• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1629-1636
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• 2009

Pine trees (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zacc.) have been used as a traditional health-promoting medicinal food in Korea. This research was performed to determine the antioxidative and antibacterial activities, tyrosinase, nitric oxide synthesis, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and xanthine oxidase inhibition effects of the pine bud ethanol extract (PBE). Antioxidative activities of PBE were measured by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase-like activity (SODA). DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activities of PBE were remarkably increased in a dose-dependent manner, and were about 88.9% and 47.9% at 1 mg/ml and 10 mg/ml, respectively. The xanthine oxidase and angiotensin converting enzyme activities were inhibited about 71.9% and 60.8% at 1 mg/ml and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of PBE, respectively. The tyrosinase inhibitory activities of PBE were slightly increased in a dose-dependent manner. The PBE showed strong antimicrobial activities on Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Vibrio paraheamolyticus. Stimulation of the macrophages RAW264.7 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in increased production of nitric oxide (NO) in the medium. However, NO synthesis was reduced up to 54% by addition of PBE at $200{\mu}g/ml$. These results revealed that pine buds have a strong antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity, and exhibit angiotensin converting enzyme and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. This suggests that pine buds have the greatest property as a source for natural health products.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.763-771
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• 2001

Biphenyl dioxygenase (BPDO), which catalyzes the first step in the bacterial degradation of biphenyl and polychlorinated biphenyls, was characterized in Pseudomonas sp. B4. The bphA locus containing the four structural genes encoding BPDO were cloned and sequenced. A regulatory gene as well as a putative regulatory sequence were identified upstream of this locus. A transposase-like gene was found within a 1-kb region further upstream, thereby suggesting that the bphA locus may be carried on a transposable element. The three components of the BPDO enzyme have been separately overexpressed and purified from E. coli. The ferredoxin and terminal dioxygenase components showed biochemical properties comparable to those of two previously characterized BPDOs, whereas the ferredoxin reductase exhibited an unusually high lability. The substrate selectivity of BPDO was examined in vivo using resting cell assays performed with mixtures of selected polychlorinated biphenyls. The results indicated that para-substituted congeners were the preferred substrates. In vitro studies were carried out on a BPDO complex where the reductase from strain B4 we replaced by the more stable isoform from Comamonas testosteroni B-356. The BPDO enzyme had a specific activity of $0.26{\pm}0.02 {\mu}mol {min^-1}{mg^-1}\;of\;ISP_{BPH}$ with biphenyl as the substrate. The 2,3-, 4,4'-, and 2,4,4'-chlorobiphenyls were converted to single dihydrodiols, while 2,4'-dichlorobiphenyl gave rise to two dihydrodiols. The current data also indicated that 2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl was a better substrate than the 4,4'-dichlorinated congener.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2017

Gaucher disease (GD) is caused by the deficiency of glucocerebrosidase. In pediatric patients with GD, especially Type I GD, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) can reduce the hepatosplenomegaly and improve the hematologic finding and growth velocity. Herein, we report a 2-year-old girl with Type I GD presented with hepatosplenomegaly, bone pain and growth retardation. A 2 year-old-girl was referred to our hospital due to severe hepatosplenomegaly and growth retardation. She suffered from both leg pain and chronic fatigue. Simple x-ray showed widened distal long bones like that of an 'Erlenmeyer flask' which is associated with GD. The laboratory test showed anemia and thrombocytopenia. The enzyme activity was markedly reduced and the direct sequencing of the GBA gene showed the compound heterozygous mutations, p.G46E and p.L444P. As the G46E have been considered as the protective gene against neuronopathic genotype, we could assess the Type I GD in this patient. After one year of ERT, the growth velocity became 11 cm per year. Bone pain and fatigue disappeared. The volume of liver and spleen was reduced from $683cm^3$ and $703cm^3$ to $590cm^3$ and $235cm^3$, respectively. Although GD is an extremely rare disease in Korea, growth retardation and bone pain in children are the important signs which lead to early detection of GD and a simple radiologic finding is helpful to assess the GD at outpatient clinic. We highlight that the early diagnosis and early ERT is important for good growth and outcome for pediatric patients with GD.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.27 no.6 s.65
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• pp.929-941
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• 1997

