• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2017

Living modified crops are genetically modified living organisms and are widely used in biotechnical research and desired goods. As the reliance on LM products, concerns about safety of LMOs have been continuously increased in South Korea. We established the detection methods for unintentional released LMOs in environmental conditions. To detect six LM event genes of 1 canola, 1 maize and 4 soybeans, PCR conditions were based upon consideration of the Joint Research Centre information. Genomic DNAs were isolated from LM samples and PCR analysis were performed using each event-specific primer pair. Event-specific genes of all events were efficiently recognized by our methods. To investigate the insertion site of LM genes in each genome, we verified PCR product sequence by DNA sequencing. These results suggest that the LM event-specific gene amplification can be efficiently developed. In addition, our detection method is fit for monitoring and post-management of LM crops in the environment.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.230-237
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• 2015

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Chronic gut inflammation is recognized as a risk factor for tumor development, including CRC. American ginseng is a very commonly used ginseng species in the West. Methods: A genetically engineered $Apc^{Min/+}$ mouse model was used in this study. We analyzed the saponin composition of American ginseng used in this project, and evaluated its effects on the progression of high-fat-diet-enhanced CRC carcinogenesis. Results: After oral ginseng administration (10-20 mg/kg/d for up to 32 wk), experimental data showed that, compared with the untreated mice, ginseng very significantly reduced tumor initiation and progression in both the small intestine (including the proximal end, middle end, and distal end) and the colon (all p < 0.01). This tumor number reduction was more obvious in those mice treated with a low dose of ginseng. The tumor multiplicity data were supported by body weight changes and gut tissue histology examinations. In addition, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that compared with the untreated group, ginseng very significantly reduced the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-$1{\alpha}$ (IL-$1{\alpha}$), IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in both the small intestine and the colon (all p < 0.01). Conclusion: Further studies are needed to link our observed effects to the actions of the gut microbiome in converting the parent ginsenosides to bioactive ginseng metabolites. Our data suggest that American ginseng may have potential value in CRC chemoprevention.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.648-657
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• 2015

H9, a novel herbal extract, demonstrated cytotoxicity in A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. In this study, we investigated whether H9, and/or co-treatment with an anticancer drug, pemetrexed (PEM), inhibited tumor growth in BALB/c nude mice models bearing A549 NSCLC cells. The mice were separated into groups and administered H9 and PEM for 2 weeks. Protein and mRNA levels were detected using western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively; immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed on the tumor tissues. H9 and co-treatment with PEM induced the cleavage of proapoptotic factors, such as caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase (PARP). Expression levels of cell-death receptors involving Fas/FasL, TNF-related apoptosisinducing ligands (TRAIL), and TRAIL receptors were increased by H9 and co-treatment with PEM. Furthermore, analysis of levels of cell-cycle modulating proteins indicated that tumor cells were arrested in the G1/S phase. In addition, the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt survival signaling pathways were inhibited by H9 and co-treatment with PEM. In conclusion, H9 and co-treatment with PEM inhibited tumor growth in BALB/c nude mice models bearing A549 NSCLC cells. These results indicate that H9 and co-treatment with PEM can be used as an anticancer therapy in NSCLC.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2015

Two bacterial strains, Bacillus licheniformis YB-1413 and YB-1414, producing extracellular α-galactosidase, were obtained from homemade Doenjang. On the basis of their biochemical properties, 16S rRNA sequences and random amplified polymorphic DNA patterns by polymerase chain reaction, they were found to be somewhat different from one another. α-Galactosidase productivities of the two isolates were increased by wheat bran, but drastically decreased by melibiose, raffinose and sucrose which were used as carbon sources. The enzyme productivities were increased by yeast extract as a nitrogen source with maximum levels of 1.87 U/ml for YB-1413 and 1.69 U/ml for YB-1414, respectively. The enzymes of both isolates exhibited maximum activity for hydrolysis of para-nitrophenyl-α-D-galactopyranoside (pNP-αGal) under reaction conditions of pH 6.0 and 45℃. Their hydrolyzing activities for pNP-αGal were drastically decreased by the addition of low concentrations of ribose and galactose. They were capable of hydrolyzing completely α-1,6 linked galactosyl residue in melibiose, raffinose and stachyose, which are known to be anti-nutritional factors in products of soybean and legume. In relation to the latter, the isolates YB-1413 and YB-1414 have potential applicability in improving soybean-fermented foods and the nutritional value of soybean feed.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2_spc
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• pp.327-336
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• 2020

