• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.91-96
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• 2015

Prion은 양의 scrapie, 소의 bovine spongiform encephalopathy와 사람의 CJD와 같은 다양한 신경 퇴행성 질환을 유발시키는 단백질 병원체이다. 정상 prion 단백질인 PrP^C가 병원성 PrP^Sc로 바뀌는 과정에 대해서는 많은 연구가 진행되었고, PrP^Sc로의 단백질 구조 변화가 다양한 환경적 요소에 의해서 영향 받는 것으로 추측된다. 바다조류로부터 분리된 MAAs는 다양한 스트레스 환경에서 조류를 보호해주는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이와 같은 사실에 기초하여 mycosporineglycine, porphyra-334와 shinorine 3종의 MAAs로 처리한 prion 감염 신경세포 주에서 prion 단백질 축적의 변화를 평가하였다. PK 저항성을 갖는 PrP^Sc를 western blot 방법으로 확인한 결과, MAA에 의해서 PrP^Sc 단백질의 증식을 관찰하였다.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.393-405
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• 2005

In prion pathogenesis, the structural conversion of the cellular prion protein $(PrP^c)$ to its abnormal isomer $(PrP^{Sc})$ is believed to be a major event. The susceptibility or resistance to natural sheep scrapie is associated with polymorphisms of host PrP gene (PRNP) at amino acid residues 136, to a lesser extent 154. The 112 residue in ovine PrP displays a natural polymorphism, Methionine to Threonine, which has not been thoroughly investigated. However the cell-free conversion assay showed that ARQ with Thr112 $(T_{112}ARQ)^{1)}$ presents lower convertibility to $PrP^{Sc}$than wild type ARQ $(M_{112}ARQ)$ [1] In this study we generated ovine recombinant PrPs of 112 allelic variants by metal chelate affinity chromatography and cation exchange chromatography. The final purity of the ovine PrP ARQ was more than $95\%$. These variants showed similar immunoreactivity against anti-PrP monoclonal antibodies in Western blot and ELISA. The refolded $M_{112}ARQ$ and $M_{112}ARQ$ presented the secondary structural content to similar extent via CD spectroscopy analysis. The inherited structural features of $M_{112}ARQ$ and $M_{112}ARQ$ under the different biophysical conditions are in the middle of investigation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.1023-1031
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• 2017

The conformational change of cellular prion protein ($PrP^C$) to its misfolded counterpart, termed $PrP^{Sc}$, is mediated by a hypothesized cellular cofactor. This cofactor is believed to interact directly with certain amino acid residues of $PrP^C$. When these are mutated into cationic amino acid residues, $PrP^{Sc}$ formation and prion replication halt in a dominant negative (DN) manner, presumably due to strong binding of the cofactor to mutated $PrP^C$, designated as DN PrP mutants. Previous studies demonstrated that plasminogen and its kringle domains bind to PrP and accelerate $PrP^{Sc}$ generation. In this study, in vitro binding analysis of kringle domains of plasminogen to Q167R DN mutant PrP (PrPQ167R) was performed in parallel with the wild type (WT) and Q218K DN mutant PrP (PrPQ218K). The binding affinity of PrPQ167R was higher than that of WT PrP, but lower than that of PrPQ218K. Scatchard analysis further indicated that, like PrPQ218K and WT PrP, PrPQ167R interaction with plasminogen occurred at multiple sites, suggesting cooperativity in this interaction. Competitive binding analysis using $\small{L}$-lysine or $\small{L}$-arginine confirmed the increase of the specificity and binding affinity of the interaction as PrP acquired DN mutations. Circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrated that the recombinant PrPs used in this study retained the ${\alpha}$-helix-rich structure. The ${\alpha}$-helix unfolding study revealed similar conformational stability for WT and DN-mutated PrPs. This study provides an additional piece of biochemical evidence concerning the interaction of plasminogen with DN mutant PrPs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권9호
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• pp.1657-1660
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• 2016

Prion diseases are incurable neurodegenerative disorders. Our previous study demonstrated that polylysine was effective in prolonging the incubation period in a rodent model and in alleviating the scrapie prion protein (PrP^Sc) burden in the brain at the terminal stage of the disease. Here, we report that intraperitoneal administration of polylysine suppresses the accumulation of prions in the spleen during the early stages of the disease. This study supports the congruence of PrP^Sc inhibition by polylysine in both the spleen and brain.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권12호
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• pp.2141-2144
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• 2018

