• BMB Reports
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• 제44권11호
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• pp.747-752
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• 2011

To investigate the effects of disulphide bond position on the salt resistance and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-neutralizing activity of ${\alpha}$-helical homo-dimeric antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), we synthesized an ${\alpha}$-helical model peptide ($K_6L_4W_1$) and its homo-dimeric peptides (di-$K_6L_4W_1$-N, di-$K_6L_4W_1$-M, and di-$K_6L_4W_1$-C) with a disulphide bond at the N-terminus, the central position, and the C-terminus of the molecules, respectively. Unlike $K_6L_4W_1$ and di-$K_6L_4W_1$-M, the antimicrobial activity of di-$K_6L_4W_1$-N and di-$K_6L_4W_1$-C was unaffected by 150 mM NaCl. Both di-$K_6L_4W_1$-N and di-$K_6L_4W_1$-C caused much greater inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) release in LPS-induced mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, compared to di-$K_6L_4W_1$-M. Taken together, our results indicate that the presence of a disulphide bond at the N- or C-terminus of the molecule, rather than at the central position, is more effective when designing salt-resistant ${\alpha}$-helical homo-dimeric AMPs with potent antimicrobial and LPS-neutralizing activities.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.43-48
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• 2017

In a previous study, we analyzed the transcriptome of Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans using next-generation sequencing technology and identified several antimicrobial peptide candidates. One of the peptides, scolopendrasin V, was selected based on the physicochemical properties of antimicrobial peptides using a bioinformatics strategy. In this study, we assessed the antimicrobial activities of scolopendrasin V using the radial diffusion assay and colony count assay. We also investigated the mode of action of scolopendrasin V using flow cytometry. We found that scolopendrasin V's mechanism of action involved binding to the surface of microorganisms via a specific interaction with lipopolysaccharides, lipoteichoic acid, and peptidoglycans, which are components of the bacterial membrane. These results provide a basis for developing peptide antibiotics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.350-355
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• 2010

Among human antimicrobial peptides (hAMPs), DCD-1L has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity over a wide pH range and in high salt concentrations. It offers a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. The 458-bp-long dermcidin cDNA was amplified by PCR using a human fetal cDNA library as a template. The 147-bp fragment of the MDCD-1L gene encoding an additional methionine residue was subcloned into the pTYB11 vector. Recombinant MDCD-1L was expressed as an intein fusion protein in E. coli, and then purified by affinity chromatography using chitin beads. A small peptide with a molecular mass of about 5 kDa was detected by tricine gel electrophoresis. The recombinant MDCD-1L peptide was purified from the gel and its amino acid sequence was determined by nanoLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. The initiating amino acid, methionine, remained attached to the N-terminal region of recombinant MDCD-1L. Purified MDCD-1L showed antimicrobial activity against a Micrococcus luteus test strain.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권11호
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• pp.1447-1455
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• 2009

Two novel avian $\beta$-defensins (AvBDs) isolated from duck liver were characterized and their homologies with other AvBDs were analyzed. They were shown to be duck AvBD9 and AvBD10. The mRNA expression of the two genes was analyzed in 17 different tissues from 1-28-day-old ducks. AvBD9 was differentially expressed in the tissues, with especially high levels of expression in liver, kidney, crop, and trachea, whereas AvBD10 was only expressed in the liver and kidney of ducks at all the ages investigated. We produced and purified GST-tagged recombinant AvBD9 and AvBDI0 by expressing the two genes in Escherichia coli. Both recombinant proteins exhibited antimicrobial activity against several bacterial strains. The results revealed that both recombinant proteins retained their antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus under a range of different temperatures ($-70^{\circ}C-100^{\circ}C$) and pH values (pH 3-12).

• 생명과학회지
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.715-723
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• 2015

지구상에 존재하는 전체 동물 중 가장 큰 부분을 차지 하고 있는 곤충은 예로부터 인간의 식품, 농업, 산업, 의약 등의 일상 생활에 이용되어 왔다. 많은 수와 높은 영양학적 가치로 곤충의 생리활성물질이 미개발 생물자원으로 재평가 되고 있다. 곤충은 면역세포, 곤충 혈구세포, 효소들의 연쇄반응 혹은 항균 단백질/펩타이드 같은 방법으로 외부의 감염에 저항성을 가지게 된다. 항균 펩타이드는 곤충의 혈림프의 선천성 면역 시스템 중 주요한 성분중의 하나로 항생제 내성 균주의 출몰이 빈번하게 일어나 해결책으로 새로운 항생제 개발이 시급한 시점에서 유력한 후보물질로 주목 받고 있다. 곤충 유래 항균 펩타이드는 150개가 넘게 분리되었으며 크게 세크로핀, 디펜신, 글라이신/프롤린이 풍부한 펩타이드로 이루어진다. 이 논문에서, 향균 펩타이드를 생산하는 여러 곤충 중에서 벌, 소똥구리, 울도하늘소, 나비 그리고 울도하늘소에서 얻을 수 있는 펩타이드의 종류 그리고 작용 기작에 대해 알아보았다. 이 펩타이드들은 항균효과를 가지고 있으며 멜리틴을 제외하고 적혈구의 용혈 현상이 나타나지 않고 주로 세포막을 붕괴시키거나 세포자살기작을 유도하여 병원성 미생물의 성장을 억제한다. 곤충 유래 펩타이드와 같은 생리활성물질이 그 활용 가능성의 면에서 엄청난 가능성을 가지고 있어 이에 대한 연구는 앞으로 더 주목을 받을 것이다.

