Evolutionary dynamics of transposable elements during silkworm domestication

Min‑Jin Han,Hong‑En Xu,Xiao‑Min Xiong,Hua‑Hao Zhang 한국유전학회 2018 Genes & Genomics Vol.40 No.10

Although there are some documented examples on population dynamics of transposable elements (TEs) in model organisms, the evolutionary dynamics of TEs in domesticated species has not been systematically investigated. The objective of this study is to understand population dynamics of TEs during silkworm domestication. In this work, using transposondisplay we examined the polymorphism of seven TE families [they represent about 59% of silkworm (Bombyx mori) total TE content] in four domesticated silkworm populations and one wild silkworm population. Maximum likelihood (ML) was used to estimate selection pressure. Population differentiation and structure were performed by using AMOVA analysis and program DISTRUCT, respectively. The results of transposon-display showed that significant differentiation occurred between the domesticated silkworm and wild silkworm. These TEs have experienced expansions and fixation in the domesticated silkworm but not in wild silkworm. Furthermore, the ML results indicated that purifying selection of TEs in the domesticated silkworm were significantly weaker than that in the wild silkworm. Interestingly, an adaptation insertion induced by BmMITE-2 was found, and this insertion can reduce the polymorphism of the flanking regions of its neighboring COQ7 gene. Our results suggested that TEs expanded and were fixed in the domesticated silkworm might result from demographic effects and artificial selection during domestication. We concluded that the data presented in this study have general implication in animal and crop improvements as well as in domestication of new species.

SiC particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composite coatings prepared by laser powder deposition

Xu Xiang-yang,Han Jian-min,Li Wei-jing,Liu Yuan-fu,Liu Long-mei 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2006 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.7 No.2

A SiC particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composite coatings for wear resistance improvement were investigated. Laser powder deposition processing was optimized, the microstructure of the coatings was analyzed, and the wear resistance of the coatings was evaluated. Under optimized processing, a laser powder deposited coating is free of cracks and porosity. SiC particles were uniformly distributed in the coating and well bonded with the matrix. A laser powder deposited coating consists of α-Al, SiC, Al4C3, Si and Al2O3 phases. Due to formation of Al4C3 and Si phases and crystal grain refinement, the wear resistance of laser powder deposited coatings was increased 2.06-3.76 times that of the aluminum alloy substrate based on the high hardness and deformation resistance of the SiC particles.

Trends in Specific Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis: A Survey of Chinese ENT Specialists

Han Zhou,Qi-Lei Tao,Jun-Min Wei,Geng Xu,Lei Cheng 대한천식알레르기학회 2014 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.6 No.4

Purpose: Specific immunotherapy (SIT) is a suitable but uncommon treatment option for allergic rhinitis (AR) in China. The current understandingand attitude of Chinese ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists in regards to SIT is unclear. This study investigates current trends in the awarenessand application status of SIT among Chinese ENT specialists. Methods: We performed a nationwide, cross-sectional survey with a specially designedquestionnaire given to 800 ENT specialists in China. A member of the trained research group conducted face-to-face interviews with eachrespondent. Results: Most of the respondents considered AR (96.0%) and allergic asthma (96.0%) the most suitable indications for SIT. Of all respondents,77.0% recommended the application of SIT as early as possible; in addition, SIT was considered ‘relatively controllable and safe’ bymost respondents (80.6%). The highest allergen-positive rate in AR was associated with house dust mite (47.7%) and obvious differences existedamong geographical regions. Conventional subcutaneous immunotherapy was the most highly recommended treatment option (96.2%). ‘The highcost of SIT’ (86.6%) and ‘lack of patient knowledge of SIT’ (85.2%) were probably the main reasons for the lower clinical use of SIT in China. Conclusions:Most cases showed that the opinions of Chinese ENT specialists appeared to be in agreement with recent SIT progress and internationalguidelines; however, many areas still need to enhance the standardization and use of SIT in China. Clinical guidelines for SIT require improvement;in addition, Chinese ENT specialists need continuing medical education on SIT.

