• Title/Summary/Keyword: Developmental Processes

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Cloning and Expression Characteristics of Pharbitis nil COP1 (PnCOP1) During the Floral Induction

  • Kim, Yun-Hee;Kim, Seong-Ryong;Heo, Yoon-Kang
    • Journal of Photoscience
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2005
  • The ubiquitin E3 ligase COP1 (Constitutive Photomorphogenesis 1) is a protein repressor of photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsisplants, and it found in various organisms, including animals. The COP1 protein regulates the stability of many of the light-signaling components that are involved in photomorphogenesis and in the developmental processes. To study the effect of COP1 on flowering in a short day plant, we have cloned a full-length of PnCOP1 (Pharbitis nil COP1) cDNA from Pharbitis nil Choisy cv. Violet, and we examined its transcript levels under various conditions. A full-length PnCOP1 cDNA consists of 2,280 bp nucleotidesthat contain 47 bp of 5'-UTR, 232 bp of 3'-UTR including the poly (A) tail, and 1,998 bp of the coding sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence contains 666 amino acids, giving it a theoretical molecular weight of 75 kD and a isolectric point of 6.2. The PnCOP1 contains three distinct domains, an N-terminal $Zn^2+$-binding RING-finger domain, a coiled-coil structure, and WD40 repeats at the C-terminal, implying that the protein plays a role in protein-protein interactions. The PnCOP1 transcript was detected in the cotyledon, hypocotyls and leaves, but not in root. The levels of the PnCOP1 transcript were reduced in leaves that were a farther distance away from the cotyledons. The expression level of the PnCOP1 gene was inhibited by light, while the expression was increased in the dark. During the floral inductive 16 hour-dark period for Pharbitis nil, the expression was increased and it reached its maximum at the 12th hour of the dark period. The levels of PnCOP1 mRNA were dramatically reduced upon light illumination. These results suggest that PnCOP1 may play an important function in the floral induction of Pharbitis nil.

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Identification and Characterization of a Putative Basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) Transcription Factor Interacting with Calcineurin in C. elegans

  • Lee, Soo-Ung;Song, Hyun-Ok;Lee, Wonhae;Singaravelu, Gunasekaran;Yu, Jae-Ran;Park, Woo-Yoon
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.28 no.5
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    • pp.455-461
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    • 2009
  • Calcineurin is a $Ca^{2+}$/Calmodulin activated Ser/Thr phosphatase that is well conserved from yeast to human. It is composed of catalytic subunit A (CnA) and regulatory subunit B (CnB). C. elegans homolog of CnA and CnB has been annotated to tax-6 and cnb-1, respectively and in vivo function of both genes has been intensively studied. In C. elegans, calcineurin play roles in various signaling pathways such as fertility, movement, body size regulation and serotonin-mediated egg laying. In order to understand additional signaling pathway(s) in which calcineurin functions, we screened for binding proteins of TAX-6 and found a novel binding protein, HLH-11. The HLH-11, a member of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins, is a putative counterpart of human AP4 transcription factor. Previously bHLH transcription factors have been implicated to regulate many developmental processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation, sex determination and myogenesis. However, the in vivo function of hlh-11 is largely unknown. Here, we show that hlh-11 is expressed in pharynx, intestine, nerve cords, anal depressor and vuvla muscles where calcineurin is also expressed. Mutant analyses reveal that hlh-11 may have role(s) in regulating body size and reproduction. More interestingly, genetic epistasis suggests that hlh-11 may function to regulate serotoninmediated egg laying at the downstream of tax-6.

Radioactive cDNA microarray in Neurospsychiatry (신경정신 의학분야의 방사성동위원소 표지 cDNA 마이크로어레이)

