• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.116-120
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• 2006

We constructed four recombinant plasm ids to enhance the production of clavulanic acid (CA) in Streptomyces clavuligerus NRRL3585: (1) pIBRHL1, which includes ccaR, a pathway-specific regulatory gene involved in cephamycin C and CA biosynthesis; (2) pIBRHL2, containing claR, again a regulatory gene, which controls the late steps of CA biosynthesis; (3) pGIBR containing afsR-p, a global regulatory gene from Streptomyces peucetius; and (4) pKS, which harbors all of the genes (ccaR/ claR/ afsR-p). The plasmids were expressed in S. clavuligerus NRRL3585 along with the $ermE^*$ promoter. All of them enhanced the production of CA; 2.5-fold overproduction for pIBRHL1, 1.5-fold for pIBRHL2, 1.6-fold for pGIBR, and 1.5-fold for pKS compared to the wild type.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.328-335
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• 2006

Imperatoxin A ($IpTx_a$), a 3.7 kDa peptide from the African scorpion Pandinus imperator, is an agonist of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1). In order to study the structure of the toxin and its effect on RyR1, $IpTx_a$ cDNA was PCR-amplified using 3 pairs of primers, and the toxin was expressed in E. coli. The toxin was further purified by chromatography, and various point mutants in which basic amino acids were substituted by alanine were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis. Studies of single channel properties by the planar lipid bilayer method showed that the recombinant $IpTx_a$ was identical to the synthetic $IpTx_a$ with respect to high-performance liquid chromatography mobility, amino acid composition and specific effects on RyR1. Mutations of certain basic amino acids ($Lys^{19}$, $Arg^{23}$, and $Arg^{33}$) dramatically reduced the capacity of the peptide to activate RyRs. A subconductance state predominated when $Lys^8$ was substituted with alanine. These results suggest that some basic amino acid residues in $IpTx_a$ are important for activation of RyR1, and that $Lys^8$ plays an important role in regulating the gating mode of RyR1.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1323-1328
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• 2011

We herein report the development of an agarose-gel-immobilized recombinant bacterial biosensor simple system for the field monitoring of phenolic compounds. Escherichia coli cells harboring the pLZCapR plasmid, which was previously designed to express the ${\beta}$-galactosidase reporter gene in the presence of phenolic compounds, were co-immobilized with a substrate [chlorophenol red ${\beta}$-galactopyranoside (CPRG) in agarose gel, and dispensed to the wells of a 96-well plate. Field samples were added to the wells and color development was monitored. In the presence of 5 ${\mu}M$ to 10 mM of phenol, the biosensor developed a red (representing hydrolysis of CPRG) color. Other phenolic compounds were also detected by this immobilized system, with the pattern resembling that previously reported for the corresponding non-immobilized biosensor. The immobilized cells showed optimum activity when the gel was simultaneously supplemented with 6% dimethyl formamide (DMF), 0.1% SDS and 10 mM $CaCl_2$. The immobilized biosensor described herein does not require the addition of a substrate or the use of unwieldy instruments or sample pretreatments that could complicate field studies.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 1988

A genetic map of the IncP-1 group plasmid pKU10 has been prepared through the construction of recombinant plasmids containing various fragments of pKU10. Phenotypic analysis of these derivatives has identified the location of genes encoding resistance to ampicillin, tetracyclin, and chloramphenicol. The region involved in conferring resistance to ampicillin was located around two PstI sites that are 1.0Kb apart. The tetracyclin resistance gene was mapped on the region of HindIII E fragment and a part of HindIII D fragment, and the determinant for chloramphenicol resistance gene was localized on HindIII D fragment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 1999.06a
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• pp.55-55
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• 1999

Imperatoxin A (IpTx$_{a}$), a 3.7 kDa peptide from the African scorpion Pandinus imperator, has been known as an agonist of skeletal ryanodine receptor (RyR). In order to study the structure and function of the toxins on RyR, the IpTx$_{a}$ cDNA was PCR-amplified using 3 pairs of primers and the toxin was expressed in E. coli expression system.(omitted)ted)

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2018

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the major pathogens in community-acquired diseases, and it contains several factors that promote its pathogenesis, including pneumolysin (PLY). PLY is a member of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin family, which attacks cholesterol-containing membranes, thereby forming ring-shaped pores. Thus, it is a major key target for vaccines against pneumococcal disease. We cloned the PLY gene from S. pneumoniae D39 and inserted it into the pQE-30 vector. Recombinant PLY (rPLY) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli M15 and purified by $Ni^{2+}$ affinity chromatography. Similarly, a PLY-EGFP fusion gene was produced by inserting the EGFP gene at the 3' end of the PLY gene in the same vector, and the recombinant protein was purified. Sodium dodecyl sulfate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that both recombinant proteins were purified. rPLY exhibited significant hemolytic activity against 1% human red blood cells (RBCs). Complete hemolysis was obtained at 500 ng/ml, and 50% hemolysis was found with a 240 ng/ml concentration. In contrast, rPLY-EGFP did not show hemolytic activity. However, rPLY-EGFP did bind the RBC membrane, indicating that rPLY-EGFP lost hemolytic activity via EGFP fusion, while retaining its membrane-binding ability. These data suggest that PLY's C terminus is important for its hemolytic activity. Therefore, these two recombinant proteins can be extremely useful for investigating the toxin mechanism of PLY and cell damage during pneumonia.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2003

