• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1763-1769
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of L-carnitine on the pig semen characteristics during storage. Methods: Spermatozoa samples were examined for spermatozoa quality and then randomly divided into 5 groups: 0 (control), 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mM L-carnitine. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and antioxidant parameters (total reactive oxygen species, total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde) were evaluated after 0, 3, 5, and 10 day cooled-storage at 17℃. Moreover, ATP content, mitochondria activity as well as sperm-binding and in vitro fertilizing ability of preserved boar sperm were also investigated. Results: Supplementation with 50 mM L-carnitine could effectively maintain boar sperm quality parameters such as sperm motility and membrane integrity. Besides, we found that L-carnitine had positive effects on boar sperm quality mainly through improving antioxidant capacities and enhancing ATP content and mitochondria activity. Interestingly, by assessing the effect of L-carnitine on sperm fertility and developmental potential, we discovered that the extender containing L-carnitine could improve sperm quality and increase the number of sperms bounding to zona pellucida, without improving in vitro fertility and development potential. Conclusion: These findings suggested that the proper addition of L-carnitine to the semen extender improved boar sperm quality during liquid storage at 17℃.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10819-10824
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• 2015

Aims: To explore the effect and probable mechanism of a synthetic retinoid 4-amino-2-tri-fluoromethylphenyl ester (ATPR) on apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Materials and Methods: MTT assays were performed to measure the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells treated with different concentrations of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and ATPR. Morphologic changes were observed by microscopy. The apoptosis rates and cell cycling of MDA-MB-231 cells treated with ATRA or ATPR were assessed using flow cytometry analysis. Expression of retinoic acid receptor and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, p38 proteins were detected by Western blotting. Results: Treatment of the cells with the addition of $15{\mu}mol/L$ ATPR for 48 h clearly demonstrated reduced cell numbers and deformed cells, whereas no changes in the number and morphology were observed after treatment with ATRA. The apoptosis rate was 33.2% after breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were treated by ATPR ($15{\mu}mol/L$) whereas ATRA ($15{\mu}mol/L$) had no apoptotic effect. ATPR inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38 while ATRA had no significant effect. ATPR inhibited the expression of BiP and increased the expression of Chop at the protein level compared with control groups, ATRA and ATPR both decreased the protein expression of $RXR{\alpha}$, ATPR reduced the protein expression of $RAR{\beta}$ and $RXR{\beta}$ while ATRA did not decrease $RAR{\beta}$ or $RXR{\beta}$. Conclusions: ATPR could induce apoptosis of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells, possible mechanisms being binding to $RAR{\beta}/RXR{\beta}$ heterodimers, then activation of ER stress involving the MAPK pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.9
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• pp.497-501
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• 2016

Wide-line ¹H NMR intensity and differential scanning calorimetry measurements were carried out on the intrinsically disordered 73-residue full transactivation domain (TAD) of the p53 tumor suppressor protein and two peptides: one a wild type p53 TAD peptide with a helix pre-structuring property, and a mutant peptide with a disabled helix-forming propensity. Measurements were carried out in order to characterize their water and ion binding characteristics. By quantifying the number of hydrate water molecules, we provide a microscopic description for the interactions of water with a wild-type p53 TAD and two p53 TAD peptides. The results provide direct evidence that intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and a less structured peptide not only have a higher hydration capacity than globular proteins, but are also able to bind a larger amount of charged solute ions.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.257-260
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• 2002

