Sang-Cheol Jun

Dr. Sang-Cheol Jun

Woosuk University
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

16Years (2011-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 January 2017
Verified
Book Chapter
Closed access
HPHee-Soo Park
Hee-Soo Park
SJSang-Cheol Jun
Sang-Cheol Jun
KHKap-Hoon Han
Kap-Hoon Han
SHSeung-Beom Hong
Seung-Beom Hong
Jae-Hyuk YuJae-Hyuk Yu
Jae-Hyuk Yu

30 June 2011 in Journal of Microbiology
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Journal Article
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PDF file
SJSang-Cheol Jun
Sang-Cheol Jun
SLSei-Jin Lee
Sei-Jin Lee
HPHyun-Joo Park
Hyun-Joo Park
JKJi-Young Kang
Ji-Young Kang
YLYoung-Eun Leem
Young-Eun Leem
KJKwang-Yeop Jahng
Kwang-Yeop Jahng
Two genes encoding MAP kinase homologs, designated as mpkB and mpkC, were isolated from Aspergillus nidulans by PCR with degenerate primers. Deletion and over-expression mutants of mpkC showed no detectable phenotypes under any external stress tested. Deletion of mpkB caused pleiotropic phenotypes including a failure in forming cleistothecia under any induction conditions for sexual development, increased Hülle cell production, slow hyphal growth and aberrant conidiophore morphology. Over-expression of mpkB led to increased cleistothecium production. While the transcripts of mpkB and mpkC were constitutively synthesized through the entire life cycle, their size and amount differed with developmental stages. An outcross test using fluorescent protein reporters showed that the mpkB deletion mutant could not form heterokaryons with wild type. Protoplast fusion experiments showed that the fusant of the mpkB mutant with wild type could undergo normal sexual development. However, heterokaryotic mycelia that were produced from a fusant between two mpkB deletion mutants could not form cleistothecia, although they did appear to form diploid nuclei. These results suggest that the MpkB MAP kinase is required for some post-karyogamy process as well as at the hyphal anastomosis stage to accomplish sexual development successfully.

1 December 2013 in Fungal Genetics and Biology
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Journal Article
Closed access
JKJi Young Kang
Ji Young Kang
JCJeesun Chun
Jeesun Chun
SJSang-Cheol Jun
Sang-Cheol Jun
DHDong-Min Han
Dong-Min Han
KCKeon-Sang Chae
Keon-Sang Chae
KJKwang Yeop Jahng
Kwang Yeop Jahng

28 January 2019 in Scientific Reports
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YKYoung Ho Kim
Young Ho Kim
MLMin-Woo Lee
Min-Woo Lee
SJSang-Cheol Jun
Sang-Cheol Jun
YCYong-Ho Choi
Yong-Ho Choi
Jae-Hyuk YuJae-Hyuk Yu
Jae-Hyuk Yu
Kwang-Soo ShinKwang-Soo Shin
Kwang-Soo Shin
The regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) domain proteins generally attenuate heterotrimeric G protein signaling, thereby fine-tune the duration and strength of signal transduction. In this study, we characterize the functions of RgsD, one of the six RGS domain proteins present in the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. The deletion (Δ) of rgsD results in enhanced asexual sporulation coupled with increased mRNA levels of key developmental activators. Moreover, ΔrgsD leads to increased spore tolerance to UV and oxidative stress, which might be associated with the enhanced expression of melanin biosynthetic genes and increased amount of melanin. Yeast two-hybrid assays reveal that RgsD can interact with the three Gα proteins GpaB, GanA, and GpaA, showing the highest interaction potential with GpaB. Importantly, the ΔrgsD mutant shows elevated expression of genes in the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) pathway and PKA catalytic activity. The ΔrgsD mutant also display increased gliotoxin production and elevated virulence toward Galleria mellonella wax moth larvae. Transcriptomic analyses using RNA-seq reveal the expression changes associated with the diverse phenotypic outcomes caused by ΔrgsD. Collectively, we conclude that RgsD attenuates cAMP-PKA signaling pathway and negatively regulates asexual development, toxigenesis, melanin production, and virulence in A. fumigatus.

11 November 2020
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SJSang-Cheol Jun
Sang-Cheol Jun
Span>The APSES transcription factor (TF) in Aspergillus species is known to govern diverse cellular processes, including growth, development, and secondary metabolism. Here, we investigated functions of the rgdA gene (Afu3g13920) encoding a putative APSES TF in the opportunistic human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. The rgdA deletion resulted in significantly decreased hyphal growth and asexual sporulation. Consistently, transcript levels of the key asexual developmental regulators abaA, brlA, and wetA were decreased in the ΔrgdA mutant compared to those in the wild type (WT). Moreover, ΔrgdA resulted in reduced spore germination rates and elevated transcript levels of genes associated with conidium dormancy. The conidial cell wall hydrophobicity and architecture were changed, and levels of the RodA protein were decreased in the ΔrgdA mutant. Comparative transcriptomic analyses revealed that the ΔrgdA mutant showed higher mRNA levels of gliotoxin (GT)-biosynthetic genes and GT production. While the ΔrgdA mutant exhibited elevated production of GT, ΔrgdA strains showed reduced virulence in the mouse model. In addition, mRNA levels of genes associated with the cyclic AMP (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway and the SakA mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway were increased in the ΔrgdA mutant. In summary, RgdA plays multiple roles in governing growth, development, GT production, and virulence which may involve attenuation of PKA and SakA signaling.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YCYong-Ho Choi
Yong-Ho Choi
SJSang-Cheol Jun
Sang-Cheol Jun
MLMin-Woo Lee
Min-Woo Lee
Jae-Hyuk YuJae-Hyuk Yu
Jae-Hyuk Yu
Kwang-Soo ShinKwang-Soo Shin
Kwang-Soo Shin
The APSES family proteins are transcription factors (TFs) with a basic helix-loop-helix domain, known to regulate growth, development, secondary metabolism, and other biological processes in Aspergillus species. In the genome of the human opportunistic pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, five genes predicted to encode APSES TFs are present. Here, we report the characterization of one of these genes, called mbsA (Afu7g05620). The deletion (Δ) of mbsA resulted in significantly decreased hyphal growth and asexual sporulation (conidiation), and lowered mRNA levels of the key conidiation genes abaA, brlA, and wetA. Moreover, ΔmbsA resulted in reduced spore germination rates, elevated sensitivity toward Nikkomycin Z, and significantly lowered transcripts levels of genes associated with chitin synthesis. The mbsA deletion also resulted in significantly reduced levels of proteins and transcripts of genes associated with the SakA MAP kinase pathway. Importantly, the cell wall hydrophobicity and architecture of the ΔmbsA asexual spores (conidia) were altered, notably lacking the rodlet layer on the surface of the ΔmbsA conidium. Comparative transcriptomic analyses revealed that the ΔmbsA mutant showed higher mRNA levels of gliotoxin (GT) biosynthetic genes, which was corroborated by elevated levels of GT production in the mutant. While the ΔmbsA mutant produced higher amount of GT, ΔmbsA strains showed reduced virulence in the murine model, likely due to the defective spore integrity. In summary, the putative APSES TF MbsA plays a multiple role in governing growth, development, spore wall architecture, GT production, and virulence, which may be associated with the attenuated SakA signaling pathway.