Characterization and Expression Profile Analysis of a New cDNA Encoding Taxadiene Synthase from Taxus media

Kai, Guoyin,Zhao, Lingxia,Zhang, Lei,Li, Zhugang,Guo, Binhui,Zhao, Dongli,Sun, Xiaofen,Miao, Zhiqi,Tang, Kexuan Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2005 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.38 No.6

A full-length cDNA encoding taxadiene synthase (designated as TmTXS), which catalyzes the first committed step in the Taxol biosynthetic pathway, was isolated from young leaves of Taxus media by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA of TmTXS had a 2586 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 862 amino acid residues. The deduced protein had isoelectric point (pI) of 5.32 and a calculated molecular weight of about 98 kDa, similar to previously cloned diterpene cyclases from other Taxus species such as T. brevifolia and T. chinenisis. Sequence comparison analysis showed that TmTXS had high similarity with other members of terpene synthase family of plant origin. Tissue expression pattern analysis revealed that TmTXS expressed strongly in leaves, weak in stems and no expression could be detected in fruits. This is the first report on the mRNA expression profile of genes encoding key enzymes involved in Taxol biosynthetic pathway in different tissues of Taxus plants. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that TmTXS had closest relationship with taxadiene synthase from T. baccata followed by those from T. chinenisis and T. brevifolia. Expression profiles revealed by RT-PCR under different chemical elicitor treatments such as methyl jasmonate (MJ), silver nitrate (SN) and ammonium ceric sulphate (ACS) were also compared for the first time, and the results revealed that expression of TmTXS was all induced by the tested three treatments and the induction effect by MJ was the strongest, implying that TmTXS was high elicitor responsive.

The infertile individual analysis based on whole-exome sequencing in chinese multi-ethnic groups

Zhao Qiongzhen,Li Yanqi,Liang Qi,Zhao Jie,Kang Kai,Hou Meiling,Zhang Xin,Du Renqian,Kong Lingyin,Liang Bo,Huang Weidong 한국유전학회 2023 Genes & Genomics Vol.45 No.4

Background Infertility is a common and rapidly growing health issue around the world. The genetic analysis based on the infertile population is crucial for intervention and treatment. Objective To find candidate gene locus led to azoospermia in Chinese multi-ethnic groups and provide theoretical guidance for the diagnosis of genetic diseases to progressively aggravated infertility patients and sterile offspring with ART. Methods The study based on whole-exome sequencing (WES) was presented for genetic characteristic analysis of multi-ethnics and identification of variants related to infertility in Xinjiang area of China. Results The frequency of pathogenic variants showed significant ethnic differences among four main ethnics in Xinjiang. The population structure analysis confirmed that the Hui was close to the Han population, the Kazak was close to the Uygur population, and there are three ancestry components in the four ethnics. In addition, ten candidate variants potentially regulated azoospermia were detected, and KNTC1 (rs7968222: G > T) was chosen to validate the association. Through the analysis in the valid group, the frequency of rs7968222 (G > T) has a significant difference in the azoospermia population (11.76%, 8/68) and normospermia population (4.63%, 35/756) (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the proportion of people with abnormal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level in the group carrying rs7968222 (G > T) was significantly higher than non-carriers (P < 0.05). Therefore, rs7968222 may regulate spermatogenesis through affecting hormone level. Conclusion Our study establishes the genetics analysis of Northwest China and finds a candidate gene locus KNTC1 (rs7968222: G > T), which is one of the genetic susceptibility factors for male azoospermia.

Production of Transgenic Pigs with an Introduced Missense Mutation of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor Type IB Gene Related to Prolificacy

Zhao, Xueyan,Yang, Qiang,Zhao, Kewei,Jiang, Chao,Ren, Dongren,Xu, Pan,He, Xiaofang,Liao, Rongrong,Jiang, Kai,Ma, Junwu,Xiao, Shijun,Ren, Jun,Xing, Yuyun Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2016 Animal Bioscience Vol.29 No.7