Based on previous studies reporting the anti-prion activity of poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-lysine and poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-arginine, we investigated cationic poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-ornithine (PLO), poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-histidine (PLH), anionic poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-glutamic acid (PLE) and uncharged poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-threonine (PLT) in cultured cells chronically infected by prions to determine their anti-prion efficacy. While PLE and PLT did not alter the level of $PrP^{Sc}$, PLO and PLH exhibited potent $PrP^{Sc}$ inhibition in ScN2a cells. These results suggest that the anti-prion activity of poly-basic amino acids is correlated with the cationicity of their functional groups. Comparison of anti-prion activity of PLO and PLH proposes that the anti-prion activity of poly-basic amino acids is associated with their acidic cellular compartments.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.29-36
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• 2024

Cellular prion protein (PrP^C) encoded at Prnp gene is well-known to form a misfolded isoform, termed scrapie PrP (PrP^SC) that cause transmissible degenerative diseases in central nervous system. The physiological role of PrP^C has been proposed by many studies, showing that PrP^C interacts with various intracellular, membrane, and extracellular molecules including mitochondrial inner membrane as a scaffold. PrP^C is expressed in most cell types including reproductive organs. Numerous studies using PrP^C knockout rodent models found no obvious phenotypic changes, in particular the clear phenotypes in development and reproduction have not demonstrated in these knockout models. However, various roles of PrP^C have been evaluated at the cellular levels. In this review, we summarized the known roles of PrP^C in various cell types and tissues with a special emphasis on those involved in reproduction.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.673-680
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• 2009

Conversion of the normal soluble form of prion protein, PrP ($PrP^C$), to proteinase K-resistant form ($PrP^{Sc}$) is a common molecular etiology of prion diseases. Proteinase K-resistance is attributed to a drastic conformational change from ${\alpha}$-helix to ${\beta}$-sheet and subsequent fibril formation. Compelling evidence suggests that membranes play a role in the conformational conversion of PrP. However, biophysical mechanisms underlying the conformational changes of PrP and membrane binding are still elusive. Recently, we demonstrated that the putative transmembrane domain (TMD; residues 111-135) of Syrian hamster PrP penetrates into the membrane upon the reduction of the conserved disulfide bond of PrP. To understand the mechanism underlying the membrane insertion of the TMD, here we explored changes in conformation and membrane binding abilities of PrP using wild type and cysteine-free mutant. We show that the reduction of the disulfide bond of PrP removes motional restriction of the TMD, which might, in turn, expose the TMD into solvent. The released TMD then penetrates into the membrane. We suggest that the disulfide bond regulates the membrane binding mode of PrP by controlling the motional freedom of the TMD.

• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.183-188
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• 2011

In this article, the effect of the crystal structural environment of $Pr^{3+}$ ions on the photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of double tungstates, such as $A(M_{1-X}Pr_X)W_2O_8$ (A=Li, Cs, M = In, Y, Sc, La; $0.007{\leq}x{\leq}0.1$) and $La_{1.96}Pr_{0.04}W_3O_{12}$ are characterized. By varying the ion radius in A and M sites, the structural environment of $Pr^{3+}$ ions were modified. The structural criteria, that is, the point charge electrostatic potentials V around the $Pr^{3+}$ activator, were calculated using the crystal structural parameters. The point charge potential V can be a valid criterion for $^3P_o$ quenching in various double tungstates. When the calculated V values are large (> 6.0), the luminescence from the $^3P_0$ level becomes dominant. When the calculated V values are about 3.8, the $^1D_2$ line appears weakly but $^3P_0$-level luminescence is absent. When the calculated V values are small (< 2.0), the luminescence from the $^1D_2$ level becomes dominant and $^3P_0$-level luminescence is absent. At 2.0$^3P_o$ quenching to $^1D_2$ level occurs substantially in accordance with the structural criterion of the point charge potential model.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.229-234
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• 1997

