• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2003

Background: Phage display is the most widely used technique among display methods to produce monoclonal antibody fragment with a specific binding activity. Having a large library for efficient antibody display/selection is quite laborious process to have more than $10^9$ members of transformants. To overcome these limitations, several in vitro selection approaches have been reported. Ribosome display that links phenotypes, proteins, directly to genotype, mRNA, is one of the in vitro display methods. Ribosome display can reach the size of scFv library up to $10^{14}$ molecules and it can be further diversified during PCR steps. To select the high affinity scFv from one pot library, we established ribosome display technique by modifying the previously reported eukaryotic translation system. Methods: To establish the antibody selection system by ribosome display, we used 3D8, anti-DNA antibody. A 3D8 scFv was synthesized in vitro by an in vitro transcription-translation system. The translated 3D8 scFv and the encoding 3D8 mRNA are connected to the ribosome. These scFv-ribosome-mRNA complexes were selected by binding to their specific antigens. The eluted mRNAs from the complexes are reverse transcribed and re-amplified by PCR. To apply this system, antibody library from immunized mouse with terminal protein (TP)-peptide of hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase TP domain was also used. This TP-peptide encompasses the 57~80 amino acid residues of TP. These mRNA/ribosome/scFv complexes by our system were panned three times against TP-peptide. The enrichment of antibody from library was determined by radioimmunoassay. Results: We specifically selected 3D8, anti-DNA antibody, against ssDNA as a model system. The selected 3D8 RNAs sequences from translation complexes were recovered by RT-PCR. By applying this model system, we enriched TP-peptide-specific scFv pools through three cycles of panning from immunized library. Conclusion: We show that our translating ribosome complexes are well maintained and we can enrich the TP-specific scFv pools. This system can be applied to select specific antibody from an antibody library.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.527-537
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• 2019

Three types of meongge (Halocynthia roretzi) jeotgal (MJ) were prepared with 3 different types of salts (12%, w/v): purified salt (PS), solar salt aged for 3 years (SS), and bamboo salt that had been recrystalized 3 times (BS). One set of MJ was fermented with starters, Bacillus subtilis JS2 and Tetragenococcus halophilus BS1-37 (each 6 log CFU/g), and another set without starters for 42 days at $10^{\circ}C$. The LAB count of the SSMJ (non-starter) was highest at day 28 (2.30 log CFU/g). The pH of the PSMJ and SSMJ was 5.72-5.77 at day 0, and 5.40-5.50 at day 42. BSMJ showed higher pH and lower titratable acidities than other samples. Amino-type nitrogen (ANN) increased continuously, and SSMJ showed higher values than other samples from day 14. Bacterial species of non-starter MJ were examined by culture independent method. Clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes were constructed in Escherichia coli from total DNA from non-starter MJ samples at day 0, 14, and 28. Thirty clones per each sample were randomly selected and DNA sequences were analyzed. Variovorax sp., uncultured bacterium, and Acidovorax sp. were the most dominant group at day 0, 14, and 28, respectively. Lactobacillus sakei and Streptococcus sp. were the next dominant group in SSMJ at day 28. A Streptococcus sp. was detected from PSMJ at day 28. Sensory evaluation for MJ samples at day 28 showed that SSMJ got higher overall acceptability scores. These results showed that solar salt can cause desirable changes in the microbial community of fermented foods, thereby positively affecting their overall quality.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.788-796
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• 2023

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) has high morbidity and mortality rates in canines. Nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of CPV-2 has endonuclease activity, initiates viral DNA replication, and is highly conserved. Thus, it is a promising target for antiviral inhibitor development. We overexpressed a 41.9 kDa active recombinant endonuclease in Escherichia coli and designed a nicking assay using carboxyfluorescein and quencher-linked ssDNA as substrates. The optimal temperature and pH of the endonuclease were 37℃ and pH 7, respectively. Curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, linoleic acid, tannic acid, and α-tocopherol inhibited CPV-2 NS1 endonuclease with IC₅₀ values of 0.29 to 8.03 µM. The extracted turmeric, yerba mate, and sesame cake suppressed CPV-2 NS1 endonuclease with IC₅₀ values of 1.48, 7.09, and 52.67 ㎍/ml, respectively. The binding affinity between curcumin, the strongest inhibitor, and CPV-2 NS1 endonuclease by molecular docking was -6.4 kcal/mol. Curcumin inhibited CPV-2 NS1 endonuclease via numerous hydrophobic interactions and two hydrogen bonds with Lys97 and Pro111 in the allosteric site. These results suggest that adding curcuminoids, linoleic acid, tannic acid, α-tocopherol, extracted turmeric, sesame cake, and yerba to the diet could prevent CPV-2 infection.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2008

