Jung-Sup Lee

Bcl-2 expression suppresses mismatch repair activity through inhibition of E2F transcriptional activity.

Bcl-2 stimulates mutagenesis after the exposure of cells to DNA-damaging agents. However, the biological mechanisms of Bcl-2-mediated mutagenesis have remained largely obscure. Here we demonstrate that the Bcl-2-mediated suppression of hMSH2 expression results in a reduced cellular capacity to repair mismatches. The pathway linking Bcl-2 expression to the suppression of mismatch repair (MMR) activity involves the hypophosphorylation of pRb, and then the enhancement of the E2F–pRb complex. This is followed by a decrease in hMSH2 expression. MMR has a key role in protection against deleterious mutation accumulation and in maintaining genomic stability. Therefore, the decreased MMR activity by Bcl-2 may be an underlying mechanism for Bcl-2-promoted oncogenesis.

Dependence of the rheological behaviour of electrostatically stabilized alumina slurries on pH and solid loading

Alumina slurries with different solid loadings were prepared using aqueous solutions of hydrochloric acid the concentrations of which were predetermined as suitable for dispersing media; their rheological behaviour was investigated with respect to the pH of the slurry. In regions of low pH (below 3.5), the viscosity of the slurries gradually increased with decreasing pH of the slurry, irrespective of the amount of solid loading. Near the isoelectric point of alumina (about pH 8–8.5), the viscosities of the slurries were high and dependent on the solid loading. The pH range which exhibits the regions with low viscosity narrows on increasing the solid loading. These results were interpreted using an interparticle potential energy diagram for the slurry system.

Screening of Tomato Cultivars Resistant to Bacterial Wilts

Bacterial wilts, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is a very destructive disease to tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) in Korea. Selection of resistant cultivar is the best way to prevent or reduce the occurrence of this disease. Thirty-nine tomato cultivars, twenty-one cherry tomato cultivars and thirteen rootstock tomato cultivars were inoculated with Ralstonia solanacearum, to evaluate tomato cultivars for resistance against bacterial wilts. Thirty-seven cultivars were highly susceptible to bacterial wilts and 61-100% of their whole tissue became wilted within 10 days after inoculation. Twenty-four cultivars showed moderate resistance and twelve were resistant to bacterial wilts. In an evaluation of 73 major commercial cultivars, ‘Lilyance’, ‘TP-7’, ‘Choice’, ‘Dadaki’, ‘Akiko’, ‘Redstar’, ‘Match’, ‘B-blocking’, ‘Magnet’, ‘Support’, ‘Friend’ and ‘Special’ were found to have a high level of resistance to bacterial wilts of tomatoes.

Dielectric properties of Pb(Zn1/3, Nb2/3)O3 ceramics modified by Ba(Zn1/3, Nb2/3)O3 and BaTiO3

Dielectric properties of lead zinc niobate (PZN) ceramics modified by barium zinc niobate (BZN) and BaTiO3 (BT) were investigated. By adding the modifier of BT and BZN, the stabilization of perovskite phase of PZN increased, but its Curie temperature decreased linearly with the amount of added modifier. Room temperature dielectric constant of PZN increased by addition of stabilizers up to 12 and 15 mol% of BZN and BT, respectively. The maximum room temperature dielectric constant was observed to be 7800 at 12 mol% of BZN, and 9800 at 15 mol% of BT, respectively.

First Report of Pink Mold Rot on Tomato Fruit Caused by Trichothecium roseum in Korea

Pink mold rot of tomato occurred very severly on tomato farm in Paju, Gyounggi Province, Korea, in July 2005. The infected fruits were dropped and abandoned and the symptoms were similar to calcium deficient tomatoes. But symptom was a slight water-soaked area on or near the blossom end of the fruit and firm greyish-brown lesions were most found at the blossom-end of affected fruits. lesions caused by the pink mold fungus possess a water soaked margin and rise to characteristic orange-pink spores. Also when the diseased tomato was cut, the inside of tomatoes showed completely rotted with pink mold. The causal fungus was identified as Trichothecium roseum based on mycological characteristics. This is the first report of T. roseum infecting greenhouse tomatoes in Korea.

