• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.9.1-9.7
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• 2012

Filamentous phages have been in the limelight as a new type of nanomaterial. In this study, genetically and chemically modified fd phage was used to generate a biomimetic phage self-assembly product. Positively charged fd phage (p8-SSG) was engineered by conjugating 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to hydroxyl groups of two serine amino acid residues introduced at the N-terminus of major coat protein, p8. In particular, formation of a phage network was controlled by changing mixed ratios between wild type fd phage and APTES conjugated fd-SSG phage. Assembled phages showed unique bundle and network like structures. The bacteriophage based self-assembly approach illustrated in this study might contribute to the design of three dimensional microporous structures. In this work, we demonstrated that the positively charged APTES conjugated fd-SSG phages can assemble into microstructures when they are exposed to negatively charged wild-type fd phages through electrostatic interaction. In summary, since we can control the phage self-assembly process in order to obtain bundle or network like structures and since they can be functionalized by means of chemical or genetic modifications, bacteriophages are good candidates for use as bio-compatible scaffolds. Such new type of phage-based artificial 3D architectures can be applied in tuning of cellular structures and functions for tissue engineering studies.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1262-1266
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the use of liquid crystals to selectively detect the activity of enzymes at interfaces decorated with oligopeptide-based membranes. We prepared a mixed monolayer of tetra(ethylene glycol)-terminated lipids and carboxylic acid-terminated lipids at the aqueous-liquid crystal (LC) interface. The 17 amino-acid oligopeptide SNFKTIYDEANQFATYK was then immobilized onto this mixed monolayer through N-hydroxysuccinimide-activation of the carboxylic acid groups. We examined the orientational behavior of nematic 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) after conjugation of the 17 amino-acid oligopeptide with the mixed monolayer assembled at the interface. Immobilization of the oligopeptide caused orientational transitions in 5CB, with a change from homeotropic (perpendicular) to tilted alignment, which was primarily due to the reorganization of the monolayer. The orientation of the 5CB molecules returned to its homeotropic state after contacting the interface containing ${\alpha}$-chymotrypsin, which can cleave the immobilized oligopeptide. Control experiments confirmed that the enzymatic activity of ${\alpha}$-chymotrypsin triggered the ordering transitions in the LC. These results suggest that the LC can provide a facile method for selective detection of enzymatic activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2011

A cyclic undecapeptide-family natural product, cyclosporin A (CyA), which is one of the most valuable immunosuppressive drugs, is produced nonribosomally by a multifunctional cyclosporin synthetase enzyme complex in a filamentous fungal strain named Tolypocladium niveum. Previously, structural modifications of cyclosporins such as a regionspecific hydroxylation at the $4^{th}$ N-methyl leucine in a rare actinomycetes called Sebekia benihana were reported to lead to dramatic changes in their bioactive spectra. However, the reason behind this change could not be determined since a system to genetically manipulate S. benihana has not yet been developed. To address this limitation, in this study, we utilized the most commonly practiced gene manipulation techniques including conjugation-based foreign gene transfer-and-expression as well as targeted gene disruption to genetically manipulate S. benihana. Using these optimized genetic manipulation systems, a putative cytochrome P450 hydroxylase (CYP) gene named CYP506, which is involved in CyA hydroxylation in S. benihana, was specifically disrupted and genetically complemented. The S. benihana${\Delta}$CYP506 exhibited a significantly reduced CyA hydroxylation yield as well as considerable yield restoration by functional complementation of the S. benihana CYP506 gene, suggesting that the genetically manipulated S. benihana CYP mutant strains may serve as a more efficient bioconversion host for various valuable metabolites including CyA.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.52.2-52.2
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• 2011

Flat form technology for constructing anticancer loaded multi-walled carbon nanotubes (mwCNTs) was introduced in this study. Conventional anticancer drugs, such as MTX (Methotrexate), cisplatin, DOX (Doxorubicin hydrochloride), DAU (Daunorubicin) and EPI (epirubicin) were bio-conjugated with folic acid (FA) for selective targeting tumor cells. Loading efficiencies of the used anticancer drugs on mwCNTs have shown different order of bindings depending on the molecular bind affinity of NH (amine) formation on mwCNTs. MTT assays have shown increased selective target efficiency of FA conjugated mwCNTs on breast cancer cell growth inhibition. All results collectively indicated promising application of mwCNTs as a smart inorganic nanomaterial for selective targeting drug delivery vehicle at tumor tissues.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.280-280
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• 2013

In green plants, energy generation is accomplished through light-harvesting photosystem, which utilize abundant visible light and multi-stepwise redox reaction to oxidize water and reduce NADP+, transferring electrons efficiently with active cofactors1. Inspired by natural photosynthesis, artificial solar water-splitting devices are being designed variously. However, the several approaches involving immobilization2, conjugation3, and surface modification4 still have limitations. We have made artificial photosynthesis templates by self-assembling tyrosine-based peptide to mimick photosystem II. Porphyrin sensitizer absorbing blue light strongly was conjugated with the templates and they were hybridized with cobalt oxide through the reduction of cobalt ions in an aqueous solution. The formation of hybrid templates was characterized using TEM, and their water oxidation performance was measured by fluorescence oxygen probe. Our results suggest that the bio-templated assembly of functional compounds has a great potential for artificial photosynthesis.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.339-343
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• 2010

