• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.677-680
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• 2007

To analyze a cotG-based Bacillus subtilis spore display system directly, $GFP_{UV}$ was expressed on the surface of Bacillus subtilis spores. When $GFP_{UV}$ was fused to the C-terminal of the cotG structural gene and expressed, the existence of a $CotG-GFP_{UV}$ fusion protein on the B. subtilis spore was confirmed by flow cytometry confocal microscopic analysis. When the cotG anchoring motif was deleted, no fluorescence emission was observed under flow cytometry and confocal microscopic analysis from the purified spore, confirming the essential role of CotG as an anchoring motif. This $GFP_{UV}$ displaying spore might be used for another signaling application triggered by intracellular or extracellular stimuli.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.135-136
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• 2001

The Tk-ptp gene encoding a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KODI was cloned and sequenced. Sequence analysis indicated that Tk-ptp encoded a protein consisting 147 amino acid residues (16,953 Da). The wild type and the mutants were expressed in Escherichia coli cells as His-tagged fusion proteins and examined for enzyme characteristics. Tk-PTP possessed two unique features that were not found in eucaryal and bacterial counterparts. First, the recombinant Tk-PTP showed the phosphatase activity not only for the phosphotyrosine but also phosphoserine. Second, the conserved Asp (Asp-63), which was considered to be a critical residue, was not involved in catalysis. In order to know a specific substrate for Tk-PTP, C93S mutant was used to trap substrate protein. Proteins of 120, 60 and 53 kDa were isolated specifically from KODI cell lysates by affinity chromatography with Tk-PTP-C93S. It is suggested that these proteins are tyrosine-phosphorylated substrates of Tk-PTP.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2011

The SpoU family of proteins catalyzes the methylation of transfer RNAs (tRNAs) and ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs). We characterized a putative tRNA/rRNA methyltransferase, VaSpoU1 of the SpoU family, from Viscum album (mistletoe). VaSpoU1 and other plant SpoU1s exhibit motifs of the SpoU methylase domain that are conserved with bacterial and yeast SpoU methyltransferases. VaSpoU1 transcripts were detected in the leaves and stems of V. album. VaSpoU1-GFP fusion proteins localized to both chloroplasts and mitochondria in Arabidopsis protoplasts. Sequence analysis similarly predicted that the plant SpoU1 proteins would localize to chloroplasts and mitochondria. Interestingly, mitochondrial localization of VaSpoU1 was inhibited by the deletion of a putative N-terminal presequence in Arabidopsis protoplasts. Therefore, VaSpoU1 may be involved in tRNA and/or rRNA methylation in both chloroplasts and mitochondria.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2012

Drought and high salinity stresses often imposes adverse effects on crop yield. MYB transcription factors have been shown to be an important regulator in defense responses to these environmental stresses. In this study, we have cloned and characterized a soybean gene GmMYB184 (Glycine max MYB transcription factor 184). Deduced amino acid sequences of GmMYB184 show highest homology with that from Vitis vinifera legume plant (75%). Different expression patterns of GmMYB184 mRNA were observed subjected to drought, cold, high salinity stress and abscisic acid treatment, suggesting its role in the signaling events in the osmotic stress-related defense response. Subcellular localization studies demonstrated that the GFP-GmMYB184 fusion protein was localized in the nucleus. Using the yeast assay system, the C-terminal region of GmMYB184 was found to be essential for the transactivation activity. These results indicate that the GmMYB184 may play a role in abiotic stress tolerance in plant.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2003

A promoter that is inducible by paraquat and menadione, the superoxide generators, independently of soxRS has been found in front of the sufABCDSE operon in Escherichia coli. Based on the observation that SufA is a holomog of IscA that functions in the assembly of iron sulfur cluster and the sufA promoter (sufAp) contains a putative Fur-binding consensus, we investigated whether this gene is regulated by Fur, a ferric uptake regulator, When examined in several sufAp-lacZ chromosomal fusion strains, sufAp was induced by EDTA, an iron chelator and a well-known Fur-inducer, The basal level of sufA expression increased dramatically in fur mutant, suggesting repression of sufAp by Fur. The derepression in fur mutant and EDTA-induction of sufA expression required nucleotides up to -61, where a putative Fur box is located. Purified Fur protein bound to the DNA fragment containing the putative Fur box between -35 and -10 promoter elements. The regulation by Fur and menadione induction of sufAp acted independently. The rpoS mutation increased sufA induction by menadione, suggesting that the stationary sigma factor RpoS acts negatively on sufA induction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.94-99
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• 2000

Bioluminescence is being used as a prevailing reporter of gene expression in microorganisms and mammalian cells. Bacterial bioluminescence draws special attention from environmental biotechnologists since it has many advantageous characteristics, such as no requirement of extra substractes, highly sensitive, and on-line measurability. Using bacterial bioluminescence as a reporter of toxicity has replaced the classical toxicity monitoring technology of using fish or daphnia with a cutting-edge technology. Fusion of bacterial stress promoters, which control the transcription of stress genes corresponding to heat-shock, DNA-, or oxidative-damaging stress, to the bacterial lux operon has resulted in the development of novel toxicity biosensors with a short measurement time, enhanced sensitivity, and ease and convenient usage. Therefore, these recombinant bioluminescent bacteria are expected to induce bacterial bioluminescence when the cells are exposed to stressful conditions, including toxic chemicals. We have used these recombinant bioluminescent bacteria in order to develop toxicity biosensors in a continuous, portable, or in-situ measurement from for air, water, and soil environments. All the data obtained from these toxicity biosensors for these environments were found to be repeatable and reproducible, and the minimum detection level of toxicity was found to be ppb (part per billion) levels for specific chemicals.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.216-225
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• 1998

