• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.140-145
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• 2016

Genes in multicellular organisms are transcribed in development, differentiation, or tissue-specific manners. The transcription of genes is activated by enhancers, which are transcription regulatory elements located at long distances from the genes. Recent studies have reported that noncoding RNAs are transcribed from active enhancers by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II); these are called enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). eRNAs are transcribed bi-directionally from the enhancer core, and are capped on the 5’ end but not spliced or polyadenylated on the 3’ end. The transcription of eRNAs requires the binding of transcription activators on the enhancer and associates positively with the transcription of the target gene. The transcriptional inhibition of eRNAs or the removal of eRNA transcripts results in the transcriptional repression of the coding gene. The transcriptional procedure of eRNAs causes enhancer- specific histone modifications, such as histone H3K4me1/2. eRNA transcripts directly interact with Mediator and Rad21, a cohesin subunit, generating a chromatin loop structure between the enhancer and the promoter of the target gene. The recruitment of RNA Pol II into the promoter and its elongation through the coding region are facilitated by eRNAs. Here, we will review the features of eRNAs, and discuss the mechanism of eRNA transcription and the roles of eRNAs in the transcriptional activation of target genes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.632-639
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• 2006

Here we examined the expression patterns and regulation of seven photosynthesis (PS) genes (puf, puc, puhA, bchC, bchE, bchF, and bchI) in the anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, based on lacZ reporter gene assay. Expression of the tested PS genes, except puhA and bchI, were strongly induced in R. sphaeroides grown under anaerobic conditions relative to that under aerobic conditions. The puhA and bchI genes appear to form the operons together with bchFNBHLM-RSP0290 and crtA, respectively. Expression of the puf, puc, and bchCXYZ operons in R. sphaeroides grown photosynthetically was proportional to the incident light intensity, whereas that of bchFNBHLM(RSP0290-puhA) was inversely related to light intensity. Expression of bchEJG was lowest under medium-light photosynthetic conditions $(10\;W/m^2)$ and highest under high light conditions $(100\;W/m^2)$. The regulation of PS genes by the three major regulatory systems involved in oxygen- and light-sensing in R. sphaeroides is as following: puf and bchC are regulated by both the PpsR repressor and the PrrBA two-component system. The puc operon is under control of PpsR, FnrL, and PrrBA system. Expression of bchE is controlled by FnrL and PrrBA two-component system, whereas bchF is regulated exclusively by PpsR. It was demonstrated that the PpsR repressor is responsible for high-light repression of bchF and that FnrL might be involved in perceiving the cellular redox state in addition to sensing $O_2$ itself.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2019

A chicken clathrin-associated adaptor protein $3-{\delta}$ subunit 2 (AP3S2) is a subunit of AP3, which is involved in cargo protein trafficking to target membrane with clathrin-coated vesicles. AP3S2 may play a role in virus entry into host cells through clathrin-dependent endocytosis. AP3S2 is also known to participate in metabolic disease developments of progressions, such as liver fibrosis with hepatitis C virus infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Chicken AP3S2 (chAP3S2) gene was originally identified as one of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in chicken kidney which was fed with different calcium doses. This study aims to characterize the molecular characteristics, gene expression patterns, and transcriptional regulation of chAP3S2 in response to the stimulation of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) to understand the involvement of chAP3S2 in metabolic disease in chicken. As a result, the structure prediction of chAP3S2 gene revealed that the gene is highly conserved among AP3S2 orthologs from other species. Evolutionarily, it was suggested that chAP3S2 is relatively closely related to zebrafish, and fairly far from mammal AP3S2. The transcriptional profile revealed that chAP3S2 gene was highly expressed in chicken lung and spleen tissues, and under the stimulation of poly (I:C), the chAP3S2 expression was down-regulated in DF-1 cells (P<0.05). However, the presence of the transcriptional inhibitors, BAY 11-7085 (Bay) as an inhibitor for nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ ($NF{\kappa}B$) or Tanshinone IIA (Tan-II) as an inhibitor for activated protein 1 (AP-1), did not affect the expressional level of chAP3S2, suggesting that these transcription factors might be dispensable for TLR3 mediated repression. These results suggest that chAP3S2 gene may play a significant role against viral infection and be involved in TLR3 signaling pathway. Further study about the transcriptional regulation of chAP3S2 in TLR3 pathways and the mechanism of chAP3S2 upon virus entry shall be needed.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.16-16
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• 2001

