• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1073-1079
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• 2005

To investigate plant protection, pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and plant defense enzymes related to cell wall lignification were studied in pepper plants inoculated with antagonistic Bacillus subtilis HJ927 and pathogenic strain Phytophthora capsici. Phytophthora blight disease was reduced by $53\%$ in pepper roots when preinoculated with B. subtilis HJ927 against P. capsici. The activities of PR proteins (chitinase and ${\beta}$-1,3,-glucanase) and defense-related enzymes (peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase) decreased in roots of B. subtilis+P capsid-treated plants, but increased in leaves with time. The decrease and increase were much greater in P. capsici-treated plants than in B. subtilis HJ927+P capsici-treated plants, although P. capsici-treated plants had more severe damage. Therefore, changes of enzyme activities do not seem to be directly related to plant protection. We suggest that the change of these enzymes in pathogen-treated plants may be related to plant response rather than to resistance against pathogen attacks.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2020

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71) in infants and children under six years of age. HFMD is characterized by fever, mouth ulcers, and vesicular rashes on the palms and feet. EV71 also causes severe neurological manifestations, such as brainstem encephalitis and aseptic meningitis. Recently, frequent outbreaks of EV71 have occurred in the Asia-Pacific region, but currently, no effective antiviral drugs have been developed to treat the disease. In this study, we investigated the antiviral effect of salvianolic acid B (SalB) on EV71. SalB is a major component of the Salvia miltiorrhiza root and has been shown to be an effective treatment for subarachnoid hemorrhages and myocardial infarctions. HeLa cells were cultured in 12-well plates and treated with SalB (100 or 10 ㎍/ml) and 10⁶ PFU/ml of EV71. SalB treatment (100 ㎍/ml) significantly decreased the cleavage of the eukaryotic eIF4G1 protein and reduced the expression of the EV71 capsid protein VP1. In addition, SalB treatment showed a dramatic decrease in viral infection, measured by immunofluorescence staining. The Akt signaling pathway, a key component of cell survival and proliferation, was significantly increased in EV71-infected HeLa cells treated with 100 ㎍/ml SalB. RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA for anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and the cell cycle regulator Cyclin-D1 were significantly increased by SalB treatment. These results indicate that SalB activates Akt/PKB signaling and inhibits apoptosis in infected HeLa cells. Taken together, these results suggest that SalB could be used to develop a new therapeutic drug for EV71-induced HFMD.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2001

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is known to cause cervical cancers. Human papillomavirus-like particles (VLP) have been studied as preventive vaccines of cervical cancers. To develop VLP as a therapeutic gene carrier, we studied the method to encapsulate cytokine genes in virus-like particles. HPV type 16 capsid L1 genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into T vector. L1 gene was then inserted into baculovirus transfer vector. The clone of baculovirus encoding L1 gene was isolated and used to express L1 protein in Sf 21 insect cells. VLP were purified by CsCl density gradient and ultracentrifugation. VLP were disassembled to capsomer units by treatment of a reducing agent. Given that interleukin-2 (IL-2) genes have been used in anticancer gene therapy and as a molecular adjuvant, IL-2 cytokine plasmids were chosen as a model gene. IL-2 plasmids were incubated with the disassembled capsomer suspension. To reassemble the particles, the mixture of capsomers and cytokine plasmids was dialyzed. The disassembly and reassembly of VLP were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The entrapment of cytokine plasmids in reassembled VLP was tested by the stability of plasmids against DNase I. After treatment of reassembled virus-like particles with DNase I, discrete IL-2 DNA band was observed. Our results indicate that IL-2 cytokine plasmid (3.5 kb size) can be encapsulated in the virus-like particles, suggesting the potential of VLP as a gene delivery system. Moreover, VLP containing the adjuvant cytokine plasmids might function as more effective subunit vaccines.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7433-7438
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• 2013

Aim: To identify new biomarkers for NPC diagnosis with an anti-EBV Western blot test kit. Methods: Serum samples from 64 NPC patients and healthy subjects with four specific VCA-IgA/EA-IgA profiles were tested with an anti-EBV Western blot test kit from EUROIMMUN AG. Proteins were quantified with scores of intensity visually assigned to the protein bands. The markers which showed statistical differences between the NPC and non-NPC subjects were further evaluated in another 32 NPC patients and 32 controls in comparison with established biomarkers including VCA-IgA, EA-IgA, EBV-related protein IgG, and EBV DNA. Results: Among the markers screened, EA-D p45-IgG showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between NPC and non-NPC subjects with VCA-IgA positivy. In 32 VCA-IgA positive NPC patients and 32 control subjects, the diagnostic accuracy of EA-D p45-IgG was 78.1% with a positive predictive value of 77.8% and a negative predictive value of 78.6%. In the verification experiment, the specificity and sensitivity of EA-D p45-IgG were 75.0% and 90.6 %, respectively. Conclusions: EA-D p45-IgG might be a potential biomarker for NPC diagnosis, especially among VCA-IgA positive subjects.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.259-268
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• 1992

Fifty-three actinomycetes antagonistic to Phytophthora capsici and Magnaporthe grisea were isolated from rhizosphere soils in six pepper-growing areas and ashore soils. Thirty-two antagonistic actinomycetes, showing inhibition zone larger than 5 mm, were classified into 20 groups according to their colony morphology and color. The antagonistic activity against P. capsici greatly varied, which showed inhibition zone sizes in the ranges from 5.7 to 17.5 mm on V-8 juice agar and from 2.5 to 17 mm on tryptic soy agar. The antagonistic activity of some actinomycetes tested was remarkably different between the two test media. The antagonists showed a relatively broad antifungal spectrum, but their antibacterial activity was negligible, except for Pseudomonas solanacearum. Butanol extracts of culture filtrates from antagonistic actinomycetes inhibited mycelial growth of P. capsici and M. grisea, thereby confirming strongly antibiotic production in culture. Culture filtrates of some antagonistic actinomycetes completely inhibited Phytophthora blight in pepper plants.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.118-122
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• 2003

