• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.264-266
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• 2000

A new GFP-based T-vector for cloning of PCR products was developed by using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a mafker. In order to facilitate the DNA inserts, multiple restriction sites, SP6 and T7 RNA polymerase promoter sites, were introduced close to the PCR DNA insertion site of a pCRGv vector. The XcmI-digested pHNT plasmid can be used to clone a 3' A-overhanged PCR DNA amplified by Taq DNA polymerase. A potential method of easing some difficulties from its use along with its cost savings proveded by this vector are likely to lead to the replacement of other T-vectors for PCR DNA cloning.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2005

Many cloning vectors in which cDNAs can be inserted to the sense orientation have been developed. Uni-ZAP XR vector (Stratagene) should contain clones that are oriented to sense direction with respect to T3 RNA polymerase primer. Unexpectedly, large portions of cDNAs in Chinese cabbage cDNA library showed unusual insertions, antisense orientation and a hybrid of two different clones. Using two clones, 4H03 and 53-B10, derived from different cDNA libraries, we proposed and demonstrated the possibility of unusual-construct formation by in vitro translation and northern blot analysis. The 4H03 clone was inserted with inverse direction, and its transcript and translation product could be produced by T7 RNA polymerase, indicating that this clone is definitely inserted into inverse orientation. The 53-B10 that contains two independent genes was turned out to be a hybrid in which two genes are inserted to opposite direction each other. All unusual constructs might be due to the presence of small fragments of DNA, like adapter. However, the mechanism underlined the formation of unusual constructs is still remain to be solved.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.316-321
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• 1992

Catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase (C230) catalyses the oxidative ring cleavage of catechol to 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde. This is one of the key reactions in the metabolism of the widespresd pollutant aniline. We have cloned a gene encoding C230 from cells of the aniline degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas acidovorance KCTC2494 strain and expressed in E. coli, A 11.3-kilobase Sau3A partial digested DNA fragment from KCTC2494 was cloned into phagemid vector pBluescript and designated as pLP201. The C230 gene was mapped to a 2.8-kb region, and the derection of transcription was determined. The cloned C230 gene contains its own promoter which can be recognized and employed by E. coli transcriptional apparatus. C230 activities of subclones were identified by enzyme assay and activity staining. The T7 RNA promoter/polymerase system and maxicell analysis showed that a polypeptide with Mw of 35 kDa is the C230 gene product.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.579-585
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• 2007

Formation of inclusion bodies is usually observed when foreign proteins are overexpressed in E. coli. The formation of inclusion bodies might be prevented by lowering the rate of protein synthesis, and appropriate regulation of the protein expression rate may lead to the soluble expression. In this study, human growth hormone (rhGH) was expressed in a soluble form by slowing down the protein synthesis rate, which was controlled in the transcriptional and translational levels. The transcriptional level was controlled by the regulation of the amount of RNA polymerase specific to the promoter in front of the rhGH gene. For lowering the rate of translation, the T7 transcription terminator-deleted vector was used to synthesize the longer mRNA of the target gene because the longer mRNA is expected to reduce the availability of tree ribosomes. In both methods, the percentage of soluble expression increased when the expression rate slowed down, and more than 93% of rhGH expressed was a soluble form in the T7 transcription terminator-deleted expression system.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.44.1-44.7
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• 2020

The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), greatly varies from patient to patient. In the present study, we explored and compared mutation profiles of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from mildly affected and severely affected COVID-19 patients in order to explore any relationship between mutation profile and disease severity. Genomic sequences of SARS-CoV-2 were downloaded from Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) database. With the help of Genome Detective Coronavirus Typing Tool, genomic sequences were aligned with the Wuhan seafood market pneumonia virus reference sequence and all the mutations were identified. Distribution of mutant variants was then compared between mildly and severely affected groups. Among the numerous mutations detected, 14408C>T and 23403A>G mutations resulting in RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) P323L and spike protein D614G mutations, respectively, were found predominantly in severely affected group (>82%) compared with mildly affected group (<46%, p < 0.001). The 241C>T mutation in the non-coding region of the genome was also found predominantly in severely affected group (p < 0.001). The 3037C>T, a silent mutation, also appeared in relatively high frequency in severely affected group compared with mildly affected group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.06). We concluded that spike protein D614G and RdRp P323L mutations in SARS-CoV-2 are associated with severity of COVID-19. Further studies will be required to explore whether these mutations have any impact on the severity of disease.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.367-373
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• 1995

