• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.120-127
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• 2011

While many isolates of Alternaria alternata are common saprophytes on trees and shrubs, this study clearly demonstrated that A. alternata is a primary pathogen in lilac (Syringa sp.), causing a leaf-blight that affects different Syringa species. Isolates of Alternaria sp. were collected from leaf blight samples of lilacs in the field. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and morphological characterization were used to identify lilac blight pathogen. Based on 100% ITS nucleotide sequence identities to the Alternaria genus in the GenBank and morphological features, these isolates were identified as A. alternata. Disease symptoms were reproduced in lilac plants inoculated with A. alternata mycelial plugs and sprayed with a fungus-free culture filtrate, indicating that pathogenesis in lilac involves secondary metabolites or toxins. Diagnostic primers were developed to detect Alternaria sp. and A. alternata in lilac leaf blight based on ITS region and four known genes associated with pathogenesis in A. alternata: mixed-linked glucanase precursor, endopolygalacturonase, hsp70, and histone genes. The results from our study indicated A. alternata is a primary pathogen in lilac leaf blight, and these diagnostic primers can be used as a tool for the fast detection of A. alternata associated with lilac leaf blight.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.292-296
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• 2004

The recombinant soluble human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (hTNF-$\alpha$) was expressed in a yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its cytotoxicity was evaluated. A cDNA encoding hTNF-$\alpha$ was placed under the control of two different promoters: a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) promoter and a yeast hybrid ADH2-GPD promoter, consisting of alcohol dehydrogenase II (ADH2) and the GPD promoter. A Northern blot analysis revealed that, although variation in the expression level of hTNF-$\alpha$ existed among transformants, the higher expression was obtained with the GPD promoter. Expressed hTNF-$\alpha$ protein (rhTNF-$\alpha$) was successfully secreted into the culture medium, producing 2.5 mg per liter of culture filtrate, with no changes in cell growth. The bioassay for observing the cytotoxicity to the murine L929 fibroblast cell line, with serial dilution of rhTNF-$\alpha$, indicated that the secreted rhTNF-$\alpha$ was bioactive and its dose-response was improved eight to ten times over that of the E. coli-derived rhTNF-$\alpha$.