• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.10
• /
• pp.1225-1231
• /
• 2017

Disruptive expression patterns of the circadian clock genes are highly associated with many human diseases, including cancer. Cell cycle and proliferation is linked to a circadian rhythm; therefore, abnormal clock gene expression could result in tumorigenesis and malignant development. The molecular network of the circadian clock is based on transcriptional and translational feedback loops orchestrated by a variety of clock activators and clock repressors. The expression of 10~15% of the genome is controlled by the overall balance of circadian oscillation. Among the many clock genes, Period 1 (Per1) and Period 2 (Per2) are clock repressor genes that play an important role in the regulation of normal physiological rhythms. It has been reported that PER1 and PER2 are involved in the expression of cell cycle regulators including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and CDK inhibitors. In addition, correlation of the down-regulation of PER1 and PER2 with development of many cancer types has been revealed. In this review, we focused on the molecular function of PER1 and PER2 in the circadian clock network and the transcriptional and translational targets of PER1 and PER2 involved in cell cycle and tumorigenesis. Moreover, we provide information suggesting that PER1 and PER2 could be promising therapeutic targets for cancer therapies and serve as potential prognostic markers for certain types of human cancers.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.20 no.2 s.91
• /
• pp.93-99
• /
• 2005

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, that is PUFAs, are important constituents of membranes particularly found in the retina and central nervous system. In microorganism-based PUFAs biosynthesis, the genus Thraustochytrids is well evaluated for their potential as a promising candidate in the practical production of PUFAs, such as AA and DHA. In this study, we attempted to optimize a method of total nucleic acid extraction from this microorganism as a preliminary experiment. Using the extracted nucleic acid and degenerated primers for direct PCR, we isolated a $\Delta5$ desaturase gene that contained 1320-nucleotide and encoded 439 amino acids. This gene exhibited an expected function, when expressed in P. pastoris in the presence of appropriate exogenous substrate, as an evidence for $\Delta5$ desaturase activity (conversion of DGLA to AA). These results and information could provide a basis for the construction of engineered strains suitable for the practical production of PUFAs.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.251-256
• /
• 2003

Genetic variation in field grown Korean ginseng(Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer) was evaluated using random amplified polymorphic(RAPD) markers. (This experiment was carried to collect the local native from farm of Chungnam National University in Korea in order to investigate genetic variation.) Some morphological characters showed considerable variation ranging 22 to 68cm in plant hight, 10 to 38mm in root diameter, 16 to 86g in root weight, and culum color and flowering date, respectively. Ten RAPD primers out of the 32 which produced reproducible bands in 662 Korean ginseng plants were selected for the further study. The total number of bands generated by 10 primers were 108 and among them 103 were polymorphic among the 662 plants with the polymorphism ratio of 94.5％. A total of 662 plants were classified into 16 groups based on polymorphic data with an URP 05 primer.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.160-166
• /
• 2010

A homothallic filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has been used as the a model organism for studying growth and development for eukaryotic system. Various studies about specific transcription factors have been performed for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of growth, asexual and sexual developmental processes. Among them, the fkhE gene (AN2025.3) is located in chromosome VII and contains an ORF encoding 718 amino acid polypeptide intervening with two short introns. The cDNA sequencing revealed that at least four types of alternative splicing events were occurred when the fkhE gene was transcribed. The putative FkhE polypeptide contains a conserved forkhead domain and a bipartite nuclear localization signal at it's N-terminus and C-terminus, respectively. Deletion of fkhE resulted in impaired conidiophore formation in a solid medium. However, the sexual developmental process or cleistothecia formation was normal. Furthermore, fkhE deletion mutant produced conidiophores and conidia under the submerged culture, indicating that the fkhE gene is involved in asexual developmental process similar to the fkhF gene.

