• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제31권12호
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• pp.3521-3524
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• 2010

MTH1880 is a hypothetical protein derived from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, thermophilic methanogen. The solution structure determined by NMR spectroscopy showed that it has a novel $\alpha+\beta$-fold with a highly acidic ligand binding pocket. Since MTH1880 maintains its ultra-stable structural characteristics at both high temperature and pressure, it has been considered as an excellent model for studying protein folding. To initiate the structural and folding study of MTH1880 in proving its unusual stability, we performed the site directed mutagenesis and biochemical analysis of MTH1880 mutants. Data from circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy suggest that the point mutations perturbed the structural stability of protein even though the secondary structure is retained. This study will provide the useful information in understanding the role of participating residues during folding-unfolding process and our result will be used in designing further folding experiments for hyper-thermopile proteins like MTH1880.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.613-619
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• 2003

The polyketide backbone of rifamycin B is assembled by the type I rifamycin polyketide synthase (PKS) encoded by the rifA-rifE genes. In order to produce novel analogs of rifamycin via engineering of the PKS genes, inactivation of the ${\beta}-ketoacyl:acyl$ carrier protein reductase (KR) domain in module 8 of rifD, by site-specific mutagenesis of the NADPH binding site, was attempted. Module 8 contains a nonfunctional dehydratase (DH) domain and a functional KR domain that is involved in the reduction of the ${\beta}-carbonyl$ group, resulting in the C-21 hydroxyl of rifamycin B. This mutant strain produced linear polyketides, from tetraketide to octaketide, which were also produced by a rifD-disruption mutant as a consequence of premature termination of the polyketide assembly. Another attempt to replace the DH domain of module 7, which has been considered nonfunctional, with a functional homolog derived from module 7 of rapamycin-producing PKS also resulted in the production of linear polyketides, including the heptaketide intermediate and its precursors. Premature release of the carbon chain assembly intermediates is an unusual property of the rifamycin PKS. that is not seen in other PKSs such as the erythromycin PKS.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.77-83
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• 2001

To gain further insight into the relationship between structure and function of glutathione S-transferase (GST), the four cysteine mutants, C14S, C47S, C101S and C169S, of human GST P1-1 were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by affinity chromatography on immobilized glutathione (GSH). The catalytic activities of the four mutant enzymes were characterized with five different substrates as well as by their binding to four different inhibitors. Cys14 seems to participate in the catalytic reaction of GST by stabilizing the conformation of the active-site loop, not in the GSH binding directly. The substitution of Cys47 with serine significantly reduces the affinity of GSH binding, although it does not prevent GSH binding. On the other hand, the substitution of Cys101 with serine appears to change the binding affinity of electrophilic substrate by inducing a conformational change of the $\alpha-helix$ D. Cys169 seems to be important for maintaining the stable conformation of the enzyme. In addition, all four cysteine residues are not needed for the steroid isomerase activity of human glutathione S-transferase P1-1.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.401-406
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• 1995

The P. fragi lipase overexpressed in E. coli as a fusion protein of 57 kilodalton (kDa) has been purified through glutathione-agarose affinity chromatography by elution with free glutathione. The general properties of the purified GST-fusion protein were characterized by observing absorbance of released p-nitrophenoxide at 400 nm which was hydrolyzed from the substrate p-nitrophenyl palmitate. The optimum condition was observed at 25 $^{\circ}C$, pH 7.8 with 0.4 ${\mu}g$ of protein and 1.0 mM substrate in 0.6% (v/v) TritonX-100 solution. Also the lipase was activated by Ca+2, Mg+2, Ba+2 and Na+ but it was inhibited by Co+2 and Ni+2. pGEX-2T containing P. fragi lipase gene as expression vector was named pGL191 and used as a template for the site-directed mutagenesis by sequential PCR steps. A Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad similar to that present in serine proteases may be present in Pseudomonas lipase. Therefore, the PCR fragments replacing Asp217 to Arg and His260 to Arg were synthesized, and substituted for original fragment in pGL19. The ligated products were transformed into E. coli NM522, and pGEX-2T harboring mutant lipase genes were screened through digestion with XbaI and StuI sites created by mutagenic primers, respectively. No activity of mutant lipases was observed on the plate containing tributyrin. The purified mutant lipases were not activated on the substrate and affected at pH variation. These results demonstrate that Asp217 and His260 are involved in the catalytic site of Pseudomonas lipase.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.334-340
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• 1997

A collection of 132 temperature sensitive (ts) mutants was generated by the chemical mutagenesis of Schizosaccharomyces pombe wild type strain and screened for tRNA splicing defects on Northern blots by hybridization with an oligonucleotide that recognizes the exon of the S. pombe tRNA^Val as a probe. We identidied 6 mutants which accumulate precursor $tRNA^{Val}$. Among them, 2 mutants exhibited remarkable morphological differences compared to wild type cells. One tRNA splicing mutant showed elongated cell shape in permissive as well as non-permissive cultures. The other mutant exhibited shortened cell morphology only in nonpermissive culture. The total RNA pattern in the splicing mutants appeared to be normal. Genetic analysis of four $tRNA^{Val}$ splicing mutants demonstrated that the mutation reside in different genes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제7권5호
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• pp.363-366
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• 1997

