• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.189-189
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• 2022

Soil salinity negatively affects plant growth, productivity, and metabolism. Rice is known to have more sensitive phenotypes than other cereal crops, such as wheat, sorghum, and barley. We characterized the molecular function of rice C3HC4 as a really interesting new gene (RING). Oryza sativa RING finger protein H2-3 (OsRFPH2-3) was highly expressed in 100 mM NaCl. To identify the localization of OsRFPH2-3, we fused vectors that include C-terminal GFP protein (35S;;OsRFPH2-3-GFP). OsRFPH2-3 was expressed in the nucleus in rice protoplasts. An in vitro ubiquitin assay demonstrated that OsRFPH2-3 possessed E3-ubiquitin ligase activity. However, the mutated OsRFPH2-3 were not possessed any E3-ubiquitin ligase activity. Under normal conditions, there is no significant phenotypic difference between transgenic plants and WT plants. However, OsRFPH2-3-overexpressing plants exhibited higher fresh weight and length under saline conditions. Also, transgenic plants maintain higher chlorophyll, proline, and soluble sugar contents and lower H₂O₂ and MDA contents than the wild type; these results support transgenic plants with enhanced salinity tolerance phenotypes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.156-156
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• 2023

Salinity is a major abiotic stress that limits rice productivity in many regions of the world. In order to develop salt stress tolerant rice plants, genetic engineering is a promising approach. We characterized the molecular function of rice C3H2C3 as a really interesting new gene (RING). Oryza sativa RING finger protein H2-3 (OsRFPH2-3) was highly expressed in 100 mM NaCl. To identify the localization of OsRFPH2-3, we fused vectors that include C-terminal GFP protein (35S;;OsRFPH2-3-GFP). OsRFPH2-3 was expressed in the nucleus in rice protoplasts. An in vitro ubiquitin assay demonstrated that OsRFPH2-3 possessed E3-ubiquitin ligase activity. However, the mutated OsRFPH2-3 were not possessed any E3-ubiquitin ligase activity. Under salinity conditions, OsRFPH2-3-overexpressing plants exhibited higher chlorophyll, proline, SOD, POD, CAT, and soluble sugar contents and lower H₂O₂ accumulation than wild-type plants, supporting transgenic plants with enhanced salinity tolerance phenotypes. OsRFPH2-3-overexpressing plants exhibited low Na+ accumulation and Na+/K+ ratios in their roots. Theses results suggest that overexpression of OsRFPH2-3 can make plant insensitivity about salinity conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1154-1162
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• 2021

The transcriptional capacities of target genes are strongly influenced by promoters, whereas few studies have focused on the development of robust, high-performance and cross-species promoters for wide application in different bacteria. In this work, four novel promoters (P_k.rtufB, P_k.r1, P_k.r2, and P_k.r3) were predicted from Ketogulonicigenium robustum and their inconsistency in the -10 and -35 region nucleotide sequences indicated they were different promoters. Their activities were evaluated by using green fluorescent protein (gfp) as a reporter in different species of bacteria, including K. vulgare SPU B805, Pseudomonas putida KT2440, Paracoccus denitrificans PD1222, Bacillus licheniformis and Raoultella ornithinolytica, due to their importance in metabolic engineering. Our results showed that the four promoters had different activities, with P_k.r1 showing the strongest activity in almost all of the experimental bacteria. By comparison with the commonly used promoters of E. coli (tufB, lac, lacUV5), K. vulgare (Psdh, Psndh) and P. putida KT2440 (JE111411), the four promoters showed significant differences due to only 12.62% nucleotide similarities, and relatively higher ability in regulating target gene expression. Further validation experiments confirmed their ability in initiating the target minCD cassette because of the shape changes under the promoter regulation. The overexpression of sorbose dehydrogenase and cytochrome c551 by P_k.r1 and P_k.r2 resulted in a 22.75% enhancement of 2-KGA yield, indicating their potential for practical application in metabolic engineering. This study demonstrates an example of applying bioinformatics to find new biological components for gene operation and provides four novel promoters with broad suitability, which enriches the usable range of promoters to realize accurate regulation in different genetic backgrounds.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.355-356
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• 2000

