• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.312-317
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• 1988

The genes for ribosomal RNA in Rhizobium meliloti and Bradyrhizobium japonicum were analyzed by southern hybridization of BamHI, EcoRI, HindIII digested chromosomal DNA with purified 5' $^{32}P$-labeled 16S and 23S rRNA. The big differences in the hybridization pattern of both rhizobia were found. The comparative results were discussed in relation to the copy number and conservativity of restriction sites in the rRNA genes of both rhizobia.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2012

Mycoplasmas are highly fastidious bacteria, difficult to culture and slow growing. Infections with Mycoplasma species can cause a variety of problems in living organisms and in vitro cell cultures. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of a genus-specific consensus PCR analysis method to detect Mycoplasma species. The developed consensus primer pairs MycoF and MycoR were designed specifically to amplify the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rRNA) of Mycoplasma species by the optimized PCR system. The developed consensus PCR system effectively amplified 215 bp of Mycoplasma genus-specific region of 16S rRNA. In conclusion, we recommend this consensus PCR for monitoring Mycoplasma species in animals, human and cell culture system.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.319-324
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• 2012

In this study, we investigated molecular divergences and phylogenetic characteristics of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and RNA polymerase beta subunit (rpoB) gene sequences from the order Oscillatoriales (Cyanobacteria). The rpoB of Oscillatoriales showed higher genetic divergence when compared with those of 16S rRNA (p-distance: rpoB=0.270, 16S=0.109), and these differences were statistically significant (Student t-test, p<0.001). Phylogenetic trees of 16S rRNA and rpoB were generally compatible; however, rpoB tree clearly separated the compared Oscillatoriales taxa, with higher phylogenetic resolution. In addition, parsimony analyses showed that rpoB gene evolved 2.40-fold faster than 16S rRNA. These results suggest that the rpoB is a useful gene for the molecular phylogenetics and species discrimination in the order Oscillatoriales.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.280-288
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• 2018

In this study, an approach for the analysis of the five cephalopod species (octopus, long-arm octopus, squid, wet-foot octopus, beka squid) consumed in the Republic of Korea is developed. The samples were collected from the Southeast Asian countries Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and China. The SYBR-green-based real-time qPCR method, based on the mitochondrial DNA genome of the five cephalopods was developed and validated. The intergroup variations in the mitochondrial DNA are evident in the bioinformatic analysis of the mitochondrial genomic DNA sequences of the five groups. Some of the highly-conserved and slightly-variated regions are identified in the mitochondrial cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, 16s ribosomal RNA (16s rRNA) gene, and 12s ribosomal RNA (12s rRNA) gene of these groups. To specify each five cephalopod groups, specific primer sets were designed from the COI, 16s rRNA and 12s rRNA regions. The specific primer sets amplified the DNA using the SYBR-green-based real-time PCR system and 11 commercially secured animal tissues: Octopus vulgaris, Octopus minor, Todarodes pacificus, Dosidicus gigas, Sepia esculenta, Amphioctopus fangsiao, Amphioctopus aegina, Amphioctopus marginatus, Loliolus beka, Loligo edulis, and Loligo chinensis. The results confirmed by a conveient way to calculate relative amplification levels between different samples in that it directly uses the threshold cycles (Ct)-value range generated by the qPCR system from these samples. This genomic DNA-based molecular technique provides a quick, accurate, and reliable method for the taxonomic classification of the animal tissues using the real-time qPCR.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.418-421
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• 2007

The nucleotide at position 791(G791) of E. coli 16S rRNA was previously identified as an invariant residue for ribosomal function. In order to characterize the functional role of G791, base substitutions were introduced at this position, and mutant ribosomes were analyzed with regard to their protein synthesis ability, via the use of a specialized ribosome system. These ribosomal RNA mutations attenuated the ability of ribosomes to conduct protein synthesis by more than 65%. A transition mutation (G to A) exerted a moderate effect on ribosomal function, whereas a transversion mutation (G to C or U) resulted in a loss of protein synthesis ability of more than 90%. The sucrose gradient profiles of ribosomes and primer extension analysis showed that the loss of protein-synthesis ability of mutant ribosomes harboring a base substitution from G to U at position 791 stems partially from its inability to form 70S ribosomes. These findings show the involvement of the nucleotide at position 791 in the association of ribosomal subunits and protein synthesis steps after 70S formation, as well as the possibility of using 16S rRNA mutated at position 791 for the selection of second-site revertants in order to identify ligands that interact with G791 in protein synthesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.915-926
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• 2014

