• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 1998

Turnip mosaic virus)TuMV-Ca) was isolated from a Chinese cabbage showing severe mosaic and black necrotic spots symptoms in Korea. The virus was identified as a strain of TuMV by its host range test, particle morphology, serology, double stranded RNA analysis. For detection of the virus, reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was performed with a set of 18-mer TuMV-specific primers to amplify a 876 bp DNA fragment The virus was rapidly detected from total nucleic acids of virus infected tissues as well as native viral RNA of purified virion particles by RT-PCR. Detection limit of the viral RNA by RT-PCR was 10 fg.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 1989

Polysomal polyadenylated mRNAs which were purified from pea leaves were fractionated by sucrose grandient sedimentation. Fractions corresponding to the peak at 11.5S were found to contain mostly mRNA encoding the precursor polypeptide to the small subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcS) by in vitro translation in wheat germ extract. Double-stranded cDNA which was synthesized from the 11.5S mRNA was cloned into Hind III site of plasmid pBR 325. A cDNA clone, H24, was identified to code for rbcS. In vitro translation product of the hybridization-selected mRNA was molecular weight 20,000, presumably the precursor of rbcS. The nucleotide sequences of the H24 showed almost complete homology with the sequences encoding the transit peptide of the rbcS-3A gene which was reported by Fluhr et al.(1986).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.139.1-139
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• 2003

Tissues from woody plant contain higher amount of phenolic compounds and polysaccharides, which give inhibitory effects on reverse transcriptase and/or Taq ploymerase. The common multiple-step protocols using several additives to inhibit polyphenoic compounds during nucleic acid extraction are time consuming and laborious. Sodium sulfite (Na$_2$SO$_3$) was used as inhibitor of polyphenolic oxidases in extraction buffer and compare it's effect between commercial RNA extraction kit and small-scale double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) extraction by RT-PCR. During nucleic acid extraction procedure, addition of 0.5％-1.5％ (w/v) sodium sulfite to Iysis buffer or STE buffer resulted in lighter color change than extracts without sodium sulfite and improve the RT-PCR detection. When commercial RNA extraction kit used, optimal concentration of sodium sulfite were variable according to the host plant. However, using dsRNA as RT-PCR template, 1.5％ sodium sulfite in STE buffer improves the detection of both viruses and unspecific amplifications were reduced significantly, Furthermore, when viruses existed at low titers in host plant, small-scale dsRNA extractions were very reliable.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.689-695
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• 2009

Chemically synthesized small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can specifically knock-down expression of target genes via RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. To date, the length of synthetic siRNA duplex has been strictly maintained less than 30 bp, because an early study suggested that double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) longer than 30 bp could not trigger specific gene silencing due to the induction of non-specific antiviral interferon responses. Contrary to the current belief, here we show that synthetic dsRNA as long as 38 bp can result in specific target gene silencing without non-specific antiviral responses. Using this longer duplex structure, we have generated dsRNAs, which can simultaneously knock-down expression of two target genes (termed as dual-target siRNAs or dsiRNAs). Our results thus demonstrate the structural flexibility of gene silencing siRNAs, and provide a starting point to construct multifunctional RNA structures. The dsiRNAs could be utilized to develop a novel therapeutic gene silencing strategy against diseases with multiple gene alternations such as viral infection and cancer.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.3893-3898
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• 2011

Cellular uptake of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) triggers strong innate immune responses via activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ transcription factor. However, the detailed mechanism of dsDNA-mediated innate immune response remains yet to be elucidated. Here, we show that the expression of tazarotene-induced gene 3 (TIG3) is dramatically induced by dsDNA stimulation, and the siRNA-mediated down-regulation of TIG3 mRNA results in significant suppression of dsDNA-triggered cytokine expression. Because TIG3 has been previously shown to physically interact with transglutaminase (TG) 1 to activate TG activity, and TG2 has been shown to induce NF-${\kappa}B$ activity by inducing $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ polymerization, we tested whether TG also plays a role in dsDNA-mediated innate immune response. Pre-treatment of TG inhibitors dramatically reduces dsDNA-triggered cytokine induction. We also show that, in HeLa cells, TG2 is the major TG, and TIG3 physically interacts with TG2. Combined together, our results suggest a novel mechanism of dsDNA-triggered innate immune response which is critically dependent on TIG3 and TG2.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2008

Introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into some cells or organisms results in degradation of its homologous mRNA, a process called RNA interference (RNAi). The dsRNAs are processed into short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that subsequently bind to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), causing degradation of target mRNAs. Because of this sequence-specific ability to silence target genes, RNAi has been extensively used to study gene functions and has the potential to control disease pathogens or vectors. With this promise of RNAi to control pathogens and vectors, this paper reviews the current status of RNAi in protozoans, animal parasitic helminths and disease-transmitting vectors, such as insects. Many pathogens and vectors cause severe parasitic diseases in tropical regions and it is difficult to control once the host has been invaded. Intracellularly, RNAi can be highly effective in impeding parasitic development and proliferation within the host. To fully realize its potential as a means to control tropical diseases, appropriate delivery methods for RNAi should be developed, and possible off-target effects should be minimized for specific gene suppression. RNAi can also be utilized to reduce vector competence to interfere with disease transmission, as genes critical for pathogenesis of tropical diseases are knockdowned via RNAi.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.554-557
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• 2008

