• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.466-472
• /
• 2011

BACKGROUND: Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] is a legume and an important oil crop worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the possible impact of transgenic soybean cultivation on the soil microbial community. METHODS AND RESULTS: Microorganisms were isolated from the rhizosphere soils. Microbial community was identified based on the culture-dependent and molecular biology methods. The total numbers of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycete in the rhizosphere soils cultivated with transgenic and non-transgenic soybeans were similar to each other, and there was no significant difference between transgenic and non-transgenic soybeans. Dominant bacterial phyla in the rhizosphere soils cultivated with transgenic or non-transgenic soybeans were Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. The microbial communities in transgenic and non-transgenic soybean soils were characterized using the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The DGGE profiles showed the different patterns, but didn't show significant difference to each other at 0.05 significance level. DNAs were isolated from soils cultivating transgenic or non-transgenic soybeans and analyzed for persistence of transgenes in the soil by using PCR. PCR analysis revealed that there were no amplified ${\gamma}$-tmt and bar gene in soil DNA. CONCLUSION(S): The results of this study suggested that microbial community of soybean field were not significantly affected by cultivation of the transgenic soybeans.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.112-121
• /
• 2017

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the serious and fatal drug-associated adverse effect, but its incidence is very low and individual variation in severity is substantial. Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury accounts for >50% of reported DILI cases but little is known for the cause of individual variations in the severity. Intrinsic genetic variation is considered a key element but the identity of the genes was not well-established. Here, pre-biopsy method and microarray technique was applied to uncover the key genes for APAP-induced liver injury in mice, and a cause and effect experiment employing quantitative real-time PCR was conducted to confirm the correlation between the uncovered genes and APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. We identified the innately and differentially expressed genes of mice susceptible to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in the pre-biopsied liver tissue before APAP treatment through microarray analysis of the global gene expression profiles (Affymetrix $GeneChip^{(R)}$ Mouse Gene 1.0 ST for 28,853 genes). Expression of 16 genes including Gdap10, Lpl, Gabra3 and Ccrn4l were significantly different (t-test: FDR <10%) more than 1.5 fold in the susceptible animals than resistant. To confirm the association with the susceptibility to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, another set of animals were measured for the expression level of selected 4 genes (higher two and lower two genes) in the liver pre-biopsy and their sensitivity to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity was evaluated by post hoc. Notably, the expressions of Gabra3 and Lpl were significantly correlated with the severity of liver injury (p<0.05) demonstrating that these genes may be linked to the susceptibility to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.17 no.12
• /
• pp.1649-1653
• /
• 2007

High temperature stresses have caused growth inhibition and delayed heading in highland cultivation Chinese cabbage during summer in Korea. We have studied high temperature stress responses in the terms of changes of inorganic components and proteins by proteomic analyses. Insufficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus have affected growth rate and calcium deficiency has caused blunted heading. Proteins extracted from Brassica seedling grown at the altitude of 600m and 900m in the Mount Jilun were extracted and analysed by 2-dimentional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Profiles of protein expression was then analyzed by 2-dimentional gel analyses. Protein spots showing different expression level were picked using the spot handling workstation and subjected to MALDI-TOF MS. Total 48 protein spots were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS and 30 proteins spots out of 48 were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting analyses. Fourteen proteins were up-regulated in extracts from the altitude of 900m and they were identified as oxygen-evolving proteins, rubisco activase and ATPase etc. Sixteen proteins were up-regulated in extracts from the altitude of 600m and they were identified as glutathione S-transferase(1, 28kD cold induced- and 24 kD auxin-binding proteins) and salt-stress induced protein etc. These stress-induced proteins were related to the mediated protective mechanism against oxidative damage during various stresses. The results indicated that physiological phenomenon in response to high temperature stresses might be resulted by complex and multiple array of responses with drought, heat, oxidative, salt, and cold by high temperature.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.36 no.2 s.103
• /
• pp.108-116
• /
• 2003

To investigate bacteria with algal Iytic activities against Anabaena cylindrica when water blooming occurs and to study enzyme profiles of alga-Iytic bacteria, various bacterial strains were isolated from surface waters and sediments in eutrophic lakes or reservoirs in Korea. Abacterial strain AK-07 was characterized and identified as Acinetobacter johnsonii based on its16S rDNA base sequence. When AK-07 was co-cultivated with A. cylindrica, bacterial cells propagated to $8\;{\times}\;10^8$ cfu $ml^{-1}$ and Iyses algal cells. However, culture filtrates of AK-07 did not exhibit algal Iytic activities. That suggesting the enzymes on the surfaces of the bacterium might be effective algal Iytic agents to cause Iyses of cells. Acinetobacter johnsonii AK-07 exhibited high degradation activities against A. cylindrica, and formed alginase, caseinase, lipase, fucodian hydrolase, and laminarinase. Moreover, glycosidases for example ${\beta}$-galatosidase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase, ${\beta}$-glucosaminidase, and ${\beta}$-xylosidase, which hydrolyzed ${\beta}$-0-glycosidic bonds, were found in cell-free extracts of A. johnsonii AK-07. Other glycosidase such as ${\alpha}$-galctosidases, ${\alpha}$-N-Ac-galctosidases, ${\alpha}$-mannosidases, and ${\alpha}$- L-fuco-sidases, which cleavage ${\alpha}$-0-glycosidic bondsare not detected. In the results, enzyme systemsof A. johnsonii AK-07 were very complex to do-grade cell walls of cyanobacteria. The polysaccharides or peptidoglycans of A. cylindrica maybe hydrolyzed and metabolized to a range of easily utilizable monosaccharides or other low molecular weight organic substances by strain AK-07 of A. johnsonii.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.309-321
• /
• 1987

