• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.28
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• pp.63-68
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• 2010

The epigenetic therapy of cancers is emerging as an effective and valuable approach to both chemotherapy and the chemoprevention of cancer. The utilization of epigenetic targets that include histone methyltransferase (HMTase), Histone deacetylatase, and DNA methyltransferase, are emerging as key therapeutic targets. SET containing proteins such as the HMTase Setd1b has been found significantly amplified in cancerous cells. In order to shed some light on the histone methyl transferase family, we cloned the Setd1b gene from Mus musculus and build a collection of vectors for recombinant protein expression in E.coli that will pave the way for further structural biology studies. We prospect the role of the Setd1b pathway in cancer therapy and detail its unique value for designing novel anti-cancer epigenetic-drugs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.486-491
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• 1999

An engineered cDNA from Phanerochaete chrysosporium encoding both the mature and propeptide-sequence regions of lignin peroxidase H2 (Lip H2) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) to evaluate its catalytic characteristics and potential application as a pollution scavenger. All expressed proteins were aggregated in an inactive inclusion body, which might be due to inherent disulfide bonds. Active enzyme was obtained by refolding with glutathione-mediated oxidation in refolding solution containing $Ca^{2+}$, heme, and urea. Propeptide-sequence region was not processed as evidenced by N-terminal sequence analysis. Recombinant Lip H2 (rLip H2) had the same physical properties of the native protein but differed in the $K_{cat}$. Catalytic efficiency ($k_{cat}/K_m$) of rLip H2 was slightly higher than that of the native enzyme. In order to express an active protein, fusion systems with thioredoxin or Dsb A, which have disulfide isomerase activity, were used. The fused proteins expressed by the Dsb A fusion vector were aggregated, whereas half of the thioredoxin fusion proteins were recovered as a soluble form but still catalytically inactive. These results suggest that Lip H2 may not be expressed as an active enzyme in Escherichia coli although the activity can be recovered by in vitro refolding.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 1997

In order to express the FLP recombinase in B. mori cultured cell line, BmN-4, transient expression system using a heat shock protein gene (hsp70) promoter of Dorosophilla melnogaster was constructed. This vector was designated as pHsSV. Activity strength of the hsp70 promoter was compared with that of immediate early gene (IE-1) and polyhedrin gene of BmNPV employing the E. coli $\beta$-galactosidase gene as a reporter gene. The result showed that the pHs $\beta$-gal plasmid vector expressed the $\beta$-galactosidase at 2nd and 3rd day after the transfer of plasmid DNA into BmN-4 cells, which was similar to that of pIE1 $\beta$-gal vector, but different from that of a recombinant virus, vBm $\beta$-gal. For the construction of FLP recombinase transient expression vector, the FLP recombinase gene was cloned by polymerase chain reaction technique. To express the FLP recombinase, this gene was inserted into pHsSV plasmid vector, under the control of the hsp70 promotor, and tranfected in BmN-4 cells. The expressed FLP recombinase was estimated at 44kDa on a 12.5% SDS-PAGE.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.185-188
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• 2001

Genetically modified foods and food additives are derived from organisms that have been inserted foreign genetic materials by recombinant DNA techniques to improve the quality or any other pur-poses. The problems such as toxicity, allergenicity and antibiotics resistance in the safety of genetically modified foods are usually concerned. In Korea, the safety of foods is ensured by the Food Sanitation Act. Although there is no specific provision regarding the genetically modified foods in it, any foods that might cause negative effect(s) on public health or human life are prohibited to sell in the market. In order to systematically evaluate safety of genetically modified foods, the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) promulgated "Guidelines regarding review of safety assessment data for genetically modified foods and food additives (KFDA Notification 1999-46)". The objectives of these guidelines are to ensure safety of genetically modified foods and food additives. In order to evaluate the safety of genetically modified foods. KFDA operates a special expert committee composed by experts from government, universities, research institutes. and consumer's unions. Recently. manufacturers and consumers are interested in the issues on safety and labeling of genetically modified foods, because of increment of imported genetically modified crops and processed foods. Since government and consumers unions have different viewpoints, their positions regarding the issue are different each other. Therefore, the regulation of labeling on genetically modified foods is prepared and should be enforced at July 2000 in Korea. in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1327-1332
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• 2004

The hemA gene encoding 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS) was cloned from Rhodobacter capsulatus, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. DNA sequencing data revealed one open reading frame coding for a protein with 401 amino acids that displayed high similarity to the amino acid sequences of other known ALASs. The hemA gene was then cloned and expressed under the control of constitutive promotor in E. coli. The recombinant E. coli strain was able to accumulate 5-aminolevulinic acid to 21 mM in the liquid medium supplemented with 45 mM glycine and 120 mM succinate. In addition, a marked effect of the pH of the culture medium on ALA production was observed, and the optimum pH for culture medium was determined to be 5.8-6.3.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.368-373
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• 2006