Metal ion-induced and it’s regulatory genes were screened in virulent salmonella typhimurium UK1 and tested cross-regulation with various stresses. Using the techniqud of P22-MudJ(Km, lacZ)-directed lacZ operon fusion, LF40 cuiA::MudJ and Lf153 cuiD::MudJ which were induced by copper were selected. cuia and cuiD were determined anaerobic coper inducible and copper tolerance response gene, respectively. Also cuiA and cuiD locus were determined at 81 and 8min, respectively, on salmonella Genetic Map. The two regulators were identified as cuaR, and cudR, which controls cuiA and cuiD, respectively. cuaR, and cudR appeared as negative regulators because the expression of cuiA-lac-Z and cuiD-lacZ were increased. Copper adapted UK1 showed high resistance to H$_{2}$O$_{2}$, but cuiD did not. The product of the cudR locus was responsible for decreasing the tolerance to copper and H$_{2}$O$_{2}$. Furthemore cuiA and cuiD locus were found to be part of a regulon under the control of a trans-acting regulators, rpoS, oxyR and relA. Therefore, the results suggest CTR participate with oxidative stress on Salmonella.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2006

WRKY family proteins are a class of plant-specific transcription factors involved in stress response signaling pathways. In this study a gene encoding a putative WRKY protein was isolated from a pepper EST database (http://genepool.kribb.re.kr). The cDNA, named Capsicum annuum WRKY2 (CaWRKY2), encodes a putative polypeptide of 548 amino acids, containing two WRKY domains with zinc finger motifs and two potential nuclear localization signals. Northern blot analyses showed that CaWRKY2 mRNA was preferentially induced during incompatible interactions of pepper plants with PMMoV, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 61, and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria race 3. Furthermore, CaWRKY2 transcripts were strongly induced by wounding and ethephon treatment, whereas only moderate expression was detected following treatment with salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. CaWRKY2 was translocated to the nucleus when a CaWRKY2-smGFP fusion construct was expressed in onion epidermal cells. CaWRKY2 also had transcriptional activation activity in yeast. Taken together our data suggest that CaWRKY2 is a pathogen-inducible transcription factor that may have a role in early defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.371-380
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• 1994

To determine the patterns and the levels of expression of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S) promoter and the rice actin 1 (Act1) promoter in rice, transgenic rice plants containing CaMV 35S-$\beta$-glucuronidase (GUS) and Act1-GUS constructs were generated and examined by fluorometric and histochemical analyses. The fluorometric analysis of stably transformed calluses showed that the activity of the rice Act1 promoter was stronger than that of the CaMV 35S promoter in rice cells. In a histochemcial study of the transgenic rices, it was shown that the GUS activity directed by the CaMV 35S promoter was localized mainly in parenchymal cells of vascular tissues of leaves and roots and mesophyll cells of leaves. These results are similar to those of potato, a dicot plant. In contrast, rice plant transformed with Act1-GUS fusion construct revealed strong GUS activity in parenchymal cells of vascular tissue, mesophyll cells, epidermal cells, bulliform cells, guard subsidiary cells of leaves and most cells of the root, suggesting that the rice Act1 promoter is more constitutive than the CaMV 35S promoter. It was also confirmed that in both types of transgenic rice little or no staining was localized in metaxylen tracheary elements of vascular tissue from leaves or roots. These results indicate that the rice Act1 promoter can be utilized more successfully for expression of a variety of foreign gene in rice than the CaMV 35S promoter.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1996.07a
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• pp.26-38
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• 1996

To investigate the regulation of plant histone H2A gene expression, we isolated two H2A genes (TH254 and TH274) from wheat, which encode different types of variants. Both genes had an intron in the coding region. In the promoters, some characteristics sequences, such as Oct and Nona motifs, which are conserved among plant histone genes were also found, and they were located in a short region (about 120 bp) upstream from the putative TATA box. Analyses of promoter activity with H2A-GUS fusion genes in the transient system using tobacco protoplasts revealed novel types of positive cis-acting sequences in the TH254 promoter: a direct repeat of a 13-bp sequence (AGTTACATTATTG) and a stretch composed of an AT-rich sequence (ATATAGAAAATTAAAA) and a G-box (CACGTG). A quantitative S1 assay of the mRNA amounts from the TH254/GUS and TH274/GUG chimeric genes in stably transformed and cell cycle-synchronized tobacco cell lines showed that the promoters of both genes contained at least one cis-acting element responsible for S phase-specific expression. Histochemical analysis of transgenic tobacco plants carrying the chimeric genes showed that the promoters of the two H2A genes were both active in developing seedlings and flower organs but regulated in different manner.