• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.232-239
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• 2011

The genus Acorus is known as an indigenous medicinal plant. Genetic diversity of thirteen accessions of A. calamus and eight of A. gramineus, with an accession of Colocasia antiquorum and two of Iris pseudacorus as outgroups, were evaluated using RAPD markers for cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis, and NIR spectroscopic profiles for principal component analysis.A total of 371 polymorphic bands were obtained by using the selected 12 random primers. The genetic distances were estimated from 0.03 to 0.31 within A. calamus and from 0.03 to 0.51 within A. gramineus. The dendrogram and three-dimensional plot separated the accessions into four distinct groups (A. calamus, A. gramineus, C. antiquorum, and I. pseudacorus). Moreover, for the diversity among genus Acorus, eleven A. calamus accessions, one A. gramineus accession, and two I. pseudacorus accessions were non-destructively analyzed from their leaves by NIR spectroscopy, which discriminated Acorus accessions like the RAPD analysis. Interestingly, thirteen accessions of A. calamus were clustered into two groups based on RAPD and NIR analyses, which indicates that there are two ecotypes of A. calamus in Korea. An accession (CZ) of A. calamus with yellow stripe on leaves was closely grouped with another (CX) at a genetic distance (GD) of 0.03, which shows that the stripe trait might be generated by chimeric mutation. The genetic distance between A. calamus and A. gramineus was revealed to be farthest from 0.80 to 0.88 GD. In genus Acorus the genetic diversity and genetic variation were identified by using RAPD marker technique and non-destructive NIRs.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2006

Comparative analysis of microbial communities in a sequencing batch reactor which performed enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) was carried out using a cultivation-based technique and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. A standard PCR protocol and a modified PCR protocol with low PCR cycle was applied to the two clone libraries of the 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from EBPR sludge, respectively, and the resulting 424 clones were analyzed using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) on 16S rRNA gene inserts. Comparison of two clone libraries showed that the modified PCR protocol decreased the incidence of distinct fragment patterns from about 63 % (137 of 217) in the standard PCR method to about 34 % (70 of 207) under the modified protocol, suggesting that just a low level of PCR cycling (5 cycles after 15 cycles) can significantly reduce the formation of chimeric DNA in the final PCR products. Phylogenetic analysis of 81 groups with distinct RFLP patterns that were obtained using the modified PCR method revealed that the clones were affiliated with at least 11 phyla or classes of the domain Bacteria. However, the analyses of 327 colonies, which were grouped into just 41 distinct types by RFLP analysis, showed that they could be classified into five major bacterial lineages: ${\alpha},\;{\beta},\;{\gamma}-$ Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and the phylum Bacteroidetes, which indicated that the microbial community yielded from the cultivation-based method was still much simpler than that yielded from the PCR-based molecular method. In this study, the discrepancy observed between the communities obtained from PCR-based and cultivation-based methods seems to result from low culturabilities of bacteria or PCR bias even though modified culture and PCR methods were used. Therefore, continuous development of PCR protocol and cultivation techniques is needed to reduce this discrepancy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2013

IL-12 is a secretory heterodimeric cytokine composed of p35 and p40 subunits. IL-12 p35 and p40 subunits are sometimes produced as monomers or homodimers. IL-12 is also produced as a membrane-bound form in some cases. In this study, we hypothesized that the membrane-bound form of IL-12 subunits may function as a costimulatory signal for selective activation of TAA-specific CTL through direct priming without involving antigen presenting cells and helper T cells. MethA fibrosarcoma cells were transfected with expression vectors of membrane-bound form of IL-12p35 (mbIL-12p35) or IL-12p40 subunit (mbIL-12p40) and were selected under G418-containing medium. The tumor cell clones were analyzed for the expression of mbIL-12p35 or p40 subunit and for their stimulatory effects on macrophages. The responsible T-cell subpopulation for antitumor activity of mbIL-12p35 expressing tumor clone was also analyzed in T cell subset-depleted mice. Expression of transfected membranebound form of IL-12 subunits was stable during more than 3 months of in vitro culture, and the chimeric molecules were not released into culture supernatants. Neither the mbIL-12p35-expressing tumor clones nor mbIL-12p40-expressing tumor clones activated macrophages to secrete TNF-${\alpha}$. Growth of mbIL-12p35-expressing tumor clones was more accelerated in the $CD8^+$ T cell-depleted mice than in $CD4^+$ T cell-depleted or normal mice. These results suggest that $CD8^+$ T cells could be responsible for the rejection of mbIL-12p35-expressing tumor clone, which may bypass activation of antigen presenting cells and $CD4^+$ helper T cells.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 1994

