• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2000

We have sequenced a portion of mitochondrial CO! gene (403 bp) of the firefly, Pyrocoelia rufa, to investigate genetic diversity within population, geographic variation, and phylogenetic relationships among haplotypes. A total of seven mtDNA haplotypes ranging in sequence divergence from 0.2% to 1.2% were obtained from 26 fireflies collected at four localities in Korea: Namhae, Pusan, Muju, and Yongin. The samples collected at the urban area, Pusan, were all fixed with one haplotype, differently those collected at the forest and/or agricultural areas. This appears to suggest that habitat fragmentation and population bottleneck caused by urbanization might have been severe in Pusan. On the other hand, from Muju known as the largest habitat and sanctuary for the firefly, four haplotypes with the maximum sequence divergence of 1.0% were obtained, and this estimate was the highest among the areas studied. The fireflies collected at the isolated islet, Namhae, revealed relatively low haplotype diversity(H=0.25), but one haplotype (PR7) was phylogenetically differentiated from others. This phenomenon was explained in terms of biogeographic history of the island and gene flow in the recent past. Grouping of Muju- Y ongin and Pusan-Namhae, respectively, in the hierarchical genetic analysis suggests the presence of historically occurred, biogeographic barrier against gene flow between them.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 1999

We investigated the value of mitochondrial small subunit rRNA gene (mt SSU rDNA) PCR-RFLP as a taxonomic tool for Acanthamoeba isolates with close inter-relationships. Twenty-five isolates representing 20 species were included in the analysis. As in nuclear 18s rDNA analysis, two type strains (A. astronyxis and A. tubiashi) of morphological group 1 diverged earliest from the other strains, but the divergence between them was less than in 18s riboprinting. Acanthamoeba griffini of morhological group 2 branched between pathogenic (A. culbertsoni A-1 and A. healyi OC-3A) and nonpathogenic (A.palestinensis Reich, A. pustulosa GE-3a, A. royreba Oak Ridge, and A lenticulata PD2S) strains of morphological group 3. Among the remaining isolates of morphological group 2, the Chang strain had the identical mitochondrial riboprints as the type strain of A. hatchetti. AA2 and AA1, the type strains of A. divionensis and A. paradivionensis, respectively, had the identical riboprints as A. quina Vil3 and A. castellanii Ma. Although the branching orders of A. castellanii Neff, A. polyphaga P23, A. triangularis SH621, and A. lugdunensis L3a were different from those in 18S riboprinting analysis, the results obtained from this study generally coincided well with those from 18S riboprinting. Mitochondrial riboprinting may have an advantage over nuclear 18S rDNA riboprinting beacuse the mt SSU rDNAs do not seem to have introns that are found in the 18S genes of Acanthamoeba and that distort phylogenetic analyses.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2003

Transgenic rabbits were produced by DNA microinjection using growth hormone receptor (GHR) and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) genes fused to metallothionein(MT) promoter. The overall efficiencies for production of transgenic rabbits were 3.2% and 3.1% for GHR and IGF-lR genes, respectively. Founder rabbits transmitted transgenes to their progenies through medelian fashion. Growth rate of GHR and IGF-lR transgenic rabbits was significantly faster than that of non-transgenic rabbits. Transgenic rabbits grew large. (25% and 15% increase in body weight of GHR and IGF-lR transgenic rabbits, respectively) than non-transgenic rabbits and organ weight of transgenic rabbits increased, suggesting that GHR and IGF-1R genes affects growth rates in transgenic rabbits.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2010

Nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of 19 leopard cats (Prionailurus bangalensis euptilura) obtained from Seoul grand park zoo in South Korea were determined for analysing genetic diversity. In the leopard cats, 3 haplotypes of the partial cytochrome b sequences (603 base-pairs, bp) were identified. Haplotypes obtained from those genes showed existences of at least 3 maternal lineages of leopard cats in Korea. Tamura-Nei nucleotide distance among 3 haplotypes were 0.00. Molecular phylogenetic tree showed the similar clustering of haplotypes for genes. Meanwhile, no individual variations within the leopard cats in S. Korea. Genetic surveillance system of leopard cats in S. Korea is warranted for maintaining biological conservation.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.29
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• pp.137-148
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• 2008

Analyses of ancient DNA (aDNA) from archaeological and historical skeletal material are characterized by low quality. Many soil contaminants such as humic acid, fulvic acid, and bone collagen are often co-extracted with aDNA and inhibit amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In this study, we compared with two methods of DNA extraction by phenolchloroform extraction and silica-bead extraction. In addition, we applied new protocol, ultra sonication based silica-bead extraction method to extract aDNA from some ancient human skeletal remains. This method was more effective by both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and amelogenin gene amplification.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.259-262
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• 2017

