• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.293-297
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• 2005

A thoredoxin (CTRX) gene was cloned and characterized from a full length cDNA library prepared from taproot of three-year old Codonopsis lanceolata. A CTRX was 666 nucleotides long and has an open reading frame of 372 bp with 124 amino acid residues (pI = 4.92). The deduced amino acid sequence of the CTRX matched to the previously reported plant thioredoxin h genes. The deduced amino acid sequence of CTRX exhibited the similarity of 33-67% among previously registered thioredoxin genes. The expression of CTRX in leaves of Codonopsis lanceolata was increased by wounding and 1 mM $H_2O_2$, but decreased by 0.1 mM cadmium.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.248-256
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• 2005

Background : Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections are increasingly being recognized as a cause of chronic pulmonary disease. This study describes the prevalence of NTM species from clinical specimens and the clinical characteristics of NTM pulmonary disease. Material and Methods : The NTM isolated from March 2003 to December 2003 at the Kosin Medical Center were identified using an oligonucleotide chip containing the internal transcribed space (ITS) sequence. The medical records of the patients with the NTM isolates, who fulfilled the 1997 ATS diagnostic criteria for NTM pulmonary disease, were analyzed, retrospectively. Results : Twenty four species (24.2%) of NTM were isolated from 99 cultured AFB specimens. M. avium complex (MAC) (13 isolates), M. szulgai (3), M. kansasii (2), M. malmoense (2), M. abscessus (1), M. chelonae (1), M. scrofulaceum (1), and unclassified (1). Of the 23 patients with isolated NTM, 11 patients were found to be compatible with a NTM pulmonary infection according to the ATS criteria; MAC was found in 6 cases (54.5%), M. szulgai in 2 cases (18.2%), and M. abscessus, M. szulgai, M. kansasii and M. malmoense in 1 case each (9.1%). Ten patients (91%) were male and the median age at diagnosis was 61 years. In the pre-existing diseases, malignant disease was found in 6 cases including 5 patients with lung cancer, and history of old pulmonary tuberculosis was identified in 4 cases. The radiological patterns showed lung destruction lung in 3 cases, a cavitary mass in 3 cases, a nodular pattern in 2 cases, and reticulonodular, consolidation and a bronchiectasis pattern were in 1 case each. Conclusion : Various types of NTM pulmonary diseases were found in a tertiary hospital at Busan, Korea. The NTM pulmonary diseases were caused by MAC, M. szugai, M. kansasii, M. malmoense, M. abscessus, M. chelonae, and M. scrofulaceum in the order of frequency.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.517-526
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• 2009

The present study was attempted to investigate whether polyphenolic compounds isolated from wine, which is brewed from Rubus coreanum Miquel (PCRC), may affect the release of catecholamines (CA) from the isolated perfused adrenal medulla of the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and to establish its mechanism of action. PCRC $(20\sim180\;{\mu}g/ml)$ perfused into an adrenal vein for 90 min relatively dose-dependently inhibited the CA secretory responses to ACh (5.32 mM), high $K^+$ (56 mM), DMPP $(100\;{\mu}M)$ and McN-A-343 $(100\;{\mu}M)$. PCRC itself did not affect basal CA secretion (data not shown). Also, in the presence of PCRC $(60\;{\mu}g/ml)$, the CA secretory responses to veratridine (a selective $Na^+$ channel activator $(10\;{\mu}M)$, Bay-K-8644 (a L-type dihydropyridine $Ca^{2+}$ channel activator, $10\;{\mu}M$), and cyclopiazonic acid (a cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor, $10\;{\mu}M$) were significantly reduced, respectively. In the simultaneous presence of PCRC $(60\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and L-NAME (an inhibitor of NO synthase, $30\;{\mu}M$), the inhibitory responses of PCRC on the CA secretion evoked by ACh, high $K^+$, DMPP, and Bay-K-8644 were considerably recovered to the extent of the corresponding control secretion compared with that of PCRC-treatment alone. The level of NO released from adrenal medulla after the treatment of PCRC $(60\;{\mu}g/ml)$ was greatly elevated compared with the corresponding basal level. Taken together, these results demonstrate that PCRC inhibits the CA secretion from the isolated perfused adrenal medulla of the SHRs evoked by stimulation of cholinergic receptors as well as by direct membrane-depolarization. It seems that this inhibitory effect of PCRC is mediated by blocking the influx of calcium and sodium into the adrenal medullary chromaffin cells of the SHRs as well as by inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ release from the cytoplasmic calcium store at least partly through the increased NO production due to the activation of NO synthase.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.437-442
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• 2012