In the last few decades, transgenic animal technology has witnessed an increasingly wide application in animal breeding. Reproductive traits are economically important to the pig industry. It has been shown that the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type IB (BMPR1B) A746G polymorphism is responsible for the fertility in sheep. However, this causal mutation exits exclusively in sheep and goat. In this study, we attempted to create transgenic pigs by introducing this mutation with the aim to improve reproductive traits in pigs. We successfully constructed a vector containing porcine BMPR1B coding sequence (CDS) with the mutant G allele of A746G mutation. In total, we obtained 24 cloned male piglets using handmade cloning (HMC) technique, and 12 individuals survived till maturation. A set of polymerase chain reactions indicated that 11 of 12 matured boars were transgene-positive individuals, and that the transgenic vector was most likely disrupted during cloning. Of 11 positive pigs, one (No. 11) lost a part of the terminator region but had the intact promoter and the CDS regions. cDNA sequencing showed that the introduced allele (746G) was expressed in multiple tissues of transgene-positive offspring of No.11. Western blot analysis revealed that BMPR1B protein expression in multiple tissues of transgene-positive $F_1$ piglets was 0.5 to 2-fold higher than that in the transgene-negative siblings. The No. 11 boar showed normal litter size performance as normal pigs from the same breed. Transgene-positive $F_1$ boars produced by No. 11 had higher semen volume, sperm concentration and total sperm per ejaculate than the negative siblings, although the differences did not reached statistical significance. Transgene-positive $F_1$ sows had similar litter size performance to the negative siblings, and more data are needed to adequately assess the litter size performance. In conclusion, we obtained 24 cloned transgenic pigs with the modified porcine BMPR1B CDS using HMC. cDNA sequencing and western blot indicated that the exogenous BMPR1B CDS was successfully expressed in host pigs. The transgenic pigs showed normal litter size performance. However, no significant differences in litter size were found between transgene-positive and negative sows. Our study provides new insight into producing cloned transgenic livestock related to reproductive traits.

Facile Preparation of Novel Hierarchically Porous Carbon at the Molecular Level for Supercapacitor Electrode Application

Kai Li,Wei-Bin Zhang,Zhi-Yun Zhao,Yue Zhao,Xi-Wen Chen,Ling-Bin Kong 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2018 NANO Vol.13 No.08

Hierarchically porous carbons are obtained by a facile process of carbonizing the precursor of diblock copolymer xPS-b-polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). In the diblock copolymer, there is a carbon source of cross-linked polystyrene (xPS) and a sacrificial block of PMMA. The atom transfer radical polymerization was used to synthesize the diblock copolymer with controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity in dimethylformamide at 120 ℃. The obtained hierarchically porous carbons (HPCs) exhibit remarkable electrochemical properties, such as higher specific capacitance of 204 Fg -1 at the current density of 0.5Ag -1 in 6 mol L -1 aqueous KOH electrolyte. In addition, it also presents an excellent rate performance of 64% capacitance retention as the current density increases to 10Ag -1 and a superior cycling stability of 98% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles at the current density of 1Ag -1.

Immune Effect of Newcastle Disease Virus DNA Vaccine with C3d as a Molecular Adjuvant

( Kai Zhao ),( Xutong Duan ),( Lianwei Hao ),( Xiaohua Wang ),( Yunfeng Wang ) 한국미생물생명공학회(구 한국산업미생물학회) 2017 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.27 No.11

Newcastle disease is a serious infectious disease in the poultry industry. The commercial vaccines can only offer limited protection and some of them are expensive and need adjuvants. At present, DNA vaccines are widely used. However, the immune responses induced by DNA vaccines are too slow and low. Here, we constructed the transfer vectors with a different number of C3d as molecular adjuvants (n = 1, 2, 4, or 6), and the vectors were cloned into the optimal eukaryotic expression plasmid (pVAXI-optiF) that expressed the F gene of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and named pVAXI-F(o)-C3d1, pVAXI -F(o)-C3d2, pVAXI-F(o)-C3d4, and pVAXI-F(o)-C3d6, respectively. Cell transfection test indicated that pVAXI-F(o)-C3d6 showed the highest expression. In vivo immunization showed that the chickens immunized with pVAXI-F(o)-C3d6 intramuscularly induced better immune responses than the chickens immunized with the other plasmids. The protective efficacy of pVAXI-F(o)-C3d6 was 80% after challenge with the highly virulent NDV strain F48E9. The results in this study showed that C3d6 could be used as a molecular adjuvant to quickly induce an effective immune response to control NDV.

IP-10 Expression in Patients with Chronic HBV Infection and Its Ability to Predict the Decrease in HBsAg Levels after Treatment with Entecavir

Kai Zhao,Tao Yang,Mimi Sun,Wei Zhang,Yong An,Gang Chen,Lei Jin,Qinghua Shang,Wengang Song 한국분자세포생물학회 2017 Molecules and cells Vol.40 No.6