Aromatic hydrocarbons are of major concern among genotoxic chemicals due to their toxicity and persistence. Some microorganisms can utilize aromatic hydrocarbons as carbon and energy sources by inducing expression of catabolic operon(s). The XylR regulatory protein activates transcription of the catabolic enzymes to degrade BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) from its cognate promoters, Pu and Ps upon exposure of the cells to the aromatic hydrocarbons. The activity of XylR on the promoters was previously monitored using luciferase luc reporter system. The xylR, its promoter Pr and the promoter Po for the phenolic compound catabolic operon were introduced upstream of firefly luciferase luc in the pGL3b vector to generate about 7.1 kb of pXRBTEX. Here E. coli harboring the plasmid was freeze-dried under various conditions to fin,d optimal conditions for storage and transport. The cell viability and luciferase activity were maintained better, when the cells were freeze-dried at -7$0^{\circ}C$ in the addition of the 10% skim milk or 12% sucrose. However, coaddition of protectants such as 10% skim milk plus 10% glucose or 12% sucrose plus 10% glucose, resulted in much better viability and bioluminescence activity compared with the effect of single addition of each protectant. In addition, it was shown that the freeze-dried cells maintained almost intact bioluminescent activities and cell viability for at least 1 week after freeze-drying. This work demonstrated that the properly freeze-dried recombinant bacterial cells could be utilized as a whole-cell biosensor for simple and rapid monitoring of BTEX in the environment.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2014

The mature domain of a cysteine protease of Spirometra erinacei plerocercoid larva (i.e., sparganum) was expressed in Escherichia coli, and its value as an antigen for the serodiagnosis of sparganosis was investigated. The recombinant protein (rSepCp-1) has the molecular weight of 23.4 kDa, and strongly reacted with the sparganum positive human or mice sera but not with negative sera by immunoblotting. ELISA with rSepCp-1 protein or sparganum crude antigen (SeC) was evaluated for the serodiagnosis of sparganosis using patient's sera. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA using rSepCp-1 protein were 95.0% (19/20) and 99.1% (111/112), respectively. In contrast, the sensitivity and specificity of ELISA with SeC were 100% (20/20) and 96.4% (108/112), respectively. Moreover, in experimentally infected mice, the sensitivity and specificity of both ELISA assays were 100% for the detection of anti-sparganum IgG. It is suggested that the rSepCp-1 protein-based ELISA could provide a highly sensitive and specific assay for the diagnosis of sparganosis.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.138-146
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• 1985

A Bacillus licheniformis ATCC31667 gene coding for a glucose isomerase has been cloned and expressed in glucose isomerase negative mutant of Escherichia coli. A recombinant plasmid, constructed by ligation of a EcoRI fragment of B.licheniformis chromosomal DNA to vector plasmid pBR322, was expressed glucose isomerase positive in E.coli LE392-6 with growth on minimal medium containing xylose as a sole carbon source. This recombinant plasmid, designated pBGI6, had the insery of 4.1Kb of Bacillus gene in EcoRI site, and restriction map of the plasmid was established. The plasmid pBG16 was very stable after 10days of serial transfer to a fresh medium. The activity of glucose isomerase from the transformed cell containing pBGI6 was increased about 20 fold than its wild type of host.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1136-1140
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• 2008

The Rhodopseudomonas palustris KUGB306 hemA gene codes for 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthase. This enzyme catalyzes the condensation of glycine and succinyl-CoA to yield ALA in the presence of the cofactor pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The R. palustris KUGB306 hemA gene in the pGEX-KG vector system was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21. The effects of physiological factors on the extracellular production of ALA by the recombinant E. coli were studied. Terrific Broth (TB) medium resulted in significantly higher cell growth and ALA production than did Luria-Bertani (LB) medium. ALA production was significantly enhanced by the addition of succinate together with glycine in the medium. Maximal ALA production (2.5 g/l) was observed upon the addition of D-glucose as an ALA dehydratase inhibitor in the late-log culture phase. Based on the results obtained from the shake-flask cultures, fermentation was carried out using the recombinant E. coli in TB medium, with the initial addition of 90 mM glycine and 120 mM succinate, and the addition of 45 mM D-glucose in the late-log phase. The extracellular production of ALA was also influenced by the pH of the culture broth. We maintained a pH of 6.5 in the fermenter throughout the culture process, achieving the maximal levels of extracellular ALA production (5.15 g/l, 39.3 mM).