• Journal of Mushroom
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.145-150
• /
• 2020

A new cultivar, 'Bambithyang', was bred from monokaryotic strains of Sanbaekhyang and SANJO 707ho using the mono-mono hybridization method. Its incubation period was determined to be 100 days and its optimum temperature for fruit body flushing, 11-20℃. The mushrooms had a convex cap (diameter, 69.6 mm; thickness, 15.2 mm) and stipes in their center. The color of their upper sides was chestnut brown; their gills were arranged in a ripple style and had medium density. Their scales were cream-colored and fully distributed; the stipes were cream-colored and cylindrical (thick upper part). They also had cream colored fluffs and sporadic fruiting bodies. Zone lines were present when they were cultivated with mother and father varieties. Their stipe lengths and caps were 9% shorter and 16.9% thicker, respectively, than those of Sanbaekhyang.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.55-68
• /
• 2007

DNA sequence alignment algorithms in computational molecular biology have been improved by diverse methods. In this paper, we proposed a DNA sequence alignment algorithm utilizing quality information and a fuzzy inference method utilizing characteristics of DNA sequence fragments and a fuzzy logic system in order to improve conventional DNA sequence alignment methods using DNA sequence quality information. In conventional algorithms, DNA sequence alignment scores were calculated by the global sequence alignment algorithm proposed by Needleman-Wunsch applying quality information of each DNA fragment. However, there may be errors in the process for calculating DNA sequence alignment scores in case of low quality of DNA fragment tips, because overall DNA sequence quality information are used. In the proposed method, exact DNA sequence alignment can be achieved in spite of low quality of DNA fragment tips by improvement of conventional algorithms using quality information. And also, mapping score parameters used to calculate DNA sequence alignment scores, are dynamically adjusted by the fuzzy logic system utilizing lengths of DNA fragments and frequencies of low quality DNA bases in the fragments. From the experiments by applying real genome data of NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), we could see that the proposed method was more efficient than conventional algorithms using quality information in DNA sequence alignment.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.231-236
• /
• 2022

Oxypetalum coeruleum, commonly known as Tweedia, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Apocynaceae family native to southern Brazil and Uruguay. Tweedia plants are grown as one of the most popular ornamental flowers for floral arrangement in Korea. In May 2021, several tweedia plants in a single greenhouse in Gimje, Jeollabuk-do were found to show virus-like symptoms including necrotic rings, vein-clearing, chlorotic mottle, and mosaic on the leaves, and necrosis on the stems. Here, we have identified tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in symptomatic tweedia leaves by applying high-throughput RNA sequencing. In the result, a single infection by TSWV was verified without mixed infections of different virus species. To confirm the presence of TSWV, a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed with a specific primer set to the N gene of TSWV. The complete genomic sequence of L, M, and S segments of TSWV 'Oxy' isolate were determined and deposited in GenBank under accession numbers LC671525, LC671638, and LC671639, respectively. In the phylogenetic tree analysis by maximum likelihood method, 'Oxy' isolate showed a high relationship with TSWV 'Gumi' isolate from Gerbera jamesonii in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea; for all three RNA segments. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TSWV infection of O. coeruleum in Korea.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.93-103
• /
• 2023

eDNA, an abbreviation for environmental DNA, means DNA derived from organisms inhabiting in a specific environment. The utilization of eDNA extracted from environmental samples allows for efficient and accurate monitoring of organisms inhabiting the respective environment. Specifically, eDNA obtained from seawater samples can be used to analyze marine biodiversity. After collecting seawater samples and extracting eDNA, metagenome analysis enables the taxonomic and diversity analysis among marine organisms inhabiting the sampled area. This review proposed an overall process of marine biodiversity analysis by utilizing eDNA from seawater. Currently, the application of eDNA for analyzing marine biodiversity in domestic setting is not yet widespread. This review can contribute to establishment of marine eDNA research methods in Korea, providing valuable assistance in standardizing the use of eDNA in marine biodiversity studies.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 2007

