The major innate immune pathways in Asian longhorned ticks, Haemaphysalis longicornis, include Toll, IMD, and JAK/STAT. In the field, H. longicornis can be infected with various pathogens including Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTS virus), Rickettsia, Babesia and Anaplasma species. One approach to identify whether ticks are infected with pathogens is by examining the expression levels of immune response genes. To evaluate whether upregulation of immune genes from H. longicornis can serve as an indicator for pathogen infection in ticks, we first designed primer sets for Dorsal, STAT, and Relish from the H. longicornis genome. We then conducted quantitative reverse transcription PCR(qRT-PCR) on cDNA of field-collected H. longicornis and identified individuals with high expression levels in immune response genes. Subsequently, we performed digital PCR assays to determine whether selected ticks were infected with SFTS virus. Using this approach, we evaluated correlation between pathogen infection and upregulation of immune response genes in ticks. Although more experiments are needed to draw conclusions, this study suggests immune response gene-based screening methods for pathogen infected ticks from the field.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of IRES controlled reporter gene on screening and production of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) proteins from cultured CHO cells. The cDNA was cloned for EPO from human liver cDNA. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we generated recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) with two additional N-glycosylations (Novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein: NESP). Wild type hEPO and NESP were cloned into expression vectors with GFP reporter gene under regulatory control of CMV promoter and IRES so that the vectors could express both rhEPO and GFP. The expression vectors were transfected to cultured CHO-K1 cells. Under microscopy, expression of GFP was visible. Using supernatant of the culture, ELISA assay, immunocytochemistry and in vitro assay using EPO dependant cell line were performed to estimate biological activity to compare the production characteristics (secretion levels, etc.) between rhEPO and NESP. The activity of NESP protein, obtained by mutagenesis, was described and compared with its rhEPO counterpart produced under same conditions. Although NESP had less secretion level in CHO cell line, the biological activity of NESP was greater than that of rhEPO. These results are consistent with previous researches. We also demonstrated that rhEPO and GFP proteins expressed simultaneously from transfected CHO cell line. Therefore we conclude that use of GFP reporter gene under IRES control could be used to screen and produce rhEPO in cultured CHO cells.

대부분의 식중독은 단체 급식으로부터 발생하는 경우가 많으며, 특히 위생상태와 연관되어 식중독을 야기 시키는 병인 물질 중 포도상 구균은 많은 부분을 차지 하고 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 서부경남지역의 5개 초등학교 급식시설에서 총 98개의 샘플 중 A급식소의 식수, D급식소의 손, E급식소의 냉장고와 앞치마에서 4개의 포도상 구균을 분리하였다. 분리된 균주들은 1개의 메티실린 저항성 혈장응고 효소 음성 황색포도상구균(Methicilline Resistant Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus aureus: MRCNS땃 깨의 메치실린 민감성 혈장응고효소 양성 황색포도상구균 (Methicilline sensitive Coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus· MSCPS)으로 구분되었다. 한편 포도상 구균은 내열성 내독소로서, 이 중 가장 문제가 되는 내독소 B(enterotoxin B)를 검색하기 위한 PCR을 실시한 결과, A장소의 식수, D장소의 손, E 장소의 냉장고와 앞치마에서 분리된 균주로부터 477b의 생성물을 갖는 sob gene을 확인할 수 있었다. 이들 분리된 황색포도상구균에 대한 항생제 민감성 실험에서는 ampicillin과 penicillin에 대하여 전체적으로 저항성을 가졌으며, 특히 A 식수에서 분리된 균주는 옥사실린 저항성(oxacilline resistant)균주로 나타나 MRSA(methicilline resistant staphylococcus aureus)균주로 확인되었다.

The efficiency of transgenic livestock production could be improved by early screening of transgene-integration and sexing of embryos at preimplantational stages before trasferring them into recipients. We examined the effciency of multiplex PCR analysis for the simultaneous confirmation of the trasgene and sex during the preimplantational development of bovine embryos and the possibility of green fluorescent protein(GFP) gene as a non-invasive marker for the early screening of transgenic embryos. The GFP gene was microinjected into the male pronuclei of bovine zygotes produced in vitro. The injected zygotes were co-cultured in TCM-199 containing 10% FCS with boving oviductal epithelial cells in a 5% CO2 incubator. Seventeen(13.0%) out of 136 gene-injected bovine zygotes developed by multiplex PCR analysis and the expression of GFP was detected by observing green fluorescence in embryos under a fluorescent microscope. Eight(67%) of 12 embryos at 2-cell to blastocyst stage were positive in the PCR analysis, but only two(11.8%) of 17 blastocysts expressed the GFP gene. Their sex was determined as 7 female and 5 male embryos by the PCR analysis. The results indicate that the screening of GFP gene and sex in bovine embryos by PCR analysis and fluorescence detection could be a promisible method for the preselection of transgenic embryos.

