• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.206-215
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• 2020

Trichoderma reesei is the major filamentous fungus used to produce cellulase and there is huge interest in promoting its ability to produce higher titers of cellulase. Among the many factors affecting cellulase production in T. reesei, the mycelial phenotype is important but seldom studied. Herein, a close homolog of the Neurospora crassa COT1 kinase was discovered in T. reesei and designated TrCOT1, which is of 83.3% amino acid sequence identity. Functional disruption of Trcot1 in T. reesei by RNAi-mediated gene silencing resulted in retarded sporulation on potato dextrose agar and dwarfed colonies on minimal medium agar plates containing glucose, xylan, lactose, xylose, or glycerol as the sole carbon source. The representative mutant strain, SUS2/Trcot1i, also displayed reduced mycelia accumulation but hyperbranching in the MM glucose liquid medium, with hyphal growth unit length values decreased to 73.0 ㎛/tip compared to 239.8 ㎛/tip for the parent strain SUS2. The hyperbranching phenotype led to slightly but significantly increased cellulase secretion from 24 to 72 h in a batch culture. However, the cellulase production per unit of mycelial biomass was much more profoundly improved from 24 to 96 h.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2013

A mannitol dehydrogenase (MDH; EC 1.1.1.67) gene was cloned from the Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 (KCTC 2353) genome and expressed in Escherichia coli. It was seen to have an open reading frame consisting of 1,485 bp encoding 494 amino acids (about 54 kDa), which shares approximately 35-55% of amino acid sequence identity with some known long-chain dehydrogenase/ reductase family enzymes. The recombinant S. meliloti MDH (SmMDH) showed the highest activity at $40^{\circ}C$, and pH 7.0 (D-fructose reduction) and pH 9.0 (D-mannitol oxidation), respectively. SmMDH could catalyze the oxidative/reductive reactions between D-mannitol and D-fructose in the presence of $NAD^+/NADH$ as a coenzyme, but not with NADP+/NADPH. These results indicate that SmMDH is a typical $NAD^+/NADH$-dependent mannitol dehydrogenase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1078-1084
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• 2009

The Jindo dog is a Korean natural monument and is recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. A prominent feature is the diverse coat color within the breed. To analyze the genetic basis of variation in the Jindo coat color, we sequenced the protein-coding regions of the melanocortin 1 receptor gene (MC1R). The MC1R coding sequence was determined from 154 dogs in five breeds (Jindo, Labrador Retriever, English Springer Spaniel, Belgian Malinois, and German Shepherd). To confirm the genetic structure of sampled populations, we tested for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and computed $F_{st}$ The sample populations did not significantly deviate from HWE. $F_{st}$ was 0.02 between white and fawn Jindo dogs; this was lower than $F_{st}$ between breeds. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in the MC1R coding region. Among the six SNPs, five were non-synonymous (S90G, T105A, Q159P, M264V, and R306ter) and one was synonymous SNP (Y298Y). From the SNPs, we predicted four haplotypes (H1, H2, H3, and H4) for Jindo MC1R. Jindo dogs had different haplotypes corresponding to different coat colors. H1 was frequently observed in white Jindo dogs with an odds ratio of 5.03 (95% CI: 2.27-11.18, p<0.0001), whereas H2 and H4 were observed only in fawn Jindo dogs. Our findings indicate that SNP haplotype can influence coat color. Knowledge of MC1R haplotypes can help discriminate white and fawn coats in Jindo dogs. We hope this report will trigger more research into the genetics of this traditional Korean dog and will be a reference for dogs of Asian origin. Also, our results will provide a useful genetic marker for Jindo dog breeders who have selected for specific colors.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2011

Over-application of nitrogen fertilizer keeps increasing the salinity in the soils of greenhouse in domestic agriculture. In order to remove the excess amounts of soil nitrate, soil microorganisms which have high capacity of nitrate uptake were isolated from the upland soils and their nitrate uptake activities were measured. Strain GS2 was able to remove 50 mM nitrate within 12 h. After sequence comparison analysis of 16S rRNA gene, the strain was identified and named as Bacillus sp. GS2. When the growth and nitrate uptake activities were measured, maximal values were obtained at $30-40^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$, respectively; however, both were optimal at pH 6-8. In the media containing 50 mM nitrate, Bacillus sp. GS2 removed 43 mM nitrate which is corresponding to 86% removal. Similar amounts of nitrate removal were observed at the nitrate concentrations up to 300 mM, showing a saturation in nitrate uptake at concentrations above 50 mM. These results imply that Bacillus sp. GS2 can be a good candidate for the microbial remediation of accumulated environmental nitrate because of its excellent growth and nitrate uptake activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.588-596
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• 2018

