Previously, we demonstrated the presence of a second copy of LPS myristoyl transferase in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, an important zoonotic diarrheagenic food-borne pathogen; the pO157-encoded ecf (an eae-conserved fragment) and the chromosomally-encoded lpxM (also referred to as msbM) genes. Although both genes share the same function as an LPS myristoyl transferase, the pO157-encoded ecf is thermoregulated via an intrinsically curved DNA while the chromosomal lpxM is regulated by the PhoP/Q two component regulatory system. However, it is unclear why E. coli O157: H7 carries two copies of LPS myristoyl transferase that are differentially regulated. In this study, a whole genome-scale transcriptome specific to E. coli O157:H7 was carried out for identification of the genes differentially expressed in the amyristoylated E. coli O157:H7. The results identified a total of 110 EHEC genes that were up- or down-regulated in the amyristoylated E. coli O157:H7 strain, including genes associated with virulence (26.36%), metabolism (20.91%), transport (10.91%), signal transduction (4.55%), genetic information processing (3.64%), stress response (2.73%), regulatory function (2.73%), motility/adherence (3.64%), cell envelope (2.73%), cell division (1.82%) and ORFs of unknown function (17.27%). Of particular interest, the expression of LEE pathogenicity island genes was significantly influenced by LPS structural defects.

Plenty of variations in nutritional, morphological and agronomic traits occur in the pigmented rice germplasm. The current study was conducted to evaluate the growth characteristics of 71 pigmented rice genotypes having different origin taking one Korean landrace (Heugjinjubyeo) as control. Amongst the twenty eight growth characters studied; leaf length, leaf width, ligule length, panicle length and panicles per hill showed a higher degree of variance. The heading dates of the pigmented rice germ plasm were distributed from Aug. 1 to Sep. 28. Thirty five cultivars that headed or flowered in August were found adaptable for cultivation in Korea. The mean culm length and panicle length were significantly higher than Heugjinjubyeo but most of cultivars having strong or middle of culm strength made it possible to produce the stable yield. Some cultivars showed unique qualitative characters such as openness of culm angle, purple ligule, auricle, awn and glume colors, poor panicle exsertion and long empty glume. Nine cultivars including Heugjinjubyeo showed purple seed coat color while those of the others (62 cultivars) were of red seed coat.