The ribosome is a protein synthesizing machinery and a ribonucleoprotein complex that consists of three ribosomal RNAs (23S, 16S and 5S) and 54 ribosomal proteins in bacteria. In the course of ribosome assembly, ribosomal proteins (r-protein) and rRNAs are modified, the r-proteins bind to rRNAs to form ribonucleoprotein complexes which are folded into mature ribosomal subunits. In this process, a number of non-ribosomal trans-acting factors organize the assembly process of the components. Those factors include GTP- and ATP-binding proteins, rRNA and r-protein modification enzymes, chaperones, and RNA helicases. During ribosome biogenesis, they participate in the modifications of ribosomal proteins and RNAs, and the assemblies of ribosomal proteins with rRNAs. Ribosomes can be assembled from a discrete set of components in vitro, and it is notable that in vivo ribosome assembly is much faster than in vitro ribosome assembly. This suggests that non-ribosomal ribosome assembly factors help to overcome several kinetic traps in ribosome biogenesis process. In spite of accumulation of genetic, structural, and biochemical data, not only the entire procedure of bacterial ribosome synthesis but also most of roles of ribosome assembly factors remain elusive. Here, we review ribosome assembly factors involved in the ribosome maturation of Escherichia coli, and summarize the contributions of several ribosome assembly factors which associate with 50S and 30S ribosomal subunits, respectively.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2009

Microorganisms play an important role in the geochemical cycles, industry, environmental cleanup, and biotechnology among other fields. Given the high microbial diversity, identification of the microorganism is essential in understanding and managing the processes. One of the most popular and powerful method for microbial identification is comparative 16S rRNA gene analysis. Due to the highly conserved nature of this essential gene, sequencing and later comparison of it against known rRNA databases can provide assignment of the bacteria into the taxonomy, and the identity of its closest relatives. Isolation and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes directly from natural environments (either from DNA or RNA) can also be used to study the structure of the whole microbial community. Nowadays, novel sequencing technologies with massive outputs are giving researchers worldwide the chance to study the microbial world with a depth that was previously too expensive to achieve. In this article we describe commonly used research approaches for the study of individual microorganisms and microbial communities using the tools provided by Ribosomal Database Project website.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1664-1666
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• 2006

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.401-412
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• 2013

Because of an increased number of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) along with associated disease burdens, medical professionals have become more aware of this pathogen in recent years. In this study, by analyzing both the nuclear 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) and mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene loci, 27 clinical Acanthamoeba strains that caused AK in Japan were classified into 3 genotypes, T3 (3 strains), T4 (23 strains), and T5 (one strain). Most haplotypes were identical to the reference haplotypes reported from all over the world, and thus no specificity of the haplotype distribution in Japan was found. The T4 sub-genotype analysis using the 16S rRNA gene locus also revealed a clear subconformation within the T4 cluster, and lead to the recognition of a new sub-genotype T4i, in addition to the previously reported sub-genotypes T4a-T4h. Furthermore, 9 out of 23 strains in the T4 genotype were identified to a specific haplotype (AF479533), which seems to be a causal haplotype of AK. While heterozygous nuclear haplotypes were observed from 2 strains, the mitochondrial haplotypes were homozygous as T4 genotype in the both strains, and suggested a possibility of nuclear hybridization (mating reproduction) between different strains in Acanthamoeba. The nuclear 18S rRNA gene and mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene loci of Acanthamoeba spp. possess different unique characteristics usable for the genotyping analyses, and those specific features could contribute to the establishment of molecular taxonomy for the species complex of Acanthamoeba.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1335-1339
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• 1999

The function of 5S rRNA, a constituent of a large subunit of ribosome, is not clearly known yet. To identify RNA motifs interacting with 5S rRNA, and thereby to get an insight into the function of 5S rRNA in the ribosome, a SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) experiment was performed. RNA molecules binding to Escherichia coli 5S rRNA were selected from a 48-mer random sequence library through 12 rounds of selection, cloned, and sequenced. Two groups of the selected RNA molecules had the consensus sequences GCGG and GUGAAA, respectively, which are present in the segment, G688 through A696, of E. coli 16S rRNA. The gel mobility shift assay showed that 5S rRNA interacted with the 16S rRNA fragment containing the GCGG and GUGAAA sequences. The enzymatic protection experiment shows that the A29CCUGA34 and G51AAGUG56 sequences of 5S rRNA and the C680AGG683 and G688CGG691 sequences of the 16S rRNA fragment are involved in the interaction between the two RNA molecules. On the basis of this observation, we suggest that 5S rRNA and 16S rRNA play a role for the association of two ribosomal subunits.