An endo-${\beta}$-1,4-glucanase gene, cel9K, was cloned using the shot-gun method from Paenibacillus sp. X4, which was isolated from alpine soil. The gene was 2,994 bp in length, encoding a protein of 997 amino acid residues with a predicted signal peptide composed of 32 amino acid residues. Cel9K was a multimodular enzyme, and the molecular mass and theoretical pI of the mature Cel9K were 103.5 kDa and 4.81, respectively. Cel9K contains the GGxxDAGD, PHHR, GAxxGG, YxDDI, and EVxxDYN motifs found in most glycoside hydrolase family 9 (GH9) members. The protein sequence showed the highest similarity (88%) with the cellulase of Bacillus sp. BP23 in comparison with the enzymes with reported properties. The enzyme was purified by chromatography using HiTrap Q, CHT-II, and HiTrap Butyl HP. Using SDS-PAGE/activity staining, the molecular mass of Cel9K was estimated to be 93 kDa, which is a truncated form produced by the proteolytic cleavage of its C-terminus. Cel9K was optimally active at pH 5.5 and $50^{\circ}C$ and showed a half-life of 59.2 min at $50^{\circ}C$. The CMCase activity was increased to more than 150% in the presence of 2 mM $Na^+$, $K^+$, and $Ba^{2+}$, but decreased significantly to less than 50% by $Mn^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$. The addition of Cel9K to a commercial enzyme set (Celluclast 1.5L + Novozym 188) increased the saccharification of the pretreated reed and rice straw powders by 30.4% and 15.9%, respectively. The results suggest that Cel9K can be used to enhance the enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to reducing sugars as an additive.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.333-339
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• 2005

B/K protein is a novel protein containing double C2-like domains. We examined the specific signaling pathway that regulates the transcription of B/K in PC12 cells. When the cells were treated with forskolin ($50{\mu}M$), B/K mRNA and protein levels were time-dependently decreased, reaching the lowest level at 3 or 4 hr, and thereafter returning to the control level. Chemicals such as dibutyryl-cAMP, cellpermeable cyclic AMP (cAMP) analogue and CGS21680, adenosine receptor $A_{2A}$ agonist, also repressed the B/K transcription. However, 1,9-dideoxyforskolin did not show inhibitory effect on B/K transcription, suggesting direct involvement of cAMP in the forskolin-induced inhibition of B/K transcription. Effect of forskolin, dibutyryl cAMP and CGS21680 was significantly reduced in PKA-deficient PC12 cell line (PC12-123.7). One cAMP-response element (CRE)-like sequence (B/K CLS) was found in the promoter region of B/K DNA, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated its binding to CREM and CREB. Forskolin significantly suppressed the promoter activity in CHO-K1 cells transfected with the constructs containing B/K CLS, but not with the construct in which B/K CLS was mutated (AC：TG). Taken together, we suggest that the transcription of B/K gene in PC12 cells may be regulated by PKA-dependent mechanism.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.66-72
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• 2012

The Nup188 protein is one of the largest evolutionally conserved nucleoprins (Nups) that compose the inner ring of nuclear pore complex (NPC). The Nup184 protein, fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe ortholog of Nup188p, is required for normal growth and mRNA export in nutrient-rich medium (YES). Here, we identified a carboxyl region (482 to 1628) of Nup184 protein that was enough to complement the defects of both growth and mRNA export when the ${\Delta}nup184$ knock-out mutant was grown in YES medium. This region is also required for localization of GFP-Nup184 fusion to the nuclear periphery. In addition, we found that ORF of Nup184 (predicted 1564 amino-acid protein) registered in S. pombe GeneDB (hosted by Sanger Institute, UK) is 64 amino-acid residues shorter than that predicted by our sequence data. This carboxy-terminal region is necessary for the functions of Nup184p. We further demonstrated that Nup184 protein was conjugated with SUMO in vivo.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.208-215
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• 2017

