• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.573-579
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• 2015

Apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV are protein constituents of high-density lipoproteins although their functional difference in lipoprotein metabolism is still unclear. To compare anti-atherogenic properties between apoA-I and apoA-4, we characterized both proteins in lipid-free and lipidbound state. In lipid-free state, apoA4 showed two distinct bands, around 78 and $67{\AA}$ on native gel electrophoresis, while apoA-I showed scattered band pattern less than $71{\AA}$. In reconstituted HDL (rHDL) state, apoA-4 showed three major bands around $101{\AA}$ and $113{\AA}$, while apoA-I-rHDL showed almost single band around $98{\AA}$ size. Lipid-free apoA-I showed 2.9-fold higher phospholipid binding ability than apoA-4. In lipid-free state, $BS_3$-crosslinking revealed that apoA-4 showed less multimerization tendency upto dimer, while apoA-I showed pentamerization. In rHDL state (95:1), apoA-4 was existed as dimer as like as apoA-I. With higher phospholipid content (255:1), five apoA-I and three apoA-4 were required to the bigger rHDL formation. Regardless of particle size, apoA-I-rHDL showed superior LCAT activation ability than apoA-4-rHDL. Uptake of acetylated LDL was inhibited by apoA-I in both lipid-free and lipid-bound state, while apoA-4 inhibited it only lipid-free state. ApoA-4 showed less anti-atherogenic activity with more sensitivity to glycation. In conclusion, apoA-4 showed inferior physiological functions in lipid-bound state, compared with those of apoA-I, to induce more pro-atherosclerotic properties.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.506-517
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• 2015

Arabidopsis Shaggy-like protein kinases (ASKs) are Arabidopsis thaliana homologs of glycogen synthase kinase 3/SHAGGY-like kinases (GSK3/SGG), which are comprised of 10 genes with diverse functions. To dissect the function of $ASK{\beta}$ (AtSK32), $ASK{\beta}$ antisense transgenic plants were generated, revealing the effects of $ASK{\beta}$ down-regulation in Arabidopsis. Suppression of $ASK{\beta}$ expression specifically interfered with pollen development and fertility without altering the plants' vegetative phenotypes, which differed from the phenotypes reported for Arabidopsis plants defective in other ASK members. The strength of these phenotypes showed an inverse correlation with the expression levels of $ASK{\beta}$ and its co-expressed genes. In the aborted pollen of $ASK{\beta}$ antisense plants, loss of nuclei and shrunken cytoplasm began to appear at the bicellular stage of microgametogenesis. The in silico analysis of promoter and the expression characteristics implicate $ASK{\beta}$ is associated with the expression of genes known to be involved in sperm cell differentiation. We speculate that $ASK{\beta}$ indirectly affects the transcription of its co-expressed genes through the phosphorylation of its target proteins during late pollen development.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.844-855
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• 2017

Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) have the ability to dissolve insoluble phosphate and enhance soil fertility. However, the growth and mineral phosphate solubilization of PSB could be affected by exogenous soluble phosphate and the mechanism has not been fully understood. In the present study, the growth and mineral phosphate-solubilizing characteristics of PSB strain Burkholderia multivorans WS-FJ9 were investigated at six levels of exogenous soluble phosphate (0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 20 mM). The WS-FJ9 strain showed better growth at high levels of soluble phosphate. The phosphate-solubilizing activity of WS-FJ9 was reduced as the soluble phosphate concentration increased, as well as the production of pyruvic acid. Transcriptome profiling of WS-FJ9 at three levels of exogenous soluble phosphate (0, 5, and 20 mM) identified 446 differentially expressed genes, among which 44 genes were continuously up-regulated when soluble phosphate concentration was increased and 81 genes were continuously down-regulated. Some genes related to cell growth were continuously up-regulated, which would account for the better growth of WS-FJ9 at high levels of soluble phosphate. Genes involved in glucose metabolism, including glycerate kinase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, and sugar ABC-type transporter, were continuously down-regulated, which indicates that metabolic channeling of glucose towards the phosphorylative pathway was negatively regulated by soluble phosphate. These findings represent an important first step in understanding the molecular mechanisms of soluble phosphate effects on the growth and mineral phosphate solubilization of PSB.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.127-142
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• 2018

