• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.371-377
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• 2000

In order to investigate the pharmacological properties of fractions of Astragali Radix and Polygalae Radix, the effects of the fractions on cerebral ischemia and subsequent reperfusion were studied. Brain ischemia was induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in mongolian gerbil. Brains were recirculated for 30 mins after the 20 min occlusion. Methanol and butanol fractions of Astragali Radix and Polygalae Radix were administered orally 2 hrs before common carotid artery occlusion. Histological observations showed that brain ischemia induced severe brain damage evidenced by the presence of necrotic foci, edema and hemorrhage. This injury was prevented by the methanol fraction and butanol fraction of Polygalae Radix. The level of ATP in brain tissue significantly decreased in ischemic gerbils. This decrease was prevented by the pretreatment with butanol fraction of Polygalae Radix. In contrast, the levels of lactate and lipid peroxide were both elevated in ischemic gerbils. This elevation was inhibited by the pretreatments with methanol fraction and butanol fraction of Polygalae Radix. Our findings suggest that the Polygalae Radix improves ischemia-induced brain damage.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.109-114
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• 2021

Veronica nakaiana Ohwi (Plantaginaceae) is an endemic taxon on Ulleungdo Island, Korea. We report the second complete chloroplast genome sequence of V. nakaiana. Its genome size is 152,319 bp in length, comprising a large single-copy of 83,195 bp, a small single-copy of 17,702 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat regions of 25,711 bp. The complete genome contains 115 genes, including 51 protein-coding genes, four rRNA genes, and 31 tRNA genes. When comparing the two chloroplast genomes of V. nakaiana, 11 variable sites are recognized: seven SNPs and four indels. Two substitutions in the coding regions are recognized: rpoC2 (synonymous substitution) and rpl22 (nonsynonymous substitution). In nine noncoding regions, one is in the tRNA gene (trnK-UUU), one is in the intron of atpF, and seven are in the intergenic spacers (trnH-GUG~psbA, trnK-UUU, rps16~trnQ-UUG, trnC-GCA~petN, psbZ~trnG-GCC, ycf3~trnS-GGA, ycf4~cemA, and psbB~psbT). The data provide the level of genetic variation in V. nakaiana. This result will be a useful resource to formulate conservation strategies for V. nakaiana, which is a rare endemic species in Korea.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.7
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• pp.385-391
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• 2023

Aspartate-glutamate carrier 2 (AGC2, citrin) is a mitochondrial carrier expressed in the liver that transports aspartate from mitochondria into the cytosol in exchange for glutamate. The AGC2 is the main component of the malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS) that ensures indirect transport of NADH produced in the cytosol during glycolysis, lactate oxidation to pyruvate, and ethanol oxidation to acetaldehyde into mitochondria. Through MAS, AGC2 is necessary to maintain intracellular redox balance, mitochondrial respiration, and ATP synthesis. Through elevated cytosolic Ca²⁺ level, the AGC2 is stimulated by catecholamines and glucagon during starvation, exercise, and muscle wasting disorders. In these conditions, AGC2 increases aspartate input to the urea cycle, where aspartate is a source of one of two nitrogen atoms in the urea molecule (the other is ammonia), and a substrate for the synthesis of fumarate that is gradually converted to oxaloacetate, the starting substrate for gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, aspartate is a substrate for the synthesis of asparagine, nucleotides, and proteins. It is concluded that AGC2 plays a fundamental role in the compartmentalization of aspartate and glutamate metabolism and linkage of the reactions of MAS, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, amino acid catabolism, urea cycle, protein synthesis, and cell proliferation. Targeting of AGC genes may represent a new therapeutic strategy to fight cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.934-944
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• 2007