DNA uptake in dry embryos of rice by DNA imbibition was detected by monitoring the expression of chimeric vectors. The selective markers of expression vectors used were ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ ronidase (GUS) and hygromycin phosphotransferase (HPT) genes under the control of CaMV35 S promoter. Frequency of transient expression of the foreign gene was generally 30-50% varying according to the types of vectors and rice cultivars. Dot blot analysis and DNA sequence analysis of inverse polymerase chain reaction products showed that selected rice in hygromycin B (HmB) medium had HPT gene and CaMV35S promoter DNA sequence in genomic DNA of rice. To investigate what ratio of rice having two marker genes simultaneously as rice embryos imbibed the vector DNA having two HPT and GUS gene, transform ants selected in lImB medium were subjected to PCR for GUS gene. It was shown that about 90 percentage of surviving ones in HmB medium had GUS gene.S gene.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.385-389
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• 2015

In this study, it is reported that a large polyprotein can be stoichiometrically cleaved by the use of caspase-3-dependent proteolysis. Previously, it has been shown that the proteolytic IETD motif was partially processed when treated with caspase-3, while the DEVD motif was completely cleaved. The cleavage efficiency of the DEVD-based substrate was approximately 2.0 times higher than that of the IETD substrate, in response to caspase-3. Based on this, 3 protein genes of interest were genetically linked to each other by adding two proteolytic cleavage sequences, DEVD and IETD, for caspase-3. Particularly, glutathione-S transferase (GST), maltose binding protein (MBP), and red fluorescent protein (RFP) were chosen as model proteins due to the variation in their size. The expressed polyprotein was purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) via a hexa-histidine tag at the C-terminal end, showing 93 kDa of a chimeric GST:MBP:RFP fusion protein. In response to caspase-3, cleavage products, such as MBP:RFP (68 kDa), MBP (42 kDa), RFP (26 kDa), and GST (25 kDa), were separated from a large precursor GST:MBP:RFP (93 kDa) via SDS-PAGE. The results obtained from this study indicate that a multi-protein can be stoichiometrically produced from a large poly-protein by using proteolytic recognition motifs, such as DEVD and IETD tetra-peptides, for caspase-3.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.180-186
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• 2015

Escherichia coli AcrAB-TolC is a multidrug efflux pump that expels a wide range of toxic substrates. The dynamic nature of the binding or low affinity between the components has impeded elucidation of how the three components assemble in the functional state. Here, we created fusion proteins composed of AcrB, a transmembrane linker, and two copies of AcrA. The fusion protein exhibited acridine pumping activity, suggesting that the protein reflects the functional structure in vivo. To discern the assembling mode with TolC, the AcrBA fusion protein was incubated with TolC or a chimeric protein containing the TolC aperture tip region. Three-dimensional structures of the complex proteins were determined through transmission electron microscopy. The overall structure exemplifies the adaptor bridging model, wherein the funnel-like AcrA hexamer forms an intermeshing cogwheel interaction with the ${\alpha}$-barrel tip region of TolC, and a direct interaction between AcrB and TolC is not allowed. These observations provide a structural blueprint for understanding multidrug resistance in pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.209-213
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• 1989

Transformation of an auxotrophic requirement for uracil in Pleurotus florida P101 has been achieved using chimeric vector containing Aspergillus nidulans ans 1, and Neurospora crassa pyr 4 DNA. Protoplasts of $Ura^-$strains of P. florida were incubated with plasmid pDJB3 containing the cloned pyr 4 gene in the presence of polyethylene glycol and $CaCl_2$. Transformants could grow on MMM showing mitotical stability. Southern hybridization analysis of DNA isolated from transformants showed that the Neurospora pyr 4 gene and vector sequence might be integrated into the P. florida chromosomes. As the transformants were monokaryon, each transformant was mated with the other monokaryon. Fruitbody shape of untransformant was eroded type but those of transformants were eroded type, funnel type, plane type and ungrowing cap type.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2003