A doxorubicin-nonproducing mutant, Nu23 was selected from the mutagenesis of Streptomyces peucetius ATCC27952. Chemical and molecular biological analysis suggested that the mutant was blocked at the step between polyketide synthase and aklaviketon reductase in the biosynthesis of doxorubicin. Furthermore, the bioconversion experiment with the mutant revealed that 13-dihydrodaunorubicin is likely to be a biosynthetic intermediate.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.243-248
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• 1998

We have partially sequenced glutaminyl cyclases from several mammalian and one avian species and found that the two cysteine residues of the human glutaminyl cyclase are completely conserved. The mammalian glutaminyl cyclase has been reported to possess reactive thiols (Busby, Jr, et aI., 1987, J BioI Chern 262, 8532-8536). Mutagenesis of these cysteine residues, however, resulted in only a slight decrease in enzyme activity. Likewise, the recombinant human enzyme was completely resistant to attempted chemical modification of the putative reactive thiols. Although the human glutaminyl cyclase did not appear to have reactive thiols, it was sensitive to diethylpyrocarbonate and acetylimidazole, indicating the presence of functionally important histidine and tyrosine residues which could act as acid/base catalysts. Almost identical deuterium solvent isotope effect (1.2 vs 1.3) upon the reaction by the human and papaya enzymes, respectively, provides an evidence both animal and plant glutaminyl cyclases catalyze pyroglutamyl-peptide formation by intramolecular cyclization.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.189-197
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• 2012

This study was carried out to develop the improved useful mutants for yield or composition of stevia plants using the gamma ray or chemical mutagens treatments. The seeds of stevia 'Suwon No. 11' were irradiated up to 400 Gy of gamma ray. Chemical mutagens were treated on the seeds of the 'Suwon No. 11' using 0.07% colchicine, 10 mM sodium azide, or 10 mM NMU for various durations. The germination rate, and shoot and root growth of seedling were estimated at 30 days after gamma ray irradiation or chemical mutagen treatment, and the plant height, the number of branches, and leaf length and width were examined at 3 months after mutagenesis treatments. In the case of gamma ray treatments, the germination rate and early-stage growth were decreased as the increase of radiation dose, and the 50% lethal dose was found to be 200 Gy. the plant height was decreased as the increase of radiation dose, while the number of branches per plant and leaf length were increased. Leaf shape was modified to the relatively longer one compared to the control, which was identified more apparently at the treatments of higher than 150 Gy. In the treatment of chemical mutagens, the rate of germination and survival were decreased as the increase of incubation time. The 50% lethal dose for germination rate were identified as the conditions of the 15 hours incubation in 0.07% colchicine, the 4 hrs in 10 mM sodium azide, and the 2 hrs in 10 mM NMU, in the three chemical mutagens treatments. Chemical mutagens had no influence on shoot growth, while root growth was increased, especially as the incubation time was extended. The highest root growth occurred in the NMU treatment at 6 hrs incubation time. The plant height was decreased as the increase of incubation time in the chemical mutagens treatments. Among the chemical mutagens, NMU was the most effective to induce the mutants with long-shaped or the least lobed leaves.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.69-78
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• 2008

Mutant mouse which show dwarfism has been developed by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis using BALB/c mice. The mutant mouse was inherited as autosomal recessive trait and named Small Body Size (SBS) mouse. The phenotype of SBS mouse was not apparent at birth, but it was possible to distinguish mutant phenotype from normal mice 1 week after birth. In this study, we examined body weight changes and bone mineral density (BMD), and we also carried out genetic linkage analysis to map the causative gene(s) of SBS mouse. Body weight changes were observed from birth to 14 weeks of age in both affected (n = 30) and normal mice (n = 24). BMD was examined in each five SBS and normal mice between 3 and 6 weeks of age, respectively. For the linkage analysis, we produced backcross progeny [(SBS${\times}$C57BL/6J) $F_1{\times}$ SBS] $N_2$ mice (n = 142), and seventy-four microsatellite markers were used for primary linkage analysis. Body weight of affected mice was consistently lower than that of the normal mice, and was 43.7% less than that of normal mice at 3 weeks of age (P < 0.001). As compared with normal mice at 3 and 6 weeks of age, BMD of the SBS mice was significantly low. The results showed 15.5% and 14.1 % lower in total body BMD, 15.3% and 8.7% lower in forearm BMD, and 29.7% and 20.1% lower in femur BMD, respectively. The causative gene was mapped on chromosome 10. The map order and the distance between markers were D10Mit248 - 2.1 cM - D10Mit51 - 4.2 cM - sbs - 0.7 cM - D10Mit283 - 1.4cM - D10Mit106 - 11.2cM - D10Mit170.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.128-132
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• 2007

The red yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (previously named Phaffia rhodozyma) produces astaxanthin pigment among many carotenoids. The mutant X. dendrorhous G276 was isolated by chemical mutagenesis. The mutant produced about 2.0 mg of carotenoid per g of yeast cell dry weight and 8.0 mg/L of carotenoid after 5 days batch culture with YM media; in comparison, the parent strain produced 0.66 mg/g of yeast cell dry weight and a carotenoid concentration of 4.5 mg/L. We characterized the utilization of carbon sources by the mutant strain and screened various edible plant extracts to enhance the carotenoid production. The addition of Perilla frutescens (final concentration, 5%) or Allium fistulosum extracts (final concentration, 1%) enhanced the pigment production to about 32 mg/L. In a batch fermentor, addition of Perilla frutescens extract reduced the cultivation time by two days compared to control (no extract), which usually required five-day incubation to fully produce astaxanthin. The results suggest that plant extracts such as Perilla frutescens can effectively enhance astaxanthin production.