Paenibacillus polymyxa E681 is known to be able to suppress plant diseases by producing antimicrobial compounds and to promote plant growth by producing phytohormones, and secreting diverse degrading enzymes. In spite of these capabilities, little is known regarding the flow of information from the bacterial strain to the barley roots. In an attempt to determine the flow of information from the bacterial strain to barley roots, the strain was grown in the presence and absence of barley, and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry were used. 2D-PAGE detected approximately 1,000 spots in the cell and 1,100 spots in the supernatant at a pH 4-10 gradient. Interestingly, about 80 spots from each sample showed quantitative variations. Fifty-three spots from these were analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and 28 proteins were identified. Most of the cytosolic proteins expressed at higher levels were found in P. polymyxa E681 cells grown in the presence of barley rather than in the absence of barley. Proteins detected at a lower level in the surpernatant of P. polymyxa E68l cells grown in the presence of barley were lipoprotein, glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase, heat-shock protein HtpG, spermidine synthase, OrfZ, ribonuclease PH, and coenzyme PQQ synthesis protein, and flagellar hook-associated protein 2 whereas proteins detected at a higher level in the surpernatant of P. polymyxa E681 cells grown in the presence of barley included D-alanyl-D-alanine ligase A, isopentenyl-diphosphate delta-isomerase, ABC transporter ATP-binding protein Uup, lipase. Many of the proteins belonging to plant-induced stimulons are associated with biosynthetic metabolism and metabolites of proteins and transport. Some of these proteins would be expected to be induced by environmental changes resulting from the accumulation of plant-secreted substances.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.71-79
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• 2019

Purpose : Several studies suggest that smoking and vitamin D level is a risk factor of metabolic syndrome. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between smoking status, vitamin D levels and the Korean adult male and female metabolic syndrome. Methods : We assessed 3796 participants aged 19 years and older from the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2013, 2014. Smoking statuses were collected from self-reported questionnaires. Subjects were divided into three categories: non-smokers, former smokers, and current smokers. Vitamin D was tested by Radioimmunoassay method and the value of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is an index of vitamin D status in the body, was used. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was made using criteria modified NCEP-ATP III. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios between smoking status, vitamin D levels, and metabolic syndrome. Results : The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 23.0 % in men and 15.4 % in women. After adjusting for smoking, the odds ratio for men's metabolic syndrome in current smokers was 1.77 (95 % CI, 1.30~2.41), while for former smokers OR was 1.63 (95 % CI, 1.15~2.31) compared with nonsmokers. After adjustment vitamin D, the odds ratio for women's metabolic syndrome in vitamin D deficiency was 1.44 (95 % CI, 1.11~1.87) compared with normal. Conclusion : Smoking status was associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in Korean adult males and decreased vitamin D level was associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in Korean adult females.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2006

Permanent neonatal diabetes(PND) is a rare form of diabetes characterized by insulin-requiring hyperglycemia that is diagnosed within the first 3 months of life. In most cases, the causes are not known. Recently, mutations in the gene KCNJ11 encoding the Kir6.2 subunit of the ATP-sensitive K+ charmel have been described in patients with PND. We report a child with PND due to a lysine-to-arginine substitution at position 170(K170R) of gene encoding Kir6.2 Our patient was diagnosed at 7 weeks of age and had been treated with subcutaneous insulin for 6.5 years. Recently, our patient has been changed from subcutaneous insulin to oral glibenclamide therapy at a daily dose of 7.5 mg 3 times a day(0.9 mg/kg/day) at the age of 6.5 years. Before glibenclamide therapy, c-peptide level was 0.1 ng/ml(normal 1.0-3.5 ng/ml) and hemoglobin HbA1c level was 7.8%(normal <6%). After 6 days of treatment, her c-peptide and insulin levels were 2.3 ng/ml and $9.6{\mu}U/ml$(normal $5-25{\mu}U/ml$), respectively. After 1 month later, the insulin and c-peptide levels were in the nonnal range without any episodes of hyper- or hypoglycemia. This case demonstrated that oral sulfonylurea may be the treatment of choice in PND patients with KCNJ11 mutation even at a young age.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.354-361
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• 2015

Mitochondrial heat shock protein 75 (mtHSP75) is a member of the HSP90 family and plays essential roles in refolding proteins of the mitochondrial matrix. Mitochondria provide energy in the form of ATP and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are activated in response to stress, and protect cells. In this study, we characterized the mtHSP75 of the big-belly seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis. The protein (BsmtHSP75) is encoded by an open reading frame (ORF) of 2,157 nucleotides, has 719 amino acids (aa), and is of molecular mass 82 kDa. BsmtHSP75 has two functional domains, a histidine kinase-like ATPase (HATPase_c) domain (123-276 aa) and an HSP90 family domain (302-718 aa). BsmtHSP75 was expressed in all tested tissues of healthy seahorses. The ovary contained the highest transcription level, followed (in order) by the blood, brain, and muscle. Pouch tissue showed the lowest expression level. The expression of BsmtHSP75 was significantly (P<0.05) up-regulated on viral or bacterial challenge, suggesting that BsmtHSP75 plays a role in the immune defense against bacterial and viral pathogens.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.210-214
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• 2007