Purpose: DNA methylation is an important epigenetic factor in tumorigenesis. We hypothesized that polymorphism of the promoter of the DNA methyltransferase 3b (DNMT3b) genes, which are responsible for regulating the methylation status of tumor suppressor genes, are associated with increased risk of gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: In this hospital-based case-control study, to determine the role of this polymorphism of the promoter of DNA methyltransferase 3b (DNMT3b) genes in gastric cancer, we genotyped 176 cases and 70 control subjects. To determine the genotype, we used a polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. We compared alleles and genotypes between the two groups and revealed an association of DNMT3b promoter polymorphism with increased risk of gastric cancer in the Korean population. Results: Genotype frequencies were 14.8% (Cytosine-Cytosine), 71.6% (Cytosine-Thymine), and 13.6% (Thymine- Thymine) in the case patients and 40.0% (Cytosine-Cytosine), 42.9% (Cytosine-Thymine), and 17.1% (Thymine-Thymine) in the control subjects, respectively. Compared with CC homozygotes, CT heterozygotes had a 4.523-fold increased risk (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 2.324~8.803), and the TT homozygotes had a 2.154-fold elevated risk (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.899~85.165). For the T variant genotype (CT+TT), there was a 3.846-fold increased risk (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 2.040~7.251). However, no significance was observed in the genotype distributions of both polymorphisms according to histopathology, stage of stomach cancer. The Ssame results were observed with Helicobacter infection. Conclusion: DNMT3b promoter polymorphism, especially the T variant genotype, is associated significantly with thean increased risk of gastric cancer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety Conference
• /
• 2002.05a
• /
• pp.3-42
• /
• 2002

21세기에는 인구의 폭발적 증가와 함께 가속화된 산업화로 말미암아 경지 면적은 줄고 농업 환경은 더욱 피폐해질 것으로 예상된다. 지금도 이미 화석 에너지원의 고갈로 대체 에너지 개발이 시급히 요구되고 있으며, 지구의 자연 환경 보존 목소리도 그 어느 때 보다 높다. 한마디로 식량, 에너지, 환경 문제가 새 세기에 우리가 시급히 해결해야할 과제로 주어져 있다. 이에 과학계에서는 식량 및 대체 에너지원의 공급을 증대시키고 환경을 보존할 수 있는 보편적인 수단으로 환경 친화적 유전자 변형 (GM)작물의 활용이 제시되고있다. 따라서 선진국들은 이의 기반이 되는 식물유전체 연구에 대규모 투자를 아끼지 않고 있으며, 이를 이 용한 식물 생명공학산업을 국가 전략 산업으로 집중 육성하고 있다. GM작물 제조 기술은 유용 유전자의 발굴 및 재조합, 식물세포로의 이식 및 재분화를 통한 완전한 식물체 재생, 이를 품종으로 실용화하는 단계로 구성되어 있다. GM작물은 1983년 항생제 저항성 담배가 개발된 것을 시점으로 하여, 1994년에는 연화지 연 토마토 Flaver Saver이후 지금까지 개발 실용화된 작물은 제초제 저항성 콩, 카놀라, 목화, 그리고 해충 저항성 옥수수 등이 있으며,2001년까지 세계적으로 상품화 승인을 얻은 경우는 15 작물 68품종에 이른다. 2001년 경우 GM작물 종자시장은 약 30억 달러에 달하고 있으며, 미국, 아르헨티나, 캐나다 등 세계적으로 52.6백만 ha에 이르는 면적에서 재배되었다. 그러나 GM농산물의 식품 및 환경 안전성에 대한 의구심이 일기 시작하였고, 따라서 이의 생산 및 소비에 대한 전반적 인 문제가 뜨거운 쟁점으로 부각되기도 하였다. 이 에 각국 정부는 객관적 인 안전성을 확보하기 위한 제도적인 장치를 마련하고 있으며, 아울러 과학기술자들은 더욱 안전한 형질전환 기술 개발을 도모하고 있다. 다음 세대의 GM작물은 단순한 제초제 및 병해충 저항성을 넘어서서 특정 영양 또는 건강기능성을 향상시켜 부가가치를 증가시킨 신품종 맞춤작물이 지속적으로 개발 상업화될 것이다. 따라서 고유성을 가진 유용 유전자의 대량 확보 여부가 산업적 경쟁력을 결정하게 될 것이다. 지금까지 개별 유전자 중심으로 이루어지던 유용 유전자 발굴 작업은 유전체학의 출현으로 규모가 대량화되고 그 효율이 증진되었다. 따라서 진 각국은 유용 유전자 발굴에 국가적 차원의 역량을 집중하고 있다. 그러나 우리나라는 정부와 민간의 소규모 지원으로 근근히 기술 습득 차원에 머물러 왔으며, 산업적 경쟁력의 무기가 될 고유한 유용 유전자와 형질전환 기술이 거의 없는 어려운 상황에 놓여 있다. 최근 정부가 시작한 생명공학 분야 대규모 연구지원 사업 기대를 모아 보며 이 분야 과학기술자들의 노력을 촉구한다.