Effect of Temperature, Relative Humidity on Germination and Development of Powdery Mildew (Leveillula taurica) on Pepper and Its Inoculation Method

Pepper powdery mildew, Leveillula taurica is one of the most important pathogens of pepper in the greenhouses and fields in Korea and is becoming a worldwide disease. These experiments were carried out to investigate the optimal germination, disease development conditions, disease incidence and effective inoculation methods of pepper powdery mildew. The incidence of powdery mildew was investigated throughout the country based on the major pepper growing areas in 2009. The average rate of infected leaves ranged from 15.3% to 81.8% in greenhouses and fields. Powdery mildew incidences were more severe in greenhouses than those of fields. The optimal temperature for conidial germination was and showed the highest germination at 6 hs after treatment. The range of temperature for germination was to . Temperature of greater than and below affected the abnormal germination and germ tube elongation. The optimal relative humidity for germination and germ tube elongation was 85% and germination increased as relative humidity increased. Disease development started 8 days after inoculation and showed the highest disease severity at 15 days in greenhouse and field regardless of varieties. Among three different inoculation methods tested the spore dropping method was better than touching with infected leaves and spraying with spore suspension. However, the method has limitation in mass inoculation due to the amount of time consumed.

Bacterial Fruit Blotch of Melon Caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli

In September and October 2005, melons(Cucumis melo L.) from the commercial greenhouses in Naju and Gwangju exhibited severe foliar necrosis and fruit rot. Leaf symptoms initially appeared as V-shaped, necrotic lesions and extending to the midrib. Symptoms on the fruit were occurred randomly as necrotic and sunken spots. Two isolates from diseased leaves and fruits were identified as Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli on the basis of bacteriological and genetic characteristics. Pathogenicity of the isolates was confirmed by inoculating on 3-week-old melon and cucumber seedlings. This is the first report of bacterial fruit blotch of melon in Korea.

Heme oxygenase-1 induction by dieldrin in dopaminergic cells.

We investigated the transcriptional events and signaling pathways involved in the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) by dieldrin, an environmental risk factor of Parkinsons disease, in a dopaminergic neuronal cells (SN4741). Dieldrin exposure caused dose-dependent and time-dependent induction of heme oxygenase activity and HO-1 protein expression. Deletional and mutational analyses showed that the 5′ distal enhancers, E1 and E2, mediate dieldrin-induced HO-1 gene transcription, and the AP-1 DNA binding sites in the E2 enhancer are critical for E2-mediated HO-1 gene activation. Furthermore, both the p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways are utilized for HO-1 transcriptional activation by dieldrin. HO-1 inhibitor, ZnPP IX reduced the expression of HO-1 but enhanced the cytotoxicity induced by dieldrin.

Occurrence and Pathogenicity of Verticillium Wilt on Chrysanthemum Caused by Verticillium dahliae

A wilt disease on the greenhouse-grown chrysanthemum occurred at Kumi, Masan and Busan, Korea in . Symptoms of wilting, yellowing, and marginal burning started from lower leaves and progressed upward. Early symptoms often appeared on one side, involving only one part of the plant or one side of individual leaves or stems without a vascular discoloration. Vascular tissues of the infected leaf-base`s discolored to brown. Fungal isolates obtained from discolored tissues were identified as Verticillium dahliae based on its cultural and morphological characteristics. The fungus showed whitish to creamy colony pattern with abundant dark brown to black elongated microsclerotia on PDA. Conidiophores were verticillately branched and conidia were ellipsoidal to sub-cylindrical shape, and measured as . Pathogenicity tests by root dipping resulted in similar symptoms observed in the naturally infected chrysanthemum in fields.

Modulation of parkin gene expression in noradrenergic neuronal cells

Typical autosomal recessive juvenile Parkinsonism (AR‐JP) is resulted from the loss of function mutation in the parkin gene. In an effort to learn more about the cell type‐specific functional role of parkin, we used in vitro model such as locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic (NA) neuronal progenitor cell line, LC3541. Employing this in vitro model, we revealed that parkin plays a crucial role in phenotypic differentiation of NA neurons. Our results showed that parkin mRNA was expressed during the differentiation of NA neuronal progenitor cell line and that the level of the parkin mRNA was down‐regulated by oxidative stress in the NA neuronal cells. Parkin protein overexpression in LC3541 cells induced expression of NA markers (TH, phox2a and DBH). Small interfering RNA (SiRNA) for parkin supressed NA differentiation and DBH expression. Preventing protein kinase A (PKA) activation with PKI attenuated expression of DBH in parkin overexpressed LC3541 cells. These findings suggest that the relative abundance of parkin enhances differentiation of NA phenotypes via a PKA‐dependent pathway.