The RAD3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is required for excision repair and is essential for cell viability. RAD3 encoded protein possesses a single stranded DNA-dependent ATPase and DNA-RNA helicase activies. To examine the extent of conservation of structure and function of RAD3 during eukaryotic evolution, we have cloned the RAD3 homolog, HRD3, from the distantly related yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Here, we report the partial cloning and characterization of HRD3 gene (Homologous of RAD3 gene) which was isolated by PCR amplification using conserved domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD3 gene. Chromosomal DNA isolated from S. pombe had similar restriction patterns to those from S. cerevisiae, as determined by Southern blot analysis. The 2. 8 kb transcript of mRNA was identified by Northern hybridization. The level of transcript did not increase upon UV-irradiation, suggesting that the HRD3 gene in S. pombe is not UV-inducible.

This study was performed by the sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) to investigate the effects of Aphidicolin (APC) or 2, 4-dinitrophenoi (DNP) on cross-adaptive response to ultraviolet radiation (UV) or ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The pretreatment with 1 J/m$^2$ UV decreased the yield of SCEs induced by subsequent treatment with 8 mM EMS in CHO cells. And the treatment with 10 $\mu$g/ml APC or 50 $\mu$M DNP during incubation after pretreatment with 1 J/m$^2$ UV increased the yield of SCEs induced by 8 mM EMS. The pretreatment with 2 mM EMS decreased the yield of SCEs induced by subsequent treatment with 5 J/m$^2$ UV. The treatment with 10 $\mu$g/ml APC during incubation after 2 mM EMS increased the yield of SCEs induced by 5 J/m$^2$ UV. These results suggest that APC and DNP inhibit cross-adaptive response to pretreatment with UV and subsequent treatment with EMS, and also cross-adaptive response to pretreatment with EMS and subsequent treatment with UV is inhibited by APC in CHO cells.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with the DNA probe for human chromosome 4 was used to analyse in vitro radiation induced chromosome rearrangement in peripheral lymphocyte. Translocations, dicentrics, acentrics and color junctions involving the painted chromosome were scored according to the Protocol for Aberration Identification and Nomenclature Terminology (PAINT) system. The frequency of chromosome rearrangements including reciprocal translocation, dicentric, acentric fragment and color junction increased with radiation dose. The frequency of dicentric chromosome reduced by the fixation time following irradiation, whereas that of translocation was relatively persistent. The applicability of FISH for scoring stable translocation for biological dosimetry was demonstrated.

In this study, we have quantified genotype frequency of the cytochrome P450 (P450) 2E1 which codes for the P450 enzyme primarily responsible for the metabolic activation of carcinogenic nitrosamines and low molecular organic solvents, in Korean population by using PCR and RFLP at two sites previously associated with some cancers; a PstI and RsaI RFLP in the transcriptional regulatory region of the human P450 2E1 gene. The genotype frequencies of homozygous wild type (PstI site-absent) and heterozygous mutant type (PstI site-present) in PstI RFLP were 0.70 and 030, respectively. The homozygous mutant type in Pstl RFLP was not observed in Korean population. The genotype frequencies of homozygous wild type (RsaI site-present), heterozygous mutant type (RsaI site-absent), and homozygous mutant type in RsaI RFLP were 0.71, 0.26, and 0.03, respectively.

The mutagenic potential of rHu-EPO was evaluated using the short-term genotoxicity tests including Ames, chromosome aberration and micronuclei tests. In Salmonella typhimurium assay, rHu-EPO did not show any mutagenic response in the absence or presence of S9 mix with TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537. In chromosome aberration test, rHu-EPO did not show any significant effect on Chinese Hamster Ovary(CHO) cells compared with control. In micronucleus test using male ICR mice, a dose-dependence increase in the frequency of micronucleuted polychromatic erythrocytes(MNPCEs) was observed in bone marrow cells treated with rHu-EPO. However, it was related to the secondary effect of rHu-EPO and the number of MNPCEs was equal to spontaneous frequency. These results indicate that rHu-EPO does not show any positive response in short-term genotoxicity assays.

To study the effect of dietary $\omega 6/\omega 3$ fatty acid ratios on the preneoplastic lesions and lipid peroxidation in rat hepatocellular chemical carcinogenesis, placental glutathione S-transferase(GST-P) positive foci area and numbers, glucose 6-phosphatase(G6Pase) activity, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were measured. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 5 different diets-low $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratio with fish oil (Low-F), low $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratio with perilia oil(Low-P), moderate ratio with perilia oil(Moderate), blend of 10 different commercial fats and oils(High-BL) and high $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratio(High)-for 8 weeks. Hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by modified Ito model. The area of GST-P positive loci was the lowest in Moderate group and in ascending order of Low-F < Low-P < High-BL < High. But statistically, only Moderate and High groups were significantly different. The number of GST-P positive foci showed the same trend as foci area. The activities of G6Pase, membrane stability marker, were increased as $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratio decreased. Lipid peroxidation values (TBARS) were the lowest in Low-F group and it is significantly different from Moderate, High-BL and High groups. When dietary $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratio was moderate(4.06), hepatocarcinogenesis was suppressed compared with high or low $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratios. Blend fat, commonly consumed among Koreans, did not show any suppressive effect on carcinogenesis because of high ratio(6.7). These results suggest that dietary $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratio influences hepatocellular chemical carcinogenesis. It is recommended that appropriate $\omega 6/\omega 3$ ratio should be around 4.0. and we recommend to use more $\omega 3$ fatty acid in food preparation to reduce the risk of hepatocarcinogenesis.

This study was carried out to examine the mechanism of Arsenic cytotoxicity through several in vitro test systems. Dose-dependent decrease of cell survival by Arsenic was observed by colony forming assay. Arsenic was weak mutagenic in inducing HGPRT point mutation in CHO cells. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations increased in a dose-dependent manner and the most frequent type of chromosomal aberrations induced by Arsenic were chromatid type deletions. U!trafiltrates of culture media from CHO cells treated with Arsenic induced sister chromatid exchanges(SCE) in CHO cells and Arsenic was able to induce lipid peroxidation in CHO cells. The results suggested that the ultrafiltrates of media from CHO cells treated with Arsenic contain clastogenic factor(CF) and Iipid peroxidation might be involved in the formation of CF.