Objective: The purposes of this study were to determine the distribution of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) genotypes in infertile Korean women and to evaluate the relationship between FSHR genotypes and clinical outcomes of IVF-ET cycles. Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood in 1, 020 of infertile Korean women. Genotypes of FSHR at Thr307Ala (T/A) and Asn680Ser (N/S) were screened by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Clinical outcomes related to the genotypes of FSHR were evaluated in IVF-ET cycles (n=302) with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) of infertile women under 40 years old. Results: In a population of 1, 020 infertile Korean women, the frequency of TT/NN, TA/NS and AA/SS for the major variant Thr307Ala and Asn680Ser was 44.80%, 41.96% and 10.49%, respectively. There was no significant difference in characteristics of ovarian response and clinical pregnancy rate among the major genotypes of FSHR in IVF-ET cycles with COH. However, implantation rate of AA/SS patients was significantly higher than that of TT/NN patients (24.5% vs 15.7%, p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that FSHR genotype was not directly associated with ovarian response in IVF-ET cycles with COH. The relationship between clinical outcomes and FSHR genotypes of patients should be substantiated by further studies.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 1997

Although extensively characterized in human cells, no heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein(hnRNP) has been found in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe which is amenable to genetic studies and more similar to mammals than Saccharomyces cerevisiae is in terms of RNA processing. As a first step to characterize hnRNPs from S. pombe, attempt was made to find human hnRNP A1 homologs from S. pombe. The RNA molecule (A1 winner) containing the consensus high-affinity hnRNP A1 binding site (UAGGGA/U) was synthesized in vitro and used in an ultraviolet(UV) light-induced protein-RNA cross-linking assay. A number of S, pombe proteins bound to the A1 winner RNA. An approximately 50-kDa protein(p50) cross-linked more efficiently to the A1 winner RNA than other proteins. The p50 protein did not cross-link to a nonspecific RNA, but rather to the A1-5’ SS RNA in which the consensus 5’ splice junction sites of S. pombe introns were abolished. This suggests that the p50 protein, however, did not bind to the single-stranded DNA to shich the human hnRNP A1 could bind and be eluted with 0.5M NaCl. Further analysis should reveal more features of this RNA-binding protein.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.335-342
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• 2005

We cloned seven genes encoding chitin synthases (CHSs) by PCR amplification from genomic DNAs of four strains of the genus Sporobolomyces and of Bensingtonia subrosea using degenerated primers based on conserved regions of the CHS genes. Though amino acid sequences of these genes were shown similar as 176 to 189 amino acids except SgCHS2, DNA sequences were different in size, which was due to various introns present in seven fragments. Alignment and phylogenetic analysis of their deduced amino acid sequences together with the reported CHS genes of basidiomycetes separated the sequences into classes I, II and III. This analysis also permitted the classification of isolated CHSs; SgCHS1 belongs to class I, BsCHS1, SaCHS1, SgCHS2, SpgCHS1, and SsCHS1 belong to class II, and BsCHS2 belongs to class III. The deduced amino acid sequences involving in class II that were discovered from five strains were also compared with those of other basidiomycetes by CLUSTAL X program. The bootstrap analysis and phylogenetic tree by neighbor-joining method revealed the taxonomic and evolutionary position for four strains of the genus Sporobolomyces and for Bensingtonia subrosea which agreed with the previous classification. The results clearly showed that CHS fragments could be used as a valuable key for the molecular taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of basidiomycetes.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.41-50
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• 2010