Optimal force for orthodontic treatment is the force that produces a rapid rate of tooth movement without discomfort to the Patient or ensuing tissue damage. Recently considerable interest has been generated in the application of magnets as a way to obtain an optimal force. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of static magnetic fields of Sm-Co magnets on molecular and cellular activities. The distance of erythrocyte sedimentation was measured directly, and the activities and the syntheses of $Fe^{2+}$-related enzymes (catalase and NO synthase) and non $Fe^{2+}$-related enzyme (lactic dehydrogenase) were assayed by the spectrophotometer. The growth and the proliferation of osteoblast-like cells $MC_3T_3-E_1$ were determined by the crystal violet staining and the ${^3}H$-thymidine incorporation. The erythrocytes were exposed to the pole face flux density of 1,400 G (gauss), and the enzymes and osteoblast-like cells $MC_{3}T_3-E_1$ were exposed to the flux density of 7,000 G. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The distance of sedimentation of erythrocyte was not affected by the static magnetic fields. 2. The activities of catalase and lactic dehydrogenase were not affected by the static magnetic fields. 3. The intracellular syntheses of NO synthase and lactic dehydrogenase were not affected by the static magnetic fields. 4. The growth and the proliferation of cultured osteoblast-like cells $MC_{3}T_3-E_1$ were not affected by the static magnetic fields. These results suggested that the molecular and cellular activities were not significantly influenced by the static magnetic fields.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1495-1502
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• 2014

Metarhizium anisopliae is a widely studied model to understand the virulence factors that participate in pathogenicity. Proteases such as subtilisin-like enzymes (Pr1) and trypsin-like enzymes (Pr2) are considered important factors for insect cuticle degradation. In four M. anisopliae strains (798, 6342, 6345, and 6347), the presence of pr1 and pr2 genes, as well as the enzymatic activity of these genes, was correlated with their virulence against two different insect pests. The 11 pr1 genes (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and K) and pr2 gene were found in all strains. The activity of individual Pr1 and Pr2 proteases exhibited variation in time (24, 48, 72, and 96 h) and in the presence or absence of chitin as the inductor. The highest Pr1 enzymatic activity was shown by strain 798 at 48 h with chitin. The highest Pr2 enzymatic activity was exhibited by the 6342 and 6347 strains, both grown with chitin at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Highest mortality on S. exigua was caused by strain 6342 at 48 h, and strains 6342, 6345, and 6347 caused the highest mortality 7 days later. Mortality on Prosapia reached 30% without variation. The presence of subtilisin and trypsin genes and the activity of these proteases in M. anisopliae strains cannot be associated with the virulence against the two insect pests. Probably, subtilisin and trypsin enzyme production is not a vital factor for pathogenicity, but its contribution is important to the pathogenicity process.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.162-165
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• 2000

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is well established as an indispensable tool of molecular biology; and yet a limitation for cloning applications continues to be that products often require subsequent restriction to be that products often require subsequent restriction digests, blunt-end ligation, or the use of special linear vectors. Here a rapid, PCR-based system is described for the simple, restriction enzyme-free generation of synthetic, 'restriction-like' DNA fragments with staggered ends. Any 3'- or 5'-protruding terminus, but also non-palindromic overhangs with an unrestricted single strand length are specifically created. With longer overhangs, "Restriction-PCR" does not even require a ligation step prior to transformation. Thereby the technique presents a powerful tool e.g. for a successive, authentic reconstitution of sub-fragments of long genes with no need to manipulate the sequence or to introduce restriction sites. Since restriction enzyme-free and thereby devoid the limitations of partial DNA digests, "Restriction-PCR" allows a straight one-step generation and cloning of difficult DNA fragments that internally carry additional sites for specific sequence insertions or deletions can be precisely engineered into genes of interest. With these properties "Restriction-PCR" has the potential to add significant speed and versatility to a wide variety of DNA cloning applications.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.869-876
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• 1995

