• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.278-287
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• 2006

Cycloinulooligosaccharide fructanotransferase (CFTase) converts inulin into cycloinulooligosaccharides (cyclofructan, CF) of ${\beta}-(2{\to}1)$-linked D-fructofuranose as well as hydrolysis of cyclofructan. Sequences analysis indicated that CFTase was divided into five distinct regions containing three repeated sequences (R1, R3, and R4) at the N-terminus and C-terminus. Each domain function was investigated by comparison of wild type CFTase enzyme (CFT148) and deletion mutant proteins (CFT108: R1 and R3 deletion; CFT130: R4 deletion; and CFT88: R1, R3, and R4 deletion) of CFTase. The CFT108 mutant had both CFTase and CF hydrolyzing activity as CFT148 did. CFTase activities and CF hydrolysing activities were disappeared in CFT130 and CFT88 mutants. These results indicated that the C-terminal R4 region of P. polymyxa CFTase is necessary for cyclization and hydrolyzing activity.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2018

To investigate the role of bkdR, sigL, yplP, and des genes which were known to be involved in fatty acid synthesis and sensitive at low temperature, deletion mutants of Bacillus subtilis CU1065 and JH642 were constructed. To determine the low temperature sensitivity of these genes, we compared the growth curves of cells at $37^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$. At $37^{\circ}C$, wild type and deletion mutants showed almost similar growth but only bkdR deletion strain at $15^{\circ}C$ showed very slow growing compared with wild type. At $15^{\circ}C$ sigL and yplP deletions were somewhat slower or similar to those of wild type strain. Double and triple mutants for bkdR, sigL, yplP deletions were constructed and grown at $20^{\circ}C$ in LB agar to investigate cold sensitive growth. Double or triple deletions including bkdR deletion showed cold sensitive growing. In order to identify more clearly cold sensitive growth, the experiments were carried out under cold shock conditions in which the temperature was lowered from $37^{\circ}C$ to $15^{\circ}C$ at the point of 0.4 optical densities at 600 nm. In these cold shock experiments, only bkdR deletion showed significantly lower growing and additional des deletion increases cold sensitivity. The bkdR activates the bkd operon, which catabolized isoleucine, valine and leucine, amino acids and produce precursors for the synthesis of branched fatty acids. At cold shock growing of bkdR deletion strain, isoleucine recovered cold sensitivity of bkdR deletion but valine did not restore cold sensitivity. Isoleucine is used as a precursor for the synthesis of anteiso-branched fatty acids. On the other hand, valine is used as a precursor for the synthesis of iso-branched fatty acids. This indicates that anteiso-branched fatty acid plays an important role at the cold shock condition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2001

In order to transform pokeweed antiviral protein cDNA to tobacco plant, total RNA was extracted from Phytolacca americana. PAP-II cDNA was synthesized from purified total RNA via RT-PCR and subcloned to recombinant vector pBluescript II SK-. 10 deletion mutant PAP-II cDNA fragments which were sequentially deleted from N-terminal by 90bp were synthesized from PAP-II cDNA except leading frame by PCR with primers designed in our laboratory. To select non-cytotoxic clone, pAc55M was constructed with yeast expression vector pAc55 and multicloning site(MCS). Sequentially deleted mutant PAP-II cDNAs were cloned on downstream of gall promoter of pAc55M. 6 non-cytotoxic deletion mutant PAP-II cDNA were selected. Selected cDNAs were cloned into plant expression vector pKGT101BH for transformation of these clones to plant through Agrobacterium tumefacience. After cloning, recombinant pKGT101BH carrying deleted mutant PAP-IIcDNA were transformed to Nicotiana tabacum cv. NC567. Transformed tobacco plants cultured on shooting and rooting media were transfered to green-house. About four weeks later, these plants were infected with physically infection using carborandum with PVY-VN strain. After 4 weeks, plants resistant to virus were selected , and seeds of these plants were gathered. Southern blot hybridization showed deleted fragments by 220bp and 420bp, so resistant ability of these plants is due to mutant PAP-II cDNA.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2010

In the present study, we investigated whether a gross deletion in the nef gene ($g{\Delta}nef$) is induced by Korean red ginseng (KRG) intake. Ten patients were treated with KRG powder for 3 years in the absence of antiretroviral drug therapy. On average, $3,555{\pm}1,042\;g$ KRG was administered per person over $36.1{\pm}2.4$ months. There was a mild decrease in CD4 T cell count ($75{\pm}110/{\mu}L$) over the $36.1{\pm}2.4$ months (p = 0.059). We obtained 355 nef amplicons using 71 peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples over a 3-year period. All ten patients exhibited g${\Delta}$nef (range, 3.2 to 45.9%). At baseline, 3 of 78 amplicons (3.8%) exhibited $g{\Delta}nef$, whereas 18.8% (52/277) revealed $g{\Delta}nef$ during KRG-intake (p<0.001). The proportion of $g{\Delta}nef$ was significantly correlated with monthly dose of KRG (r=0.89, p<0.001). The median time for first detection of $g{\Delta}nef$ was 13 months. In conclusion, our data show that $g{\Delta}nef$ is inducible by KRG intake and its proportion is dependent on the duration of KRG intake and dose of KRG.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.312-317
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• 2015

