed that naturally available biopolymer material - chitosan (CS), which is from shrimp cells, reduced CMV accumulation on pepper. To improve the antiviral activity of CS, it was synthesized to form phosphate cross-linked chitosan (PCS) and compared with the original CS. Initially, the activity of CS and PCS (0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.1% concentration) compound against PMMoV infection and replication was tested using a half-leaf assay on Nicotiana glutinosa leaves. The total number of local lesions represented on a leaf of N. glutinosa were counted and analyzed with phosphate buffer treated leaves as a negative control. The leaves treated with a 0.1% concentration of CS or PCS compounds exhibited an inhibition effect by 40-75% compared with the control leaves. The same treatment significantly reduced about 40% CMV accumulation measured by double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and increased the relative expression levels of the NPR1, PR-1, cysteine protease inhibitor gene, LOX, PAL, SRC2, CRF3 and ERF4 genes analyzed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, in chili pepper plants.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.15.1-15.13
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• 2023

Background: Inactivated vaccines are limited in preventing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) due to safety problems. Recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) are an excellent candidate for a novel vaccine for preventing FMD, given that VLPs have similar immunogenicity as natural viruses and are replication- and infection-incompetent. Objectives: The 3C protease and P1 polyprotein of type O FMD virus (FDMV) was expressed in yeast Hansenula polymorpha to generate self-resembling VLPs, and the potential of recombinant VLPs as an FMD vaccine was evaluated. Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized with recombinant purified VLPs using CpG oligodeoxynucleotide and aluminum hydroxide gel as an adjuvant. Cytokines and lymphocytes from serum and spleen were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, enzyme-linked immunospot assay, and flow cytometry. Results: The VLPs of FMD were purified successfully from yeast protein with a diameter of approximately 25 nm. The immunization of mice showed that animals produced high levels of FMDV antibodies and a higher level of antibodies for a longer time. In addition, higher levels of interferon-γ and CD4⁺ T cells were observed in mice immunized with VLPs. Conclusions: The expression of VLPs of FMD in H. polymorpha provides a novel strategy for the generation of the FMDV vaccine.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2023

Sweet potato symptomless virus 1 (SPSMV-1) is a single-stranded circular DNA virus, belonging to the genus Mastrevirus (family Geminiviridae) that was first identified on sweet potato plants in South Korea in 2012. Although SPSMV-1 does not induce distinct symptoms in sweet potato plants, its co-infection with different sweet potato viruses is highly prevalent, and thus threatens sweet potato production in South Korea. In this study, the complete genome sequence of a Korean isolate of SPSMV-1 was obtained by Sanger sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons from sweet potato plants collected in the field (Suwon). An infectious clone of SPSMV-1 (1.1-mer) was constructed, cloned into the plant expression vector pCAMBIA1303, and agro-inoculated into Nicotiana benthamiana using three Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains (GV3101, LBA4404, and EHA105). Although no visual differences were observed between the mock and infected groups, SPSMV-1 accumulation was detected in the roots, stems, and newly produced leaves through PCR. The A. tumefaciens strain LBA4404 was the most effective at transferring the SPSMV-1 genome to N. benthamiana. We confirmed the viral replication in N. benthamiana samples through strand-specific amplification using virion-sense- and complementary-sense-specific primer sets.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2002

Hepatitis B viral infection which affect about 10% of Korean population manifests asymptomatic carrier, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis and even associates with hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical manifestations induced by hepatitis B virus vary depending on the degree of immune response by cytotoxic T cells against viral epitope-presenting liver cells. Since hepatitis B virus presents high rate of mutaton that might change the presented epitope and eventually alter immune response, viral mutations, especially in promoters and enhancers, have an important implication in hepatic inflammation and viral replication. To identify mutations related to the hepatic inflammation, we investigated sequence variations of hepatitis B viral promotor regions in the presence or absence of symptoms in hepatitis B carriers. For this, sera from persistently hepatitis B virus-infected mother-child pairs were collected. After PCR amplifiation of all hepatitis B viral promoters (C promoter, S1 promoter, S2/S promoter, X promoter) using serum DNA from each pair, viral promotors were sequenced by automatic sequencer and then sequence data were analyzed by ClustalW. In most cases, the dominant type of maternal virus was transmitted to the child. However, in some children, some new host specific viral variants could be observed in Cp, S1p and S2/Sp. The mutations in C promoter did not seem to be vertically transmitted but arose in new host independently after the wild type had been transmitted. Enhancer I containing X promoter revealed high host specific variations as has been reported before. Two S promoters, S1p and S2/Sp, have shown some point mutations in children, but no deletion mutations were detected as in chronic hepatitis patients in whom deletion mutations are frequently found. In conclusion, the children with the vertically transmitted hepatitis B virus mostly retain the dominant type virus that had been transmitted. However, host specific variants tended to accumulate over time, possibly as clinical symptoms develop.