• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1996

Sequences from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA were determined to assess their potential as a phylogenetic tool for Korean Acer species, including A. okamotoannum and A. takesimense which are endemic on Ullung Island of volcanic origin. Although the genus Acer has been studied by various authors, different infrageneric dispositions have been suggested, and the phylogeny of the genus has been in dispute. The variation of ITS sequences from seven species of Acer was very low among species within the same section, but comparative analysesof the molecular data obtained suggest that ITS sequences may provide enough phylogenetic resolution for sectional relationships in the genus.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.546-553
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• 2017

Aging is a natural and gradual process in human life. It is influenced by heredity, environment, lifestyle, and disease. DNA methylation varies with age, and the ability to predict the age of donor using DNA from evidence materials at a crime scene is of considerable value in forensic investigations. Recently, many studies have reported age prediction models based on DNA methylation from various tissues and body fluids. Those models seem to be very promising because of their high prediction accuracies. In this review, the changes of age-associated DNA methylation and the age prediction models for various tissues and body fluids were examined, and then the applicability of the DNA methylation-based age prediction method to the forensic investigations was discussed. This will improve the understandings about DNA methylation markers and their potential to be used as biomarkers in the forensic field, as well as the clinical field.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.223-227
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• 2010

The DNA Topoisomerase I (DNA Topo I) inhibitory effect of ten isolated compounds (1.10) from the leaf and stem of Vitis amurensis were examined. Among them, amurensin G (5) and r-2-viniferin (7) showed high potent inhibitory activity against DNA Topo I. DNA Topo I, an important target for anticancer drugs, can cause DNA breaks and play a key role during cell proliferation, transcription and repair. Thus, the results suggest that the selected compounds (5 and 7) from Vitis amurensis have a possibility as DNA Topo I-targeting anticancer agents.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2016

Antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage of ethyl acetate fractions extracted from Cone of Red Pine (Pinus densiflora) were investigated to find utilization of Cone, by-product of Red Pine, thrown out after berry shatter, as a new natural plant resource. Cone from P. densiflora was extracted with methanol (MeOH) and separated to petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and water fraction. Among them, ethyl acetate fraction was used. The antioxidant activity was conducted by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2, 2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging assay, Fe²⁺ chelating assay and reducing power assay. The inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage was determined by DNA cleavage assay using φX-174 RF I plasmid. The results of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity at 200 ㎍/㎖ of extracts were 86.50% and 95.80% respectively, which were similar figures compared with L-ascorbic acid as control. Fe²⁺ chelating activity was 77.96% and reducing power was 0.77 at 200 ㎍/㎖. Total phenolic component was 27.29±0.3 ㎎/g and Vitamin C content was 1.84±0.1 ㎎/g. Also ethyl acetate fraction from Cone has inhibitory effect, using φX-174 RF I plasmid on DNA cleavage assay. In conclusion, Cone, by-product of P. densiflora, showed high antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage. Therefore this study suggests Cone, useless by-product, can be developed as a new natural plant resource with lots of utilization such as an effective antioxidant, natural medicine, food, cosmetics and so on.

• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.75-99
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• 2014

A small dinoflagellate, Ansanella granifera gen. et sp. nov., was isolated from estuarine and marine waters, and examined by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the identity of the sequences (3,663-bp product) of the small subunit (SSU), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2), and D1-D3 large subunit (LSU) rDNA were determined. This newly isolated, thin-walled dinoflagellate has a type E eyespot and a single elongated apical vesicle, and it is closely related to species belonging to the family Suessiaceae. A. granifera has 10-14 horizontal rows of amphiesmal vesicles, comparable to Biecheleria spp. and Biecheleriopsis adriatica, but greater in number than in other species of the family Suessiaceae. Unlike Biecheleria spp. and B. adriatica, A. granifera has grana-like thylakoids. Further, A. granifera lacks a nuclear fibrous connective, which is present in B. adriatica. B. adriatica and A. granifera also show a morphological difference in the shape of the margin of the cingulum. In A. granifera, the cingular margin formed a zigzag line, and in B. adriatica a straight line, especially on the dorsal side of the cell. The episome is conical with a round apex, whereas the hyposome is trapezoidal. Cells growing photosynthetically are $10.0-15.0{\mu}m$ long and $8.5-12.4{\mu}m$ wide. The cingulum is descending, the two ends displaced about its own width. Cells of A. granifera contain 5-8 peripheral chloroplasts, stalked pyrenoids, and a pusule system, but lack nuclear envelope chambers, a nuclear fibrous connective, lamellar body, rhizocysts, and a peduncle. The main accessory pigment is peridinin. The SSU, ITS regions, and D1-D3 LSU rDNA sequences differ by 1.2-7.4%, >8.8%, and >2.5%, respectively, from those of the other known genera in the order Suessiales. Moreover, the SSU rDNA sequence differed by 1-2% from that of the three most closely related species, Polarella glacialis, Pelagodinium bei, and Protodinium simplex. In addition, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequence differed by 16-19% from that of the three most closely related species, Gymnodinium corii, Pr. simplex, and Pel. bei, and the LSU rDNA sequence differed by 3-4% from that of the three most closely related species, Protodinium sp. CCMP419, B. adriatica, and Gymnodinium sp. CCMP425. A. granifera had a 51-base pair fragment in domain D2 of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA, which is absent in the genus Biecheleria. In the phylogenetic tree based on the SSU and LSU sequences, A. granifera is located in the large clade of the family Suessiaceae, but it forms an independent clade.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.123.2-123
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• 2001