A new species of Eudactylopus Scott A., 1909 is described from the southern coast of Korea. The specimens were collected using a light trap set overnight at the entrance near a pier. Eudactylopus yokjidoensis n. sp. is similar to E. andrewi Sewell, 1940 and E. spectabilis (Brian, 1923) in two key respects: similar length of proximal and distal inner setae on female P2 enp-2, and modification of two subapical setae on male P2 endopod. However, E. yokjidoensis can be differentiated from the two species by following morphological characteristics: in females, the length ratio of cephalothorax/2nd-4th thoracic somites combined is smaller in E. yokjidoensis than other two species (1 : 0.8 vs. 1 : 1); antennule has nine segments (vs. 7-segmented in E. andrewi); P2 to P4 each bears a process in medial distal margin of basis, while it is just smooth in E. spectabilis; in males; the length ratio of cephalothorax to 2nd-4th thoracic somites combined is smaller in E. yokjidoensis than other two species (1 : 0.6 vs. 1 : 1 in E. andrewi and 1 : 0.8 in E. spectabilis); and P5 exopod has a comb-like innermost seta, while it is bipinnate seta in E. spectabilis. To prove the Korean species of Eudactylopus to be new, full descriptions of both sexes are given here, and the claim is supported by distinct genetic differences between E. yokjidoensis and E. spectabilis (22.3-22.7%) in the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I(mtCOI) sequence.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.317-321
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• 1998

X-type Zeolite for the gas separation was prepared by hydrothermal methods and the zeolite was ion-exchanged with KCl, $CaCl_2$, $YCl_3$ and $InCl_3$ in order to investigate the effect of ions on the properties of molecular sieves. Adsorption isotherms of $CO_2$ on ion exchanged X-type zeolites and those of $O_2$ and $N_2$ on the synthesized zeolite were measured at $25^{\circ}C$ using a volumetric method and the adsorption characteristics were compared with each other. Model parameters for the Langmuir, Freundlich and Toth equations were regressed for the measured adsorption isotherms. In order to confirm the applicability of the zeolite on $CO_2-PSA$ processes, breakthrough tests and process simulation were undertaken. It was found that the X-type zeolite could be a potential adsorbent in recovering $CO_2$ from flue gas.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.554-560
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• 1998

Biopolymer from alkaline-tolerant Bacillus so. was purified, and its physico-chemical and structural properties were investigated. Crude biopolymer, precipitated by acetone from culture broth was fractionated into two fractions by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-200. Among two fractions, one fraction(PS I), which an acidic biopolymer precipitated by the CPC(cetylpyridinium chloride) treatment was studied further. PS I fraction had carboxyl groups and was positive at color reaction of sugar. PS I fraction also showed UV absorbance at 190-225nm. The purified acidic biopolymer was composed of 4% glucose, 8% glucosamine and 88% glutamic acid. Sugar components of the purified acidic biopolymer seemed to be linked to PGA(polyglutamic acid) which existed in the from of ${\gamma}$-peptide bond. By the results of Smith degradation of sugar components, glucose and glucosamine was bound by 1,3 glocosidic linkage. Therefore, this biopolymer was a glycopeptide, oligosaccaride ${\gamma}$-PGA. We concluded that the equivalent weight and the molecular weight of this biopolymer were estimated as about 171 and 5x105 dalton, respectively.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.22 no.2 s.55
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• pp.84-97
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• 1983

Under the limited arable land, the enhancement of agricultural productivity is indispensable to provide the food demand which is concomitant with the rapid increase in population. From this viewpoint, the upbringing and dissemination of high-yielding varieties has been promoted continuously and several modifications in cultural practices, including heavy fertilization, dense planting, and early transplanting, also have been gradually developed. However these changes in cultivation have led to the increased outbreak of insect pests and diseases. And this unexpected results have accelerated the number and complexity of pesticides employed as well as their consumption. Even though pesticides are essential materials contributing to the steady production of agricultural crops, large scale consumption of them has given rise to several adverse impacts, such as mammalian hazard and/or environmental contamination. In this respect, recent development of new pesticides has been concentrated on 'safe pesticide', as it were, that has the highly selective properties without unfavorable side influences on other ecosystem. According to literature cited up to now, feasibilities of safe pesticide development would be summarized as two categories. One of them is the development of chemical pesticides, which include the molecular structure modification of established pesticides for increased safety and synthesis of new safe chemicals which can attack the vulnerable point of physio-ecological characteristics in insect pests and diseases. The other is the biological pesticides which comprise natural enemies and microorganisms to act selectively on confined insect pests and diseases, In addition, improvement of physico-chemical properties of available pesticide formulations would be one of the desirable means for safe pesticide development in view of efficacy enhancement and minimization of hazardous properties or safe pesticide development, various approaches are feasible and needed to study, however, long period and much financial outlay are necessary to develop a new item. And under the present situation in Korea, there are many difficulties for performing research on all the possible routes. Therefore, combined pesticides by the reasonable combination of already registered resticides evaluated as the fairly safe pesticides and safe formulation based on their physico-chemical properties would be developed primarily. And many efforts would be given gradually for the development of new chemical and biological pesticides.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.27-38
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• 2018