  • Choe, Jae-Gol;Shin, Kyung-Ho;Lee, Min-Soo;Kim, Meyoung-Kon
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.43-52
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    • 2003
  • Microarray technology allows the simultaneous analysis of gene expression patterns of thousands of genes, in a systematic fashion, under a similar set of experimental conditions, thus making the data highly comparable. In some cases arrays are used simply as a primary screen loading to downstream molecular characterization of individual gene candidates. In other cases, the goal of expression profiling is to begin to identify complex regulatory networks underlying developmental processes and disease states. Microarrays were originally used with ceil lines or other simple model systems. More recently, microarrays have been used in the analysis of more complex biological tissues including neural systems and the brain. The application of cDNA arrays in neuropsychiatry has lagged behind other fields for a number of reasons. These include a requirement for a large amount of input probe RNA In fluorescent-glass based array systems and the cellular complexity introduced by multicellular brain and neural tissues. An additional factor that impacts the general use of microarrays in neuropsychiatry is the lack of availability of sequenced clone sets from model systems. While human cDNA clones have been widely available, high qualify rat, mouse, and drosophilae, among others are just becoming widely available. A final factor in the application of cDNA microarrays in neuropsychiatry is cost of commercial arrays. As academic microarray facilitates become more commonplace custom made arrays will become more widely available at a lower cost allowing more widespread applications. in summary, microarray technology is rapidly having an impact on many areas of biomedical research. Radioisotope-nylon based microarrays offer alternatives that may in some cases be more sensitive, flexible, inexpensive, and universal as compared to other array formats, such as fluorescent-glass arrays. In some situations of limited RNA or exotic species, radioactive membrane microarrays may be the most practical experimental approach in studying psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, and other complex questions in the brain.

Biological Mechanism of Suicide (자살의 생물학적 기전)

  • Cheon, Eun-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean society of biological therapies in psychiatry
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.129-141
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    • 2018
  • Suicide is a behavior that is intended to cause death by itself and requires medical treatment, resulting in suicidal attempt or completion. Suicide causes loss of life, damages the body, costs a lot of medical expenses, and causes families to fall into sorrow and suffering therefore this suicide is a huge loss to family and society. There have been attempts to reduce and prevent suicide by understanding the mechanism of suicide. The mechanism of suicide can be thought of as psychological mechanism and biological mechanism. In the past, if we considered the psychological and biological mechanisms separately, the development of neuroscience now connects and integrates these two. Psychological factors affect biological factors and biological temperaments also affect perception or thinking about the situation and increase psychological vulnerability. Distant factors in suicidal behavior-such as childhood adversity and family and genetic predisposition-increase the lifetime risk of suicide. They alter the response to stress and other processes through changes in gene expression and regulation of emotional and behavioral characteristics. Distant factors affect the biological system and consequently changes in these systems can increase the risk of suicide. In other words, the distal factor does not directly induce suicidal behavior but rather acts indirectly through developmental or mediating factors. These mediating factors are impulsive aggressive and anxious trait, and chronic use of substances. The mechanism of this disorder is the abnormality of the serotonin system and the abnormality of the lipid level. Proximal factors are associated with the onset of suicide events and include changes in the major neurotransmitter systems, inflammatory changes, and dysfunction of glial cells in the brain. A series of studies, including a variety of research methods and postmortem and in-vivo imaging studies, show the impairment of the serotonergic neurotransmitter system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response system for suicidal behavior. These disorders lead to suicidal behavior due to difficulty in cognitive control of mood, pessimism, reactive aggression, abnormality in problem solving abilities, excessive response to negative social signals, severe emotional distress, and cognitive dysregulation of suicidal ideation.

Functional characterization of gibberellin signaling-related genes in Panax ginseng

  • Kim, Jinsoo;Shin, Woo-Ri;Kim, Yang-Hoon;Shim, Donghwan;Ryu, Hojin
    • Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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    • v.48 no.3
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    • pp.148-155
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    • 2021
  • Gibberellins (GAs) are essential phytohormones for plant growth that influence developmental processes and crop yields. Recent functional genomic analyses of model plants have yielded good characterizations of the canonical GA signaling pathways and related genes. Although Panax ginseng has long been considered to have economic and medicinal importance, functional genomic studies of the GA signaling pathways in this crucial perennial herb plant have been rarely conducted. Here, we identified and performed functional analysis of the GA signaling-related genes, including PgGID1s, PgSLY1s, and PgRGAs. We confirmed that the physiological role of GA signaling components in P. ginseng was evolutionarily conserved. In addition, the important functional domains and amino acid residues for protein interactions among active GA, GID1, SCFSLY1, and RGA were also functionally conserved. Prediction and comparison of crystallographic structural similarities between PgGID1s and AtGID1a supported their function as GA receptors. Moreover, the subcellular localization and GA-dependent promotion of DELLA degradation in P. ginseng was similar to the canonical GA signaling pathways in other plants. Finally, we found that overexpression of PgRGA2 and PgSLY1-1 was sufficient to complement the GA-related phenotypes of atgid1a/c double- and rga quintuple-mutants, respectively. This critical information for these GA signaling genes has the potential to facilitate future genetic engineering and breeding of P. ginseng for increased crop yield and production of useful substances.