The 90-kDa heat shock protein (HSP90) normally functions as a molecular chaperone participating in folding and stabilizing newly synthesized proteins, and refolding denatured proteins. The HSP90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GA) occupies the ATP/ADP binding pocket of HSP90 so inhibits its chaperone activity and causes subsequent degradation of HSP90 client proteins by proteasomes. Here we show that GA reduces the level of endogenous c-Jun in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells in a time and dose dependent manner, and that this decrease can be reversed by transfection of HSP90 plasmids. Transfection of HSP90 plasmids in the absence of GA increases the level of endogenous c-Jun protein, but has no obvious affect on c-Jun mRNA levels. We also showed that HSP90 prolongs the half-life of c-Jun by stabilizing the protein; the proteasome inhibitor N-benzoyloxycarbonyl (Z)-Leu-Leu-leucinal (MG132) blocks the degradation of c-Jun promoted by GA. Transfection of HSP90 plasmids did not obviously alter phosphorylation of c-Jun, and a Jun-2 luciferase activity assay indicated that over-expression of HSP90 elevated the total protein activity of c-Jun in HEK293 cells. All our evidence indicates that HSP90 stabilizes c-Jun protein, and so increases the total activity of c-Jun in HEK293 cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.488-497
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• 1999

Probing Streptomyces albus ATCC 21838 chromosomal DNA with a proline tRNA sequence resulted in an isolation of a putative integrating element in the 6.4-kb EcoRI fragment. It was found that Streptomyces lividans TK-24 transformed with a cloned DNA fragment on a multicopy plasmid, produced a higher level of spore pigment and mycelial red pigment on a regeneration agar. Furthermore, the transformant S. lividans TK-24 produced a markedly increased level of undecylprodigiosin in a broth culture. A nucleotide sequence analysis of the cloned region revealed several open reading frames homologous to the integrases of integrating plasmids or temperate bacteriophages, signal-transducing regulatory proteins with a conserved ATP-binding domain, oxidoreductases ($\beta$-ketoacyl reductase), and an AraC-like transcriptional regulator. To examine the effect on antibiotic production, each coding region was overexpressed separately from the other genes in the region in S. lividans TK-24 with; pJHS3044 for the expression of the signal-transducing regulatory protein homologue, pJHS3045 for the homologue of oxidoreductase, and pJHS3051 for the homologue of the AraC-like transcriptional regulator. Phenotypic studies of S. lividans TK-24 strains harboring plasmids for the overexpression of individual genes suggested the following effects of the genes on antibiotic production: The oxidoreductase homologue stimulated the production of actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin, which was influenced by the culture conditions; the homologue of the AraC-like transcriptional regulator was the most effective factor in antibiotic production within all the culture conditions tested; the signal-transducing regulatory protein homologue repressed the effect due to the homologue of the AraC-like transcriptional regulator, however, the antibiotic production was derepressed upon entering the stationary phase.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.146-150
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• 2003

This study was carried out to obtain basic information on breeding using PCR-aided RFLP technology which can identify the variation inter- and intra-species of ginseng in the level of DNA. It was intended to investigate banding pattern on psbA and rbeL genes of chloroplast DNA in ginseng after treating with restriction enzymes. To isolate psbA and rbcL genes of chloroplast, both psbA-N, psbA-C primer and rbcL-N, PX-1 primer were used. As a result, 1,008 bp band of psbA gene and 1,336 bp band of rbcL gene were appeared, which was optimal and expected molecular weight. In addition, primers to isolate atpB, rpoB, trnL, and trnF genes were used, resulting in the expected 1366, 900, 1500 and 1008 bp bands. Genes of psbA and rbcL isolated by PCR were cut by restriction enzymes, Sau3A, TaqI, AluI, HaeIII, and RFLP pattern was investigated. KG line and other species of ginseng were cut by TaqI treatment, and bands were located in 800 bp. The treatment treated by AluI also showed the same 800 bp band in KG line and other species. In HaeIII treatment, 500 bp of faint bands were shown in case of KG line, whereas any bands were not observed in other species. All chloroplast genes formed bands by PCR amplification. However, it was not evident to distinguish intra-or inter-species of ginseng after restriction enzyme treatment. Therefore, more restriction enzyme treatment or sequence comparison method should be considered for further experiment.