Three 'stress probe' plasmids were constructed and characterized which utilize a green fluorescent protein (CFP) as a non-invasive reporter to elucidate Escherichia coli cellular stress responses in quiescent or 'resting' cells. Facile detection of cellular stress levels was achieved by fusion of three heat shock stress protein promoter elements, those of the heat shock transcription factor ${\sigma}^{32}$, pretense subunit ClpB, and chaperone DnaK, to the reporter gene $gfp_{uv}$. When perturbed by chemical or physical stress (such as heat shock, nutrient (amino acid) limitation, addition of IPTG, acetic acid, ethanol, phenol, antifoam, and salt (osmotic shock), the E. coli cells produced GFPuv which was easily detected from within the cells as emitted green fluorescence. A temporal and amplitudinal mapping of these responses was performed, demonstrating regions where quantitative delineation of cell stress was afforded.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.545-554
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• 2013

Plasmid isolation of kimchi-derived Weissella cibaria KLC140 revealed six different plasmids. The smallest plasmid, pKW2124, was DNA sequenced and characterized, showing 2,126 bp with a GC content of 36.39% and five putative open reading frames (ORFs). In silico analysis of these ORFs showed ORF1 encodes a putative replication protein similar to rolling circular replication proteins from other lactic acid bacteria. However, a single-stranded intermediate was not detected when S1 nuclease was treated, suggesting it may follow theta replication. Interestingly, the replication initiation site of this plasmid is 100% identical to other plasmids from lactic acid bacteria, suggesting it may function for replication initiation. To construct a surface layer expression vector, pTSLGFP, slpA encoding the surface layer protein from Lactobacillus acidophilus was PCR amplified and fused with the gfp gene, forming a SLGFP fused gene. The plasmid pKW2124 was cloned into the XbaI site of pUC19, forming an Weissella-E. coli shuttle vector pKUW22. NheI-linearized pTSLGFP was ligated into pKUWCAT containing pKUW22 and the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene from pEK104, resulting in an 8.6 kb pKWCSLGFP surface layer expression vector. After transformation of this vector into W. cibaria KLC140, a GFP fluorescence signal was detected on the surface of the transformant, substantiating production of SLGFP fused protein and its secretion. This is the first report for construction of a Weissella surface layer expression vector, which may be useful for surface layer production of beneficial proteins in Weissella.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2002

To improve conventional yeast one-hybrid screening, we have developed an efficient mammalian one-hybrid system that allows rapid isolation of com-plementary DNAs which are able to induce human p14$^{ARF}$. tumor suppressor gene. A 1.5 kb promoter region of p14$^{ARF}$ was fused to EGFP to generate ARF promoter-EGFP reporter vector. This reporter plasmid was stably trans-fected into NIH3T3 cells for generation of reporter cell line. When the reporter cell line was infected with E2F-1 together with excess amounts of empty vector, the cells that received the positive modulator were readily identifiable by green fluorescence using FACS. The GFP-positive cells were cloned directly from the cultured cells and expanded in bulk culture. The genomic DNAs from GFP-positive cells were prepared and the CDNA insert in integrated retroviral genome was recovered by PCR using primers annealing to the retroviral vector sequences flanking the insert-cloning site. This system should be useful for efficient screening of expression CDNA libraries in mammalian cells to identify novel upstream regulators for spe-cific genes by one-hybrid interaction.ion.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1416-1423
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• 2018

With strong biotin binding affinity ($K_D=10^{-14}M$), the tetrameric feature of streptavidin could be used to increase the antigen binding activity of a camel heavy chain (VHH) antibody through their fusion, here stained with biotinylated horseradish peroxidase and subsequent immunoassays ELISA and Western blot analysis. For this application, we cloned the streptavidin gene amplified from the Streptomyces avidinii chromosome by PCR, and this was fused to the gene of the 8B9 VHH antibody which is specific to green fluorescent protein (GFP) antigens. To express a soluble fusion protein in Escherichia coli, we used the pUC119 plasmid-based expression system which uses the lacZ promoter for induction by IPTG, the pelB leader sequence at the N-terminus for secretion into the periplasmic space, and six polyhistidine tags at the C-terminus for purification of the expressed proteins using an $Ni^+$-NTA-agarose column. Although streptavidin is toxic to E. coli because of its strong biotin binding property, this soluble fusion protein was expressed successfully. In SDS-PAGE, the size of the purified fusion protein was 122.4 kDa in its native condition and 30.6 kDa once denatured by boiling, suggesting the tetramerization of the monomeric subunit by non-covalent association through the streptavidin moiety fusing to the 8B9 VHH antibody. In addition, this fusion protein showed biotin binding activity similar to streptavidin as well as GFP antigen binding activity through both ELISA and Western blot analysis. In conclusion, the protein resulting from the fusion of an 8B9 VHH antibody with streptavidin was successfully expressed and purified as a soluble tetramer in E. coli; it showed both biotin and GFP antigen binding activity suggesting the possible production of a tetrameric and bifunctional VHH antibody.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.446-456
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• 2005