In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-Tobacco Mosaic Virus Activities of Essential Oils and Individual Compounds

( Min Lu ),( Zhi Qiang Han ),( Yun Xu ),( Lei Yao ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2013 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.23 No.6

Essential oils are increasingly of interest for use as novel drugs acting as antimicrobial and antiviral agents. In the present study, we report the in vitro antiviral activities of 29 essential oils, extracted from Chinese indigenous aromatic plants, against the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Of these essential oils, those oils from ginger, lemon, tea tree, tangerine peel, artemisia, and lemongrass effected a more than 50% inhibition of TMV at 100 μg/ml. In addition, the mode of antiviral action of the active essential oils was also determined. Essential oils isolated from artemisia and lemongrass possessed potent inactivation and curative effects in vivo and had a directly passivating effect on TMV infection in a dose-dependent manner. However, all other active essential oils exhibited a moderate protective effect in vivo. The chemical constitutions of the essential oils from ginger, lemon, tea tree, tangerine peel, artemisia, and lemongrass were identified by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major components of these essential oils were α-zingiberene (35.21%), limonene (76.25%), terpinen-4-ol (41.20%), limonene (80.95%), 1,8-cineole (27.45%), and terpinolene (10.67%). The curative effects of 10 individual compounds from the active essential oils on TMV infection were also examined in vivo. The compounds from citronellal, limonene, 1,8-cineole, and α-zingiberene effected a more than 40% inhibition rate for TMV infection, and the other compounds demonstrated moderate activities at 320 μg/ml in vivo. There results indicate that the essential oils isolated from artemisia and lemongrass, and the individual compound citronellal, have the potential to be used as an effective alternative for the treatment of tobacco plants infected with TMV under greenhouse conditions.

Selection of High Laccase-Producing Coriolopsis gallica Strain T906: Mutation Breeding, Strain Characterization, and Features of the Extracellular Laccases

( Xiaoli Xu ),( Lei Feng ),( Zhenya Han ),( Sishi Luo ),( Ai`min Wu ),( Jun Xie ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.9

Commercial application of laccase is often hampered by insufficient enzyme stocks, with very low yields obtained from natural sources. This study aimed to improve laccase production by mutation of a Coriolopsis gallica strain and to determine the biological properties of the mutant. The high-yield laccase strain C. gallica TCK was treated with N-methyl-N-nitro Nnitrosoguanidine and ultraviolet light. Among the mutants isolated, T906 was found to be a high-production strain of laccases. The mutant strain T906 was stabilized via dozens of passages, and the selected ones were further processed for optimization of metallic ion, inducers, and nutritional requirements, which resulted in the optimized liquid fermentation medium MF9. The incubation temperature and pH were optimized to be 30°C and 4.5, respectively. The mutant strain T906 showed 3-times higher laccase activity than the original strain TCK under optimized conditions, and the maximum laccase production (303 U/ml) was accomplished after 13 days. The extracellular laccase isoenzyme 1 was purified and characterized from the two strains, respectively, and their cDNA sequence was determined. Of note, the laccase isoenzyme 1 transcription levels were overtly increased in T906 mycelia compared with values obtained for strain TCK. These findings provide a basis for C. gallica modification for the production of high laccase amounts.

Growth, reproduction and recruitment of Silvetia siliquosa (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) transplants using polyethylene rope and natural rock methods

Gao, Xu,Choi, Han Gil,Park, Seo Kyoung,Lee, Jung Rok,Kim, Jeong Ha,Hu, Zi-Min,Nam, Ki Wan The Korean Society of Phycology 2017 ALGAE Vol.32 No.4

Silvetia siliquosa is an ecologically and commercially important brown alga that is harvested from its natural habitats, but its population has recently been diminishing along the Korean coast. To develop new techniques for algal population restoration, we tested two newly developed transplantation methods (using polyethylene ropes and natural rock pieces) at two study sites, Gwanmaedo and Yeongsando, on the southwest coast of Korea, from May to November 2014. The transplants on polyethylene ropes showed significantly greater survival, maturity, and growth than those on natural rocks at both study sites. Newly recruited juveniles (<3 cm) of S. siliquosa increased remarkably from May to December near the transplants on polyethylene ropes and natural rocks.Therefore, we suggest that transplantation using polyethylene ropes is more effective than using natural rocks to restore the population of S. siliquosa in Korea.