Red yeast rice (RER) has been used in China for centuries for its medicinal properties and is an increasingly popular alternative lipid-lowering treatment. This study was carried out to estimate the antioxidant properties of RER extracts. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the DPPH radical scavenging activity of 85% at 0.2 mg/mL and $IC_{50}$ 0.13 mg/mL. A significant proportion of hydroxyl radicals in a cuvette were scavenged: 44.2% at 2.5 ${\mu}g$/mL, 74.1% at 5.0 ${\mu}g$/mL, and >100% at 10 ${\mu}g$/mL. The $HepG_2$ cells pre-treated with RER ethyl acetate extract reduced the hydroxyl radicals significantly compared to the control cells. Oxidative DNA damage was measured using a Comet assay. The RER ethyl acetate extract did not induce any DNA damage per se, and appeared to enhance the resistance to DNA damage caused by an oxidant challenge with $H_2O_2$, whereas lovastatin increased the level of DNA damage in the cells in both the unstressed (no oxidant) and those stressed with $H_2O_2$. The relative gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes in $HepG_2$ cells were also affected by the RER ethyl acetate extract. The $HepG_2$ cells were pre-incubated with the RER ethyl acetate extract, and then stressed with $H_2O_2$ or left unstressed (no oxidant). In the unstressed cells, superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were increased significantly 3.25-fold and 2.67-fold, respectively, whereas in the stressed cells, the catalase (CAT) level was increased by 4.64-fold and 7.0-fold at 5 ${\mu}g$/mL and 10 ${\mu}g$/mL, respectively, compared to those of the control. From these results, RER appears to be effective in suppressing oxidative stress.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2023

Paraphlomis koreana (Lamiaceae) was newly named and added to Korean flora in 2014. Paraphlomis belongs to the tribe Paraphlomideae, along with Ajugoides and Matsumurella. However, a recent study has suggested that P. koreana is morphologically similar to Matsumurella chinensis, making them difficult to distinguish from each other. Therefore, we aimed to examine the phylogenetic placement of P. koreana within the tribe and compare its genetic relationship with M. chinensis. We sequenced an additional complete plastid genome for an individual of P. koreana and generated sequences of nuclear ribosomal (nr) DNA regions of internal and external transcribed spacers (ITS and ETS) for two individuals of P. koreana. Maximum likelihood analyses based on two nrDNA regions (ITS and ETS) and four plastid DNA markers (rpl16 intron, rpl32-trnL, rps16 intron, and trnL-F) covering 13 Paraphlomis species and M. chinensis were conducted. Phylogenetic analyses concordantly supported that P. koreana forms a monophyletic group with M. chinensis. Moreover, our study revealed that P. koreana includes nrDNA sequences of M. chinensis as minor intra-individual variants, suggesting that the genetic divergence between the two taxa is incomplete and may represent intraspecific variation rather than distinct species. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the independent species status of P. koreana within Paraphlomis should be reconsidered.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Telomeres are located at the chromosomal ends and progressively shortened during each cell cycle. Telomerase, which is regulated by hTERT and c-MYC, maintains telomeric DNA sequences. Especially, telomerase is active in cancer and stem cells to maintain telomere length for replicative immortality. Recently we reported that walnut phenolic extract (WPE) can reduce cell viability in a colon cancer stem cell (CSC) model. We, therefore, investigated the effect of WPE on telomere maintenance in the same model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: $CD133^+CD44^+$ cells from HCT116, a human colon cancer cell line, were sorted by Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and treated with WPE at the concentrations of 0, 10, 20, and $40{\mu}g/mL$ for 6 days. Telomere lengths were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) using telomere specific primers and DNA extracted from the cells, which was further adjusted with single-copy gene and reference DNA ($ddC_t$). Telomerase activity was also measured by qRT-PCR after incubating the PCR mixture with cell protein extracts, which was adjusted with reference DNA ($dC_t$). Transcriptions of hTERT and c-MYC were determined using conventional RT-PCR. RESULTS: Telomere length of WPE-treated cells was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner ($5.16{\pm}0.13$ at $0{\mu}g/mL$, $4.79{\pm}0.12$ at $10{\mu}g/mL$, $3.24{\pm}0.08$ at $20{\mu}g/mL$ and $3.99{\pm}0.09$ at $40{\mu}g/mL$; P = 0.0276). Telomerase activities concurrently decreased with telomere length ($1.47{\pm}0.04$, $1.09{\pm}0.01$, $0.76{\pm}0.08$, and $0.88{\pm}0.06$; P = 0.0067). There was a positive correlation between telomere length and telomerase activity (r = 0.9090; P < 0.0001). Transcriptions of both hTERT and c-MYC were also significantly decreased in the same manner. CONCLUSION: In the present cell culture model, WPE reduced telomere maintenance, which may provide a mechanistic link to the effect of walnuts on the viability of colon CSCs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 2003