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.12-12
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• 2000

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.173-192
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of bioactive glass and natural coral on the human periodontal ligament fibroblast(HPLF) behaviors during the regeneration process of peridontium. To determine the cellular events occuring in the presence of the particles of bioactive glass and natural coral, HPLF were isolated from healthy premolar teeth extracted for orthodontic treatment. Cells were cultured in ${\alpha}$MEM at 37$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$, 95% humidity incubator. Bioactive glass and natural coral were powdered, and each particles(<40${\mu}$m) were placed on the cultured cells at the concentration of 0.3mg/ml, and 1,0mg/ml for experimental group. In control group no particles were added. And each group was evaluated by examining the cell morphology under phase-contrast micrograph at 4 day and transmission electron micrograph(TEM) and scanning electron micrograph(SEM) at 14 day, alkaline phosphatase activity at 5 and 9 day, protain synthesis at 4 day, DNA synthesis at 1, 2, 3 and 4 day, cell proliferation at 1, 3, 5,7 and 9 day and the formation of bone nodule at 30 day after culturing all groups in mineralizing supplemented mediun, No significant changes in cell morphology by adding these two matirials were found under phase contrast microscopy and TEM. HPLF phagocytocized each particles suggesting that HPLF is involved in the process of resorbing each particles and that bioactive glass were more biocompatible than natural coral. The ALPase activity of bioactive glass 0.3 mg/ml was similar with control groups and all the rests of control groups were significantly low(P<0.01) indicating a transient dedifferentiation of HPLF in the presence of bioactive glass and natural coral particles. There were no significant differences of protein synthesis between all groups. The DNA synthesis in experimental groups were significantly lower than control groups at 1, 2 and 3 day (P<0.01) but became similar to control groups at 4 day. Between control groups, the DNA synthesis in bioactive glass O.3mglml group was significantly higher than other groups(P<0.01). Cell proliferation in natural coral 1.0mg/ml and bioactive glass 1.0mglml groups were significantly lower than control group at 3 day(P<0.05) and there were no differences at 5, 7, 9 day. There were more bone nodule formation in experimental groups than in control groups. In conclusion, these results indicated that bioactive glass and natural coral have some effects of a transient dedifferentiation on HPLF and regeneration of periodontal tissues, however any significant cytotoxic effect on HPLF by these two particles were not found.

• ALGAE
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.213-231
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• 2013

Amphidinium massartii Biecheler is an epiphytic and toxic dinoflagellate. Prior to the present study, A. massartii has been reported in the waters off the Mediterranean, Australian, USA, and Canadian coasts. We isolated Amphidinium cells from the coastal waters of Jeju Island, Korea and their morphology and rDNA sequences indicated that they were A. massartii. Herein, we report for the first time the occurrence of A. massartii in the waters of the temperate region in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences of the Korean strains were 0.7% different from those of an Australian strain of A. massartii CS-259, the closest species, but were 4.1-5.8% different from those of the other Australian strains and the USA strains of A. massartii and from those of Amphidinium sp. HG115 that was isolated from subtropical Okinawan waters. In phylogenetic trees based on LSU, internal transcribed spacer, small subunit rDNA, and cytochrome b sequences, the Korean strains belonged to the A. massartii clade, which was clearly divergent from the A. carterae clade. The morphology of the Korean A. massartii strains was similar to that of the originally described French strain and recently described Australian strain. However, we report for the first time here that scales were observed on the surface of the flagella. In conclusion, the Korean A. massartii strains have unique rDNA sequences, even though they have a very similar morphology to that of previously reported strains. This report extends the known range of this dinoflagellate to the temperate waters of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.209-219
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• 1997

Previous studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress involving generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is responsible for the cytotoxic action of $TNF{\alpha}$. Protective effect of small heat shock proteins (small HSP) against diverse oxidative stress conditions has been suggeted. Although overexpression of small hsp was shown to provide an enhanced survival of $TNF{\alpha}$-sensitive cells when challenged with $TNF{\alpha}$, neither the nature of $TNF{\alpha}$-induced cytotoxicity nor the protective mechanism of small HSP has not been completely understood. In this study, we have attempted to determine whether $TNF{\alpha}$ induces oxidative DNA damage in $TNF{\alpha}$-sensitive L929 cells. We chose to measure the level of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8 ohdG), which has been increasingly recognized as one of the most sensitive markers of oxidative DNA damage. Our results clearly demonstrated that the level of 8 ohdG increased in L929 cells in a $TNF{\alpha}$ dose-dependent manner. Subsequently, we asked whether small HSP has a protective effect on $TNF{\alpha}$-induced oxidative DNA damage. To accomplish this goal, we have stably transfected L929 cells with mouse small hsp cDNA (hsp25) since these cells are devoid of endogenous small hsps. We found that $TNF{\alpha}$-induced 8 ohdG was decreased in cells overexpressing exogenous small hsp. We also found that the cell killing activity of $TNF{\alpha}$ was decreased in these cells as measured by clonogenic survival. Taken together, results from the current study show that cytotoxic mechanism of $TNF{\alpha}$ involves oxidative damage of DNA and that overexpression of the small hsp reduces this oxidative damage. We suggest that the reduction of oxidative DNA damage is one of the most important protective mechanisms of small HSP against $TNF{\alpha}$.