For the investigation of microbiological and immunological specificity of Bacteroides gingivalis, Bacteroides gingivalis were isolated, enumerated and characterized from 13 Korean rapidly progressive periodontitis and 7 healthy control by anaerobic culture technique. The total proportion of black-pigmented Bacteroides from Korean R.P.P. patients and healthy control were 8.78% and 0.92%, respectively, among total isolated black-pigmented Bacteroides. In antibiotic susceptibility test, Bacteroides gingivalis isolated from R.P.P. patients were sensitive to Ampicillin and Tetracycline, and resistant to Gentamicin and Erythromycin in disc diffusion method. In antibiotic broth dilution method, the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) to Bacteroides gingivalis was 2 unit/ml of Penicillin and $0.25{\sim}1{\mu}g/ml$ of Tetracycline, respectively. The concentration of serum IgG in rapidly progressive periodontitis patients were sigificantly higher than that of healthy control, and concentration of diluted gingival crevicular IgG has not any significant differences between two groups. Serum and gingival crevicular IgG antibody to Bacteroides gingivalis were significantly higher titer in rapidly progressive periodontitis patients to compare with healthy control. The lipopolysaccharide profiles of 2 Korean B. gingivalis in silver stained sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were similar to type strains of B. gingivalis and typical LPS band were appeared around the 24-Kd molecular weight. Immunodiffusion test and immunoelectrophoresis of the L.P.S. extracted from 2 Korean B. gingivalis and 2 kinds of type strains of B. gingivalis showed that B. gingivalis Korean-1 was reacted identically to B. gingivalis ATCC 33277. In trypsin and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity test of 2 Korean B. gingivalis, both of them revealed positive trypsin and negative ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity, respectively. These investigation suggested that B. gingivalis is important pathogenic plaque bacteria for the pathogenesis of periodontitis and further study is needed to purify and characterize of the species-specific antigens of this organisms to develop monoclonal antibody and potential diagnostic reagents.

• Food Engineering Progress
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.289-296
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dextrinization methods (dry oven and roaster) and the ratio of dextrinized rice on the quality of Backsulgi during storage. The moisture content significantly increased with increasing the amount of dextrinized rice regardless of dextrinization methods. As the ratio of dextrinized rice increased, the L value of the Backsulgi decreased, but the a and b values increased. The a and b values of dry oven method were higher than those of roaster method due to their thermal denaturalization. However, there were no significant pattern's change in sample's colors during storage. In the texture profiles, the hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness significantly decreased with increasing the amount of dextrinized rice depending on the dextrinization methods and the ratios. The time constant (1/k) of the Backsulgi with dextrinized rice comparatively higher than that of control and appeared to be the highest in the Backsulgi formulated by 100% of dextrinized rice. In the sensory evaluation, Backsulgi with dextrinized rice over 30% after 1day storage showed higher value in overall quality and lower value in hardness than control. The addition of 30% dextrinized rice made by roaster showed the most effective on the quality and retrogradation of Backsulgi.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1963-1973
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary energy and lipase supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum profiles, intestinal morphology, small intestinal digestive enzyme activities, biochemical index of intestinal development and noxious gas emission in weaning pigs. Methods: A total of 240 weaning pigs ([Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace]${\times}$Duroc) with an average body weight (BW) of $7.3{\pm}0.12kg$ were used in this 28-d experiment. Weaning pigs were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement with 2 levels of energy (net energy = 2,470 kcal/kg for low energy diet and 2,545 kcal/kg for basal diet) and 2 levels of lipase (0 and 1.5 U/g of lipase) according to BW and sex. There were 6 replications (pens) per treatment and 10 pigs per pen (5 barrows and 5 gilts). Results: Weaning pigs fed the low energy diet had lower (p<0.05) gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) throughout the experiment, apparent digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, ether extract, and gross energy during d 0 to 14, average daily gain during d 15 to 28, lipase activity in duodenum and ileum and protein/DNA in jejunum (p<0.05), respectively. Lipase supplementation had no effect on growth performance but affected apparent nutrient digestibility (p<0.05) on d 14 and enhanced lipase activity in the duodenum and ileum and protease activity in duodenum and jejunum of pigs (p<0.05) fed the low energy diet. Lipase reduced serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG), $NH_3$ production (p<0.05) from the feces. Conclusion: The low energy diet decreased G:F throughout the experiment and nutrient digestibility during d 0 to 14 as well as lipase activity in duodenum and ileum. Lipase supplementation increased nutrient digestibility during d 0 to 14 and exerted beneficial effects on lipase activity in duodenum and ileum as well as protease activity in duodenum and jejunum, while reduced serum LDL-C, TG and fecal $NH_3$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.10
• /
• pp.1409-1419
• /
• 2021

