• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.13.1-13.8
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• 2023

Importance of accurate molecular diagnosis and quantification of particular disease-related pathogenic microorganisms is highlighted as an introductory step to prevent and care for diseases. In this study, we designed a primer/probe set for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) targeting rgpA gene, known as the specific virulence factor of periodontitis-related pathogenic bacteria 'Porphyromonas gingivalis', and evaluated its diagnostic efficiency by detecting and quantifying relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis within saliva samples collected from clinical subjects. As a result of qRT-PCR, we confirmed that relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis was detected and quantified within all samples of positive control and periodontitis groups. On the contrary, negative results were confirmed in both negative control and healthy groups. Additionally, as a result of comparison with next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based 16S metagenome profiling data, we confirmed relative bacterial load of P. gingivalis, which was not identified on bacterial classification table created through 16S microbiome analysis, in qRT-PCR results. It showed that an approach to quantifying specific microorganisms by applying qRT-PCR method could solve microbial misclassification issues at species level of an NGS-based 16S microbiome study. In this respect, we suggest that P. gingivalis-specific primer/probe set introduced in present study has efficient applicability in various oral healthcare industries, including periodontitis-related microbial molecular diagnosis field.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.71-77
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• 2014

The specific genetic modification in porcine somatic cells by gene targeting has been very difficult because of low efficiency of homologous recombination. To improve gene targeting, we designed three kinds of knock-out vectors with ${\alpha}1,3$-galactosyltransferase gene (${\alpha}1,3$-GT gene), DT-A/pGT5'/neo/pGT3', DT-A/NLS/pGT5'/neo/pGT3' and pGT5'/neo/ pGT3'/NLS. The knock-out vectors consisted of a 4.8-kb fragment as the 5' recombination arm (pGT5') and a 1.9-kb fragment as the 3' recombination arm (pGT3'). We used the neomycin resistance gene (neo) as a positive selectable marker and the diphtheria toxin A (DT-A) gene as a negative selectable marker. These vectors have a neo gene insertion in exon 9 for inactivation of ${\alpha}1,3$-GT locus. DT-A/pGT5'/neo/pGT3' vector contain only positive-negative selection marker with conventional targeting vector. DT-A/NLS/pGT5'/neo/pGT3' vector contain positive-negative selection marker and NLS sequences in upstream of 5' recombination arm which enhances nuclear transport of foreign DNA into bovine somatic cells. pGT5'/neo/pGT3'/NLS vector contain only positive selection marker and NLS sequence in downstream of 3' recombination arm, not contain negative selectable marker. For transfection, linearzed vectors were introduced into porcine ear fibroblasts by electroporation. After 48 hours, the transfected cells were selected with $300{\mu}g/ml$ G418 during 12 day. The G418-resistant colonies were picked, of which 5 colonies were positive for ${\alpha}1,3$-GT gene disruption in 3' PCR and southern blot screening. Three knock-out somatic cells were obtained from DT-A/NLS/ pGT5'/neo/pGT3' knock-out vector. Thus, these data indicate that gene targeting vector using nuclear localization signal and negative selection marker improve targeting efficiency in porcine somatic cells.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제24권12호
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• pp.1269-1275
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• 2014