Bacillus subtilis and related Bacillus species are frequently used as hosts for the mass production of recombinant proteins. Accordingly, this study examined the cellular response of B. subtilis to the overexpression of a soluble secretory protein. As such, the lichenase derived from B. cereus was overexpressed in B. subtilis, initially localized in the cytoplasm as a mature form and then secreted into the medium. Thereafter, the proteome of B. subtilis was analyzed using 2D electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The expression of several heat-shock proteins, such as dnaK and groEL, was increased under this condition. In addition, manganese superoxide dismutase and NADH dehydrogenase were also upregulated in the lichenase-secreting B. subtilis. Therefore, it was concluded that the transient accumulation of a secreted protein in B. subtilis before secretion acted as a stress on the cell, which in turn induced the expression of various protective proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.591-597
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• 2003

Human urokinase kringle domain, sharing homology with angiostatin kringles, has been shown to be an inhibitor of angiogenesis, which can be used for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and retinopathy. Here, the expression of the kringle domain of urokinase (UK1) as a secreted protein in high levels is reported. UK1 was expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris GS115 by fusion of the cDNA spanning from Ser47 to Lys135 to the secretion signal sequence of ${\alpha}-factor$ prepro-peptide. In a flask culture, the secreted UK1 reached about 1 g/l level after 120h of methanol induction and was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography. Amino-terminal sequencing of the purified UK1 revealed that it was cleaved at the Ste13 signal cleavage site. The molecular mass of UK1 was determined to be 10,297.01 Da. It was also confirmed that the purified UK1 inhibited endothelial cell proliferation stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, or epidermal growth factor, in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that a P. pastoris sytem can be employed to obtain large amounts of soluble and active UK1.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.161-166
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• 1997

Nuclei were isolated from the protoplasts of Trichoderma harzianum T95 and treated with colchicine, a polyploid inducer. The nuclei were transferred into the protoplast of multi-auxotrophic Gliocladium virens G88 which cannot grow in minimal medium. The protoplast of G. virens G88 carrying the transferred nuclei were regenerated in a regeneration minimal medium containing $17{\mu}g/ml$ of chloroneb as a haploid inducer. Six intergeneric hybrids between G. virens and T. harzianum were isolated from the regeneration minimal medium. The hybrids could be classified into three types according to morphology, those with an isozyme pattern, those with an protein band and those with an randomly amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD) pattern produced by random primers and repetitive sequences. The first group was identified to be a haploid recombinant, the second group a heterokaryon, and the third appeared to be petite.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 1998

A gene coding for ${\beta}$-xylosidase from thermophilic xylanolytic Bacillus sp. KK-1 was cloned into Escherichia coli using plasmid pBR322. Recombinant plasmid DNAs were isloated from E. coli clones which were capable of hydrolyzing 4-methylumbelliferyl-${\beta}$-D xylopyranoside. Restriction analysis showed the DNAs to share a common insert DNA. Xylo-oligosaccharides, including xylotriose, xylotetraose, xylopentaose, and xylobiose were hydrolyzed to form xylose as an end product by cell-free extracts of the E. coli clones, confirming that the cloned gene from strain KK-1 is ${\beta}$-xylosidase gene. The ${\beta}$-xylosidase gene of strain KK-1 designated as xylB was completely sequenced. The xylB gene consisted of an open reading frame of 1,602 nucleotides encoding a polypeptide of 533 amino acid residues, and a TGA stop codon. The 3' flanking region contained one stem-loop structure which may be involved in transcriptional termination. The deduced amino acid sequence of the KK-1 ${\beta}$-xylosidase was highly homologous to the ${\beta}$-xylosidases of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus, but it showed no similarity to a thermostable ${\beta}$-xylosidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.244-250
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• 2000

An ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ gene (aglA) from thermophilic Bacillus sp. DG0303 was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The aglA was localized to the 2.1-kb PvuI-XmnI region within the 5.9-kb DNA insert of the gybrid plasmid pAG1. The gene consisted of an open reading frame of 1,686 bp with an unusual GTG initiation codon and TGA termination codon. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence predicted a protein of 562 amino acid residues with a M, of 66,551 dalton. A comparative amino acid sequence analysis revealed that DG0303 ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ is related to bacillary oligo-1, 6-glucosidases. The Bacillus sp. DG0303 ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ showed a high sequence identity (36-59%) to the B. flavocaldarius, B. cereus, and B. thermoglucosidasius oligo-1, 6-glucosidases. The number of prolines in theses four ${\alpha}-glucosidases. was observed to increase with increasing thermostability of these enzymes. The cloned ${\alpha}-glucosidase was purified from E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ bearing pAG1 and characterized. The recombinant enzyme was identical with the native enzyme in its optimum pH and in its molecular mass, estimated by sodium dodecy1 sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The temperature optimum of the cloned ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ was lower than that of the native enzyme.