Mitochondria play essential role in eukaryotic cells including in the oxidative phosphorylation and generation of adenosine triphosphate via the electron-transport chain. Therefore, defects in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can result in mitochondrial dysfunction which leads to various mitochondrial disorders that may present with various neurologic and non-neurologic manifestations. Mutations in the nuclear gene polymerase gamma (POLG) are associated with mtDNA depletions, and Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome is one of the most severe manifestations of POLG mutation characterized by the clinical triad of intractable seizures, psychomotor regression, and liver failure. The hepatic manifestation usually occurs late in the disease's course, but in some references, hepatitis was reportedly the first manifestation. Liver transplantation was considered contraindicated in Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome due to its poor prognosis. We acknowledged a patient with the first manifestation of the disease being hepatic failure who eventually underwent liver transplantation, and whose neurological outcome improved after cocktail therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2009

Metallothioneins (MTs) play a key role in metallic homeostasis and detoxification in most living organisms. In an attempt to study the biological functions and significance of MT in a snail, we cloned and partially characterized the MT gene from the left-handed snail, Physa acutawhich has been regarded as a potential biomonitering species for fresh water. The complete cDNA sequence of PaMT cDNA was identified from the expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing project of Physa acuta. The coding region of 180 bp gives 60 amino acid residues including the initiation methionine and termination codon. Clustering and phylogenic analysis of PaMT with other MT amino acid sequences show that it has some identities to Helix pomatia (60%), Arianta arbustorum (58%), Perna viridis (49%), Mytilus edulis (49%), Bathymodiolus azoricus (49%), Bathymodiolus azoricus (48%) and Bathymodiolus sp. FD-2002 (48%). Time dependent induction for PaMT from P. acuta exposed with cadmium (50 ppb) indicated that PaMT was induced at 4-8 hr after exposure. It remains to further develop PaMTas a potential biomarker for water contamination in fresh water.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2000

A portion of mitochondria1 COI gene (438 bp) was sequenced from the sampls of Plutella xylostella from four localities in Korea to investigate the population genetic structure and characteristics by measuring the magnitude of genetic diversity and the degree of gene flow among populations. Thirteen haplotypes ranging in nucleotide divergence 0.3% to 1.4%, were obtained from 21 individuals. The nucleotide divergence was similar to the other related studies, but haplotype diversity was substantially higher (mean h = 0.81). The genetic distance among geographically remote Cheju Island population and the two Kimhae populations, distant 1 lkm to each other, was not statistically significant (p<0.05). Instead, a substantial or high female gene flow was detected (Nm = 2-30). One Hawaiian haplotype of the diamondback moth obtained through GenBank search also was genetically similar to the ones obtained from this study. Collectively, the genetic population structure of the diamondback moth in Korea can be characterized into two aspects. First, the diamondback moths in Korea possesses overall moderate genetic divergence based on a high number of haplotypes. Second, a high haplotype diversity within each population due to the long distance dispersal with a substantial dispersal power and the resultant genetic similarity among geographic populations is characteristic.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.256-263
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• 1994

The aceB gene, encoding for malate synthase, one of the key enzymes of glyoxylate bypass, was isolated from a pMT1-based Corynebacterium glutamicum gene library via complementation of an Escherichia coli aceB mutant on an acetate minimal medium. The aceB gene was closely linked to aceA, separated by 598 base pairs, and transcribed in divergent direction. The aceB expressed a protein product of Mr 83, 000 in Corynebacterium glutamicum which was unusually large compared with those of other malate synthases. A DNA-sequence analysis of the cloned DNA identified an open-reading frame of 2, 217 base pairs which encodes a protein with the molecular weight of 82, 311 comprising 739 aminoo acids. The putative protein product showed only limited amino acid-sequence homology to its counteliparts in other organisms. The N-terminal region of the protein, which shows no apparent homology with the known sequences of other malate synthases, appeared to be responsible for the protein s unusually large size. A potential calciumbinding domain of EF-hand structure found among eukaryotes was detected in the N-terminal region of the deduced protein.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 2009

4,4'-Methylenedianiline (MDA) is an aromatic amine that is widely used in the industrial synthetic process. Genotoxic MDA forms DNA adducts in the liver and is known to induce liver damage in human and rats. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms associated with MDA-induced hepatotoxicity, we have identified genes differentially expressed by microarray approach. BALB/c male mice were treated once daily with MDA (20 mg/kg) up to 7 days via intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) and hepatic damages were revealed by histopathological observation and elevation of serum marker enzymes such as AST, ALT, ALP, cholesterol, DBIL, and TBIL. Microarray analysis showed that 952 genes were differentially expressed in the liver of MDA-treated mice and their biological functions and canonical pathways were further analyzed using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA). Toxicological functional analysis showed that genes related to hepatotoxicity such hyperplasia/hyperproliferation (Timp1), necrosis/cell death (Cd14, Mt1f, Timp1, and Pmaip1), hemorrhaging (Mt1f), cholestasis (Akr1c3, Hpx, and Slc10a2), and inflammation (Cd14 and Hpx) were differentially expressed in MDA-treated group. This gene expression profiling should be useful for elucidating the genetic events associated with aromatic amine-induced hepatotoxicity and for discovering the potential biomarkers for hepatotoxicity.