Inactivated Sendai Virus Strain Tianjin Induces Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer MDA-MB-231 Cells

Chen, Jun,Han, Han,Chen, Min,Xu, Xiao-Zhu,Wang, Bin,Shi, Li-Ying Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.12

Sendai virus strain Tianjin is a novel genotype. Here, we investigate the antitumor and proapoptotic effects of ultraviolet-inactivated Sendai virus strain Tianjin (UV-Tianjin) on human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro, as well as the involvement of the apoptotic pathway in the mechanism of UV-Tianjin-induced antitumor effects. MTT assays showed that treatment with UV-Tianjin dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells but not normal MCF 10A breast epithelium cells. Hoechst staining and flow cytometric analysis revealed that UV-Tianjin induced apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, UV-Tianjin treatment resulted in reduction in the mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) and release of cytochrome complex (cyt c) via regulation of Bax and Bcl-2, as well as activation of caspase-9, caspase-3, Fas, FasL and caspase-8 in MDA-MB-231 cells. In summary, our study suggests that UV-Tianjin exhibits anticancer activity in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells through inducing apoptosis, which may involve both the endogenous mitochondrial and exogenous death receptor pathways.

Requirement for ERK Activity in Sodium Selenite-induced Apoptosis of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia-derived NB4 Cells

( Bing She Han ),( Wei Wei ),( Fang Yuan Hua ),( Ting Ming Cao ),( Hua Dong ),( Tao Yang ),( Yang Yang ),( Hua Zhen Pan ),( Cai Min Xu ) 생화학분자생물학회 2007 BMB Reports Vol.40 No.2

한국 환경산업 수출 경쟁력 확보를 위한 녹색금융의 역할 연구

전동한(Dong Han Jeon),서정위(Jing Wei Xu),강성민(Sung Min Kang) 중앙대학교 한국전자무역연구소 2014 전자무역연구 Vol.12 No.3