TALEN은 특정유전자를 표적 하여 knock-out 시킬 수 있는 새로운 개념의 유전자 클로닝 방법이다. TALEN 플라스미드에는 DNA binding 도메인과 Fok1 절단효소 기능이 융합되어 있기 때문에, genomic DNA 의 어느 부위라도 결합할 수 있고, 표적 염기서열을 절단하여 유전자 돌연변이를 유도할 수 있다. 본 연구에서 우리는 SETDB1 HMTase 유전자의 단백질 개시코돈 과 프로모터 -25 upstream 부위를 표적 하는 두 종의 TALEN constructs 를 제작하였다. 이를 위하여 두 단계의 클로닝이 진행되었다. 첫 번째는 모듈벡터에서 pFUS배열벡터로 표적서열을 옮겨 콜로니 PCR을 통해 smear밴드와 Esp1 제한 효소를 이용하여 약 1 kb의 insert가 들어 있음을 확인하였다. 두 번째는 배열 벡터로부터 TALEN 발현벡터로 옮기는 과정을 진행하였으며, 염기서열분석을 통해 확인하였다. 그 결과 최초의 고안된 모듈벡터 서열들이 약 100 bp 간격으로 배열되어 있음을 확인하였다. 제작된 TALEN-DBEX2 construct는 transfection을 통해 SETDB1의 발현이 사라지는 것을 확인하였고, T7E1 분석을 통하여 표적부위에서 돌연변이가 발생하였음을 추정할 수 있었다. 한편, TALEN-DBPR25 transfection을 통하여서도 SETDB1의 발현이 감소하는 현상을 확인 하였다. DBEX2, DBPR25를 이입시킨 HeLa 세포에서 세포 형태가 길어지는 현상을 관찰할 수 있었다. 그러므로 단백질 개시코돈 또는 -25 upstream을 표적 하는 TALEN knock-out 방법은 SETDB1 유전자의 기능연구에 매우 유용하다고 사료된다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권11호
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• pp.4623-4627
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• 2014

Background: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a vital role in the activation and inactivation of receptor tyrosine kinases. Mutations in exons 19 and 21 of EGFR are commonly found to be associated with non small cell lung carcinoma and triple negative breast cancer, enhancing sensitivity to EGFR targeting chemotherapeutic agents. Since amplification and prolonged activation of EGFR molecules have been identified in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC), we investigated whether OSCCs carried mutations in exons 19 and 21 of EGFR to their incidence. Materials and Methods: Tumor chromosomal DNA isolated from forty surgically excised oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues was subjected to PCR amplification with intronic primers flanking exons 19 and 21 of the EGFR gene. The PCR amplicons were subsequently subjected to direct sequencing to elucidate the mutation status. Results: Data analysis of the EGFR exon 19 and 21 coding sequences did not show any mutations in the forty OSCC samples that were analyzed. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to have investigated the genetic status of exons 19 and 21 of EGFR in Indian OSCCs and identified that mutation in EGFR exon 19 and 21 may not contribute towards their genesis. The absence of mutations also indicates that oral cancerous lesions may not be as sensitive as other cancers to chemotherapeutic agents targeting EGFR.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.232-238
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• 2012