Post-translational covalent modifications by small molecules or peptides remodel target proteins. One such modification, made by ubiquitin or small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO), is a rapidly expanding field in cell signaling pathways. Ubiquitin attachment controls the turnover and degradation of target proteins while SUMO conjugation regulates their activity and function. Recent studies report many examples of cross-talk between ubiquitin and SUMO pathways, indicating that the boundary is no longer clear. Here, we review recent progress concerning how ubiquitin and SUMO participate in new regulatory roles in plant cell, and how ubiquitination and sumoylation control plant growth and development.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 1997

$[Lys^7$]dermorphin, abbreviated K7DA, which has structural features similar to a metabolically stable $\mu$-opioid peptide agonist $[D-Arg^2, Lys^4$]dermorphin analogue (DALDA), but is intrinsically more potent with respect to binding to the $\mu$-opioid peptide receptor. The present studies report on attempts to enhance brain uptake of systemically administered K7DA by conjugation to a complex of streptavidin (SA) and the OX26 murine monoclonal antibody to the rat transferrin receptor, which undergoes receptor-mediated transcytosis through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). SA-OX26 conjugate mediates BBB transport of biotinylated therapeutics. The K7DA is monobiotinylated at the $\varepsilon$-amino group of the $[Lys^7$] residue with cleavable linker using NHS-SS-biotin. The brain uptake of $^{125}I$ labeled biotinylated K7DA ($^{125}I$-bio-SSa-K7DA) was very small and rapidly metabolized after intravenous injection. The brain uptake, expressed as percent of injected dose delivered per gram of brain, of the $^{125}I$-bio-55-K7DA bound to the SA-OX26 conjugate $^{125}I$-bio-SS-K7DA/SA-OX26) was 0.14$\pm$0.01, a level that is 2-fold greater than the brain uptake of morphine. The cleavability of the disulfide linker in vivo in rat plasma and brain was assessed with gel filtration HPLC and intravenous injection of labeled opioid chimeric peptides. The disulfide linker is stable in plasma in vivo but is cleaved in rat brain in vivo. In conclusion, these studies show that delivery of these potential opioid peptides to the brain may be improved by coupling them to vector-mediated BBB drug delivery system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.98-103
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• 2014

NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a flavoprotein that catalyzes the two electron reduction of diverse substrates, including quinones. It uses NADH or NADPH as a cofactor for enzymatic machinery. In the metabolism of quinones, NQO1 has two conflicting functions because of the different stability of converted hydroquinones. The stable form of hydroquinone is excreted from cells by conjugation with glutathione or glucuronic acid. The unstable form of hydroquinone induces cell death by induction of oxidative stress and DNA damage. Certain quinones known as bio-reductive agents have a cytotoxic function following reduction by NQO1. Bio-reductive agents, such as ${\beta}$-lapachone or mitomycin C, induce the depletion of NAD(P)H and the generation of oxidative stress in an NQO1-dependent manner. NQO1 is highly expressed in several cancer tissues. Therefore, NQO1 is a good therapeutic target for cancer treatment with bio-reductive agents.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.299-310
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• 2021

Glycerol is a non-volatile compound with no aromatic properties that contributes significantly to the quality of wine by providing sweetness and richness of taste. In addition, it is also the third most significant byproduct of alcoholic fermentation in terms of quantity after ethanol and carbon dioxide. In this study, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed as a fast non-destructive method in conjugation with multivariate regression analysis to build a model for the quantitative analysis of glycerol concentration in wine samples. The samples were prepared by using three varieties of red wine samples (i.e., Shiraz, Merlot, and Barbaresco) that were adulterated with glycerol in concentration ranges from 0.1 to 15% (v·v^-1), and subjected to analysis together with pure wine samples. A net analyte signal (NAS)-based methodology, called hybrid linear analysis in the literature (HLA/GO), was applied for predicting glycerol concentrations in the collected FT-IR spectral data. Calibration and validation sets were designed to evaluate the performance of the multivariate method. The obtained results exhibited a high coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.987 and a low root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.563% for the calibration set, and a R² of 0.984 and a RMSE of 0.626% for the validation set. Further, the model was validated in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and limits of detection and quantification, and the results confirmed that this model can be used in most applications, as well as for quality assurance.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.853-858
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• 2003

Helicobacter pylori specifically adhere to host cells through a number of putative receptors and ligands, mainly based on carbohydrate-protein interactions. Polysaccharide fractions isolated from the leaves of Artemisia capillaris showed different inhibitory activities against H. pylori adhesion by using hemagglutination assay. Among these fractions, an acidic polysaccharide fraction FlA showed highly effective inhibitory activity, and its minimum inhibition concentration was 0.63 mg/ml. The inhibition results by the hemagglutination assay were consistent with those obtained by the enzymelinked glycosorbent assay, which was developed by the conjugation of horseradish peroxidase with fetuin, a sialic acid-containing glycoprotein which was specific to H. pylori adhesion. FlA contained the highest carbohydrate content among polysaccharide fractions, and no protein was detectable when further purified by gel filtration FPLC. Sugar composition analysis using GC revealed the highest amount of galacturonic acid among sugars, which suggests that FlA contains essentially acidic polysaccharides. Our data suggest that acidic polysaccharides may play an important role in the inhibition of H. pylori adhesion to host cells.