• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 1994

We screened many species from a wide variety of bacterial genera for a new type II restriction endonuclease. The purification and characterization of SolI from a soil isolate, Streptoverticillium olivoverticillatum are described here. The enzyme turned out to be an isoschizomer of BamHI. It recognized the hexanucleotide sequence of 5'-G$\downarrow$GATCC-3' and cleaved as in dicated by the arrow, generating a 4 base 5' extension. Unlike its isoschizomer, BamHI, the activity was sensitive to dam methylation within the recognition sequence. Following ammonium sulfate fractionation of the crude extract, heparin-agarose and Affi-gel Blue column chromatography were employed to purify the enzyme. SolI required at least 0.2 mM of $MgCl_2$ for the cleavage to occur. The enzyme exhibited its maximal activity in the absence of NaCl, but was inhibited completely in the presence of 120 mM NaCl. The pH and temperature optima for activity were pH 8.6 and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. The molecular weight of SolI was estimated to be 43,000 Da by Superose-12 gel filtraion chromatography.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.96-102
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• 1999

Marine bacterium Bacillus cereus ASK202 produced an extracellular agarase (E.C.3.2.1.81) which showed a high level of enzyme activity in the presence of agar and agarose. In the optimal culture conditions, the agarase production increased 7.7 folds compared with the one obtained from the basal medium. Agarase production reached upto 160 units/L after 24hr of cultivation in a modified marine medium at $25^{\circ}C$. The degree of purification increased 31.5 folds with 27.8% yield through freeze drying, DEAE Sepharose CL-6B and Superose 6HR 10/30 column chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified agarase was determined to be 90,000 daltons by gel-permeation filteration. Optimal temperature and pH for the enzyme activity were $40^{\circ}C$ and 7.8, respectively. The enzyme was stable up to $50^{\circ}C$ and at a broad pH range of 5.0-10.0. The $\beta$-agarase was activated by $Zn(NO_3)_2$, and was inhibited by $CuSO_4$ and $SnCl_2$. The Km and Vmax values of this enzyme for agarose as a substrate was $2.4mg/m\ell$ and 13.6 mg/m$\ell$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.906-911
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• 1999

This study was to determine whether DNA 'Comet Assay' can be applied to the detection of grains irradiated with low doses of Co-60 gamma radiation. Sesame, perilla, wheat, barley and rice were exposed to different doses of 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 kGy. The cells isolated from the samples were embedded in a agarose gel on a microscope slide, lysed in lysis solution, and subjected to electrophoresis. DNA and its fragments migrated in the gel produced the characteristic pattern of DNA comet, of which the tail length was measured in a microscope. All the samples irradiated at 0.3 kGy and higher were applicable to detect post-irradiation by the tail length of their comets. Irradiated samples showed comets with long tails and their tail length increased with the dose, while unirradiated samples showed no or very short tails. Especially, sesame, perilla and wheat irradiated at 0.1 kGy could be distinguished from unirradiated samples by visual inspection of the slide in a microscope. Thus, DNA 'Comet Assay' might be applied to the detection of irradiated grains as a simple, inexpensive and rapid screening test.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.405-409
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• 2000

We have studied the genome of an obligately commensal thermophile, Symbiobacterium toebii. The chromosome was extracted from pure cultures of S. toebii recently established. Total DNA of S. toebii was resolved by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) into discrete numbers of fragments by digenstion with the endonuclease SspI, SpeI, XbaI, and HpaI. Estimated sizes of fragments produced by the four enzymes and their sum consistently yielded a total genome size of 2.8 Mb. Because restriction endonucleases NotI and SwaI, recognizing 8 bp, released too many fragments, these enzymes could not be used for the estimation of the genome size. Considering no mobility of undigested genome under PFGE, the genome of S. toebii appears to be circular. The presence of extrachromosomal DNA in S. toebii was excluded by the results of the conventional 1% agarose gel electrophoresis and the field inversion gel electrophoresis of undigested S. toebii DNA.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2001

Recently, single cell gel electrophoresis, also known as comet assay, is widely used for the detection and measurement of DNA strand breaks in vitro and in vivo in many toxicological fields such as radiation exposure, human monitoring and toxicity evaluation. As well defined, comet assay is a sensitive, rapid and visual method for the detection of DNA strand breaks in individual cells. Briefly, a small number of damaged cells suspended in a thin agarose gel on a microscope slide were lysed, unwinded, electrophoresed, and stained with a fluorescent DNA binding dye. The electric current pulled the charged DNA from the nucleus such that relaxed and broken DNA fragments migrated further. The resulting images which were subsequently named for their appearance as comets, were measured to determine the extent of DNA damages. However, some variations could be occurred in procedures, laboratories's conditions and kind of cells used. Hence, to overcome and to harmonize these matters in comet assay, International Workshop on Genotoxicity Test Procedure (IWGTP) was held with several topics including comet assay at Washington D.C. on March, 1999. In spite of some consensus in procedures and conditions in IWGTP, there are some problems still remained to be solved. In this respect, we attempted to set the practical optimal conditions in the experimental procedures such as lysis, unwinding, electrophoresis and neutralization conditions and so on. First of all, we determined optimal lysis and unwinding time by using 150 $\mu$M methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) which is usually used concentration. And then, we determined optimal positive control concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and MMS in the presence and absence of S9 metabolic activation system, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.297-307
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• 1990