This study was investigated to identify the regulatory mechanism of ACC gene expression by hormones and nutrition. The fragment of ACC promoter I (PI) -220 bp region was recombined to pGL3-Basic vector with luciferase as a reporter gene. The primary hepatocyte from the rat was used to investigate the regulation of ACC PI activity. ACC PI (-220 bp)/luciferase chimeric plasmid was transfected into primary rat hepatocyte by using lipofectin. ACC PI activity was shown by measuring luciferase activity. The addition of insulin, dexamethasone, and triiodothyronine to the culture medium increased the activity of ACC PI by 2.5-, 2.3- and 1.8-fold, respectively. In the presence of 1 $\mu$M dexamethasone, the effects of insulin was amplified about 1.2-fold showing the additional effects of dexamethasone. Moreover the activity of luciferase was increased by insulin, dexamethasone, and triiodothyronine treatment approximately 4-fold. These results indicated that insulin, dexamethasone and thyroid hormone coordinately regulate ACC gene expression via regulation of promoter I activity. On the -220 to ＋21 region of ACC PI, the addition of the glucose to the culture medium increased the activity of ACC PI. With 25 mM glucose, luciferase activity increased by 7-fold. On the other hand, on the -220 bp region, ACC PI activity was not changed by polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, it can be postulated that there are response elements for insulin, triiodothyronine, dexamethasone, and glucose, but not PUFAs on the -220 bp region of ACC PI.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.276-280
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• 2000

In order to identify the domains of the G$_{\alpha}$16 subunit G protein that are responsible for its activation by the Interleukin-8 receptor, a serious of chimeras between G$_{\alpha}$16 and G$_{\alpha}$11 were assessed for their abilities to be activated by these receptors. Co-expression of IL-8 receptor and chimeras in which the carboxyl-terminal regions of G$_{\alpha}$11 were replaced from 30 up to 156 amino acid residues with the corresponding regions of G$_{\alpha}$16 demonstrated that C-terminal 156 amino acid residues of the G$_{\alpha}$16 were not sufficient to confer IL-8 receptor interaction specificity. Testing of a reciprocal serious of chimeras composed of G$_{\alpha}$16 sequences at the amino terminus and G$_{\alpha}$11 sequences at the carboxyl terminals revealed that sequences extending from the amino tar- minus to amino acid 209 of G$_{\alpha}$16 were sufficient to 7ndow the chimera with 75-80% of interaction specificity for 7-8-induced activation. These results suggest th,.7t combined interactions of the C-terminal 30 amino acid residues and certain domains extending from the arts.ino terminus to amino acid 209 of Gal 6 protein may be involved in its couplings to IL-8 receptor.tain domains extending from the arts.ino terminus to amino acid 209 of Gal 6 protein may be involved in its couplings to IL-8 receptor.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2009

Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are widely distributed in the plant kingdom, but their functions remain elusive. The proteins AlLTP2-4 were isolated from three related Allium plants: garlic (A. sativum L.), Welsh onion (A. fistulosum L.), and Nanking shallot (A. ascalonicum L.). These novel proteins comprise a new class of LTPs associated with the Ace-AMP1 from onion (A. cepa L.). The AlLTP genes encode proteins harboring 132 common amino acids and also share a high level of sequence identity. Protein characteristics and phylogenetic analysis suggest that LTPs could be classified into five distinct groups. The AlLTPs were clustered into the most distantly related plant LTP subfamily and appeared to be restricted to the Allium species. In particular, the number of amino acids existing between the fourth and fifth Cys residue was suggested as a conserved motif facilitating the categorization of all the LTP-related proteins in the family. Unlike other LTPs, AlLTPs harboring both the putative C-terminal propeptide and N-terminal signal peptide were predicted to be localized to cytoplasmic vacuoles. When a chimeric GFP protein fused with both N-terminal and C-terminal AlLTP2 signal peptides was expressed in rice cells, the fluorescence signal was detected in the endomembrane compartments, thereby confirming that AlLTPs are an unprecedented intracellular type of LTP. Collectively, our present data demonstrate that AlLTPs are a novel type of LTP associated with the Allium species.