• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2019

Di- and tri-methylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me2 and H3K4me3, respectively) are epigenetic markers of active genes. Complex associated with Set1 (COMPASS) mediates these H3K4 methylations. The involvement of COMPASS activity in secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthesis was first demonstrated with an Aspergillus nidulans cclA knockout mutant. The cclA knockout induced the transcription of two cryptic SM biosynthetic gene clusters, leading to the production of the cognate SM. Monascus spp. are filamentous fungi that have been used for food fermentation in eastern Asia, and the pigment Monascus azaphione (MAz) is their main SM. Monascus highly produces MAz, implying that the cognate biosynthetic genes are highly active in transcription. In the present study, we examined how COMPASS activity modulates MAz biosynthesis by inactivating Monascus purpureus cclA (Mp-cclA) and swd1 (Mp-swd1). For both ${\Delta}Mp-cclA$ and ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$, a reduction in MAz production, accompanied by an abated cell growth, was observed. Suppression of MAz production was more effective in an agar culture than in the submerged liquid culture. The fidelity of the ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$ phenotypes was verified by restoring the WT-like phenotypes in a reversion recombinant mutant, namely, trpCp: Mp-swd1, that was generated from the ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$ mutant. Real-time quantitative Polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that the transcription of MAz biosynthetic genes was repressed in the ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$ mutant. This study demonstrated that MAz biosynthesis is under the control of COMPASS activity and that the extent of this regulation is dependent on growth conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.66-71
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• 2016

PikD is a widely known pathway-specific regulator for controlling pikromycin production in Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439, which is a representative of the large ATP-binding regulator of the LuxR family (LAL) in Streptomyces sp. RapH and FkbN also belong to the LAL family of transcriptional regulators, which show greatest homology with the ATP-binding motif and helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif of PikD. Overexpression of pikD and heterologous expression of rapH and fkbN led to enhanced production of pikromycin by approximately 1.8-, 1.6-, and 1.6-fold in S. venezuelae, respectively. Cross-complementation of rapH and fkbN in the pikD deletion mutant (ΔpikD) restored pikromycin and derived macrolactone production. Overall, these results show that heterologous expression of rapH and fkbN leads to the overproduction of pikromycin and its congeners from the pikromycin biosynthetic pathway in S. venezuelae, and they have the same functionality as the pathwayspecific transcriptional activator for the pikromycin biosynthetic pathway in the ΔpikD strain. These results also show extensive "cross-communication" between pathway-specific regulators of streptomycetes and suggest revision of the current paradigm for pathwayspecific versus global regulation of secondary metabolism in Streptomyces species.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.967-974
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• 2016

Zearalenone (ZEA) is an estrogenic mycotoxin that is produced by several Fusarium species, including Fusarium graminearum. One of the ZEA biosynthetic genes, ZEB2, encodes two isoforms of Zeb2 by alternative transcription, forming an activator (Zeb2L-Zeb2L homooligomer) and an inhibitor (Zeb2L-Zeb2S heterodimer) that directly regulate the ZEA biosynthetic genes in F. graminearum. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) signaling regulates secondary metabolic processes in several filamentous fungi. In this study, we investigated the effects of the PKA signaling pathway on ZEA biosynthesis. Through functional analyses of PKA catalytic and regulatory subunits (CPKs and PKR), we found that the PKA pathway negatively regulates ZEA production. Genetic and biochemical evidence further demonstrated that the PKA pathway specifically represses ZEB2L transcription and also takes part in posttranscriptional regulation of ZEB2L during ZEA production. Our findings reveal the intriguing mechanism that the PKA pathway regulates secondary metabolite production by reprograming alternative transcription.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2001

Biogenic monoamines are divided into three categories; catecholamines(dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine), indoleamine(serotonin and melatonin) and histamine. Among them, serotonin has been intensively studied by many researchers with a broad spectrum of biomedical interests. A concise overview of serotonin-related topics such as biosynthetic pathway, receptor subtypes, and roles in reproduction will be provided. In particular, serotonergic efffect on the regulation of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad hormonal axis and sexual behaviors will be emphasized. Though our Knowledge on the biological roles and its clinical applications are still limited, these topics are quite promising subjects which will be helpful for improving our 'quality of life' in near future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.258-267
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• 2002

A flux determination methodology has been built which enables to develop constrained stoichiometric relationships and metabolic balances. The analysis differs from those developed for anaerobic growth conditions in that cell mass formation is a significant sink for carbon. When combined with experimental measurements, a determined system of equations results yielded tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and glycolytic fluxes. The methodology was implemented to determine the fluxes of E. coli B/r and K12, and it was found that as the growth rate in a glucose minimal medium increased, the cells became increasing glycolytic and the TCA fluxes either leveled off or declined. The pattern identified for the TCA fluxes corresponded to ${\alpha}$-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase's induction-repression pattern, thereby suggesting that the induction-repression of the enzyme could result in significant flux changes. When the minimum flux solution was contrasted to the glycolytic and TCA fluxes determined, two observations were made. First, the minimum flux could provide the cell's biosynthetic ATP requirements. Second, at a high growth rate in a glucose medium, the excess glycolytic flux exceeded that of the TCA cycle, which appeared to more closely match the biosynthetic needs.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.292-2999
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• 2022