The high-flux advanced neutron application reactor (HANARO) is a research reactor with thermal power of 30 MW applied in various research and development using neutrons generated from uranium fission chain reaction. A degasifier tank is installed in the ancillary facility of HANARO. This facility generates gas pollutants produced owing to internal environmental factors. The degasifier tank is designed to maintain the gas contaminants below acceptable levels and is monitored using an analyzer in the gas sampling panel. If condensate water is generated and flows into the analyzer of the gas sampling panel, corrosion occurs inside the analyzer's measurement chamber, which causes failure. Condensate water is generated because of the temperature difference between the degasifier tank and analyzer when the gas flows into the analyzer. A heating system is installed between the degasifier tank and gas sampling panel to suppress condensate water generation and effectively remove the condensate water inside the system. In this study, we investigated the efficiency of the heating system. In addition, the variations in the pipe temperature and the amount of average condensate water were modeled using a wall condensation model based on the changes in the fluid inlet temperature, outside air temperature, and heating cable-setting temperature.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.124-132
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• 2010

This study evaluated the effects of gamma ray and electron beam (E-beam) to improve the safety of spices for meat processing. The spices (garlic powder, curry powder, turmeric powder, black pepper, white pepper, oregano, parsley, laurel leaf powder, basil, and rosemary) were irradiated by gamma ray and E-beam at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 kGy. Total bacterial populations were then enumerated on total plate count agar, and bacteria isolated from the samples were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, $D_{10}$ values for Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus inoculated in spices was determined, and the Ames test was conducted for genotoxicity analysis. The contaminated total bacterial populations in spices ranged from 1.5 to 3.8 Log CFU/g, and most of identified bacteria were Bacillus spp., and Staphylococcus spp. However, the bacterial populations decreased below the detection limit (2 Log CFU/g) after irradiation at 4 kGy except for parsley, which required 6 kGy in gamma ray and 8 kGy in E-beam to decrease total bacterial populations below detection limit. $D_{10}$ values were also higher (p<0.05) in E-beam treated samples than gamma-ray treated samples. No genotoxicity was observed in both conditions with and without metabolic activation. These results indicate that gamma ray (>4 kGy and <6 kGy) could be more useful to improve food safety of meat processing spices compared to E-beam.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.227-231
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• 2004

A total of 219 polymerase chain reaction tests of genetically modified (GM) DNA sequences in soybean seeds and soybean sprouts were conducted during 2000-2001. No CM gene was found in 96 tests of soybean seeds. However, either a functional CP4EPSPS gene or the 355 promoter gene was found three times in 2000 and eight times in 2001, in between 0.01 and 0.17％ of soybean spout products, in 123 tests. Since the amount of GM genes was much less than the threshold limit of 3％, none of the 11 positive soybean-sprout samples needed to be libeled GM crops. Of these, seven sprout samples were from domestic seeds and four were from seeds imported from China. To find the contamination route, the raw materials, seed surface, floor of the storage room, area around the selection machine, surface of the packaging film and corn powder used in the package were tested. The 35S promoter gene was detected in only two samples of the corn powder (0.1％). Although we could not find the cause of the GM contamination, the sprout package film is one possibility. In total,8.9％ of the soybean sprout tests were GM positive, but the amounts were much less than the threshold of 3％. This means that there are frequent false-positives and these would threaten the sprout industry if GMO were decided qualitatively. Food companies should make their safety data available to the public and make an effort to address people's concerns about GM food more openly. In addition, there is a need to establish a quantitative test for GM genes in sampled water and a sampling method for raw materials.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2000