To establish an agar-gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test for detection of antibodies to Aujeszky's disease virus(ADV) in swine, the precipitating antigens were prepared by four procedures using the Aujeszky's disease virus, NYJ-1-87 strain isolated from the affected piglets in Korea. The optimal condition for AGID test and the properties of the antigens were investigated. To determine the optimal concentration of antigens, four antigens were experimentally prepared by concentrating the viral fluids by 1/30 to 1/200. It was proved that the antigen precipitated with ammonium sulfate at concentration of 1/100 was the most efficient to detect ADV antibodies by AGID test. When the relationship between the concentration of the antigens and the size of precipitating in radial immunodiffusion test was investigated, a high correlation coefficiency at r=0.95 (y=0.23x+23.4) was estimated, In study on the effects of various buffered salt solutions and agars on the sensitivity of AGID test by using the experimental ADV antigens, it was found that 0.05M tris buffer without sodium chloride at pH 7.2 induced the most distinctive precipitating lines, and that there was no significant differences in the sensitivity between the agarose and Noble's special agar. When the efficiency of AGID test was compared with serum neutralization(SN) test, the sensitivity of AGID test was 100% in SN titer over 1 : 16, 91.7% in SN titer of 1 : 8 and 57.1% in SN titer of 1 : 4. The specificity of AGID test compared with the sera with SN titer under 1 : 2 was 98.4%. Protein analysis of the antigens by SDS-PAGE indicated that antigen I and antigen III showed a specific band of polypeptides with molecular weight of 116 K in comparison with the control antigen. Antigen IV, treated with tween-80 and ammonium sulfate, revealed specific polypeptides bands at the molecular weights 45K, 98K and 150 K.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 1995

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthetase was purified to homogeneity from soybean (Glycine max) axes. The enzyme was purified 216-fold with a 1.5% yield by ammonium sulfate fractionation, acetone fractionation, ion exchange chromatography with DEAE-sephacel, gel filtration with Sephacryl S-300, and afffinity chromatography with ATP-agarose. The enzyme activity reached a maximum 3 days after germination. SAM synthetase had a subunit molecular weight of 57,000 daltons from a silver stained single band on SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 110,000 daltons from Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration. The enzyme was composed of two identical subunits. The $K_m$ values of the enzyme for L-methionine and ATP were 1.81 and 1.53 mM, respectively. The enzymatic activity was not affected by polyamines, agmatine, or SAM analogues, but was inhibited by SAM. The inhibition pattern was showed non-competitive for L-methionine and uncompetitive for ATP. The activity of SAM synthetase was inhibited by thiol-blocking reagents. The enzyme was induced by treatment with $10^{-3}$ M putrescine at germination. Experimental data revealed a possible novel regulation mechanism of polyamine biosynthesis through several endogenous intermediates.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.350-354
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• 2020

Many parrots are considered endangered species due to threats from human activities. Gender determination is of great importance for biological studies and the conservation of endangered parrots. However, like other birds, gender determination in parrots is hindered due to the lack of external dimorphism between males and females. A molecular approach using the chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein 1 (CHD1) gene is commonly used for sexing birds. This study aimed to determine the gender of parrots from Korean zoos based on amplification and visualization of the partial CHD1 gene. The samples of 13 parrot species were collected from three different zoos in Korea and the extracted DNA templates were amplified using CHD1 gene primers. The gender of 27 samples of 13 species was determined by visualizing the PCR products on an agarose gel. While male parrots were indicated by a single band, female parrots were indicated by double bands. The findings provide additional information, which might be helpful for the management and care of parrots in Korean zoos.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2000

Purpose :The effect of PTK inhibitors (herbimycin A and genistein) on the induction of radiation-induced apoptosis in Ph-positive KS62 leukemia cell line was investigated. Materials and Methods :K562 cells in exponential growth phase were irradiated with a linear accelerator at room temperature. For 6 MV X-ray irradiation and drug treatment, cultures were initiated at 2×106 cells/mL. The cells were irradiated with 10 Gy. Stock solutions of herbimycin A and genistein were prepared in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). After incubation at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 0$\~$48 h, the extent of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis and TUNEL assay. The progression of cells through the cell cycle after irradiation and drug treatment was also determined with flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to monitor bel-2, bel-X$_{L}$ and bax protein levels. Results :Treatment with 10 Gy X-irradiation did not result in the induction of apoptosis. The HMA alone (500 nM) also failed to induce apoptosis. By contrast, incubation of K562 cells with HMA after irradiation resulted in a substantial induction of nuclear condensation and fragmentation by agarose gel electro-phoresis and TUNEL assay. Genistein failed to enhance the ability of X-irradiation to induce DNA fragmentation. Enhancement of apoptosis by HMA was not attributable to downregulation of the bel-2 or bel-X$_{L}$ anti-apoptotic proteins. When the cells were irradiated and maintained with HMA, the percentage of cells in G2/M phase decreased to 30$\~$40$\%$ at 48 h. On the other hand, cells exposed to 10 Gy X-irradiation alone or maintained with genistein did not show marked cell cycle redistribution. Conclusion : We have shown that nanomolar concentrations of the PTK inhibitor HMA synergize with X-irradiation in inducing the apoptosis in Ph (+) K562 leukemia cell line. While, genistein, a PTK inhibitor which is not selective for p210$^{bcr/abl}$ failed to enhance the radiation induced apoptosis in KS62 cells. It is unlikely that the ability of HMA to enhance apoptosis in K562 cells is attributable to bel-2 family. It is plausible that the relationship between cell cycle delays and cell death is essential for drug development based on molecular targeting designed to modify radiation-induced apoptosis.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 2002

In this study, we investigated the mechanism of cell death in rhabdovirus-infected cells, chinook salmon embryonic cell line (CHSE-2l4) infected with hirame rhabdovirus (HIRRV). Studies using light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, TUNEL method, electron microscopy, and agarose gel electrophoresis revealed changes in the cell morphology and DNA fragmentation indicative of apoptosis in early infection. It was observed that HIRRV induced apoptosis as well as necrosis in infected cells.