Nerve growth factor(NGF) has a critical role in peripheral nerve regeneration. The aim of this study is to construct a well-functioning hNGF-$\beta$ recombinat adenovirus for the ultimate development of improved method to promote peripheral nerve regeneration with adenovirus mediated hNGF-$\beta$ gene transfection into Schwann cells. First PCR associated cloning of GFP-tagged hNGF-$\beta$ which was ligated into E1/E3 deleted adenoviral vector was performed and tranfected into E. coli to construct hNGF-$\beta$ recombinant adenovirus. After production of recombinat adenovirus in a large scale, its transfection efficiency, expression, and function were evaluated using cell lines or primarily cultured cells of HEK293 cells, Schwann cells, fibroblast(NIH3T3) and myocyte(CRH cells). GFP expression was observed in 90% of infected cells compared to uninfected cells. Total mRNA isolated from hNGF-$\beta$ recombinat adenoviru infected cells showed strong RT-PCR band, however, LacZ recombinant adenovirus infected or uninfected cells did not. NGF quantification by ELISA showed a maximal release of 18.865 +/- 0.31ng/mL at 4th day. PC-12 cells exposed to media with hNGF-$\beta$ recombinant adenovirus infected Schwann cell demonstrated higher levels of differentiation compared with controls. We generated hNGF-$\beta$ recombinant adenovirus and induced over expression of NGF successfully in nonneuronal and neuronal cells. Following these result, it is expected to develop an improved treatment strategy peripheral nerve regeneration using the hNGF-$\beta$ gene transfected cells.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2020

In order to use nervous necrosis virus (NNV) virus-like particles (VLPs) as a delivery tool for heterologous antigens or plasmids, we attempted to produce red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) VLPs displaying a partial region of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) glycoprotein at the surface and VLPs that are harboring DNA vaccine plasmids within the VLP. A peptide encoding 105 amino acids of VHSV glycoprotein was genetically inserted in the loop region of NNV capsid gene, and VLPs expressing the partial part of VHSV glycoprotein were successfully produced. However, in the transmission electron microscope analysis, the shape and size of the partial VHSV glycoprotein-expressing NNV VLPs were irregular and variable, respectively, indicating that the normal assembly of capsid proteins was inhibited by the relatively long foreign peptide (105 aa) on the loop region. To encapsulate by simultaneous transformation with both NNV capsid gene expressing plasmids and DNA vaccine plasmids (having an eGFP expressing cassette under the CMV promoter), NNV VLPs containing plasmids were produced. The encapsulation of plasmids in the NNV VLPs was demonstrated by PCR and cells exposed to the VLPs encapsulating DNA vaccine plasmids showed fluorescence. These results suggest that the encapsulation of plasmids in NNV VLPs can be done with a simple one-step process, excluding the process of disassembly-reassembly of VLPs, and NNV VLPs can be used as a delivery tool for DNA vaccine vectors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3723-3727
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• 2015

The p53 tumor suppressor protein is a principal mediator of growth arrest, senescence, and apoptosis in response to a broad array of cellular damage. p53 is a substrate for the ubiquitin-proteasome system, however, the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) involved in p53 ubiquitination have not been well studied. UBE2Q1 is a novel E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme gene. Here, we investigated the effect of UBE2Q1 overexpression on the level of p53 in the MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line as well as the interaction between UBE2Q1 and p53. By using a lipofection method, the p53 mutated breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-468, was transfected with the vector pCMV6-AN-GFP, containing UBE2Q1 ORF. Western blot analysis was employed to verify the overexpression of UBE2Q1 in MDA-MB-468 cells and to evaluate the expression level of p53 before and after cell transfection. Immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down protocols were used to investigate the binding of UBE2Q1 to p53. We established MDA-MB-468 cells that transiently expressed a GFP fusion proteins containing UBE2Q1 (GFP-UBE2Q1). Western blot analysis revealed that levels of p53 were markedly lower in UBE2Q1 transfected MDA-MB-468 cells as compared with control MDA-MB-468 cells. Both in vivo and in vitro data showed that UBE2Q1 co-precipitated with p53 protein. Our data for the first time showed that overexpression of UBE2Q1can lead to the repression of p53 in MDA-MB-468 cells. This repression of p53 may be due to its UBE2Q1 mediated ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome degradation, a process that may involve direct interaction of UBE2Q1with p53.