• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.55 no.3
• /
• pp.173-178
• /
• 2012

Sucrose-glucan glucosyltransferase (Gtf) is an important enzyme involved in the cavity formation process where insoluble glucan is synthesized. In this study, we purified Gtf from Streptcoccus mutans Ingbritt through ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-150, CM-Sephadex, and DEAE-Sephadex column chromatographies. A 13-fold of purification was achieved with a total yield of 6.3%. The apparent molecular mass of the enzyme was determined to be 66 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The optimal pH and temperature were established to be 6.0 and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme activity could be inhibited to 22-59% by 1 mM $Hg^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$ and $Al^{3+}$, and to 68% by 1 mM EDTA. It was also inhibited 40% by 2 mM xylitol and 35-45% by 0.05% soluble chitosan, glycol chitosan, and glycol chitin. This is the first report to reveal the inhibition effect of chitin derivatives on Gtf activity, which may be further applicable to develop gargles to overcome cavity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.63-69
• /
• 1997

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein that mediates the growth and differentiation of erythroid progenitors. In order to produce recombinant human erythropoietin in tobacco plant, the EPO genomic DNA (5.4 kb) was cloned into plant expression vectors, pBI$\Delta$GUS121, pBD$\Delta$GUS121 and pPEV-1, and introduced in Nicotiana tabacum (var. Xanthi) via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. After selection on MS media containing kanamycin (Km), 10 Km-resistant plants were obtained per each construct. The correct integration of EPO genomic DNA in the genome of transgenic plant was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Northern blot showed that transcripts of 1.8 kb length were produced in leaves of the plants, but there was no difference of mRNA amount according to promoter number and 5'-untranslated sequence (UTS). The proteins obtained from leaves of transgenic plants were immunologically detected by Western blot using rabbit anti-human EPO polyclonal antibody. The expressed protein appeared as smaller band of apparent mass of 30 kDa as compared to the EPO protein from human urine (37 kDa), suggesting that the modification (glycosylation) system in tobacco plant might be different from that of mammalian cells.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.33 no.8
• /
• pp.1262-1267
• /
• 2004

An anticoagulant was purified from corn silk which has been used in Oriental Medicine. The anticoagulant from corn silk has a molecular mass of 135 kDa, and purified by 24 folds with a recovery of 11%. It was not sensitive to heat and protease treatment. However, periodate oxidation of the anticoagulant resulted in loss of activity significantly, implying that a carbohydrate was responsible for an anticoagulant activity. Galactose, glucose, mannose, fucose, glucosamine, and galactosamine were detected after acid hydrolysis by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and Bio-LC. It was confirmed that anticoagulant had OH and NH bonds by IR, supporting that the anticoagulant is composed of neutrosugar and aminosugar. Its anticoagulating activity was measured by delay in thrombin time (TT) and prothrombin time (PT) without affecting clotting by snake venom and delay in activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). TT was more sensitive than PT, and was delayed two and three times at the concentration of 60 and 88 nM, respectively. The anticoagulating activity was reduced in the thrombin-induced clotting assay using purified fibrinogen according to the increase of fibrinogen concentration with the apparent Ki value of 23 nM.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.97-102
• /
• 1999

Multiple symmetric lipomatosis(Madelung's disease) seems to represent a relatively common disease in Europe but has not been described in the Korean literature. It is characterized by highly typical symmetric deposits of subcutaneous fat on the neck, arms, and upper part of the trunk. The localized increase of adipose tissue is hyperplastic in nature and probably results from a local defect in adrenergic stimulated lipolysis. Multiple symmetric lipomatosis is frequently, but inconstantly, associated with alcoholism, liver disease, glucose intolerance, and hyperuricemia, but their etiologic role remains to be established. Clinical importance is the apparent high incidence of malignant tumors of the upper airways requiring through ear, nose, and throat and internal examination of all patients. Another importance is possibility of airway obstruction due to mass effect. Dietary treatment and weight loss are of limited value. Surgical treatment gives only temporary relief and should be restricted to patients with functional impairment. We report a case of a 63-year-old man with multiple symetric lipomatosis and alcoholism.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.285-290
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to select the bacteriocin-producing microoreanism cultivated in the rice bran culture and to characterize the produced bacteriocin for the further purpose of economical and anti-bacterial rice bran protein film. Pseudomonas putida 21025 was cultivated from rice bran and identified as a producer of a bacteriocin which showed bactericidal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa 9027. Bacteriocin produced by Pseudomonas putida 21025 showed a broad spectrum of activity against spoilage and soil bacteria. The activity of the bacteriocin produced by Pseudomonas putida 21025 decreased after 1 hr of staying at the temperature of $50^{\circ}C$, and with the presence of some organic solvents, except hexane and ethanol. However, the bacteriocin activity was stable throughout the pH ranges of 6-9 for 2 hrs, at the temperature lower than $50^{\circ}C$, and with the presence of ethanol for 3 hrs. The bacteriocin was partially purified by 50% ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by subsequent dialysis. Direct detection of the partially purified bacteriocin on SDS-PAGE suggested that it had an apparent molecular mass of about 21.6 kDa.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.49-57
• /
• 1994