The Analysis of Self-Mutilation in Adolescence Based on the Theory of Mentalization: From Sukhvinder in the Novel 'Casual Vacancy'

  • Oh, Mi Ae;Park, Chanmin;Lee, Yeon Jeong;Hong, Minha;Han, Ju Hee;Oh, Soo Hyun;Park, Jun Heon;Bahn, Geon Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.100-108
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    • 2019
  • Objectives: Adolescence involves a number of developmental processes, as well as unique psychological characteristics and behaviors. An increased rate of internet and game addictions, school violence, and suicide may either represent aspects of adolescence or a psychopathological phenomenon. There is an urgent need to develop software programs that can prevent and resolve adolescent behavioral problems. We applied the mentalization theory to interpret and find solutions for problems faced by adolescent characters in literature. Methods: In Joan Rowling's novel "Casual Vacancy," Sukhvinder is a girl with problems representative of those encountered by modern adolescents; she is a victim of bullying and engages in self-mutilation. We targeted her problematic behaviors as representative of a prementalized state. Results: Born into an upper-class English family with Pakistani origins, Sukhvinder, unlike her siblings, fails her parents' expectations. Whenever she faces a psychological crisis, she regresses into the teleological mode (the most primitive pre-mentalization stage) and regains her sense of self by cutting herself. After her friend's suicide, however, she begins to communicate with her parents and moves toward mentalization. Conclusion: By analyzing Sukhvinder's behavior, we assessed patterns of attachment, empathy, and mentalization, and identified corrective approaches for problematic behaviors. We believe that the presented interpretation may serve as a foundation for the development of models for understanding adolescent deviant behaviors.

Effect of GA3 and BA on Plant Growth of Ranunculus Cultivars

  • Kwak, Ho-Geun;Lee, Young Ran;Choi, Youn Jung;Lee, Su Young;Kang, Yun-Im
    • FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.179-186
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    • 2018
  • Ranunculus asiaticus characterizes colorful and attractive flower shapes that are related with the ornamental value of bulbous plants. Improving ornamental value of bulbous flowers has been the general goal of floricultural market. Gibberellic acid ($GA_3$) and benzyladenine (BA) play an important role in growth and developmental processes in floriculture. Combinational treatments of these two hormones have been used in floriculture to improve flower quality. We assessed the effects of combined $GA_3$ and BA, as well as the individual effects of each hormone, on growth characteristics using soil drench application to eight R. asiaticus cultivars, 'Giallo Millepetali', 'Bianco Millepetali', 'Arancio Millepetali', 'Rosa SC', 'Arancio Pratolino', 'Giallo Pratolino', 'Bianco Pratolino', and 'Rosa Ch Pratolino'. $GA_3$ treatments increased plant height and first flower size of R. asiaticus cultivars. Moreover, about 5 to 9 days to flowering were averagely shortened by $GA_3$ treatments compared to controls. On the other hand, the opposites, including first flower size and days to flowering, were observed for cultivars treated with BA, compared with controls. Treatments of $GA_3$ + BA generally affected growth traits, such as plant height, flower size, and the timing of flowering on some R. asiaticus cultivars. In particular, about 5 to 6 days to flowering were reduced on average by Treatments of $GA_3$ + BA. Our results showed positive growth effects, including plant height, days to flowering, first flower height, number of flowers from the application of individual and combined hormones to R. asiaticus cultivars and demonstrate a role for these hormones in future bulbous floriculture.

A Study on the Development of Contemporary Menswear Fashion Design Inspired by Myanmar Traditional Costumes Using SCAMPER Method (스캠퍼 기법을 활용한 미얀마 전통복식 스타일의 현대 남성복 패션디자인 개발 연구)