Dissolved oxygen level of cell culture media has a critical effect on cellular metabolism, which governs specific productivity of recombinant proteins and mammalian cell growth However, in the cores of cell aggregates or cell-immobilized beads, oxygen level frequently goes below a critical level. Mammalian cells have a number of genes induced in the lower level of oxygen, and the genes contain a common cis-acting element (-RCGTG-), hypoxia response element (HRE). By binding of hypoxia inducible factor-l (HIF-I) to the HRE, promoters of hypoxia inducible genes are activated, which is a survival mechanism. In this work, to develop a CHO cell capable of producing recombinant proteins in immobilization and high density cell culture efficiently, mammalian expression vectors containing human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) gene controlled by HRE were constructed and stably transfected into the CHO cells. In $Ba^{2+}$ -alginate immobilization culture, CHO/pCl/dhfr/2HRE-t-PA cells produced 2 folds higher recombinant t-PA activity than CHO/pCl/dhfrlt-PA cells without $CoCl_2$ treatment. Furthermore, in repeated fed batch culture, productivity of t-PA in immobilized CHO/pCI/dhfr/2HRE-t-PA cells was 121 ng/ml/day, total production of 0.968 mg/day at 11 days culture while CHO/pCIIdhfrlt-PA cells was 22.8 ng/ml/day. All these results indicate that HRE is very useful for the enhancement of protein productivity in mammalian cell cultures.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1999-2009
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• 2017

The secretion efficiency of a protein in a Sec-type secretion system is mainly determined by an N-terminal signal peptide and its combination with its cognate protein. Five signal peptides, namely, two synthetic Sec-type and three Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase-derived signal peptides, were compared for periplasmic expression of the human growth hormone (hGH) in E. coli. Based on in silico predictions on the signal peptides' cleavage efficiencies and their corresponding mRNA secondary structures, a number of amino acid substitutions and silent mutations were considered in the modified signal sequences. The two synthetic signal peptides, specifically designed for hGH secretion in E. coli, differ in their N-terminal positively charged residues and hydrophobic region lengths. According to the mRNA secondary structure predictions, combinations of the protein and each of the five signal sequences could lead to different outcomes, especially when accessibility of the initiator ATG and ribosome binding sites were considered. In the experimental stage, the two synthetic signal peptides displayed complete processing and resulted in efficient secretion of the mature hGH in periplasmic regions, as was demonstrated by protein analysis. The three alpha-amylase-derived signal peptides, however, were processed partially from their precursors. Therefore, to achieve efficient secretion of a protein in a heterologous system, designing a specific signal peptide by using a combined approach of optimizations of the mRNA secondary structure and the signal peptide H-domain and cleavage site is recommended.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1589-1603
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• 2018

Twenty analogs of $[Orn^6,D-Ala^9]{\alpha}-factor$ were synthesized and assayed for their biological activities: seven analogs of $[Orn^6,X^9]{\alpha}-factor$, seven analogs of $[X^6,D-Ala^9]{\alpha}-factor$, five analogs of $[X^5,X^6,D-Ala^9]{\alpha}-factor$, and native ${\alpha}-factor$ (X = amino acids). Their biological activities (halo, gene induction, and affinity) were measured using S. cerevisiae Y7925 and LM102 and compared with those of native ${\alpha}-factor$ (100%). G protein-coupled receptor was expressed in strain LM102 containing pESC-LEU-STE2 vector. $[Dap^6,D-Ala^9]{\alpha}-factor$ with weak halo activity (10%) showed the highest receptor affinity (> 230%) and the highest gene induction activity (167%). $[Arg^6,D-Ala^9]{\alpha}-factor$ showed the highest halo activity (2,000%). The number of active binding sites per cell (about 20,000 for strain LM102) was determined using a newly-designed fluorescence-based detector, $[Arg^6,D-Ala^9]{\alpha}-factor-Edan$, with high sensitivity (12,500-fold higher than the absorption-based detector $[Orn^6]{\alpha}-factor-[Cys]_3$).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.306-315
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• 1996

This study was performed to develop the biological treatment technology of wastewater polluted with heavy metals. The lead-tolerant microorganism, Pseudomonas aeruginosa which possessed the ability to accumulate lead, was isolated from the industrial wastewater polluted with various heavy metals. The characteristics of lead accumulation in the cells and the recovery of the lead there from were investigated. Removal rate of lead from the solution containing 100mg/l of lead by the lead-tolerant microorganism was more than 97% at 48 hours after inoculation with the microorganism. A large number of the electron-dense granules were found mainly on the cell wall and cell membrane fractions, when determined by transmission electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the electron-dense granules were lead complex with the substances binding heavy metals. The lead accumulated into cells was not desorbed by distilled water, but more than 87% of the lead accumulated was desorbed by 0.1M-EDTA. The residues of the cells after combustion at $550^{\circ}C$ amounted to about 30% of the dry weight of the cells. EDS analysis showed that the residues were relatively pure lead compounds containing more than 86% of lead.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.17.1-17.7
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• 2016