Interferon-γ-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), also known as chemokine C-X-C motif ligand (CXCL) 10, is closely associ-ated with antiviral immunity and the progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the value of baseline serological and histological IP-10 expression levels in predicting the efficacy of the antiviral response to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) is still unknown. In our research, intrahepatic and peripheral IP-10 expression levels were systemically examined before and after treatment with entecavir (ETV). Baseline serological and histological IP-10 expression levels were significantly increased in patients with CHB, particularly in patients with higher degrees of liver inflammation and liver fibrosis. Moreover, higher baseline intrahepatic IP-10 levels indicated better prognoses in patients with CHB after entecavir therapy. The baseline IP-10 level was also positively associated with several clinical parameters, including baseline levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and with the decrease in HBsAg levels after treatment. In addition, monocyte-derived IP-10 was expressed at higher levels in patients with CHB than in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and healthy controls (HC). According to the results of our in vitro experiments, IP-10 directly promoted hepatocyte apoptosis. Based on these findings, baseline serological and histological IP-10 levels might predict CHB severity and the decrease in HBsAg levels after entecavir therapy.

Electrochemical evaluation of La2NiO4+δ -based composite electrodes screen-printed on Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 electrolyte

Zhao, Kai,Xu, Qing,Huang, Duan-Ping,Chen, Min,Kim, Bok-Hee Springer-Verlag 2012 Journal of solid state electrochemistry Vol.16 No.8

Study on Recycling Process for EOL Liquid Crystal Display Panel

Kai Zhao,Zhifeng Liu,Yulin Wang,Hao Jiang 한국정밀공학회 2013 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

As the popularity of liquid crystal display (LCD), the number of end-of-life (EOL) LCD panel is increasing sharply. In this case, how to recycle the resources that it contains and reduce the negative impact on the environment that it will produce has been a great challenge. This research, which was based on analysis of the structure features and material properties of LCD panel, divided the recycling process for EOL LCD panel into four parts, including the separation of two glass substrates, the extraction of liquid crystal,the separation of multi-layers film and polarizing film from glass substrate. Experiments were carried out based on the theoretical analysis so as to find out a desirable resolution to each part. Finally, the optimal and practical synthetic recycling process had been obtained so as to make sure that liquid crystal, indium resources, glass substrates and polarizer could be separated and sorted for recycling more effectively and help to promote the industrialization of recycling of EOL liquid crystal display panel.

IP-10 Expression in Patients with Chronic HBV Infection and Its Ability to Predict the Decrease in HBsAg Levels after Treatment with Entecavir

Zhao, Kai,Yang, Tao,Sun, Mimi,Zhang, Wei,An, Yong,Chen, Gang,Jin, Lei,Shang, Qinghua,Song, Wengang Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2017 Molecules and cells Vol.40 No.6

Interferon-${\gamma}$-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), also known as chemokine C-X-C motif ligand (CXCL) 10, is closely associated with antiviral immunity and the progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the value of baseline serological and histological IP-10 expression levels in predicting the efficacy of the antiviral response to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) is still unknown. In our research, intrahepatic and peripheral IP-10 expression levels were systemically examined before and after treatment with entecavir (ETV). Baseline serological and histological IP-10 expression levels were significantly increased in patients with CHB, particularly in patients with higher degrees of liver inflammation and liver fibrosis. Moreover, higher baseline intrahepatic IP-10 levels indicated better prognoses in patients with CHB after entecavir therapy. The baseline IP-10 level was also positively associated with several clinical parameters, including baseline levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and with the decrease in HBsAg levels after treatment. In addition, monocyte-derived IP-10 was expressed at higher levels in patients with CHB than in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and healthy controls (HC). According to the results of our in vitro experiments, IP-10 directly promoted hepatocyte apoptosis. Based on these findings, baseline serological and histological IP-10 levels might predict CHB severity and the decrease in HBsAg levels after entecavir therapy.

The Effect of New Ecological Paradigm on Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Mediating Role of Environmental Attitudes

Kai-bin Zhao,Zheng Jin,Timothy Tamunang Tamutana,Yi-Ming Shi,Marina Kogay,Hanna Yeshinegus Adamseged 한국공공가치학회 2021 공공가치연구 Vol.1 No.1

Acquiring a better understanding of what drives pro-environmental behaviors is important for human. This study explores the underlying mechanism between New Ecological Paradigm and pro-environmental behaviors. Based on cognitive dissonance theory and identity theory, a questionnaire, including New Ecological Paradigm scale, pro-environmental attitude scale and pro-environmental behaviors scales, was used to investigate 1352 university students. The results indicated that: (1) There were significant correlations among New Ecological Paradigm, pro-environmental attitude and pro-environmental behaviors; (2) pro-environmental attitude played mediating role between New Ecological Paradigm and pro-environmental behaviors. In summary, this study uncovered the mechanism underlying the relationship between New Ecological Paradigm and pro-environmental behaviors, which contributes to the understanding of the complex mechanism that influence people s pro-environmental behaviors.