The pronuclear injection of metallothionein-human growth hormone (MT-hGH) gene into rabbit zygotes was performed to establish in vitro developmental system and to detect the presence of the injected gene by nested PCR. Mature female New Zealand White rabbits were superovulated by eGG and hCG treatments. The rabbits were mated and the zygotes were collected from the oviducts 18-22 h after hCG injection by flushing with D-PBS. Two to three picoliters of MT-hGH gene was microinjected into male pronuclei. The foreign gene-injected zygotes were cultured in TCM-199 or RD mediurn containing 10% FCS with a monolayer of rabbit oviductal epithelial cefls in a 5% incubator. The presence of injected DNA in rabbit embryos or blastomeres at different developmental stages .vas detected by a nested PCR analysis. The results are summarized as follows ; 1.The developmental rate of the MT-hGH gene-injected zygotes to blastocyst was significantly higher in TCM-199 medium (68.1%) than in RD medium (42.9%). 2.The gene injection into pronuclei at 18 or 22 hours post hCG treatment during pronuclear stage did not much affect on the in vitro development of the rabbit embryos. 3.The rate of gene-positive embryos detected by the nested PCR analysis was significantly decreased when they developed to blastocysts. The results indicate that the screening of transgene in rabbit embryos by nested PCR analysis could be a prornisible method for the preselection of transgenic embryos. Furthermore, the preselection of transgenic embryos would greatly reduce hoth the cost and effort of production of transgenic animals.

Tomato yellow leaf curl disease is a devastating disease of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), which is caused by begomoviruses generally referred to as tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). The breeding for TYLCV resistance has been based on the introgression of the Ty-3 resistance locus. Knowledge about the exact location of the Ty-3 on tomato chromosome 6 is needed to understand the genomic organization of the Ty-3 locus. In this study, we conducted a genetic analysis using a segregating population derived from a cross between resistant accession S. lycopersicum “A45” and susceptible accession S. lycopersicum “A39”. The F1 plants showed resistance to TYLCV and F1 was self-pollinated to produce F2 progeny. To screen the TYLCV resistance in 145 F2 plants, a leaf agroinfiltration method was used. F2 plants showed a classical Mendelian seregation (106 resistance : 39 susceptibility) for resistance to TYLCV respectively. SCAR and CAPS markers linked to the Ty-3 were tested for genotyping F2 plants and .genotyping and agroinfiltration results were cosegregated in the newly developed F2 population.

Environmentally inflicted stress (abiotic stress) such as high drought stress could be limiting the plant productivity. The mechanism of drought stress signaling in plant related with anti-apoptosis has not yet been full described. Understanding drought stress signaling is key to producing drought-tolerant plant. In this study we recently have identified Oryza sativa genes related abiotic stress water deficit. Abiotic stress related genes were screened from Oryza sativa cDNA library and identified gene by yeast functional screening. The yeast expression showed that they east cell grow well on SD-galactose-Leu-Ura-. The screening of over than 7000 clones from Oryza sativa cDNA libraries has been identified. 28 clones that survived following BAX-expression on inducible galactose medium. R12H780 clones confirmed protein prediction like putative senescence-associated-protein. This gene contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 108 amino acids. Transcription of R12H780 was induced in response to drought stresses, RT-PCR analysis showed transcript level in plant strongly detected in earliest time of drought stress treatment. Yeast transformed with R12H780 gene displayed markedly improved tolerance to PEG treatment, and high salinity in comparison to the control yeast (vector only). The results indicate R12H780 expression represents a new type of drought stress related gene with anti-apoptotic in Oryza sativa and endows tolerance to several types abiotic stress.

Rice stripe disease, caused by rice stripe virus (RSV), is one of the major virus diseases in east Asia. The objective of this study was conducted to identify new resistance genetic source to rice stripe virus (RSV) disease. Genetic diversity of 155 rice cultivars was evaluated using 9 co-dominant InDel markers and STS marker ST10. These cultivars were classified into two groups by cluster analysis based on Nei`s genetic distances. The marker showed different band pattern among RSV resistance or susceptible cultivar. In comparison with bioassay for RSV resistance and genotyping using SSR markers showed that Stv-bi and InDel 7 marker observed recombination value within 3.8% and RSV resistance gene was closely related to InDel 7. Also InDel 7 divided as resistance type alleles and susceptible type alleles except for some varieties. Interestingly, 02428, Daw dam, Erguailai, Padi Adongdumarat, PERVOMAJSZKIJ, and Tung Ting Wan Hien 1 showed Japonica type in InDel 7 marker. However, these cultivars revealed resistant to RSV bioassay. These results indicate that those cultivar can be able to get the different gene resistance with Stv-bi gene. Newly identified resistance gene is considered useful for improving RSV resistance in japonica rice. Therefore, we will progress the allelism test and genetic analysis for identification of new gene source.