• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.669-673
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• 2011

Human methionine sulfoxide reductase B3A (hMsrB3A) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) reductase that catalyzes the stereospecific reduction of methionine-R-sulfoxide to methionine in proteins. In this work, we identified an antimicrobial peptide from hMsrB3A protein. The N-terminal ER-targeting signal peptide (amino acids 1-31) conferred an antimicrobial effect in Escherichia coli cells. Sequence and structural analyses showed that the overall positively charged ER signal peptide had an Argand Pro-rich region and a potential hydrophobic ${\alpha}$-helical segment that contains 4 cysteine residues. The potential ${\alpha}$-helical region was essential for the antimicrobial activity within E. coli cells. A synthetic peptide, comprised of 2-26 amino acids of the signal peptide, was effective at killing Gram-negative E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella paratyphi, but had no bactericidal activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.299-304
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to elucidate the physicochemical characteristics of gelatin extracted from jellyfish Rhopilema hispidum. We investigated the proximate composition, amino acids, gel strength, gelling/melting points, dynamic viscoelastic properties, and viscosity of jellyfish gelatin. Jellyfish gelatin contained 12.2% moisture, 1.5% lipid, 2.1% ash, and 84.8% protein. Glycine, hydroxyproline, proline, and alanine were the predominant amino acids. The gelatin showed a gel strength of 31.2 kPa, a gelling point of $18.0^{\circ}C$, and melting point of $22.3^{\circ}C$. The gelatin was composed of ${\alpha}_1$-chain, ${\alpha}_2$-chain, ${\beta}$-chain, and ${\gamma}$-chain. During cooling and heating process, jellyfish gelatin showed lower elastic modulus (G') and loss modulus (G") values than mammalian gelatin. Jellyfish gelatin did not show superior rheological properties to mammalian gelatin, like other fish gelatin; however, it can be used in various food and cosmetic products not requiring high gel strength.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.4-14
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• 2003

Maple syrup urine disease or branched chain ketoacidurias caused by a deficiency in activity of the branched-chain ${\alpha}$-keto acid dehydrogenase(BCKD) complex. This metabolic block results in the accumulation of the branched-chain amino acids(BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine and valine, and the corresponding branched chain ${\alpha}$-keto acids (BCKAs). Based on the clinical presentation and biochemical responses to thiamine administration, MSUD patients can be divided into five phenotypes : classic, intermediate, intermittent, thiamine responsive and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase(E3)-deficient. Classic MSUD has a neonatal onset of encephalopathy, and is the most severe ad most common form. Variant forms of MSUD generally have the initial symptoms by 2 years of age. The majority of untreated classic patients die within the early months of life from recurrent metabolic crisis and neurologic deterioration. Treatment involves both longterm dietary management and aggressive intervention during acute metabolic decompensation. We report here our experience of longterm diet therapy and treatment of acute metabolic decompensation of a case of classic MSUD.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2012

A carboxymethyl cellulase gene, cel5B, was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. pRCS20 in E. coli was identified from metagenomic cosmid library of cow rumen for cellulase activity on a carboxymethyl cellulose agar plates. Cosmid clone (RCS20) was partially digested with Sau3AI, ligated into BamHI site of pBluescript II SK+ vector, and transformed into E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$. The insert DNA of 1.3 kb was obtained, designated cel5B, which has the activity of hydrolyzation of CMC. The cel5B gene had an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,059 bp encoding 352 amino acids with a signal peptide of 48 amino acids and the conserved region, VIYEIYNEPL, belongs to the glycosyl hydrolase family 5. The molecular mass of Cel5B protein expressed from E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ exhibited to be about 34 kDa by CMC-SDS-PAGE. The optimal pH was 8.0, and the optimal temperature was about $50^{\circ}C$ for its enzymatic activity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.427-429
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• 1996

We have already cloned an extracellular $\alpha$-glucosidase gene from Aspergillus niger with oligonucleotide probe synthesized on the basis of the peptide sequences determined previously. The DNA sequence revealed an open reading frame of 895 amino acids split by three introns. We are attempting to construct an A. niger strain deficient in the $\alpha$-glucosidase enzyme activity, which would be useful for the glucoamylase production without contamination by the industrially undesirable $\alpha$-glucosidase. For destruction of the $\alpha$-glucosidase gene, we try to make transformations. A cloned partial $\alpha$-glucosidase gene was introduced into Aspergillus niger, and transformants with suppressed $\alpha$-glucosidase activity were isolated. The transformants were cultured on YPD medium which contained Hygromycin B at 30$\circ$C. The activity of $\alpha$-glucosidase of the suppressed transformants was compared to that of wild type activity. As shown by southern-hybridization, we detected that the transformant was a heterocaryon.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.275-280
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• 2000