This study was carried out in the Bukhan River in the summer of 2014 and 2015, to identify the relationship between geosmin and the morphological changes in Anabaena. Identification of Anabaena was conducted using morphological and molecular analyses. Anabaena in this study was similar to Anabaena circinalis, A. crass, and A. spiroides with regard to regular coils, vegetative cell, akinete shape, and size, hoever, it was distinguishabl from A. crass and A. spiroides because of its larger trichome coil size. Additionally, the sequences of phycocyanin (PC) gene from Anabaena showed a 99% genetic similarity with A. circinalis NIES-1647 strain. The coil diameter of trichome ranged from 106 to $899{\mu}m$, and the diameter and abundance showed an insignificant positive correlation (r=0.544, p<0.05). The result of relationship between the coil diameter and the cell number per 360-degree rotation was kept at $33.8{\pm}5.2$ cells per $100{\mu}m$ diameter despite variable diameter. The average geosmin concentrations in 2014 and 2015 were investigated to be 99 ng/L and 35 ng/L, respectively. A. circinalis cell density contributed considerably to the change in geosmin and was positively correlated with geosmin concentration (2014; r=0.599, p<0.01, 2015; r=0.559, p<0.01). Our results suggest that geosmin and coil diameter could be estimated with the help of cell density.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.905-911
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• 2011

Polymorphisms of BMP15 gene exon 2 and its relationship with prolificacy of goats were detected by PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing methods in Chinese two local goat breeds. The results showed that the product amplified by the primers displayed polymorphisms. Three genotypes (AA, BB and AB) were detected in Funiu white goats, and their frequency was 0.071, 0.715, 0.214, respectively. Two genotypes (AB and BB) were detected in Taihang black goats, and their frequency was 0.342 and 0.658, respectively. Sequencing revealed that four mutations (456T${\rightarrow}$G, 466C${\rightarrow}$G, 510C${\rightarrow}$T, 511T${\rightarrow}$C) occurred in genotype BB of Funiu white goat, which resulted in amino acid substitution of V155G and S171P. No mutation was detected in Taihang black goat. The Funiu white goat with genotype BB had 0.91 or 0.82 kids, more than those with AB or AA, respectively. The difference of the least squares means for litter size between BB and AB was not significant (p>0.05) in Taihang black goat. It is concluded that the BMP15 gene may be a major gene which affects the prolificacy in Funiu white goats. This study could provide basic molecular data on the reproductive characteristics of local breeds of Henan province in China, and a scientific basis for the conservation and utilization of those two goat breeds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.889-897
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• 2011

Mycoplasma Pneumonia of swine (MPS) decreases the daily growth of pigs, and, co-infection with a virus sometimes causes severe pneumonia. Genetic selection of pigs resistant to the pulmonary MPS lesion might solve the economic loss due to MPS in animal production. Here, we examined the immunophenotype of Landrace line (Miyagino L2), genetically selected to reduce the incidence of pulmonary MPS lesion for 5 generations in Miyagi Prefecture Animal Industry Experiment Station. Although this line is expected to be resistant to the pulmonary MPS lesion, the biological characteristics of its immune function are not clear. We investigated details of the immunorelated phenotype of Miyagino L2 at the hematological and molecular biological level, including cytokine expression, and compared the results with that of non-genetically selected Landrace. Miyagino L2 showed decreased antigen-specific IgG and IgM production and increased CD8-positive T-cell population, and high levels of cortisol concentration, suggesting that the MPS-resistant phenotype is associated these immunological differences. Additionally, T-cell CD4 expression was highly correlated with the MPS expected breeding value. Although the detailed mechanisms underlying this high correlation remain unknown, our result suggested that the genetic selection of the expression level of CD4 might be useful to improve MPS resistance in pig production.