• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2016

A retron is a bacterial retroelement that encodes an RNA gene and a reverse transcriptase (RT). The former, once transcribed, works as a template primer for reverse transcription by the latter. The resulting DNA is covalently linked to the upstream part of the RNA; this chimera is called multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA), which is extrachromosomal DNA found in many bacterial species. Based on the conserved features in the eight known msDNA sequences, we developed a detection method and applied it to scan National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) RefSeq bacterial genome sequences. Among 16,844 bacterial sequences possessing a retron-type RT domain, we identified 48 unique types of msDNA. Currently, the biological role of msDNA is not well understood. Our work will be a useful tool in studying the distribution, evolution, and physiological role of msDNA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
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• 2006.02a
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• pp.125-126
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• 2006

NimbleGen has developed strategies to use its high-density oligonucleotide microarray platform (385,000 probes per array) to map both promoter binding sites and copy number variation at very high-resolution in the human genome. Here we describe a genome-wide map of active promoters determined by experimentally locating the sites of transcription imitation complex binding throughout the human genome using microarrays combined with chromatin immunoprecipitation. This map defines 10,567 active promoters corresponding to 6,763 known genes and at least 1,196 un-annotated transcriptional units. Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) is animportant research tool for investigating chromosomal aberrations frequently associated with complex diseases such as cancer, neuropsychiatric disorders, and congenital developmental disorders. NimbleGen array CGH is an ultra-high resolution (0.5-50 Kb) oligo array platform that can be used to detect amplifications and deletions and map the associated breakpoints on the whole-genome level or with custom fine-tiling arrays. For whole-genome array CGH, probes are tiled through genic and intergenic regions with a median probe spacing of 6 Kb, which provides a comprehensive, unbiased analysis of the genome.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.306-311
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• 2002

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is an abundant posttranslationally modified compound in eukaryotic cells. Human O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) was produced as a maltose binding protein (MBP) fusion protein, which showed significant catalytic activity to modify recombinant Sp1, transcription factor. To facilitate the production of O-GlcNAc modified proteins, instead of using the tedious in vitro glycosylation reaction or expression in eukaryotic cells, a MBP-fusion OGT expression vector (pACYC184-MBPOGT) was constructed using pACYC184 plasmid, which could coexist with general prokaryotic expression vectors containing ColE1 origin. By cotransforming pACYC184-MBPOGT and pGEX-2T vectors into Escherichia coli BL21, intracellular O- GlcNAcylated proteins could be obtained by a simple purification procedure. It is expected that this may be a useful tool for production of O-GlcNAc modified proteins.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.189.1-189.1
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• 2003

Transcript profiling is a particularly valuable tool in the field of steroid receptor biology, as these receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors and therefore exert their initial effects through altering gene expression in responsive cells. Also, an increased awareness of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their potential to affect wildlife and humans has produced a demand for practical screening methods to identify endocrine activity. (omitted)

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.309-315
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• 2018

Objective: This study aimed to test the expression patterns of ERBB receptor feedback inhibitor 1 (ERRFI1) before and after exercise and the association of non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) of horse ERRFI1 with racing traits in Thoroughbreds. Methods: We performed bioinformatics and gene expression analyses for horse ERRFI1. Transcription factor (TF) binding sites in the 5'-regulatory region of this gene were identified through a tool for prediction of TF-binding site (PROMO). A general linear model was used to detect the association between the nsSNP (LOC42830758 A to G) and race performance. Results: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that expression level of ERRFI1 after exercise was 1.6 times higher than that before exercise. Ten transcription factors were predicted from the ERRFI1 regulatory region. A novel nsSNP (LOC42830758 A to G) was found in ERRFI1, which was associated with three racing traits including average prize money, average racing index, and 3-year-old starts percentile ranking. Conclusion: Our analysis will be helpful as a basis for studying genes and SNPs that affect race performance in racehorses.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.816-824
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• 2017