The binding properties of oxomemazine to muscarinic receptors using the ability of oxomemazine to inhibit $[^3H]QNB$ binding in membrane fractions of rat cerebrum and guinea pig ventricle and ileum were investigated. $[^3H]QNB$ bound to a single class of muscarinic receptors with a dissociation constant of approximately 60 pM in three tissue preparations. Pirenzepine and oxomemazine inhibited $[^3H]QNB$ binding in cerebrum with a Hill coefficient lower than unity, and the inhibition data were best described by a two-site model. The relative densities of the high $(M_1)\;and\;low\;(M_2)$ affinity sites for pirenzepine were 60 and 40%, with corresponding Ki values of 16 and 431 nM, and those $(O_H\;and\;O_L)$ for oxomemazine 40 and 60%, with corresponding Ki values of 80 and 1350 nM. However, the inhibition data of both drugs vs $[^3H]QNB$ in ventricle and ileum appeared to obey the law of mass-action (Hill coefficient close to 1). The apparent Ki values of pirenzepine were 850 and 250 nM, and those of oxomemazine 1460 and 570 nM in ventricle and ileum, respectively. Thus, oxomemazine like pirenzepine has high affinity for cerebrum, moderate affinity for ileum and low affinity for ventricle. These results suggest that oxomemazine could recognize the muscarinic receptor subtypes with a high affinity for the $M_1$ sites.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 1996

A one-stage, continuous-flow bioreactor with both immobilized and suspended cells was used to investigate the roles of lipid supplements in ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The reactor performance and the level of alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH) activities of the suspended cells, grown under various conditions, were measured. When ergosterol and/or oleic acid were added with surfactants to the yeast culture grown under non-aerated conditions, remarkable increases in ethanol production and cell growth was achieved, but specific ADH activities were not affected. Especially, no difference of specific ADH activities of the suspended cells grown under aerated and non-aerated condition was observed. The addition of the surfactant as a supplement also resulted in significant increases in ethanol production, cell growth, and specific ADH activity. When ergosterol and oleic acid were added to the yeast culture exposed to higher ethanol concentration($>40\;g/{\ell}$) level, ethanol production, cell growth, and specific ADH activity were increased, but the addition of surfactant was as effective as at lower ethanol concentration level. The results indicated that lipid supplements were more effective at higher ethanol concentration level than at lower ethanol concentration level during ethanol production. ADH isozyme patterns of the yeast cultures grown under various conditions on starch gel electrophoresis showed only one major band, probably ADH I. The migrating distance of the major isozyme, however, varied slightly according to the culture conditions of the cells. No apparent correlation was found between specific ADH activity and amount of ethanol produced. Cell mass was more important factor for ethanol production than specific ADH activity of the cells.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1.1-1.14
• /
• 2020

