• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.277-283
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• 2004

Psammaplin A (PSA), a naturally occurring biophenolic compound has been demonstrated to deliver significant cytotoxicity to many cancer cell lines. In this article, we investigated the effect of PSA on cell cycle progression of lung cancer cells (A549). It was found that PSA could slightly perturb the cell cycle progression of A549 cells and lead to the cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, indicating PSA might disturb the mitosis process of A549 cells. In addition, inspired by the two phenolic groups in the structure of PSA, the antioxidant activity of it has been evaluated. Although PSA was weak in scavenging the stable free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhyrazyl (DPPH), it showed stronger ABTS radical scavenging activity than ascorbic acid in TEAC assay. Furthermore, it was found that PSA could effectively prevent DNA strand scission induced by oxidative stress. These results suggest that PSA have both cell cycle regulation and antioxidant activities. Herein, we suggest that PSA would be a very interesting and promising candidate to be developed as a multi-function drug.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 1997

Porcine transforming growth factor-$\beta$1 (TGF-$\beta$1) was expressed in Escherichia coli using cDNA of TGF-$\beta$1 and glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion vector pGEX-1$\lambda$T. An ApoI-Tth111I fragment of cDNA which correspond to the amino acid residues from 123 to 390 of the precursor TGF-$\beta$1 was inserted into EcoRI-Tth111I digested pGEM#-l$\lambda$T and the recombined plasmid was named pGET-12. Gene products from the cloned regions of the recombinant plasmids pGET-12 was not detected in soluble fraction of cell free extract but detected in insoluble fraction. The solubilization of insoluble gene product was achieved by the treatment of N-laurylsarcosine. Molecular weight of partially purified proteins determined by electrophoresis was same as expected from cloned fragment. The ELISA test results of the purified proteins showed that immunologically detectable epitope was preserved in recombinant protein.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1908-1914
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• 2008

An alkaliphilic bacterium, Bacillus clausii SKAL-16, was isolated from soil that had been contaminated with vegetable oil. The optimal pH and general pH range for bacterial growth was 8, and 7 to 10, respectively. The bacterium could grow on tributyrin and glycerol, but could not grow on acetate and butyrate. The SKAL-16 strain excreted butyric acid during growth on tributyrin, and selectively ingested glycerol during growth on a mixture of butyric acid and glycerol. The SKAL-16 generated intracellular lipase, but did not produce esterase and extracellular lipase. The DNA fragment amplified with the chromosomal DNA of SKAL-16 and primers designed on the basis of the esterase-coding gene of Bacillus clausii KSM-KI6 was not identical with the esterase-coding gene contained in the GenBank database. Pyruvate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase activities were detected in the cell-free extract (crude enzyme).

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.188-193
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• 1989

Gene for lactose catabolism in Lactobacillus casei SW-M1 was encoded by a 60Kb metabolic plasmid. A derivative of only 10kb, pPlac 15 of recombinant plasmid, was constructed by introducing into pBR322 and was cloned into E. coli using restriction endonuclease Pst I. A 10kb insery DNA in plasmid pBR322 was identified as a gene encoded phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase by the determination of enzyme activity. Phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase was apparently expressed in E. coli. The enzyme activities of cell-free extract from transformant E. coli HB101 carrying pPLac 15 DNA were not different from that of L. casei as a donor strain on the basis of enzyme properites. However, specific activity of phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase in the cloned strain with Lac $Y^{-}$ phenotype of E. coli HB101 was lower than that in L. casei strain.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.90-95
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• 2005

Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from silage, which produce high level of hydrogen peroxide in cell culture supernatant. The 16S rDNA sequences of the isolate matched perfectly with that of Lactobacillus fermentum (99.9%), examined by a 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis and similarity search using the GenBank database, thus named L. fermentum CS12-1. L. fermentum CS12-1 showed resistance to low pH and bile acid. The production of hydrogen peroxide by L. fermentum CS12-1 was confirmed by catalase treatment and high-performance liquid chromatography. L. fermentum CS12-1 accumulated hydrogen peroxide in culture broth as cells grew, and the highest concentration of hydrogen peroxide reached 3.5 mM at the late stationary growth phase. The cell-free supernatant of L. fermentum CS12-1 both before and after neutralization inhibited the growth of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 that causes diarrhea in piglets.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1335-1340
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• 2006

It has been found that a number of diseases are associated with mutations in the mitochondrial DNA. Therapeutic gene delivery to mitochondria has been suggested as a clinical option for these diseases. In this study, we developed a gene carrier to mitochondria by the conjugation of mitochondrial leader peptide (LP) to polyethylenimine (PEI). Mitochondrial LP conjugated PEI (PEI-LP) was synthesized with low molecular weight PEI (2,000 Da, PEI2K). Gel retardation assay showed that PEI2K-LP formed complexes at a 1.0/1 weight ratio. In addition, PEI2K-LP protected DNA from the enzymatic degradation for at least 60 min, while naked DNA was completely degraded within 20 min. PEI2K-LP was compared with LP conjugated high molecular weight PEI (25,000 Da, PEI25K) in terms of toxicity and delivery efficiency. MTT assay showed that PEI2K-LP had much lower cytotoxicity than PEI25K-LP to 293 cells. In addition, cell-free DNA delivery assay showed that PEI2K-LP delivered more DNA to mitochondria at a 1.8/1 weight ratio than naked DNA or PEI. This result suggests that PEI2K-LP may be useful for the development of mitochondrial gene therapy system with lower cytotoxicity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.428-436
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• 2003