Depletion of intracellular zinc by N,N,N,N-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) induces p53-mediated protein synthesis-dependent apoptosis of mouse cortical neurons. Here, we examined the requirement for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 as an upstream regulator of p53 in zinc depletion-induced neuronal apoptosis. First, we found that chemical inhibition or genetic deletion of PARP-1 markedly attenuated TPEN-induced apoptosis of cultured mouse cortical neurons. Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 occurred starting 1 h after TPEN treatment. Suggesting the critical role of PARP-1, the TPEN-induced increase of stability and activity of p53 as well as poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 was almost completely blocked by PARP inhibition. Consistent with this, the induction of downstream pro-apoptotic proteins PUMA and NOXA was noticeably reduced by chemical inhibitors or genetic deletion of PARP-1. TPEN-induced cytochrome C release into the cytosol and caspase-3 activation were also blocked by inhibition of PARP-1. Taken together, these findings indicate that PARP-1 is essential for TPEN-induced neuronal apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.140-147
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• 2016

Objectives To determine the relationship between the Alu insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) gene and the clinical outcome of mirtazapine treatment in Korean major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. Methods We enrolled 422 patients in this study. Symptoms were evaluated using the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating (HAMD-21) Scale. After 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks of mirtazapine treatment, the association between the Alu I/D polymorphism in the tPA gene and remission/response outcomes were evaluated. Results The proportion of I/I homozygotes in responders was higher than that in non-responders, whereas the proportion of D/D homozygotes in responders was lower than that in non-responders at 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.032, OR = 1.57). The percentage decline of HAMD-21 scores in I allele carriers was larger than that of D/D homozygotes at 2 and 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.035 and 0.007, respectively). I allele carriers were associated with remission at 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.047, OR = 2.2). Conclusions These results show that treatment response and remission to mirtazapine were associated with the Alu I/D polymorphism of the tPA gene. This suggests the Alu I/D polymorphism may be a potential genetic marker for the prediction of therapeutic response to mirtazapine treatment in patients with MDD.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.486-490
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• 2005

Genetic factors are important in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion(I)/deletion(D) polymorphism is one of the genetic factor found to be related with CAD. We investigated the association between I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene and the presence of CAD. Threehundred and seven patients (187 males and 120 females, aged between 35-80, mean $54.3{\pm}9.8$ years) who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography were included in the study. ACE I/D polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction. Of the 307, 176 had CAD. The most frequently observed genotype in all subjects was ID (47.9 %). However, in patients with CAD the frequency of II genotype was lower whereas DD genotype was higher compared to the controls (p < 0.05). The number of D allele carrying subjects were also higher (p < 0.05) in CAD patients. The logistic regression analysis indicated that the ACE D allele is an independent risk factor (odds ratio = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.01-2.18, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the I/D polymorphism of ACE gene (carrying D allele) is an independent risk factor for CAD in the studied Turkish population.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.49-51
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• 1998

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is caused by a deletion of the short arm on chromosome 4 and is characterized by multiple congenital abnormalities, growth and mental retardation. In this case report, we performed amniocentesis for the chromosome analysis on a 25-year-old pregnant woman at 16 weeks of gestation whom we suspected of Edward's syndrome by the triple test of maternal serum and ultrasonography. The result of analysis revealed a karyotype of the fetus with 46,XY,del(4)(p15) by trypsin Giemsa's banding technique. With the result, we were able to diagnose the fetus as having WHS. As such, after therapeutic termination of the pregnancy, we confirmed WHS through the sampling of tissue by both trypsin Giemsa's banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. To determine the origin of the WHS, we further tested the karyotypes of the parents. As parental karyotypes were found to be normal, we determined the case of the fetal WHS to be de novo.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.87-96
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• 2005

[ $p16^{INK4a}$ ] is a tumor suppressor that belongs to the INK4 family of the cyclin D-dependent kinases (cdk) inhibitors. It plays regulatory roles in cell proliferation and in tumorigenesis by interacting with Rb signaling. Abnormally elevated $p16^{INK4a}$ protein expression causes cell cycle arrest (G1/S transition) and loss of cyclin-cdk activity. In many cancers, $p16^{INK4a}$ is altered by mutation, deletion, and promoter methylation. This review summarizes the function of p16 as an important regulator of cancer pathobiology and a promising target fer developing cancer therapeutic and chemopreventive agents.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.181-186
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• 2000

The expression of $p21^{WAF1/ClP1/SDl1}$, one of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, is regulated by a variety of transcription factors including p53 and STAT. Heat shock induces the expression of p21 in a temperature- and time-dependent manner. Although the p21 induction by heat shock has been reported to be controlled by p53, a p53-independent mechanism Is also involved. To understand the p53-independent regulation of heat shock-induced p21 expression, we searched the promoter region of p21 gene and found one or two heat shock element (HSE)-like sequences in human, rat, and mouse. Electromobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that heat shock factor (HSF) could bind to these HSE-like sequences In response to heat shock, even though to a lesser extent than to HSE. In addition, p21 promoter deletion analysis revealed that heat shock activated a p21 deletion promoter construct containing the HSE-like sequences but lacking p53-binding sites, but not a promoter construct containing neither HSE-like sequences nor the p53-responsive element. Furthermore, the p21 induction by heat shook was significantly inhibited in confluent cells in which heat shock-induced HSF activation was reduced. These results suggest that the transcriptional regulation of p21 by heat shock may be mediated through activation and binding to HSE-like sequences of HSF.