연구목적 : 지금 전 세계적으로 환경오염과 자원고갈의 문제 그리고 지구 보존을 위한 환경의 중요성이 크게 대두되고 있다. 환경에 대한 심각성이 제기되면서 세계 각국은 환경보호관련 기술개발에 많은 투자를 하고 있으며 환경산업에 대한 중요성도 증대되고 있다. 하지만 우리나라의 경우 환경산업의 발전과 더불어 환경산업을 통한 해외 수출 경쟁력은 미흡한 상태에 있다. 금융기관의 투자불확실성, 금융정책 지속성의 문제 등 환경산업의 활성화를 위한 녹색금융의 역할도 미흡한 실정이다. 우리나라의 환경산업이 수출 경쟁력을 확보하기 위해서는 녹색금융의 역할과 정부의 지원정책이 중요하다. 이에 본 논문은 환경산업의 중요성을 인식하고 환경산업이 수출 경쟁력을 확보하기 위한 녹색금융의 역할을 제시한다. 논문구성/논리 : 본 논문은 선행연구를 바탕으로 우리나라 환경산업에 대한 수출경쟁력 확보를 위한 녹색금융의 역할과 활성화 방안을 연구하였다. 제2장에서는 한국 환경산업의 현황과 수출 경쟁력을 분석하고 조사하였으며 제3장에서는 금융기관과 국가정책에 따른 우리나라 녹색금융의 현황을 연구하였으며 제4장에서는 우리나라 환경산업의 수출경쟁력을 확보하기 위한 녹색금율의 역할과 활성화 방안을 제시하여 제5장에서는 결론을 도출하였다. 결과 : 환경산업은 환경오염 상태를 측정하고 오염물질을 정화하거나 방지하기 위한 시설이나 서비스를 포함하는 산업으로 기술집약적인 고부가가치산업이다. 녹색금융은 녹색성장에 필요한 자금을 공급하는 금융으로서 녹색기술을 개발해 사업을 추진하거나 에너지 효율화 또는 대체 에너지의 활성화를 위한 녹색기업 및 녹색 프로젝트를 대상으로 자금을 공급하는 것이다. 우리나라 환경산업의 수출경쟁력 확보를 위해서는 지속가능한 정부의 정책과 시중 금융기관의 역할이 요구된다. 독창성/가치 : 최근 세계는 부존자원의 사용과 그에 대한 고갈의 문제, 그리고 환경오염에 의한 기후변화에 관심이 집중되고 있다. 선진 각국은 환경산업을 위한 장기적 투자를 통해 경쟁력을 확보하고 있지만 우리나라의 경우는 아직 미약한 수준에 있다. 수출경쟁력 확보를 위한 우리나라 환경산업은 구조적으로 녹색금융과 함께 동반성장할 수 있는 여건으로 충분하다. 환경산업이 활성화되기 위해서는 녹색금융의 역할이 무엇보다 중요하므로 녹색금융의 활성화 방안을 모색하는 것도 무엇보다 우선되어야 할 과제이다. Purpose : Now, green finance doesn't work well in our country for the existing uncertainty of the organizations who offer environmental service and oversea investment, and missing of sustainable financial policy. Green finance and the government support are very important to ensure the competitiveness of the industry of Korea. This paper will talk about the importance of environmental industry, and how green finance will work on environmental industry export competitiveness. Composition/Logic : This study started with existing research, introducing the function and suggestions of green finance, In Chapter 2, the paper investigates and analyzes the current status and competitiveness of Korean environmental industry. By looking at financial organizations and global policy, the Chapter 3 studies current status of green finance in Korea. The Chapter 4 gives some idea on how to ensure environmental industry export competitiveness with green finance in Korea, and it leads to the conclusion in Chapter 5. Findings : The environmental industry includes measurement for pollutions, facilities and services for preventing and filtering pollutants, which makes it an intensive and high value industry. Green finance provides support for those enterprises and projects aiming for developing green technology, high efficiency energy and alternative energy. Green finance is a part of general finance. To ensure the competitiveness of the industry, it requires government policy support and financial organization support. Originality/Value : Advanced countries have invested on the environmental industry, through which ensure their competitiveness but Korea is lagging behind. To guarantee the export competitiveness, from structural point of view, environment industry in Korea fully meets the requirement of increasing along with green finance. To facilitate the environment industry, green finance is of great significance. Finding the way to improve the green finance should be prioritized.

Removal of the Glycosylation of Prion Protein Provokes Apoptosis in SF126

Chen, Lan,Yang, Yang,Han, Jun,Zhang, Bao-Yun,Zhao, Lin,Nie, Kai,Wang, Xiao-Fan,Li, Feng,Gao, Chen,Dong, Xiao-Ping,Xu, Cai-Min Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2007 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.40 No.5

Although the function of cellular prion protein (PrP$^C$) and the pathogenesis of prion diseases have been widely described, the mechanisms are not fully clarified. In this study, increases of the portion of non-glycosylated prion protein deposited in the hamster brains infected with scrapie strain 263K were described. To elucidate the pathological role of glycosylation profile of PrP, wild type human PrP (HuPrP) and two genetic engineering generated non-glycosylated PrP mutants (N181Q/N197Q and T183A/T199A) were transiently expressed in human astrocytoma cell line SF126. The results revealed that expressions of non-glycosylated PrP induced significantly more apoptosis cells than that of wild type PrP. It illustrated that Bcl-2 proteins might be involved in the apoptosis pathway of non-glycosylated PrPs. Our data highlights that removal of glycosylation of prion protein provokes cells apoptosis.