The inulin fructotransferse (depolymerizing) (IFTase, EC 2.4.1.93) gene of Arthrobacter sp. A-6 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The IFTase gene consisted of an ORF of 1.311 nucleotides encoding a polypeptide of 436 amino acids containing a signal peptide of 31 amino acids in the N-terminus. The molecular mass of the IFTase based on the nucleotide sequence was calculated to be 46.116 Da. The recombinant E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ cells expressing the Arthrobacter sp. A-6 IFTase gene produced most of the IFTase intracelularly. In contrast, the recombinant B. subtilis DB 104 carrying the IFTas gene on a B. subtilis-E. Coli expression vector secreted the IFTase into the culture fluid efficiently.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.121-131
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• 1994

Two kinds of new lectins, CATL-I and CATL-II, were partially purified from the intestine of Chlorostoma argyrostoma turbunatum by physical saline extraction, salt fractionation, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. CATL-I and CATL-II were purified 39.4 and 15.8 fold with a yield of 8.8 and 7.4%, respectively. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, CATL-I demonstrated one major and one minor bands. This lectin agglutinated human and other animal erythrocytes nonspecifically and also agglutinated murine splenic lymphocytes. Carbohydrate specificity of the lectins was determined by inhibition of the agglutinability by methyl-${\alpha}-_D$-galactopyranoside and $_L-rhamnose$ at a final concentration of 6 mM. The lectins contained relatively high amounts of acidic amino acids, but the contents of sulfur containing amino acids were very low or was not estimated. Immunochemical studies were carried out to identify some properties of marine animal lectins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.819-825
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• 2002

Methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) is a key enzyme in the process of methanol oxidation in methylotrophic bacteria. However, information on MDH genes from genus Methylobacillus is limited. In this study, a 6.5-kb HindIII DNA fragment of Methylobacillus sp. SK-5 chromosomal DNA was isolated from the genomic library of the strain by using a degenerate oligonucleotide probe that was designed based on JV-terminal amino acid sequence of the MDH $\alpha$ subunit purified from the strain. Molecular analysis of the fragment revealed four tightly clustered genes (mxaFJGI) involved in the methanol oxidation. The first and fourth genes were very similar to mxaF (77% identity for nucleotides an 78% identity for amino acids) and mxaF (67% Identity for nucleotides and 68% Identity for amino acids) genes, respectively, from Methylovorus sp. SSI. Genes mxaF and mxaI encode $\alpha$ and $\beta$ subunits of MDH, respectively. The two subunits were identified from purified MDH from Methylobacillus sp. SK-5. A dendrogram constructed by comparison of amino acid sequences of MDH u subunits suggests that MxaF from Methylobacillus sp. SK-5 belongs to a subfamily cluster of MDH u subunits from $\beta$-subgroup Proteobacteria. The subfamily cluster is separated from the other subfamily that consists of $\beta$- and $\gamma$-subgroup Proteobacteria. This study provided information on mn genes from a methylotrophic bacterium in $\beta$-subgroup Proteobacteria, which would aid to better develop a gene probe to detect one-carbon metabolizing bacteria.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.185-193
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• 1997

The characteristics of $Na^+$-dependent cycloleucine uptake was investigated in OK cells with regard to substrate specificity and regulation by protein kinase C (PKC). Inhibition studies with different synthetic and natural amino acids showed a broad spectrum affinity to neutral amino acids regardless of their different side chains including branched or aromatic, indicating that the $Na^+$-dependent cycloleucine uptake in OK cells is mediated by System $B^o$ or System $B^o$-like transporter rather than the classical System A or ASC. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, but not $4{\alpha}-PMA$ elicited a time-dependent biphasic stimulation of $Na^+$-dependent cycloleucine uptake, which produced early transient peak at 30 min and late sustained peak at 180min. Both the early and late stimulations by PMA were due to an increase in Vmax and not due to a change in Km. PKC inhibitors blocked both the early and late stimulation by PMA, while protein synthesis inhibitors blocked the late stimulation only. These results suggest the existence and regulation by PKC of System $B^o$ or System $B^o$-like broad spectrum transport system for neutral amino acids in OK cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1809-1813
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• 2006

A gene corresponding to 4-${\alpha}$-glucanotransferase (${\alpha}GTase$) was cloned from the thermophilic bacterium Thermus brockianus. The nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the ${\alpha}GTase$ gene is composed of 1,503 nucleotides and encodes a polypeptide that is 500 amino acids long with a calculated molecular mass of 57,221 Da. The deduced amino acid sequences of Thermus brockianus ${\alpha}GTase$ (TBGT) exhibited a high level of similarity to the amino acid sequence of ${\alpha}GTase$ of Thermus thermophilus (86%), but low level of homology to that of E. coli (26%). The TBGT gene was overexpressed in E. coli BL21, and the corresponding recombinant enzyme was efficiently purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The enzymatic characteristics revealed that optimal pH and temperature were pH 6 and $70^{\circ}C$, respectively. Most interestingly, TBGT reacted with small oligosaccharides, especially maltotriose, to form various maltooligosaccharides by using its disproportionation activity.