Apoptosis로 일컬어지는 예정된 세포사멸(programmed cell death)은 개별 세포의 입장에서는 곧바로 사멸을 의미하지만, 정상적인 고등 생물의 입장에서는 개체의 발생과 분화하는데 프로그램된 과정이다. 자발적 세포사멸은 다른 조직에 비해 생식 조직인 난소나 정소에서 복잡한 apoptosis 기작들을 가지리라 사료된다. 본 연구는 Bcl-2 family중 apoptotic protein인 Bax에 대해 suppression하는 유전자를 yeast system을 활용하여 돼지 정소와 난소로부터 각각 cDNA library를 구축한 후 탐색하였다. 탐색에 활용된 cDNA library는 돼지의 정소와 난소로부터 mRNA를 분리하여 yeast vector인 pAD-GAL4-2.1에 구축하였고, 마우스 bax 유전자는 gal 1 promoter의 조절 하에 glucose 배지에서는 유도되지 않고, galactose 배지에서만 선택적으로 Bax를 발현할 수 있는 효모 vector(pL19-bax)를 구축하였다. Bax에 의한 apoptosis suppressor를 탐색하기 위해 우선 효모 W303에 pL19-bax를 transform하여 glucose 배지에서 Bax의 발현을 억제하였다. pL19-bax를 가진 효모에 정소와 난소로부터 구축된 cDNA library를 transform 시키고, transform된 효모는 각각 Bax에 의한 toxicity를 저해하는 유전자를 찾기 위해 스크린되었다. 이러한 방법으로 정소 cDNA library 탐색에서는 5 $\times$ $10^{6}$ transformant중 39개, 난소cDNA library 탐색에서는 2 $\times$ $10^{6}$ transformant중 26개의 콜로니가 생존하였다. 이들 콜로니로부터 유전자를 분리하여 분석해 본 결과 여러 그룹으로 분류할 수 있었다. 각 그룹의 관련 유전자는 protein synthesis/degradation 12종, oxidation/reductation 5종, detoxin/ cell cycle promoter 3종, signal transduction/growth factor 5종, 그리고 알려지지 않은 유전자 9종이었다. 그 중, bax-toxicity inhibition에 강력한 survival phenotype을 가지는 유전자(pSEDL)를 동정하였다. 이것은 T3-4-1 콜로니로부터 분리하였는데 140개 아미노산으로 이루어진 인간 SEDL(GenBank, XM_013096) 유전자와 매우 유사한 homology를 가지며, bax와 관련된 기능은 밝혀져 있지 않다. 이외에도 분리된 유전자에는 NADH, thioreduction, 그리고 cytochrome oxidase와 같은 positive 유전자 군이 크로닝되어, Bax를 이용한 효모에서 apoptosis suppressor에 관련된 유전자를 손쉽게 스크린하는 것이 가능하고, 분리된 유전자의 기능을 예측할 수 있어 지금까지 보고된 유전자 크로닝법 보다는 강력한 수단으로 활용될 수 있다는 사실을 시사하였다. 그러나, ORF에 관계없이 Bax 발현에 저항하는 유전자군이 선발된다든지 하는 문제점은 금후 검토가 필요하리라 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2000

연구목적: 포유류의 착상은 배아가 모체의 자궁벽에 매몰되는 현상으로 부착과 침투 과정을 거쳐 진행되며, 이 과정은 스테로이드 호르몬, 성장인자, 세포점착분자, 그리고 cytokine 등의 상호작용으로 이루어진다. 이 시기에 Interleukin-1 (IL-1)과 leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) 등이 발현되는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 실험에서는 이들의 발현이 착상과정에 어떠한 역할을 하는지 그 상관관계를 알아보고자 하였다. 재료 및 방법: 착상 전후의 배아와 자궁내막세포에서 LIF 유전자의 발현양상과 $IL-1{\beta}$와 IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra)를 처리한 LIF 유전자의 발현양상을 역전사중합효소연쇄반응 (RT-PCR)을 통해 비교하였다. 결과: 배아에서의 LIF 유전자 발현은 in vivo와 in vitro 모두에서 상실기와 포배기에 발현되었고, 자궁내막에서는 임신 1일과 4일째에 발현되었는데, 상실기보다는 포배기에, 그리고 임신 1일보다는 착상시기인 4일째의 자궁내막세포에서 발현양이 많은 것으로 나타났다. 자궁내막세포를 배양한 경우 LIF 유전자는 in vivo에서의 발현양상과 동일하게 임신 1일과 4일에 발현되었으며, 배양액에 $IL-1{\beta}$(500pgml)를 처리하였을 경우 LIF 유전자가 초기 임신 (1~5일) 중 발현되는 것으로 나타났다. 2-세포기 배아의 배양시에 $IL-1{\beta}$를 처리한 경우 8-세포기부터 LIF 유전자가 발현되었으며, 또한 IL-1ea(60 ng/ml)를 배양액에 첨가하였을 경우에는 임신1일째 자궁내막에서는 LIF 유전자가 발현되지 않은 반면, 임신 4일째의 자궁내막세포와 상실기, 포배기 배아 모두에서 LIF 유전자 발현이 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 결론: 이러한 결과는 착상 전후 배아와 자궁내막세포에서 IL-1에 의해 LIF 유전자 발현이 조절되며, 그 결과 착상에 영향을 줄 수 있다는 것을 의미한다. 또한 배아와 자궁내막세포에서 IL-1이 LIF 유전자 발현에 영향을 주는 것으로 보아 착상을 위해 IL-1과 LIF의 상호작용이 중요한 요인이라는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.376-384
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• 2015