  • Phyoe, Su Wai;Suh, Seunghee
    • Journal of Fashion Business
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.16-38
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    • 2021
  • The purpose of this study was to develop a fashion design with a greater sense of modernism based on the characteristics and design elements of Myanmar traditional clothing focusing on the Yandanapon Mandalay period of the last dynasty of Myanmar using the SCAMPER technique, which is one of the creative methodologies. Contemporary menswear fashion designs were developed based on the individual elements of the questionnaire on the SCAMPER technique using fashion design elements. The design development process was as follows. First, this study set the developmental theme of contemporary menswear fashion design in Myanmar's traditional clothing style during the Yadanapon Mandalay period. Second, to develop designs using the SCAMPER technique, the elements of Myanmar's traditional clothing were first divided into item composition and design elements, followed by application of the SCAMPER questionnaire. Also, various designs were developed by combining and applying different elements. Third, optionally selective elements evolved from the design development process using the SCAMPER technique questionnaire. Fourth, the design evaluation was used to select the designs matching the study purpose out of 55 design sketches via FGI (Focus Group Interview) consisting of four fashion designers. Fifth, a total of six designs were selected by additional design modification. Based on the aforementioned processes, a total of six works of men's clothing design were presented. This study provides basic data for the cultural and aesthetic understanding of traditional Myanmar clothing. It also serves as a source of new ideas to express modern fashion design in different ways.

NADPH Oxidases Are Required for Appressorium-Mediated Penetration in Colletotrichum scovillei-Pepper Fruit Pathosystem

  • Fu, Teng;Lee, Noh-Hyun;Shin, Jong-Hwan;Kim, Kyoung Su
    • The Plant Pathology Journal
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.345-354
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    • 2022
  • NADPH oxidase (Nox) complexes are known to play essential roles in differentiation and proliferation of many filamentous fungi. However, the functions of Noxs have not been elucidated in Colletotrichum species. Therefore, we set out to characterize the roles of Nox enzymes and their regulators in Colletotrichum scovillei, which causes serious anthracnose disease on pepper fruits in temperate and subtropical and temperate region. In this study, we generated targeted deletion mutants for CsNox1, CsNox2, CsNoxR, and CsNoxD via homologous recombination. All deletion mutants were normal in mycelial growth, conidiation, conidial germination, and appressorium formation, suggesting that CsNox1, CsNox2, CsNoxR, and CsNoxD are not involved in those developmental processes. Notably, conidia of 𝜟Csnox2 and 𝜟Csnoxr, other than 𝜟Csnox1 and 𝜟Csnoxd, failed to cause anthracnose on intact pepper fruits. However, they still caused normal disease on wounded pepper fruits, suggesting that Csnox2 and CsnoxR are essential for penetration-related morphogenesis in C. scovillei. Further observation proved that 𝜟Csnox2 and 𝜟Csnoxr were unable to form penetration peg, while they fully developed appressoria, revealing that defect of anthracnose development by 𝜟Csnox2 and 𝜟Csnoxr resulted from failure in penetration peg formation. Our results suggest that CsNox2 and CsNoxR are critical for appressorium-mediated penetration in C. scovillei-pepper fruit pathosystem, which provides insight into understanding roles of Nox genes in anthracnose disease development.

Silencing of the Target of Rapamycin Complex Genes Stimulates Tomato Fruit Ripening

  • Choi, Ilyeong;Ahn, Chang Sook;Lee, Du-Hwa;Baek, Seung-A;Jung, Jung Won;Kim, Jae Kwang;Lee, Ho-Seok;Pai, Hyun-Sook
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.45 no.9
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    • pp.660-672
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    • 2022
  • The target of rapamycin complex (TORC) plays a key role in plant cell growth and survival by regulating the gene expression and metabolism according to environmental information. TORC activates transcription, mRNA translation, and anabolic processes under favorable conditions, thereby promoting plant growth and development. Tomato fruit ripening is a complex developmental process promoted by ethylene and specific transcription factors. TORC is known to modulate leaf senescence in tomato. In this study, we investigated the function of TORC in tomato fruit ripening using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of the TORC genes, TOR, lethal with SEC13 protein 8 (LST8), and regulatory-associated protein of TOR (RAPTOR). Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression levels of tomato TORC genes were the highest in the orange stage during fruit development in Micro-Tom tomato. VIGS of these TORC genes using stage 2 tomato accelerated fruit ripening with premature orange/red coloring and decreased fruit growth, when control tobacco rattle virus 2 (TRV2)-myc fruits reached the mature green stage. TORC-deficient fruits showed early accumulation of carotenoid lycopene and reduced cellulose deposition in pericarp cell walls. The early ripening fruits had higher levels of transcripts related to fruit ripening transcription factors, ethylene biosynthesis, carotenoid synthesis, and cell wall modification. Finally, the early ripening phenotype in Micro-Tom tomato was reproduced in the commercial cultivar Moneymaker tomato by VIGS of the TORC genes. Collectively, these results demonstrate that TORC plays an important role in tomato fruit ripening by modulating the transcription of various ripening-related genes.