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces gene silencing in a sequence-specific manner by a process known as RNA interference (RNAi). The RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) is a multi-subunit ribonucleoprotein complex that plays a key role in RNAi. VIG (Vasa intronic gene) has been identified as a component of Drosophila RISC; however, the role VIG plays in regulating RNAi is poorly understood. Here, we examined the spatial and temporal expression patterns of VIG-1, the C. elegans ortholog of Drosophila VIG, using a vig-1::gfp fusion construct. This construct contains the 908-bp region immediately upstream of vig-1 gene translation initiation site. Analysis by confocal microscopy demonstrated GFP-VIG-1 expression in a number of tissues including the pharynx, body wall muscle, hypodermis, intestine, reproductive system, and nervous system at the larval and adult stages. Furthermore, western blot analysis showed that VIG-1 is present in each developmental stage examined. To investigate regulatory sequences for vig-1 gene expression, we generated constructs containing deletions in the upstream region. It was determined that the GFP expression pattern of a deletion construct (${\Delta}-908$ to -597) was generally similar to that of the non-deletion construct. In contrast, removal of a larger segment (${\Delta}-908$ to -191) resulted in the loss of GFP expression in most cell types. Collectively, these results indicate that the 406-bp upstream region (-596 to -191) contains essential regulatory sequences required for VIG-1 expression.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.272-281
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• 2020

Environmental agents, including viral and bacterial infectious agents, are involved in the alteration of physicochemical and biological parameters in the nasal epithelium. Hyaluronan (HA) has an important role in the regulation of tissue healing properties. High molecular weight HA (HMW-HA) shows greater anti-inflammatory responses than medium molecular weight HA (MMW-HA) and low molecular weight HA (LMW-HA). We investigated the effect of HMW-HA, MMW-HA and LMW-HA on the regulation of physicochemical and biological parameters in an "in vitro" model that might mimic viral infections of the nasal epithelium. Human nasal epithelial cell line RPMI2650 was stimulated with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) Poly(I:C) for 5 days in air-liquid-interface (ALI) culture (3D model of airway tissue). dsRNA Poly(I:C) treatment significantly decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in the stratified nasal epithelium of RPMI2650 and increased pH values, rheological parameters (elastic G' and viscous G''), and Muc5AC and Muc5B production in the apical wash of ALI culture of RPMI2650 in comparison to untreated cells. RPMI2650 treated with dsRNA Poly(I:C) in the presence of HMW-HA showed lower pH values, Muc5AC and Muc5B production, and rheological parameters, as well as increased TEER values in ALI culture, compared to cells treated with Poly(I:C) alone or pretreated with LMW-HA and MMW-HA. Our 3D "in vitro" model of epithelium suggests that HMW-HA might be a coadjuvant in the pharmacological treatment of viral infections, allowing for the control of some physicochemical and biological properties affecting the epithelial barrier of the nose during infection.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.305-310
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• 2009

Plasmid pGKV21 contains a 229-nucleotide (nt) single-strand DNA initiation (ssi) signal. Using asymmetric PCR, we prepared a small single-stranded (ss) DNA fragment of the ssi signal and, using the 229-nt ssDNA fragment, determined the requirements of RNA polymerase for priming and DNA-protein interaction. The ssi fragment prepared was able to generate primer RNAs with almost the same efficiency as the $M13{\Delta}lac182/229$ phage DNA. However, the cssi (complementary strand of the ssi signal) fragment could not synthesize primer RNAs. This result suggests that the 229-nt ssi signal functions in a strand specific manner. Gel retardation and DNase I footprinting demonstrated that the synthesized ssi fragment could interact with both E. coli RNA polymerase and SSB protein to synthesize primer RNA. In Escherichia coli [pWVAp], an addition of rifampicin resulted in an accumulation of ssDNA, indicating that the host-encoded RNA polymerase is involved in the conversion of ssDNA to double-stranded plasmid DNA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.351-355
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• 2005

In the storage roots of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. cv. Kokei 14), 10 to 20% of starch is essentially unbranched linear amylose and the other major component is branched amylopectin. Amylose is produced by the enzyme GBSSI (granule bound starch synthase I), whereas amylopectin is produced by a concerted action of soluble starch synthase and starch branching enzymes (SBEI and SBEII). We constructed double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) interference vectors of GBSSI and IbSBEII and introduced them into sweetpotato genome via Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation. The endogenous GBSSI expression was inhibited by dsRNA of GBSSI in 73 % of transgenic plants giving rise to the storage tubers containing amylopectin but not amylose. On the other hand, all sweetpotato plants transformed with dsRNA of IbSBEII contained a larger amount of amylose than the non-transgenic control (up to 25% compared to 10% in the controls). The RNA interference (RNAi) is effectively inhibited the gene expression in thestarch metabolic pathway and modified the characteristics of starch in sweetpotato.