• 대한화장품학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한화장품학회 2003년도 IFSCC Conference Proceeding Book I
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• pp.85-96
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• 2003

Normal human skin, constantly challenged by environmental micro-organisms, has an innate ability to fight invading microbes through antimicrobial peptides. These peptides, described in both plant and animal kingdoms are able to inactivate a broad spectrum of micro-organisms. Mammalian defensins constitute one of the most common antimicrobial peptide family. Among the three human beta-defensins hBD1, hBD2 and hBD3 produced in epithelia, only hBD2 and hBD3 are inducible and additionally have been described as expressed by differentiated keratinocytes at site of inflammation and infection. The aims of these studies were to define a cell culture model in which the basal production of hBD could be detected and up-regulated in order to enhance skin auto-protection against micro-organisms. A specific Polymerase Chain Reaction method have been developed for hBD2 and hBD3 mRNA detection in non-differentiated monolayer keratinocytes cell culture. We have been able to demonstrate that in vitro, hBD2 and hBD3 expression in normal human keratinocytes could be detected and enhanced by TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, in hypercalcic culture conditions. This research opened the possibility of the development of cosmetic active compounds, able to induce the expression of skin natural antibiotic peptides responsible about microflora ecology of the skin.

• 한국축산식품학회지
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.608-622
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• 2021

Bioactive peptides have great potentials as nutraceutical and pharmaceutical agents that can improve human health. The objectives of this research were to produce functional peptides from ovotransferrin, a major egg white protein, using single enzyme treatments, and to analyze the properties of the hydrolysates produced. Lyophilized ovotransferrin was dissolved in distilled water at 20 mg/mL, treated with protease, elastase, papain, trypsin, or α-chymotrypsin at 1% (w/v) level of substrate, and incubated for 0-24 h at the optimal temperature of each enzyme (protease 55℃, papain 37℃, elastase 25℃, trypsin 37℃, α-chymotrypsin 37℃). The hydrolysates were tested for antioxidant, metal-chelating, and antimicrobial activities. Protease, papain, trypsin, and α-chymotrypsin hydrolyzed ovotransferrin relatively well after 3 h of incubation, but it took 24 h with elastase to reach a similar degree of hydrolysis. The hydrolysates obtained after 3 h of incubation with protease, papain, trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, and after 24 h with elastase were selected as the best products to analyze their functional properties. None of the hydrolysates exhibited antioxidant properties in the oil emulsion nor antimicrobial property at 20 mg/mL concentration. However, ovotransferrin with α-chymotrypsin and with elastase had higher Fe³⁺-chelating activities (1.06±0.88%, 1.25±0.24%) than the native ovotransferrin (0.46±0.60%). Overall, the results indicated that the single-enzyme treatments of ovotransferrin were not effective to produce peptides with antioxidant, antimicrobial, or Fe³⁺-chelating activity. Further research on the effects of enzyme combinations may be needed.

• BMB Reports
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.291-296
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• 2002

Thanatin, a 21-residue peptide, is an inducible insect peptide with a broad range of activity against bacteria and fungi. It has a C-terminal disulfide loop, like the frog skin secretion antimicrobial peptides of the brevinin family. In this study, we tried to find the effect of a number of amino acids between the disulfide bond. Thanatin showed stronger antibacterial activity to Gram negative bacteria than other mutants, except Th1; whereas, the mutant peptides with deletion had higher activity to Gram positive bacteria than thanatin. An increase in the number of amino acid(s) using the alanine residue decreased the antibacterial activity in all of the bacteria. Th1 with deletion of threonine at position 15 ($Thr^{15}$) showed similar antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, but had higher activity against the Gram positive bacteria. In order to study the structure-function relationship, we measured liposome disruption by the peptides and CD spectra of the peptides. Th1 also showed the highest liposome leaking activity and α-helical propensity in the sodium dodecyl sulfate solution, compared with other peptides. Liposome disruption activity was closely correlated with the anti-Gram positive bacterial activity. All of the peptides showed no hemolytic activity. Th1 was considered to be useful as an antimicrobial peptide with broad spectrum without toxicity.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제3권sup4호
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• pp.35.1-35.1
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• 2007

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2002년도 생물공학의 동향 (X)
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• pp.25-25
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• 2002