금정산성 막걸리$^{(R)}$는 전통적인 수제누룩과 쌀로부터 발효된 한국의 전통적인 술이다. 본 연구에서는 막걸리 발효기간 동안 세균과 진균의 다양성을 특성화하기 위해 16S와 28S rRNA 유전자를 목적으로 하는 PCRDenaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) 분석을 수행하였다. 막걸리 발효기간 동안 PCR-DGGE profile에서 검출된 세균은 16S rRNA 유전자 서열에 기초한 동정결과 Lactobacillus spp. (L. curvatus, L. kisonensis, L. plantarum, L. sakei 및 L. gasseri), Pediococcus spp. (P. acidilactici, P. parvulus, P. agglomerans및 P. pentosaceus), Pantoea spp. (P. agglomerans 및 P. ananatis) 그리고 Citrobacter freundii로 총 12종이었으며, 배양2일 이후 L. curvatus가 주된 우점 종을 형성하였다. 반면 PCR-DGGE profile에서 검출된 진균은 28S rRNA 유전자 서열에 기초한 동정결과 Pichia kudriavzevii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Asidia idahoensis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera 및 Torulaspora delbrueckii로 6종이었으며 주된 우점 진균은 배양0일에서 2일에 P. kudriavzevii에서 배양 3일에서 6일에 S. cerevisiae로 전환되었다. 결과적으로 PCR-DGGE분석은 막걸리발효기간 동안 미생물의 구조와 다양성을 이해하는 데 유용한 도구임을 보여주었다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권9호
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• pp.1401-1409
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to develop a SYBR Green-based real-time PCR assay for the rapid, specific, and sensitive detection of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, which causes bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), a serious disease of cucurbit plants. The molecular and serological methods currently available for the detection of this pathogen are insufficiently sensitive and specific. Thus, a novel SYBR Green-based real-time PCR assay targeting the YD-repeat protein gene of A. avenae subsp. citrulli was developed. The specificity of the primer set was evaluated using DNA purified from 6 isolates of A. avenae subsp. citrulli, 7 other Acidovorax species, and 22 of non-targeted strains, including pathogens and non-pathogens. The AC158F/R primer set amplified a single band of the expected size from genomic DNA obtained from the A. avenae subsp. citrulli strains but not from the genomic DNA of other Acidovorax species, including that of other bacterial genera. Using this assay, it was possible to detect at least one genomeequivalents of the cloned amplified target DNA using 5 × 10⁰ fg/µl of purified genomic DNA per reaction or using a calibrated cell suspension, with 6.5 colony-forming units per reaction being employed. In addition, this assay is a highly sensitive and reliable method for identifying and quantifying the target pathogen in infected samples that does not require DNA extraction. Therefore, we suggest that this approach is suitable for the rapid and efficient diagnosis of A. avenae subsp. citrulli contaminations of seed lots and plants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.614-622
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• 2013

Daqu, a traditional fermentation starter, has been used to produce attractively flavored foods such as vinegar and Chinese liquor for thousands of years. Although Bacillus spp. are one of the dominant microorganisms in Daqu, more precise information is needed to reveal why and how Bacillus became dominant in Daqu, and next, to assess the impact of Bacillus sp. on Daqu and its derived products. We combined culture-dependent and culture-independent methods to study the ecology of Bacillus during Daqu incubation. Throughout the incubation, 67 presumptive Bacillus spp. isolates were obtained, 52 of which were confirmed by 16S rDNA sequencing. The identified organisms belonged to 8 Bacillus species: B. licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. cereus, B. circulans, B. megaterium, B. pumilus, and B. anthracis. A primer set specific for Bacillus and related genera was used in a selective PCR study, followed by a nested DGGE PCR targeting the V9 region of the 16S rDNA. Species identified from the PCR-DGGE fingerprints were related to B. licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. pumilus, B. benzoevorans, and B. foraminis. The predominant species was found to be B. licheniformis. Certain B. licheniformis strains exhibited potent antimicrobial activities. The greatest species diversity occurred at the Liangmei stage of Daqu incubation. To date, we lack sufficient knowledge of Bacillus distribution in Daqu. Elucidating the ecology of Bacillus during Daqu incubation would enable the impact of Bacillus on Daqu to be accessed, and the quality and stabilization of Daqu-derived products to be optimized.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.163-168
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• 2021

The rapid and reliable detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) plays a key role in isolating infected patients and preventing further viral transmission. In this study, we evaluated the clinical diagnostic performances of a commercial real-time reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RRT-LAMP) assay (Isopollo^® COVID-2 assay, M-monitor, Daegu, Korea) using eighty COVID-19 suspected clinical samples and compared these with the results of a commercial real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay (Allplex^TM 2019-nCoV rRT-QPCR Assay, SeeGene, Seoul, Korea). The results of the RRT-LAMP assay targeting the N or RdRp gene of SARS-CoV-2 showed perfect agreement with the RT-qPCR assay results in terms of detection. Furthermore, the RRT-LAMP assay was completed in just within a 20-min reaction time, which is significantly faster than about the 2 h currently required for the RT-qPCR assay, thus enabling prompt decision making regarding the isolation of infected patients. The RRT-LAMP assay will be a valuable tool for rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 in human or unexpected animal clinical cases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제53권2호
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• pp.161-172
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• 2002