Morphological characteristics of nine Epimedium spp was analyzed on the basis of six morphological characters. To analyse the genetic relationship among Epimedium spp., polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed with total genomic DNA of 17 Epimedium spp. by using random 8 primers. The genetic diversity and genetic distance among nine Korean collections, seven Japanese and one China collection were used to generate a dendrogram showing phylogenie relationship. Seventeen Epimedium spp were classified into two groups of group I and II, since they were divided into two major groups at the similarity coefficients value of 0.65. In addition, one of the two group, group I was divided into three sub-groups including Epimedium koreanum, Chul-won collections 1, 2, and 3, Yanggu, Hongchon, Hwachun, Chunchon, China, Maehwa (Japanese), E. diphyllum and E. violaceum (Japanese), while group II included Chulwon collection 4 and 5 and Japanese collection. The samples collected at Chulwon district showed close similarity with Japanese collection. Similarity indexes between collection and genetic relationship were related at the levels ranging from 0.6 to 0.9.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.232-241
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• 2013

Purpose: Gastrokine 1 plays an important role in gastric mucosal defense. Additionally, the Gastrokine 1-miR-185-DNMT1 axis has been shown to suppress gastric carcinogenesis through regulation of epigenetic alteration. Here, we investigated the effects of Gastrokine 1 on DNA methylation and gastritis. Materials and Methods: Expression of Gastrokine 1, DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc proteins, and the presence of Helicobacter pylori CagA protein were determined in 55 non-neoplastic gastric mucosal tissue samples by western blot analysis. The CpG island methylation phenotype was also examined using six markers (p16, hMLH1, CDH1, MINT1, MINT2 and MINT31) by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Histological gastritis was assessed according to the updated Sydney classification system. Results: Reduced Gastrokine 1 expression was found in 20 of the 55 (36.4%) gastric mucosal tissue samples and was closely associated with miR-185 expression. The Gastrokine 1 expression level was inversely correlated with that of DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc, and closely associated with the degree of gastritis. The H. pylori CagA protein was detected in 26 of the 55 (47.3%) gastric mucosal tissues and was positively associated with the expression of DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc. In addition, 30 (54.5%) and 23 (41.9%) of the gastric mucosal tissues could be classified as CpG island methylation phenotype-low and CpG island methylation phenotype-high, respectively. Reduced expression of Gastrokine 1 and miR-185, and increased expression of DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc were detected in the CpG island methylation phenotype-high gastric mucosa. Conclusions: Gastrokine 1 has a crucial role in gastric inflammation and DNA methylation in gastric mucosa.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2012

Recent several studies have shown that the genetic variation of SCN5A is related with atrioventricular conduction block (AVB); no study has yet been published in Koreans. Therefore, to determine the AVB-associated genetic variation in Korean patients, we investigated the genetic variation of SCN5A in Korean patients with AVB and compared with normal control subjects. We enrolled 113 patients with AVB and 80 normal controls with no cardiac symptoms. DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood, and all exons (exon 2-exon 28) except the untranslated region and exon-intron boundaries of the SCN5A gene were amplified by multiplex PCR and directly sequenced using an ABI PRISM 3100 Genetic Analyzer. When a variation was discovered in genomic DNA from AVB patients, we confirmed whether the same variation existed in the control genomic DNA. In the present study, a total of 7 genetic variations were detected in 113 AVB patients. Of the 7 variations, 5 (G87A-A29A, intervening sequence 9-3C>A, A1673G-H558R, G3578A-R1193Q, and T5457C-D1819D) have been reported in previous studies, and 2 (C48G-F16L and G3048A-T1016T) were novel variations that have not been reported. The 2 newly discovered variations were not found in the 80 normal controls. In addition, G298S, G514C, P1008S, G1406R, and D1595N, identified in other ethnic populations, were not detected in this study. We found 2 novel genetic variations in the SCN5A gene in Korean patients with AVB. However, further functional study might be needed.