A cDNA (SeMIPS) encoding myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase has been isolated from developing sesame (Sesamum indicum L. cv. Dan-Baek) seeds and its structure and function analyzed. The SeMIPS protein was highly homologous with those from plant species (88-94%), while a much lower degree of sequence homology (60%) was found with that of human. The functional domains commonly found in MIPS protein were identified and their amino acid residues were compared with each other. Northern blot indicated that the expression of the SeMIPS gene might be organ-specifically regulated. A complementation assay based on a yeast mutant system confirmed that the SeMIPS gene encodes a myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase (MIPS) of sesame by showing functional expression of the SeMIPS cDNA in the yeast mutants containing the disrupted INO1 gene.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1996

To secure the genetic resources of silkworm, Bomyx mori, the cDNA library was constructed with mRNA isolated from fifth instar larvae. Titer of the cDNA library was about 1.3 X 106 plaques in total. We presumed that the titer covered all transcripts existed in Bombyx mori. Meanwhile, it is knowen that partial cDNA sequences, Expressed Sequence Tags(ESTs), have a good value for the discovery of novel genes and the elucidation of their structures. For this purpose, partial cDNA sequencing was carried out from randomly selected cDNA clones in the library. Partial cDNA sequences of 37 clones were determined and an average of 212 nucleotides of sequence can be read from the clone. The ESTs were searched in GenBAnk database and fifteen ESTs showed significant similarities to enlisted sequences. They included the genes of storage protein, heat shock protein, actin, catalase and so forth. We presumed that the 22 unmatched ESTs were novel genes.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.177-183
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• 1996

This study was conducted to analyze genetic characteristics of Korean Native Chicken three lines classified on the basis of the feather color and appearance (Red, Yellow, and Black) using DNA fingerprinting method. To estimate the genetic relatedness among breeds and similarities within breeds, we collected blood samples from Korean Native Chicken (KNC), Rhode Island Red (RIR), White Leghorn (WL), and Cornish(CN) and obtained genomic DNA from the blood of 10 individuals randomly selected within the breeds and lines. The genomic DNA samples were digested with restriction enzymes (Hinf J, Hae Ill) and hybridized with various probes (Jeffreys' probes 33.15, 33.6 and M13) after Southern transfer. Genetic similarities within breeds were characterized by band sharing (BS) value, estimated by the DFP band pattern between the pair of lanes. BS values within WL, RIR, and KNC were 0.82, 0.70 and 0.56, respectively. Relative genetic diversity (BS value) of KNC was higher than those two breeds (WL, RIR). Estimation of genetic similarity between KNC lines and control breed (RIR) was 0.32, whereas similarity within KNC lines (6 groups) was 0.50. In this analysis, KNC was showed to have a highly genetic diver-sity at the DNA level, and to be closer in genetic distance to RIR (0.67) than any other breeds.

• Plant Resources
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2000

Intraspecific genetic relationship of 19 variation types of the Yam (Dioscorea alata) classified by their external morphological characteristics such as leaf and tuber shape were assessed by DNA using random and specific primer. Twenty two out of 113 primers (100 random[10-mer] primers, two 15 mer [M13 core sequence, and (GGAT)$_4$ sequence]) had been used in PCR-amplification. Only 12 primers, however, were success in DNA amplification in all of the analyzed plants, resulting in 93 randomly and specifically amplified DNA fragments. The analyzed taxa showed very high polymorphisms(69 bands, 71.0 %), allowing individual taxon to be identified based on DNA fingerprinting. Monomorphic bands among total amplified DNA bands of each primer was low under the 50%. Similarity indices between accessions were computed from PCR(polymerase chain reaction) data, and genetic relationships among intraspecific variations were closely related at the levels ranging from 0.66 to 0.90. These DNA data were not matched well with those of morphological characters since they were divided into two major groups at the similarity coefficient value of 0.70. Therefore, Grouping of species into variation types by mainly morphological charactistics was suggested unreasonable.