The cDNAs derived from the coat protein (CP) genes of six plant RNA viruses, tobacco mosaic virus-pepper strains (TMV-P) and -ordinary strain (TMV-OM), potato virus Y (PVY), turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and potato leafroll virus (PLRV), were subcloned into the transcription vector, pSPT18, containing SP6 and T7 promoters. The digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled RNA polymerase after linearlization of the cloned pSPTs with XbaI or SacI, and were tested for their sensitivities for the detection of the six viruses. In slot-blot hybridization, dilution end points for the detection of TMV-P and TMV-OM were 10-4, while those of PVY, TuMV and CMV were 10-3. PLRV was detected at the dilution of 10-2. When each RNA probe was applied for the detection of the viruses in the preparations from the leaf disks (8 mm in diameter, and 12 to 15 mg in weight) of infected natural host plants, TMV-P, TMV-OM and TuMV could be detected from one disk, while PVY from 1 or 2 disks. CMV was detected in the preparation from two disks, and PLRV from three disks. With DIG-labeled RNA probe, PVY was detected at 5 days after inoculation, but with ELISA the virus was detected at 8 days after inoculation to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi nc) plants on which symptoms appeared at 9 days after inoculation. No difference was observed in cross reaction between the RNA probes for the detection of TMV-P and TMV-OM.

• 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.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in adipose tissue causes an inflammatory response and leads to metabolic diseases. However, the association between vitamin D and adipose ER stress remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (1,25(OH)₂D₃) alleviates ER stress in adipocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: 3T3-L1 cells were treated with different concentrations (i.e., 10-100 nM) of 1,25(OH)₂D₃ after or during differentiation (i.e., on day 0-7, 3-7, or 7). They were then incubated with thapsigargin (TG, 500 nM) for an additional 24 h to induce ER stress. Next, we measured the mRNA and protein levels of genes involved in unfold protein response (UPR) and adipogenesis using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting and quantified the secreted protein levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, the mRNA levels of UPR pathway genes were measured in adipocytes transfected with siRNA-targeting Vdr. RESULTS: Treatment with 1,25(OH)₂D₃ during various stages of adipocyte differentiation significantly inhibited ER stress induced by TG. In fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, 1,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment suppressed mRNA levels of Ddit3, sXbp1, and Atf4 and decreased the secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. However, downregulation of the mRNA levels of Ddit3, sXbp1, and Atf4 following 1,25(OH)₂D₃ administration was not observed in Vdr-knockdown adipocytes. In addition, exposure of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to 1,25(OH)₂D₃ inhibited transcription of Ddit3, sXbp1, Atf4, Bip, and Atf6 and reduced the p-alpha subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2α)/eIF2α and p-protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK)/PERK protein ratios. Furthermore, 1,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment before adipocyte differentiation reduced adipogenesis and the mRNA levels of adipogenic genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that 1,25(OH)₂D₃ prevents TG-induced ER stress and inflammatory responses in mature adipocytes by downregulating UPR signaling via binding with Vdr. In addition, the inhibition of adipogenesis by vitamin D may contribute to the reduction of ER stress in adipocytes.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.177-181
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• 1999

This study was undertaken to clarify the more accurate detecting method of Dirofilaria immitis. Seven dogs, average 7.47 years old, confirmed with Dirofilaria immitis infection by modified Knott's method were used as the experimental animals. cDNA was constructed using oligodT(15) primer after extracting total RNA from the blood of dogs that were confirmed with Dirofilaria immitis infection. As a result of polymerase chain reaction with template using constructed cDNA, the predicted products of a 378 base-pair DNA fragment was amplified. From these results, RT-PCR was more sensitive and effective than modified Knott's method to detect Dirofilaria immitis in dogs.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 1994

Oligonucleotides for a conserved region of the coat protein gene of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and a hammerhead structure ribozyme against CMV RNA were synthesized using a DNA synthesizer. Both strands of oligonucleotides were annealed and restricted with BamHI/SacI, then cloned into a plasmid pBS SK (+). The cloned CMV substrate and ribozyme were sequenced to verify correct constructions. In vitro transcriptions were carried out by using T7 RNA polymerase with BssHII or SspI digests of $1\;{\mu}g$ of substrate and ribozyme clones. The size of substrate RNA was 176 nucleotides (nt) containing 50 nt of CMV RNA sequence, 6 nt of XbaI restriction site and 120 nt of vector-derived sequence in the case of BssHII digest. The size of ribozyme RNA was 164 nt containing 40 nt of ribozyme RNA sequence and same sequences of substrate. Substrate RNA was efficiently cleaved into two fragments (96 nt and 80 nt) by ribozyme RNA. This endonucleolytic cleavage occurred more efficiently at $55^{\circ}C$ than $37^{\circ}C$. SspI digest-derived substrate RNA (2234 nt) was also cleaved into two fragments by the same ribozyme. SspI digest-derived ribozyme RNA (2222 nt) cleaved the above substrate to two fragments. In vitro-tested ribozyme construct is being cloned into a plant transformation vector to develop virus-resistant plants.