A growing number of healthy dietary ingredients in fruits and vegetables have been shown to exhibit diverse biological activities. Phloretin, a dihydrochalcone flavonoid that is abundant in apples and pears, has anti-inflammatory effects on ulcerative colitis (UC) mice. The gut microbiota and metabolism are closely related to each other due to the existence of the food-gut axis in the human colon. To investigate the interplay of faecal metabolites and the microbiota in UC mice after phloretin treatment, phloretin (60 mg/kg) was administered by gavage to ameliorate dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC in mice. Gut microbes and faecal metabolite profiles were detected by high-throughput sequencing and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis, respectively. The correlations between gut microbes and their metabolites were evaluated by Spearman correlation coefficients. The results indicated that phloretin reshaped the disturbed faecal metabolite profile in UC mice and improved the metabolic pathways by balancing the composition of faecal metabolites such as norepinephrine, mesalazine, tyrosine, 5-acetyl-2,4-dimethyloxazole, and 6-acetyl-2,3-dihydro-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4(1H)-pyridinone. Correlation analysis identified the relations between the gut microbes and their metabolites. Proteus was negatively related to many faecal metabolites, such as norepinephrine, L-tyrosine, laccarin, dopamine glucuronide, and 5-acetyl-2,4-dimethyloxazole. The abundance of unidentified Bacteriodales_S24-7_group was positively related to ecgonine, 15-KETE and 6-acetyl-2,3-dihydro-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4(1H)-pyridinone. The abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group was negatively related to the levels of 15-KETE and netilmicin. Stenotrophomonas and 15-KETE were negatively related, while Intestinimonas and alanyl-serine were positively related. In conclusion, phloretin treatment had positive impacts on faecal metabolites in UC mice, and the changes in faecal metabolites were closely related to the gut microbiota.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2018

Objective : Plantago asiatica L. has been used for many years in Korea, China, and Japan for the treatment of many diseases such as anti-inflammatory, anti-asthma and diuretic. But the anti-obesity effect of Plantaginis asiaticae Folium has not been studied yet. Thus, this study aimed to demonstrate the anti-obesity efficacy of Plantaginis asiaticae Folium water extract (PAF) in high fat diet-induced obesity animal model. Method : Male, five-weeks old C57BL/6 mice were divided into 5 groups; ND (normal diet + 0.9% saline), HFD (high-fat diet + 0.9% saline), PC (high-fat diet + Garcinia cambogia 500 mg/kg), PAF 100, 300 (high-fat diet + PAF 100, 300 mg/kg. Treatments were performed daily for 6 weeks per os. We evaluated the changes of body weight, white adipose tissues weight, hepatic and fecal lipids level, pancreatic lipase activity and lipid profiles in plasma. Result : Body weights, adipose tissue weights and FER were significantly lower in mice fed the high-fat diet with PAF treatment than in mice fed the high-fat diet alone. In plasma, TG, TC, LDL-C, ATS and ALT levels significantly decreased in PAF groups compared with HFD group. Also, hepatic triglyceride (TG) levels decreased and fecal TG increased in PAF groups compared to HFD group. In addition, the activity of pancreatic lipase was decreased in the PAF groups compared to that of HFD group. Conclusion: These results suggest PAF extract is effective in preventing and improvement obesity, so it might be a potential and safe material for anti-obesity agent of weight control or functional supplements.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.57 no.3
• /
• pp.161-166
• /
• 2024

Aberrant DNA methylation plays a critical role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), which has high incidence and mortality rates in Korea. Various CRC-associated methylation markers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis have been developed; however, they have not been validated for Korean patients owing to the lack of comprehensive clinical and methylome data. Here, we obtained reliable methylation profiles for 228 tumor, 103 adjacent normal, and two unmatched normal colon tissues from Korean patients with CRC using an Illumina Infinium EPIC array; the data were corrected for biological and experiment biases. A comparative methylome analysis confirmed the previous findings that hypermethylated positions in the tumor were highly enriched in CpG island and promoter, 5' untranslated, and first exon regions. However, hypomethylated positions were enriched in the open-sea regions considerably distant from CpG islands. After applying a CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) to the methylome data of tumor samples to stratify the CRC patients, we consolidated the previously established clinicopathological findings that the tumors with high CIMP signatures were significantly enriched in the right colon. The results showed a higher prevalence of microsatellite instability status and MLH1 methylation in tumors with high CMP signatures than in those with low or non-CIMP signatures. Therefore, our methylome analysis and dataset provide insights into applying CRC-associated methylation markers for Korean patients regarding cancer diagnosis and prognosis.