Shizandra chinensis(SC) and Pinus regida(PR) showed antimicrobial activity against 3 strains(B-5, D-1, A-1) of lactic acid bacteria(LAB) isolated from kimchi among eight kinds of plant extracts such as Shizandra chinensis, Phellodendron amurense, ornus officinalis, Pinus regida, Allium tuberosum, Machilus thunbergii, Cyperus rotundus and Schizonepeta tenuifloia. The growth of LAB was inhibited apparently in modified MRS broth containing 1% Schizandra chinensis at $35^{\circ}C$. Pinus regida showed weaker inhibitory effect on the growth of isolated LAB than Shizandra chinensis. pH of SC added kimchi did not change greatly compare with control during 25 days of fermentation. Degree of titratable acidity change and ratio of reducing sugar utilization in control were more higher than in SC added kimchi during fermentation. Growth of total bacteria and lactic acid bacteria was inhibited about 1 to 2 $log_10$ cycle by addition of SC extracts during kimchi fermentation for 10 days at $10^{\circ}C$. Fermentation of kimchi was delaved about 5 to 7 days by addition of 1 or 2% of SC. extract, but sensory quality (falvor, taste and overall acceptability) of SC added kimchi was lower than that of control (p>0.05).

• 한국환경농학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경농학회 2009년도 정기총회 및 국제심포지엄
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• pp.273-282
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• 2009

The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) disease group are fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting a wide range of hosts. The group includes kuru and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, scrapie in sheep and goats and Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle. The exact nature of the infectious agent involved in the transmission of these diseases remains controversial. However, a central event in their pathogenesis is the accumulation in infected tissues of an abnormal form of a host-encoded protein, the prion protein (PrP). Whereas the normal cellular protein is fully sensitive to protease ($PrP^{sen}$), the disease-associated prion protein ($PrP^d$) is only partly degraded ($PrP^{res}$), its amino-terminal end being removed. BSE was first reported in the mid-80s in the UK. Ten years later, a new form of human prion disease, variant CJD (vCJD) developed in the wake of the BSE epidemic, and there is now strong scientific evidence that vCJD was initiated by the exposure of humans to BSE-infected tissues, thus indicating a zoonotic disease. However, the ban on the feeding of animal-derived proteins to ruminants, and the apparent lack of vertical transmission of BSE, have led to a decline in the incidence of the disease within cattle herd and therefore, an assumed decreased risk for human contacting vCJD. The origin of the original case(s) of BSE still remains an enigma even though three hypotheses have been raised. Hypotheses are i) sheep- or goat-derived scrapie-infected tissues included in meat and bone meal fed to cattle, ii) a previously undetected sporadic or genetic bovine TSE contaminating cattle feed or iii) originating from a human TSE through animal feed contaminated with human remains. A host cellular membrane protein ($PrP^C$), which is abundant in central nervous system tissue, appear to be conformationally altered in the diseased host into a prion protein ($PrP^{Sc}$). This $PrP^{Sc}$ is detergent insoluble and partially protease-resistant ($PrP^{res}$). The term $PrP^{res}$ is normally used to describe the protein detected after protease treatment, in techniques such as Western immunoblotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay using fresh/frozen tissue. Immunohistochemistry may performed with formalin-fixed tissues. Also, clinical signs of the BSE are one of the major diagnostic indicators. Recently, atypical forms (known as H- and L-type) of BSE have appeared in several European countries, Japan, Canada and the United States. An unusual case was also reported in a miniature zebu. The atypical BSE fall into two groups based on the relative molecular mass (Mm) of the unglycosylated $PrP^{res}$ band relative to that of classical BSE, one of the higher Mm (H-type) and the other lower (L-type). Both types have been detected worldwide as rare cases in older animals, at a low prevalence consistent with the possibility of sporadic forms of prion diseases in cattle. This raises the unwelcome possibility that vCJD could increase in the human population. Now, active surveillance program against BSE is going on in Korea. In regional veterinary service lab, ELISA is applied to screen the BSE in slaughter and confirmatory tests by Western immunoblotting and immunohistochemisty are carried out if there are positive or suspect in the screening test. Also, the ruminant feed ban is rigorously enforced. Removal of specified risk materials such as brain and spinal cord from cattle is mandatory process at slaughter to prevent the infected material from entering the human food chain.