Mycoviruses have been found in many fungal species including mushrooms. Double-stranded (ds) RNA genomes were common type in mycoviruses, but single-stranded (ss) RNA mycoviruses were also reported in some fungal species. Sequencing analysis using cDNA cloning experiments revealed that mycoviruses can be classified into several different virus families such as Totiviridae, Hypoviridae, Partitiviridae and Barnaviridae etc. Because the nucleotide sequence data that are available in these days are very limited in a number of mycoviruses, the existence of more diverse viral groups in fungi are currently expected. In this review, we selected four different fungal groups, which were considered as the model systems for mycovirus related studies in both plant pathogenic fungi and edible mushroom species, and discussed about their molecular characteristics of diverse mycoviruses. The plant pathogenic fungi introduced here were Cryphonectria parasitica and Helminthosporium victoriae and the edible mushroom species were Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2010

This study was carried out to analyze some influences on ecological health conditions, threaten by various stressors such as physical, chemical and biological parameters. We collected samples in 2008 from three zones of upstream, midstream and downstream, Gap Stream. We applied multi-metric fish assessment index (MFAI), based on biotic integrity model to the three zones along with habitat evaluations based on Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). We also examined fish fauna and compositions, and analyzed relations with MFAI values, QHEI values, and various guild types. Chemical parameters such as oragnic matter (BOD, COD), nutrients (TP, $NH_3$-N), coli-form number (as MPN), and suspended solids (SS) were analyzed to identify the relationship among multiple stressor effects. Using the sentinel species of Zacco platypus, the population structures and condition factors were analyzed along with DNA damages related with genotoxicant effects by comet assay. This study using all these parameters showed that stream condition was degraded along the longitudinal gradient from upstream to downstream, and the downstream, especially, was impacted by nutrient enrichment and toxicant exposure from the point source, wastewater treatment plant. Overall results indicated that our approaches applying various parameters may be used as a cause-effect technique in the stream health assessments and also used as a pre-warning tool for diagnosis of ecological degradation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2004

The antioxidant responsive element (ARE) is a cis-acting regulatory element of genes encoding phase II detoxification enzymes and antioxidant proteins, such as NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1, glutathione S-transferases, and glutamate-cysteine ligase. Interestingly, it has been reported that Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor 2) regulates a wide array of ARE-driven genes in various cell types. Nrf2 is a basic leucine zipper transcription factor, which was originally identified as a binding protein of locus control region of ss-globin gene. The DNA binding sequence of Nrf2 and ARE sequence are very similar, and many studies demonstrated that Nrf2 binds to the ARE sites leading to up-regulation of downstream genes. The function of Nrf2 and its downstream target genes suggests that the Nrf2-ARE pathway is important in the cellular antioxidant defense system. In support of this, many studies showed a critical role of Nrf2 in cellular protection and anti-carcinogenicity, implying that the Nrf2-ARE pathway may serve as a therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases and cancers, in which oxidative stress is closely implicated.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2003

Objective:Under the hypothesis that 5-HTTLPR polymorphism plays some role in the susceptibility or vulnerability of some subgroup of alcohol dependence, associations of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism with alcohol dependence were examined. Method:This association analysis included 109 Korean alcohol dependent and 113 Korean control subjects. DNA of all subjects were genotyped for the biallelic functional polymorphism in the 5-HTTLPR. Considering the likelihood of heterogeneity in the alcohol dependence phenotype, alcohol dependent subjects were subgrouped by onset age, family history of alcohol dependence and severity of withdrawal symptoms. Results:There were no significant differences in the frequencies of either the 5-HTTLPR genotype or the short vs. long allele in alcohol dependent and control subjects. The frequency of the S allele and S-carrier (LS or SS genotype) was significantly increased in the early onset alcohol dependent subjects and the familial alcohol dependent subjects compared with that in the control subjects. Conclusion:The results suggest that the 5-HTT 'S' promoter polymorphism is associated with an increased susceptibility or vulnerability to develop early onset alcohol dependence and familial alcohol dependence, which characterize Cloninger's type 2 alcohol dependence.