Anthocyanin, an important component in the grape berry skin, strongly affects grape quality. The transcription factors VvMYBA1 and VvMYBA2 (VvMYBA1/2) control anthocyanin biosynthesis. In addition, cultivation and environmental factors, such as light, influence anthocyanin accumulation. The present study aimed to clarify the effect of shading (reduced light condition) on the transcriptomic regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis using a red-wine grape cultivar, Vitis vinifera 'Pinot Noir', and its white mutant, 'Pinot Blanc', caused by the deletion of the red allele of VvMYBA1/2. The grape berry skins were analyzed for anthocyanin content and global gene transcription accumulation. The microarray data were later validated by quantitative real-time PCR. A decisive influence of VvMYBA1/2 on the expression of an anthocyanin-specific gene, UDP glucose: flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase, was observed as expected. In contrast, upstream genes of the pathway, which are shared by other flavonoids, were also expressed in 'Pinot Blanc', and the mRNA levels of some of these genes decreased in both cultivars on shading. Thus, the involvement of light-sensitive transcription factor(s) other than VvMYBA1/2 was suggested for the expression control of the upstream genes of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway. Furthermore, it was suggested that the effects of these factors are different among isogenes.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.103-111
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• 2006

Regulation of invertase biosynthesis was studied with the E. coil harboring recombinant plasmid, pYC17. Biosynthesis of invertase in the recombinant E. coil was effectively induced in the presence of 30mM of sucrose for 3h. Glucose also repressed the invertase induction in the recombinant E. coil at 10 mM, lower than that of parent strain (30 mM).

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2007

Regulation of invertase biosynthesis was studied with alkalophilic and thermophilic Bacillus cereus TA-11. Biosynthesis of invertase in Bacillus cereus TA-11 was effectively induced in the presence of 10 mM of sucrose for 180 min and 25 mM of raffinose for 90 min, respectively. Glucose repressed the invertase induction by sucrose and as late addition time of glucose, invertase formation was increased, indicating that glucose repression was occurred by inducer exclusion. Catabolite repression was not reduced by the addition of cAMP for 180 min of induction.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.131-136
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• 2005

The ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion, first identified in the chromosomal translocation in congenital fibrosarcoma, encodes a chimeric protein tyrosine kinase with potent transforming activity. ETV6-NTRK3-dependent transformation involves the joint action of NTRK3 signaling pathways, and aberrant cell cycle progression resulting from activation of Mek1 and Akt. The level of glutathione (GSH) was found to be markedly increased in ETV6-NTRK3-transformed NIH3T3 cells. The activities of the two GSH biosynthetic enzymes as well as of glutathione peroxidase, together with their mRNAs, were also higher in the transformed cells. The transformed cells were able to grow in the presence of GSH-depleting agents, whereas the control cells were not. L-Buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) inhibited activation of Mek1 and Akt in the transformed NIH3T3 cells. These observations imply that up-regulation of GSH biosynthesis plays a central role in ETV6-NTRK3-induced transformation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2018

The gaseous hormone ethylene influences many aspects of plant growth, development, and responses to a variety of stresses. The biosynthesis of ethylene is tightly regulated by various internal and external stimuli, and the primary target of the regulation is the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step of ethylene biosynthesis. We have previously demonstrated that the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis is a common feature of most of the phytohormones in etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings via the modulation of the protein stability of ACS. Here, we show that various phytohormones also regulate ethylene biosynthesis from etiolated rice seedlings in a similar manner to those in Arabidopsis. Cytokinin, brassinosteroids, and gibberellic acid increase ethylene biosynthesis without changing the transcript levels of neither OsACS nor ACC oxidases (OsACO), a family of enzymes catalyzing the final step of the ethylene biosynthetic pathway. Likewise, salicylic acid and abscisic acid do not alter the gene expression of OsACS, but both hormones downregulate the transcript levels of a subset of ACO genes, resulting in a decrease in ethylene biosynthesis. In addition, we show that the treatment of the phytohormones results in distinct etiolated seedling phenotypes, some of which resemble ethylene-responsive phenotypes, while others display ethylene-independent morphologies, indicating a complicated hormone crosstalk in rice. Together, our study brings a new insight into crosstalk between ethylene biosynthesis and other phytohormones, and provides evidence that rice ethylene biosynthesis could be regulated by the post-transcriptional regulation of ACS proteins.