Background: The Sapsaree (Canis familiaris) is a Korean native dog that is very friendly, protective, and loyal to its owner, and is registered as a natural monument in Korea (number: 368). To investigate large-scale gene expression profiles and identify the genes related to exercise-induced stress in the Sapsaree, we performed whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing and analyzed gene expression patterns before and after exercise performance. Results: We identified 525 differentially expressed genes in ten dogs before and after exercise. Gene Ontology classification and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the genes were mainly involved in metabolic processes, such as programmed cell death, protein metabolic process, phosphatidylinositol signaling system, and cation binding in cytoplasm. The ten Sapsarees could be divided into two groups based on the gene expression patterns before and after exercise. The two groups were significantly different in terms of their basic body type ($p{\leq}0.05$). Seven representative genes with significantly different expression patterns before and after exercise between the two groups were chosen and characterized. Conclusions: Body type had a significant effect on the patterns of differential gene expression induced by exercise. Whole-transcriptome sequencing is a useful method for investigating the biological characteristics of the Sapsaree and the large-scale genomic differences of canines in general.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.69-79
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• 2019

This study aims to seek knitting methods that can enhance the neck design of seamless knitwear and to find out how to improve the designs by comparing and analyzing the characteristics of the knitting methods used for v-neck pullovers. The investigator analyzed the characteristics of the knitting methods and assessed the wearing sensation by using six different pieces of clothing for the experiment. The results were analyzed based on a variance analysis (ANOVA). Among the items showing significant results, the Duncan-test was used for more intensive research. As a result, while using the basic pattern of knitting methods, Experiment Clothes A ended up binding on the back neckline, and not making the hem of back. Also, the neck was the widest. In the case of the special neck, Experimental Clothes B (1:1), which had the least number of the knitting course in relation to the knitting ratio, the bottom part of the back body had the most wrinkles. According to the result of wearing sensation, the front part, the side part, and the back part showed similar results (p<0.000) in all items. Specifically, the appearance of the Experiment Clothes A (normal) in both the front and rear aspects were evaluated as the best. In the case of the special neck, the Experimental Clothes F was ranked the highest, whereas the Experimental Clothes B (1:1) was ranked the lowest. Based on the results of the study, it seems possible to provide concrete and technical data for the planning of unique and productive designs. With regard to seamless knitwear neck designs, a comparative analysis of the knitting method of v-neck pullovers will be of practical use in the development and manufacturing of the product.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.195-201
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• 2007

This study were investigated the changes in chemical components, quality characteristics of the fermented broth, and physiological functionality during fermentation period of fruit, vegetables, and medicinal herbs. pH and $^{\circ}$Bx gradually decreased and the viscosity increased. The chromaticity of L, a, and b all increased. The total number of germs dropped from $10^5{\sim}10^6\;to\;10^2{\sim}10^3$ CFU/ml, and that of lactobacilli also decreased noticeably. According to the result of the effect on fat oxidation, a very low level of TBARS was shown. After thirty days of fermentation, the amount of each fermentation broth increased more or less, but as it declined considerably after ninety days, it was found that the binding effect of $Fe^{2+}$ ion was small and insignificant. The electron donating ability, though not reaching 0.5% ascorbic acid, showed a high level of activity from $33.71{\sim}72.15%$ before fifteen days and $44.76{\sim}75.20%$ ninety days after fermentation. Among them, the fruit fermentation solution showed the highest activity. It was also found that the organic functions for each fermentation broth decreased more or less depending on the fermentation period and the thirty-days-old fermentation broth were favored most. On the basis of the above experiment results, it can be concluded that the optimum fermentation period for fruit, vegetables, and medicinal herb is thirty to ninety days.