• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.509-514
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• 1995

A putative secondary structure of the mRNA for the human hepatitis B virus (HBV) X gene is proposed based on not only chemical and enzymatic determination of its single- and double-stranded regions but also selection by the computer program MFOLD for energy minimum conformation under the constraints that the experimentally determined nucleotides were forced or prohibited to base pair. An RNA of 536 nucleotides including the 461-nucleotide HBV X mRNA sequence was synthesized in vitro by the phage T7 RNA polymerase transcription. The thermally renatured transcripts were subjected to chemical modifications with dimethylsulfate and kethoxal and enzymatic hydrolysis with single strand-specific RNase T1 and double strand-specific RNase V1, separately. The sites of modification and cleavage were detected by reverse transcriptase extension of 4 different primers. Many nucleotides could be assigned with high confidence, twenty in double-stranded and thirty-seven in Single-stranded regions. These nucleotides were forced and prohibited, respectively, to base pair in running the recursive RNA folding program MFOLD. The results suggest that 6 different regions (5 within X mRNA) of 14~23 nucleotides are Single-stranded. This putative structure provides a good working model and suggests potential target sites for antisense and ribozyme inhibitors and hybridization probes for the HBV X mRNA.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.285-292
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• 2012

Self-incompatibility (SI) system is a genetic barrier that prevents self-fertilization and promotes cross-pollination among different S genotypes. In many of these species, SI is controlled by a single genetic locus known as S locus, which prevents the fertilization by pollen with same locus. S RNases are the products of the S-locus expressed in the stylar tissue of Fuji Apple with gametophytic self-incompatibility system. This study investigated the various types of chemicals in order to select more effective inhibitors and activators. The effect on the inhibition of S RNase of Fuji apples was investigated $in$ $vitro$. The result showed that the enzyme activity was reduced 24.3% by Iron(II) Sulfate, significantly. $In$ $vitro$ studies of pollen growth tube showed that pollen tube growth had a higher germination rate (90%) in 10% Sucrose than in 2% sucrose extension medium. Data on the fruit set of apples treated with inhibitor and activator. Double application of $A^+$(Apple Plus, ISTECH Co. Ltd.,)+Vitamin B6 had the highest central fruit set as 86.1%(Andong). One time application of $A^{++}$Vitamin B1 in Yeongju obtained the highest central fruit set (91.9%).

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.133-136
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• 1996

The affinity cleavage reagent Methidiumpropyl-EDTA-Iron(II) is applied to the structural analysis of 5S rRNA. Analysis of cleavage sites induced by MPE-Fe(II) on 5S rRNA shows that MPE intercalates easily between the unstable base pairs or into the bulges, thereby it strongly cuts the nucleosides nearby. The stable helical stems A, B, D and E as well as loop d are weakly cut. Most of the single-stranded loops are not cleaved. Based on the cleavage pattern of the 5S rRNA by MPE-Fe(II) and RNase V1, we suggest that MPE-Fe(II) may be used as a potential chemical probe in searching for the unstable helical regions of RNA, and for the sequences that appear to be involved in folding and distorting 5S rRNA.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.315-321
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• 2016

Background: Herbal medicine has becoming a potential source of treatment for different types of cancer including breast cancer. It has been shown that plants from the family Rhamnaceae possess anticancer activity. Objective: In this study, we determined the antiproliferative influence of Ziziphus spina christi- a species from this family- on the MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell line. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxicity of the total extract, ethanol, ethanol-aqueous (1:1) as well as aqueous fractions of Ziziphus spina christi leaves was evaluated through MTT assay against MCF-7 cell line. Cell cycle inhibition and apoptosis induction were assessed by flowcytometry cycle RNase/PI analysis and Annexin V-FLUOS, respectively. Apoptosis was also analyzed by immunoblotting assay. Results: Our results indicated that the ethanolic fraction had the lowest $IC_{50}$ value (0.02 mg/ml), induced cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase as well as apoptosis after a 48h of treatment. Conclusions: This is the first report on anticancer effect of Ziziphus spina christi ethanolic fraction on breast cancer cells, providing a scientific basis for its utility in traditional medicine. However, further in-depth studies are needed to confirm the precise mechanisms.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.126-135
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• 2003

Background: One of the important factors in the prognosis of chronic hepatitis B patient is the degree of replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV). It has been known that HBV DNA polymerase plays the essential role in the replication of HBV. HBV DNA polymerase is composed of four domains, TP (Terminal protein), spacer, RT (Reverse transcriptase) and RNaseH. Among these domains, tyrosine, the $65^{th}$ residue of TP is an important residue in protein-priming reaction that initiates reverse transcription. If monoclonal antibody that recognizes around tyrosine residue were selected, it could be applied to further study of HBV replication. Methods: To produce TP-specific scFv (single-chain Fv) by phage display, mice were immunized using synthetic TP-peptide contains $57{\sim}80^{th}$ amino acid residues of TP domain. After isolation of mRNA of heavy-variable region ($V_H$) and light-chain variable region ($V_L$) from the spleen of the immunized mouse, DNA of $V_H$ and $V_L$ were obtained by RT-PCR and joined by a DNA linker encoding peptide (Gly4Ser)3 as a scFv DNA fragments. ScFv DNA fragments were cloned into a phagemid vector. scFv was expressed in E.coli TG1 as a fusion protein with E tag and phage gIII. To select the scFv that has specific affinity to TP-peptide from the phage-antibody library, we used two cycles of panning and colony lift assay. Results: The TP-peptide-specific scFv was isolated by selection process using TP-peptide as an antigen. Selected scFv had 30 kDa of protein size and its nucleotide sequences were analyzed. Indirect- and competitive-ELISA revealed that the selected scFv specifically recognized both TP-peptide and the HBV DNA polymerase. Conclusion: The scFv that recognizes the TP domain of the HBV DNA polymerase was isolated by phage display.