Human noroviruses are widespread and contagious viruses causing nonbacterial gastroenteritis. Real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR (real-time RT-qPCR) is currently the gold standard for the sensitive and accurate detection of these pathogens and serves as a critical tool in outbreak prevention and control. Different surveillance teams, however, may use different assays, and variability in specimen conditions may lead to disagreement in results. Furthermore, the norovirus genome is highly variable and continuously evolving. These issues necessitate the re-examination of the real-time RT-qPCR's robustness in the context of accurate detection as well as the investigation of practical strategies to enhance assay performance. Four widely referenced real-time RT-qPCR assays (Assays A-D) were simultaneously performed to evaluate characteristics such as PCR efficiency, detection limit, and sensitivity and specificity with RT-PCR, and to assess the most accurate method for detecting norovirus genogroups I and II. Overall, Assay D was evaluated to be the most precise and accurate assay in this study. A ZEN internal quencher, which decreases nonspecific fluorescence during the PCR, was added to Assay D's probe, which further improved the assay performance. This study compared several detection assays for noroviruses, and an improvement strategy based on such comparisons provided useful characterizations of a highly optimized real-time RT-qPCR assay for norovirus detection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2017

A two-tube reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was designed for the rapid visual detection of the M gene of all subtypes of avian influenza virus (AIV) and the H5 gene of the H5 subtype of highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV). The reaction carried out in two tubes in a single step at $58^{\circ}C$ for 40 min, and the assay results could be visually detected by using hydroxynaphthol blue dye. Using M or H5 gene-specific primers, the assay successfully detected all subtypes or H5 subtypes of AIVs, including the Korean representative H5N1 and H5N8 HPAIVs. The detection limit of the assay was approximately $10^{2.0}$ $EID_{50}/reaction$ for the M and H5 genes of H5N1 HPAIV, respectively, and was more sensitive than that of previously reported RT-LAMP and comparable to that of real-time RT-PCR. These results suggest that the present RT-LAMP assay, with its high specificity, sensitivity, and simplicity, will be a useful diagnostic tool for surveillance of currently circulating H5 HPAIVs and other subtypes of AIV in bird population, even in under-equipped laboratories.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.595-605
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• 2008

Genome wide transcription analysis in response to stresses is essential to provide the basis of effective engineering strategies to improve stress tolerance in crop plants. In order to perform transcriptome analysis in Brassica rapa, we constructed a B. rapa oligo microarray, KBGP-24K, using sequence information from approximately 24,000 unigenes and analyzed cold ($4^{\circ}C$), salt (250 mM NaCl), and drought (air-dry) treated B. rapa plants. Among the B. rapa unigenes represented on the microarray, 417 (1.7%), 202 (0.8%), and 738 (3.1%) were identified as responsive genes that were differently expressed 5-fold or more at least once during a 48-h treatment with cold, salt, and drought, respectively. These results were confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. In the abiotic stress responsive genes identified, we found 56 transcription factor genes and 60 commonly responsive genes. It suggests that various transcriptional regulatory mechanisms and common signaling pathway are working together under the abiotic stresses in B. rapa. In conclusion, our new developed 24K oligo microarray will be a useful tool for transcriptome profiling and this work will provide valuable insight in the response to abiotic stress in B. rapa.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.44 no.3
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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.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2010

We employed a new and improved differential display reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) method, which involves annealing control primers (ACPs), to identify the genes that are specifically or prominently expressed in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) juveniles (35 days post-hatch; dph) compared to larval-stage (dph 21) flounder. Using 60 ACPs, we identified eight differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) searches revealed eight known genes. Gene expression levels were confirmed by RT-PCR. Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) was highly expressed at 21 dph, while nephrosin, myosin light chain (MLC), myosin heavy chain (MHC), carboxypeptidase A, chymotrypsin B, fish-egg protein, and matrix protein were expressed at 35 dph. PGI, MLC, and MHC expression was further analyzed by RT-PCR. The differentially expressed genes identified in this study may provide insights into the molecular basis of development in olive flounder.