Background: Dietary protein requirements are dependent on a variety of factors and water temperature is one of the most important abiotic factors affecting protein requirement of fish. This study was, therefore, conducted to investigate effects of water temperature on dietary protein requirement of fry Heteropneustes fossilis which has high demand in most of the Asian markets. Methods: Quadruplicate groups of 30 fish per treatment (2.97 ± 0.65 cm; 5.11 ± 0.34 g) were fed seven isoenergetic diets (17.9 kJ g^-1 gross energy; 14.99 kJ g^-1 digestible energy) containing dietary protein levels ranging from 28 to 52% at two water temperatures (18 and 26 ℃). Experimental diets were fed to apparent satiation as semi-moist cakes thrice daily at 17:00, 12:00, and 17:30 h for 12 weeks. For precise information, various growth parameters, protein deposition, hematological parameters, metabolic enzymes, and stress response were analyzed, and effects of water temperature on dietary protein requirement was recommended on the basis of response from above parameters. Results: Groups held at 26 ℃ attained best growth, feed conversion, and protein deposition at 44% dietary protein indicating that temperature affected dietary protein requirement for optimum growth of H. fossilis fry and protein requirement seems to be satisfied with 44% dietary protein. Interestingly, interactive effects of both dietary protein levels and temperature were not found (P > 0.05). Fish reared at 18 ℃ had comparatively higher values for aspartate and alanine transferases than those reared at 26 ℃ water temperature which exhibited normal physiological value for these enzymes indicating that body metabolism was normal at this temperature. Hematological parameters also followed same pattern. Furthermore, fish reared at 26 ℃ water temperature exhibited more resistant to thermal stress (P < 0.05). The 95% maximum plateau of protein deposition data using second-degree polynomial regression analyses exhibited dietary protein requirement of fry H. fossilis between 40.8 and 41.8% of diet at 26 ℃ water temperature. The recommended range of dietary protein level and protein/digestible energy ratio for fry H. fossilis is 40.8-41.8% and 27.21-27.88 mg protein kJ^-1 digestible energy, respectively. Conclusions: Information developed is of high significance for optimizing growth potential by making better utilization of nutrient at 26 ℃ and, to develop effective management strategies for mass culture of this highly preferred fish species.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.304-309
• /
• 1999

Two Lectins, designated FVL-1 and FVL-2, were isolated and purified from the fruiting bodies of edible mushroom Flammulina veluripes using ammonium sulfate fractionation, ethanol treatment, DEAE-TOYPEARL ion-exchange column chromatography, and TSK-Gel HW-55F column chromatography. Specific activity increased 18 folds for FVL-1 and 7.9 folds for FVL-2 from ethanol treated sample. SDS-PAGE of FVL-1 and FVL-2 gave apparent molecular mass of 10.6 kDa and 37 kDa, respectively. FVL-2 agglutinated all type of human erythrocytes (A, B, AB, and O). However, FVL-1 agglutinated more human erythrocyte type O than type A, B, and AB. The hemagglutination activities of the FVL-1 were effectively inhibited by bovine submaxillary and porcine stomach mucins(BSM and PSM), fetuin, asialofetuin and cations, such as $Cu^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$ and $Fe^{2+}$. However, FVL-2 was not inhibited by any cations. The hemagglutination activities of the two lectins were not inhibited by the sugar, such as lactose, galactose and sugar derivatives. FVL-1 and FVL-2 were stable at pH $5{\sim}11$ and pH $4{\sim}7$, respectively. FVL-1 was stable below $55^{\circ}C$ and FVL-2 was below $45^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.11
• /
• pp.1532-1539
• /
• 2012

The ${\alpha}$-galactosidase-coding gene agaAJB13 was cloned from Sphingomonas sp. JB13 showing 16S rDNA (1,343 bp) identities of ${\leq}97.2%$ with other identified Sphingomonas strains. agaAJB13 (2,217 bp; 64.9% GC content) encodes a 738-residue polypeptide (AgaAJB13) with a calculated mass of 82.3 kDa. AgaAJB13 showed the highest identity of 61.4% with the putative glycosyl hydrolase family 36 ${\alpha}$-galactosidase from Granulicella mallensis MP5ACTX8 (EFI56085). AgaAJB13 also showed <37% identities with reported protease-resistant or Sphingomonas ${\alpha}$-galactosidases. A sequence analysis revealed different catalytic motifs between reported Sphingomonas ${\alpha}$-galactosidases (KXD and RXXXD) and AgaAJB13 (KWD and SDXXDXXXR). Recombinant AgaAJB13 (rAgaAJB13) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The purified rAgaAJB13 was characterized using p-nitrophenyl-${\alpha}$-D-galactopyranoside as the substrate and showed an apparent optimum at pH 5.0 and $60^{\circ}C$ and strong resistance to trypsin and proteinase K digestion. Compared with reported proteaseresistant ${\alpha}$-galactosidases showing thermolability at $50^{\circ}C$ or $60^{\circ}C$ and specific activities of <71 U/mg with or without protease treatments, rAgaAJB13 exhibited a better thermal stability (half-life of >60 min at $60^{\circ}C$) and higher specific activities (225.0-256.5 U/mg). These sequence and enzymatic properties suggest AgaAJB13 is the first identified and characterized Sphingomonas ${\alpha}$-galactosidase, and shows novel protease resistance with a potential value for basic research and industrial applications.