To investigate the molecular events of controlling intramuscular fat (or marbling), which is an important factor in the evaluation of beef quality, we performed cDNA microarray analyses using the longissimus dorsi muscle and back fat tissues. For this study, we constructed normalized cDNA libraries: fat tissues in native Korean cattle (displaying 1,211 specific genes), and muscle tissues in native Korean cattle (displaying 1,346 specific genes). A bovine cDNA chip was constructed with 1,680 specific genes, consisting of 760 genes from muscle tissues and 920 genes from fat tissues. The microarray analysis in this experiment showed a number of differentially expressed genes, which compared the longissimus dorsi muscle (Cy5) with back fat tissue (Cy3). Among many specific differentially expressed genes, 12-lipoxygenase (oxidizing esterified fatty acids) and prostaglandin D synthase (differentiation of fibroblasts to adipocytes) are the key candidate enzymes that should be involved in controlling the accumulation of intramuscular fat. In this study, differentially and commonly expressed genes in the muscle and fat tissues of native Korean cattle were found in large numbers, using the hybridization assay. The expression levels of the selected genes were confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and the results were similar to those of the cDNA microarray.

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

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.343-349
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• 2007

Radioiodide transport has been extensively and successfully used in the evaluation and management of thyroid disease. The molecular characterization of the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) and cloning of the NIS gene has led to the recent expansion of the use of radioiodide to cancers of the breast and other nonthyroidal tissues exogenously transduced with the NIS gene. More recently, discoveries regarding the functional analysis and regulatory processes of the NIS molecule are opening up exciting opportunities for new research and applications for NIS and radio iodide. The success of NIS based cancer therapy is dependent on achievement of maximal radioiodide transport sufficient to allow delivery of effective radiation doses. This in turn relies on high transcription rates of the NIS gene. However, newer discoveries indicate that nontranscriptional processes that regulate NIS trafficking to cell membrane are also critical determinants of radioiodide uptake. In this review, molecular mechanisms that underlie regulation of NIS transcription and stimuli that augment membrane trafficking and functional activation of NIS molecules will be discussed. A better understanding of how the expression and cell surface targeting of NIS proteins is controlled will hopefully aid in optimizing NIS gene based cancer treatment as well as NIS based reporter-gene imaging strategies.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.234-240
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• 2008

Anthocyanin synthesis in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa cv Maehyang) begins approximately 26 days postflowering and continued throughout fruit ripening. A set of cDNA clones encoding the anthocyanin biosynthetic enzymes were isolated from strawberry. A pair of primers were designed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) through the comparison of the nucleotide sequences of homologous genes from diverse plants. Reverse transcriptase-PCRs were performed using cDNA synthesized from ripe fruit total RNA and the primers corresponding to each gene. Eight genes of the anthocyanin pathway were cloned and confirmed by sequencing to code for phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), 4-cummarate CoA ligase (4CL), chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), flavanone-3-hydroxylase (F3H), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), anthocyanidine synthase (ANS), UDP-glucose:flavonoid-3-O-glucosyl-transferase (UFGT). Northern analyses showed that the corresponding genes were differentially expressed during the fruit development process. All genes except PAL were predominantly expressed in fruit. Expression of PAL, DFR and ANS was detected 10 days postflowering at the early stage of fruit development, declined for a while and sharply increased 22 days postflowering then showed a peak 34 days postflowering. The other genes, however, were not expressed up to 22 or 30 days postflowering when the initial fruit ripening events occur at the time of initiation of anthocyanin accumulation. The onset of anthocyanin synthesis in ripening strawberry coincides with a coordinated induction of the anthocyanin pathway genes, suggesting the involvement of regulatory genes. We propose that at least two different regulatory mechanisms playa role in the biosynthesis of anthocyanin during color development of strawberry.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2006

Objective: In the previous study, we complied the differentially expressed genes during early folliculogenesis. Objective of the present study was to identify downstream target genes of transcription factors (TFs) using bioinformatics for selecting the target TFs among the gene lists for further functional analysis. Materials & Methods: By using bioinformatics tools, constituent domains were identified from database searches using Gene Ontology, MGI, and Entrez Gene. Downstream target proteins/genes of each TF were identified from database searches using TF database ($TRANSFAC^{(R)}$ 6.0) and eukaryotic promoter database (EPD). Results: DNA binding and trans-activation domains of all TFs listed previously were identified, and the list of downstream target proteins/genes was obtained from searches of TF database and promoter database. Based on the known function of identified downstream genes and the domains, 3 (HNF4, PPARg, and TBX2) out of 26 TFs were selected for further functional analysis. The genes of wee1-like protein kinase and p21WAF1 (cdk inhibitor) were identified as potential downstream target genes of HNF4 and TBX2, respectively. PPARg, through protein-protein interaction with other protein partners, acts as a transcription regulator of genes of EGFR, p21WAF1, cycD1, p53, and VEGF. Among the selected 3 TFs, further study is in progress for HNF4 and TBX2, since wee1-like protein kinase and cdk inhibitor may involved in regulating maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity during early folliculogenesis. Conclusions: Approach used in the present study, in silico analysis of downstream target genes, was useful for analyzing list of TFs obtained from high-throughput cDNA microarray study. To verify its binding and functions of the selected TFs in early folliculogenesis, EMSA and further relevant characterizations are under investigation.