Gait Ignition Failure in JNPL3 Human Tau-mutant Mice

Cognitive impairments and motor dysfunction are commonly observed behavioral phenotypes in genetic animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. JNPL3 transgenic mice expressing human P301L-mutant tau display motor disturbances with age- and gene dose-dependent development of neurofibrillary tangles, suggesting that tau pathology causes neurodegeneration associated with motor behavioral abnormalities. Although gait ignition failure (GIF), a syndrome marked by difficulty in initiating locomotion, has been described in patients with certain forms of tauopathies, transgenic mouse models mirroring human GIF syndrome have yet to be reported. Using the open field and balance beam tests, here we discovered that JNPL3 homozygous mice exhibit a marked delay of movement initiation. The elevated plus maze excluded the possibility that hesitation to start in JNPL3 mice was caused by enhanced levels of anxiety. Considering the normal gait ignition in rTg4510 mice expressing the same mutant tau in the forebrain, GIF in JNPL3 mice seems to arise from abnormal tau deposition in the hindbrain areas involved in locomotor initiation. Accordingly, immunohistochemistry revealed highly phosphorylated paired helical filament tau in JNPL3 brainstem areas associated with gait initiation. Together, these findings demonstrate a novel behavioral phenotype of impaired gait initiation in JNPL3 mice and underscore the value of this mouse line as a tool to study the neural mechanisms and potential treatments for human GIF syndrome.

Screening of Biodegradable Function of Indigenous Ligno-degrading Mushroom Using Dyes

The process of biodegradation in lingo-cellulosic materials is critically relevant to biospheric carbon. The study of this natural process has largely involved laboratory investigations, focused primarily on the biodegradation and recycling of agricultural by-products, generally using basidiomycetes species. In order to collect super white rot fungi and evaluate its ability to degrade lingo-cellulosic material, 35 fungal strains, collected from forests, humus soil, livestock manure, and dead trees, were screened for enzyme activities and their potential to decolorize the commercially used Poly-R 478 dye. In the laccase enzymatic analysis chemical test, 33 white rot fungi and 2 brown rot fungi were identified. The degradation ability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) according to the utilized environmental conditions was higher in the mushrooms grown in dead trees and fallen leaves than in the mushrooms grown in humus soil and livestock manure. Using Poly-R 478 dye to assess the PAH-degradation activity of the identified strains, four strains, including Agrocybe pediades, were selected. The activities of laccase, MnP, and Lip of the four strains with PAH-degrading ability were highest in Pleurotus incarnates. 87 fungal strains, collected from forests, humus soil, livestock manure, and dead trees, were screened for enzyme activities and their potential to decolorize the commercially used Poly-R 478 dye on solid media. Using Poly-R 478 dye to assess the PAHdegrading activity of the identified strains, it was determined that MKACC 51632 and 52492 strains evidenced superior activity in static and shaken liquid cultures. Subsequent screening on plates containing the polymeric dye poly R-478, the decolorization of which is correlated with lignin degradation, resulted in the selection of a strain of Coriolus versicolor, MKACC52492, for further study, primarily due to its rapid growth rate and profound ability to decolorize poly R-478 on solid media. Considering our findings using Poly-R 478 dye to evaluate the PAH-degrading activity of the identified strains, Coriolus versicolor, MKACC 52492 was selected as a favorable strain. Coriolus versicolor, which was collected from Mt. Yeogi in Suwon, was studied for the production of the lignin-modifying enzymes laccase, manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP), and lignin peroxidase (LiP).

Molecular Marker Related to Fruitbody Color of Flammulina velutipes

White and brown strains of Flammulina velutipes were inter-crossed. All F1 showed light-brown fruitbody, suggesting that a gene for the brown fruitbody was incompletely dominant against the white one. And backcross experiment showed that more than two genes were involved in color determination. To isolate a molecular marker linked to fruitbody color, a set of primers was designed from a sequence of clones derived by a bulked segregant analysis. These markers showed a specific band which co-segregated with brown fruitbody forming strains.

Analysis of Cultural Characteristics and Phylogenic Relationships of Collected Strains of Pholiota species

Cultural characteristics and phylogenic relationships were investigated and classified among collected strains in Pholiota spp. which contain P. adiposa, P. squarrosa, P. nameko etc. They were tested on the four different media (PDA, MCM, YM, MEA) and sawdust (Alder, Oak, Pine, Popular) substrates. There was a little variation according to the media and sawdust substrates, although PDA and popular sawdust substrate seemed to be better. Most strains showed white colonies, but some strains were brown. Mycelial growth length differed according to the strains. To classify species, the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeats from Pholiota spp. were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then sequenced. According to the analysis of ITS sequences, they were classified into five clusters. Their spacer regions were 644~700 nucleotides in length. The reciprocal homologies of each ITS region among these strains were ranged from 49.6~99.9%. The phylogenic analysis might give a criterion to classify species in the collected strains.