Epidemiological studies have observed a negative association between increased consumption of green and yellow vegetables and cancer incidence. These vegetables contain carotenoids, which are reported to exhibit anticarcinogenic effects. Overexpression of ErbB2 and ErbB3 genes is a frequent event in several human cancers. The present study was performed to determine whether $\alpha$-carotene, $\beta$-carotene, lutein, or lycopene inhibits cell growth and to assess such an effect is related to changes in the levels of the ErbB receptor family and tile ErbB3 receptor signaling pathway in HT-29 cells. HT-29 cells were cultured in serum-free medium in the presence of various concentrations (0~100 $\mu$M) of the individual carotenoids. $\alpha$ -Carotene and lycopene significantly inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, whereas lutein slightly inhibited cell growth and $\beta$-carotene increased cell growth. Lycopene is more potent than $\alpha$ -carotene in inhibiting HT-29 cell growth. Lycopene inhibited DNA synthesis and induced apoptosis of HT-29 cells. The ErbB3 ligand heregulin (HRG) increased cell growth but did not prevent the lycopene-induced inhibition of cell growth. Lycopene decreased ErbB2 protein levels in a dose-dependent manner. Immunoprecipitation/Western blot studies revealed that lycopene inhibited HRG-induced phosphorylation of ErbB3, recruitment of the 985 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) to the ErbB3 receptor, and phosphorylation of Akt. These results indicate that downregulation of ErbB2/ErbB3/PI3K/Akt signaling may be one of the mechanisms by which lycopene inhibits HT-29 cell pro-liferation and induces apoptosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1467-1475
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• 2015

The use of microbial extracts containing plant hormones is a promising technique to improve crop growth. Little is known about the effect of bacterial cell-free extracts on plant growth promotion. This study, based on phytohormonal analyses, aimed at exploring the potential mechanisms by which Enterococcus faecium LKE12 enhances plant growth in oriental melon. A bacterial strain, LKE12, was isolated from soil, and further identified as E. faecium by 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The plant growth-promoting ability of an LKE12 bacterial culture was tested in a gibberellin (GA)-deficient rice dwarf mutant (waito-C) and a normal GA biosynthesis rice cultivar (Hwayongbyeo). E. faecium LKE12 significantly improved the length and biomass of rice shoots in both normal and dwarf cultivars through the secretion of an array of gibberellins (GA₁, GA₃, GA₇, GA₈, GA₉, GA₁₂, GA₁₉, GA₂₀, GA₂₄, and GA₅₃), as well as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating that E. faecium can produce GAs. Increases in shoot and root lengths, plant fresh weight, and chlorophyll content promoted by E. faecium LKE12 and its cell-free extract inoculated in oriental melon plants revealed a favorable interaction of E. faecium LKE12 with plants. Higher plant growth rates and nutrient contents of magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, silicon, zinc, and nitrogen were found in cell-free extract-treated plants than in control plants. The results of the current study suggest that E. faecium LKE12 promotes plant growth by producing GAs and IAA; interestingly, the exogenous application of its cell-free culture extract can be a potential strategy to accelerate plant growth.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.165-174
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• 2003

Cr (Ⅵ) - containing compounds are well-established carcinogens, although the mechanism for chromium - induced carcinogenesis is still not well understood. The reduction of Cr (Ⅵ) to its lower oxidation states, par ticularly Cr (V) and Cr (IV), is an important step for the production of chromium-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS). The persistent oxidative stress during the reduction process may play a key role in the mechanism of Cr (Ⅵ) -induced carcinogenesis. This paper summarizes recent studies on (1) the reduction of Cr (Ⅵ) to Cr (III) occur by a multiplicity of mechanisms depending on the nature of reducing agents including ascorbate, diol-and thiol-containing molecules, certain flavoenzymes, cell organelles, intact cells, and whole animals; (2) free-radical production with emphasis on hydroxy radical generation via Fenton or Haber-Weiss type reactions; and (3) free radical - induced cellular damage, such at DNA strand breaks, hydroxylation of 2'-deoxyguanosine, and activation of nuclear transcription factor kB.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.921-924
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• 2005

It is known that metallothionein (MT) plays a role in the scavenging of free radicals, which is produced under various stress conditions. MT may function as an antioxidant that protects against oxidative damage of DNA, protein, and lipid induced by superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that MT also protects from RNA damage induced by peroxynitrite, an important reactive nitrogen species that causes a diversity of pathological processes. A cell-free system was used. RNA damage was detected by the mobility of $tRNA^{Phe}$ in electrophoresis. Cleavages on tRNA were not induced by 3-morpholinosydnomine, which produces peroxynitrite directly. MT induced tRNA damage which was site specific.