Sun-Yi Lee

Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction of Bacillus vallismortis BIT-33 metabolites on colon cancer carcinoma cells

Aims:  The objective of this research was to isolate and identify a cytotoxic marine bacterium, BIT‐33, and to investigate the apoptosis effects of its metabolite on colon cancer cells.

Enhanced production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by fed-batch cultures of Pseudomonas sp EL-2

Pseudomonas sp EL-2 was cultivated to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] from a structurally unrelated carbon source, glucose, by a fed-batch culture technique. Variation of the carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the medium produced optimal P(3HB-co-3HV) production at a C/N ratio of 95. Production of P(3HB-co-3HV) was favored by a dissolved oxygen tension of 40%. A maximum biomass concentration of 38 g L−1 containing 53% P(3HB-co-3HV) was achieved after 45 h of cultivation. This corresponds to a volumetric productivity of 0.84 g L−1 h−1. The copolymer contained 7.5 mol% 3-hydroxyvalerate. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 36–40.

Purification and Identification of Apoptosis Modulator Pipernonaline from Piper longum Linn. against Prostate Cancer Cells

Prostate cancer has been a critical health problem due to an increase of prostate cancer-related deaths worldwide. Also, a frequent treatment option for prostate cancer is androgen ablation, but this treatment has a limited scope, especially for hormone-refractory cancer. There is an urgent need for the identification of alternative therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer. Previously, over one hundred species of dried-plant methanol extracts were tested for inhibitory effects on proliferation. One of them, Piper longum Linn. was selected based on its potent anti-proliferation effect. The dried root of P. longum Linn. was extracted with 100% methanol for 2-3 days and its extract was fractionated using chloroform. The chloroform layer was then subjected to column chromatography on silica gel, reverse phase-18 (RP-18) and Sephadex LH-20, in turn. Finally, the pure compound was obtained and identified as pipernonaline by NMR spectroscopic and physico-chemical analysis. In this study, anti-proliferation and cell cycle arrest effects of pipernonaline on human prostate cancer PC-3 cells were investigated using the MTT and PI staining, respectively. Our findings suggest that pipernonaline represents a dose-dependent growth inhibition pattern on PC-3 cells and, moreover, its growth inhibition is associated with sub-G1 and G0/G1 cell cycle accumulation in PC-3 cells. Also, these results provide an anticancer candidate for human prostate cancer.

PCR Specific Primer for the Detection of Vibrio tapetis

Brown Ring Disease (BRD) is a bacterial disease caused by Vibrio tapetis which affects cultured clam Ruditapes philippinarum and causes heavy economic losses on Atlantic coasts of france, Spain and England. In this study, to evaluate the effective detection of the pathogen, specific primer set based on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences designed for rapid detection of V. tapetis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with this primer set produced the specific band for each V. tapetis. The length of PCR product using designed primer set of Vbts-F and Vbts-R was about 400 bp. Therefore, these primers will be provided with a basic tool for rapid detection of V. tapetis in the various cases such as examination of imported aquatic products, diagnosis of aquatic organisms, and etc.

Hematological Characterization of Penaeus chinensis by Feed-additives

Shrimp has efficient non-specific defense mechanisms based on activities of the hemocytes against pathogens. Up to now, it has been known that one of the non-specific immune reactions is related to mutual association among types of hemocyte, granular cell, semi-granular cell, and hyaline cell. In this study, we tried to know the effectiveness of feed-additives such as 5-aminolevulinic acid(ALA), chitosan, and hot-water extract of herb on immunity of shrimp (Penaeus chinensis) by hemocytic observation and SDS-PAGE analysis. Finally, we suggest a principle of the examination system for effects of various feed-additives