To develop vector plasmid for the bacteriophage P2-P4 system which is a useful experimental tool for the study of viral capsid assembly, we constructed a new P4-derived vector plasmid starting from P4 ash8 sid71 With recombinant DNA technology, a portion of P4 genome was deleted and tetracyclin resistance gene (terR) was introduced into P4 genome to give P4 selectivity. Resulting P4 ash8(sid71) terR was 12.09 kb long and could be converted to a viable bacteriophage with P2 infection. The burst size of induced bacteriophage form of P4 ash8(sid71) terR was determined. The CsCl buoyant equilibrium density gradient experiment of new P4 derivative suggested the upper limit of packaging capacity in P2-size head.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2000

The coat protein (CP) gene of kyuri green mottle mosaic virus zucchini strain (KGMMV-Z) isolated from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) in Chonfu, Korea in 1999 was sequenced by the reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction with degenerate and generate primers originated from tobamoviruses. The degenerate primers were very effective in amplification of KGMMV-Z CP region. The KGMMV-Z CP gene consisted of 486 nucleotides and had the same nucleotide length compared with those of cucurbit-infecting tobamoviruses. KGMMV-Z CP gene shared 43.8, 44.2, and 44.4% nucleotide sequence similarity with the CP gene of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus watermelon strain (CGMMZ-W), CGMMV-KW1, and CGMMV-SH, respectively, whereas three CGMMV strains among themselves showed 98.6-99.6% nucleotide similarity. The deduced amino acids of KGMMV-Z CP gene were 161 amino acid residues with the molecular weight of 17,181 daltons. The first 24 codons of KGMMV-Z CP gene corresponded to the sequences of the N-terminal amino acid of the viral capsid protein. The amino acid sequences of KGMMV-Z CP had 45.3% similarity compared with those of three CGMMV strains. However, the amino acid sequences of CGMMV strains were identical. These results showed that two cucurbit-infecting tobamovirus members, KGMMV-Z and CGMMV were genetically distantly related.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-55
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• 2008

Like the other herpesviruses, the virion of MDV consists of an envelope, which surrounds an amorphous tegument. Within the tegument, and icosahedral capsid encloses a linear double-stranded DNA core. Although the genome structure of MDV indicates that it is an ${\alpha}-herpesvirus$ like herpes simplex and varicella-zoster viruses, biological properties indicate MDV is more akin to the ${\gamma}-herpesvirus$ group, which includes Epstein-Barr and Kaposi's sarcoma herpesviruses. These herpesviruses replicate lytically in lymphocytes, epithelial and fibroblastic cells, and persist in lymphoblastoid cells. MDV has a complex life cycle and uses two means of replication, productive and non-productive, to exist and propagate. The method of reproduction changes according to a defined pattern depending on changes in virus-cell interactions at different stages of the disease, and in different tissues. Productive (lytic) interactions involve active invasion and take-over of the host cell, resulting in the production of infectious progeny virions. However, some herpesviruses, including MDV, can also establish a non-productive (abortive) infection in certain cell types, resulting in production of cell-associated progeny virus. Non-productive interactions represent persistent infection, in which the viral genome is present but gene expression is limited, there is no structural or regulatory gene translation, no replication, no release of progeny virions and no cell death. Reactivation of the virus is rare, and usually the infectious virus can be re-isolated only after cultivation in vitro. MDV establishes latency in lymphoid cells, some of which are subsequently transformed. In this review article, recent knowledges of the pathogenesis mechanisms followed by MDV infection to sensitive cells and chickens are discussed precisely.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.92-95
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• 2000

The HIV-1 p24(202-221) sequence ETINNEEEWDRVHPV HAGP contains a B-cell epitope with the earliest immune response and the highest antibody titer against anti-mouse sera obtained by immunization with p24 antigens. A novel mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb) was generated against the immunodominant B-cell epitope of the HIV-1 p24 capsid protein, p24(202-221). BALB/c mice were immunized with the four branched multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) containing the HIV-1p24(202-221) sequence, and antibody-secreting hybridoma were produced by fusion of mouse splenocytes with P3X63Ag8.653, mouse myeloma cells. One clone which produced the antigen-specific mAb named KI-24 (Isotype IgG1, light chain: ${\kappa}$) was identified. mAb KI-24 was highly specific for both the p24(202-221) and p24 proteins when analyzed by ELISA and Western blotting. Since p24(202-221) also contains a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitope, this specfic peptide epitope and the monoclonal antibody with specific reactivity against the p24 protein and p24(202-221) can be used in peptide vaccine development and p24 antigen detection from HIV patients.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2014

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the predominant cause of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). The antiviral activity of hederasaponin B from Hedera helix against EV71 subgenotypes C3 and C4a was evaluated in vero cells. In the current study, the antiviral activity of hederasaponin B against EV71 C3 and C4a was determined by cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction method and western blot assay. Our results demonstrated that hederasaponin B and 30% ethanol extract of Hedera helix containing hederasaponin B showed significant antiviral activity against EV71 subgenotypes C3 and C4a by reducing the formation of a visible CPE. Hederasaponin B also inhibited the viral VP2 protein expression, suggesting the inhibition of viral capsid protein synthesis.These results suggest that hederasaponin B and Hedera helix extract containing hederasaponin B can be novel drug candidates with broad-spectrum antiviral activity against various subgenotypes of EV71.