A cyclomaltodextrinase (SPCD) gene was cloned from Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 700294. Its open reading frame consists of 567 amino acids (66.8 kDa), which shows less than 37% of amino acid sequence identity with the other CDase-family enzymes. The homo-dimeric SPCD with C-terminal six-histidines was expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. It showed the highest activity at pH 7.5 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. SPCD has the broad substrate specificities against ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin, starch, and maltotriose to produce mainly maltose, whereas it hydrolyzes pullulan to panose. It can also catalyze the hydrolysis of acarbose to glucose and acarviosine-glucose. Interestingly, it showed much higher activity on ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin and acarbose than that on starch, pullulan, or maltotriose, which makes SPCD distinguished from common CDase-family enzymes. Although SPCD has significantly high acarbose-hydrolyzing activity, it showed negligible transglycosylation activity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7589-7595
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• 2014

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APEX1) is a multifunctional protein which plays a central role in the BER pathway. APEX1 gene being highly polymorphic in cancer patients and has been indicated to have a contributive role in Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site accumulation in DNA and consequently an increased risk of cancer development. In this case-control study, all exons of the APEX1 gene and its exon/intron boundaries were amplified in 530 breast cancer patients and 395 matched healthy controls and then analyzed by single-stranded conformational polymorphism followed by sequencing. Sequence analysis revealed fourteen heterozygous mutations, seven 5'UTR, one 3'UTR, two intronic and four missense. Among identified mutations one 5'UTR (rs41561214), one 3'UTR (rs17112002) and one missense mutation (Ser129Arg, Mahjabeen et al., 2013) had already been reported while the remaining eleven mutations. Six novel mutations (g.20923366T>G, g.20923435G>A, g.20923462G>A, g.20923516G>A, 20923539G>A, g.20923529C>T) were observed in 5'UTR region, two (g.20923585T>G, g.20923589T>G) in intron1 and three missense (Glu101Lys, Ala121Pro, Ser123Trp) in exon 4. Frequencues of 5'UTR mutations; g.20923366T>G, g.20923435G>A and 3'UTR (rs17112002) were calculated as 0.13, 0.1 and 0.1 respectively. Whereas, the frequency of missense mutations Glu101Lys, Ser123Trp and Ser129Arg was calculated as 0.05. A significant association was observed between APEX1 mutations and increased breast cancer by ~9 fold (OR=8.68, 95%CI=2.64 to 28.5) with g.20923435G>A (5'UTR), ~13 fold (OR= 12.6, 95%CI=3.01 to 53.0) with g.20923539G>A (5'UTR) and~5 fold increase with three missense mutations [Glu101Lys (OR=4.82, 95%CI=1.97 to 11.80), Ser123Trp (OR=4.62, 95%CI=1.7 to 12.19), Ser129Arg (OR=4.86, 95%CI=1.43 to 16.53)]. The incidence of observed mutations was found higher in patients with family history and with early menopause. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a significant association between germ line APEX1 mutations and breast cancer patients in the Pakistani population.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1471-1477
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• 2017

Objective: Since athletic performance is a most importance trait in horses, most research focused on physiological and physical studies of horse athletic abilities. In contrast, the molecular analysis as well as the regulatory pathway studies remain insufficient for evaluation and prediction of horse athletic abilities. In our previous study, we identified AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) gene which was expressed as alternative spliced isoforms in skeletal muscle during exercise. In the present study, we validated two AXL alternative splicing transcripts (named as AXLa for long form and AXLb for short form) in equine skeletal muscle to gain insight(s) into the role of each alternative transcript during exercise. Methods: We validated two isoforms of AXL transcripts in horse tissues by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and then cloned the transcripts to confirm the alternative locus and its sequences. Additionally, we examined the expression patterns of AXLa and AXLb transcripts in horse tissues by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Both of AXLa and AXLb transcripts were expressed in horse skeletal muscle and the expression levels were significantly increased after exercise. The sequencing analysis showed that there was an alternative splicing event at exon 11 between AXLa and AXLb transcripts. 3-dimentional (3D) prediction of the alternative protein structures revealed that the structural distance of the connective region between fibronectin type 3 (FN3) and immunoglobin (Ig) domain was different between two alternative isoforms. Conclusion: It is assumed that the expression patterns of AXLa and AXLb transcripts would be involved in regulation of exercise-induced stress in horse muscle possibly through an $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathway. Further study is necessary to uncover biological function(s) and significance of the alternative splicing isoforms in race horse skeletal muscle.