연구배경 : 저자들은 기관지 내시경 검사상 관찰된 탄분 섬유화증(Anthracofibrosis, 이하 AF)과 결핵과의 연관성을 기관지 내시경 검체 결핵 PCR을 이용하여 알아보고자 하였고, 또한 결핵 PCR이 AF에 동반된 활동성 폐결핵의 신속한 진단에 도움이 되는지를 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 기관지 내시경 검사상 기관지 협착이나 폐쇄를 동반한 기관지 점막의 탄분 침착을 갖는 25명의 여성과 5명의 남자를 포함한 총 30명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 기관지 세척액과 AF부위 조직을 대상으로 Mycobacterium tuberculosis의 IS6110분절을 대상으로 하는 PCR을 시행하였고, 또한 환자의 세균학적 검사 결과, 임상상, 및 임상경과를 분석하고 비교하였다. 결 과 : 임상분석상 18명(60%)이 결핵과 연관되어 있었고, 이 중 9명은 과거에 결핵을 앓은 병력이 있었으며 나머지 9명은 세균학적 검사상 활동성 결핵으로 판명되었다. 객담과 기관지 세척액에서 항산균 도말은 4명에서 양성 소견을 보였고, 항산균 배양양성은 9명 (30%)이었으며 AF의 조직검사 상 결핵을 보인 경우는 모두 5명이었다. 기관지 세척액과 AF조직에서의 TB-PCR은 각각 11명(37%), 5명(17%)에서 양성 소견을 보였다. PCR방법은 항산균 도말보다 폐결핵 진단에 민감하였으며 (민감도 89% vs 22%, respectively, p<0.05) AF조직에서 결핵으로 진단된 5명의 환자 모두 AF조직 및 기관지 세척액에서 TB-PCR 양성소견을 보였다. TB-PCR 양성이면서 조직학적 또는 세균학적으로 결핵의 증거를 보이지 않았던 3명의 환자 중 2명은 임상적으로 활동성 결핵이 의심되었고 나머지 한명은 과거에 결핵을 앓은 적이 있었던 환자이었다. 결 론 : 세균학적 및 조직학적 결핵 진단법과 비교하여 TB-PCR 방법이 추가로 AF와 결핵과의 연관성을 밝혀내지는 못하였으나, 기관지 세척액 TB-PCR은 AF와 동반된 활동성 폐결핵의 신속한 진단에는 도움이 될 것으로 기대된다. 조직학적 검사상 결핵의 증거가 없이 AF소견만 보인 모든 조직에서 결핵 PCR음성을 보인 점은 AF 병변 자체가 결핵의 감염 부위이거나 활동성 결핵 자체이기 보다는 결핵에 의한 이차적인 변화일 가능성이 높을 것으로 생각된다.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.221-227
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• 2019

During the operation, maintenance and decommissioning of nuclear power plant radioactive contaminated waste is produced. This waste is stored in an underground repository 60-100 meters below the surface. The metallic portion of this waste comprises mostly carbon and stainless steel. A long-term field exposure showed high corrosion rates, general corrosion up to 29 ㎛ a^-1 and localized corrosion even higher. High corrosion rate is possible if microbes produce corrosive products, or alter the local microenvironment to favor corrosion. The bacterial and archaeal composition of biofilm formed on the surface of carbon steel was studied using 16S rRNA gene targeting sequencing, followed by phylogenetic analyses of the microbial community. The functional potential of the microbial communities in biofilm was studied by functional gene targeting quantitative PCR. The corrosion rate was calculated from weight loss measurements and the deposits on the surfaces were analyzed with SEM/EDS and XRD. Our results demonstrate that microbial diversity on the surface of carbon steel and their functionality is vast. Our results suggest that in these nutrient poor conditions the role of methanogenic archaea in corrosive biofilm, in addition to sulphate reducing bacteria, could be greater than previously suspected.