The active sites of the nickel and iron-containing enzyme, carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH) from clostridium thermoaceticum were investigated using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) technique. CODH exhibits several spectral features called NiFeC, $g_{ave}=1.82$, $g_{ave}=1.86$. FCII signals which are originated from different clusters in this enzyme. CODH is know to catalyze two different kinds of reactions - acetyl-CoA synthesis and CO oxidation. The acetyl-CoA synthesis activity can be followed by monitoring CO/acetyl-CoA exchange. The addition of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) to CODH selectively destroyed the CO/acetyl-CoA exchange activity and eliminated the NiFeC signal completely. CO oxidation activity and other EPR signals were unaffected. Such behavior demonstrates that CODH has two distinct active sites and that the NiFe complex is only responsible for the CO/acctyl-CoA exchange activity. Phen caused the removal of only 30% of Ni in the NiFe complex ($0.3Ni/{\alpha}{\beta}$) as shown by the quantitative metal analysis. The phen-treated CODH could be reactivated fully by incubation In $Ni^{2+}$ solution. Radioactive $^{63}Ni^{2+}$ was used to quantitate the amount of the $Ni^{2+}$ incorporated into phen-treated enzyme and showed that the amount was the same as the removed by the phen treatment. i.e. $0.3Ni/{\alpha}{\beta}$. This indicates that only 30% of NiFe complexes are labile and responsible for the CO/acctyl-CoA exchange activity, the other 70% are non-labile and have no exchange activity. This is the first clear evidence that the NiFe complex is heterogencous and labile and non-labile Ni sites arc interacting differently with substrates and chelating agents like phen.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.77.1-77.10
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• 2021

Background: Serum-based parameters are considered non-invasive biomarkers for cancer detection. In human studies, insulin-like growth factor-I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are useful as diagnostic or prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets. Objectives: This study examined the diagnostic utility of circulating IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 levels in healthy dogs and dogs with tumors. Methods: The serum concentrations of these biomarkers in 86 dogs with tumors were compared with those in 30 healthy dogs using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The ELISA results showed no difference between healthy dogs and dogs with tumors in the serum IGF-II concentrations. On the other hand, there was a significant difference in the circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels between healthy dogs and dogs with tumors. The concentrations of serum IGF-I (median [interquartile range], 103.4 [59.5-175] ng/mL) in dogs with epithelial tumors were higher than those (58.4 ng/mL [43.5-79.9]) in healthy dogs. Thus, the concentrations of serum IGFBP-3 (43.4 ng/mL [33.2-57.2]) in dogs with malignant mesenchymal tumors were lower than those (60.8 ng/mL [47.6-70.5]) in healthy dogs. Conclusions: The serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels can be used as diagnostic biomarkers in dogs with tumors.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2010

The extent of growth L. plantarum (LP), L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (LD), L. fermentum (LF), S. thermophilus (ST), B. longum (BI) and S. cerevisiae (SA) was generally good with the lower concentration of the ginseng extract. Total sapogenin content was slightly different with kinds of a fermentation microorganism and the time of fermentation process, and generally reduced compare to before fermentation. The content of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Re and Rf were decreased with the fermentation but ginsenoside Rd was increased by the E, LF and SA fermented extract. The content of compound K increased in the order of not-fermented extrac < enzyme fermented extract < enzyme and microorganism fermented extract, and as the fermented time get longer, the content of compound K was sightly increased. Especially, the content of compound K of the SA fermented extract was the most increased, also it of the BI, LD and LF fermented extract was increased, so these extract were considered a high valuable. Polyphenol content of the BI, LD, LP and ST fermented extract indicated $9.18{\pm}0.39{\sim}15.68{\pm}0.54$ mg/10 g which was lower than it of a not-fermented extract ($11.92{\pm}0.26{\sim}28.41{\pm}0.39$ mg/10 g). Flavonoid content of a ginseng fermented extract indicated $26.93{\pm}0.17{\sim}156.45{\pm}1.29$ mg/10 g, it was higher than a not-fermented extract ($18.06{\pm}0.90$ mg/10 g). As the fermented time get longer, the flavonoid content tendency to increase. DPPH radical scavenging activity of a fermented ginseng extract was $24.11{\pm}1.41{\sim}55.62{\pm}0.33%$, it was slightly lower compared to a natural antioxidant, vitamin C. But it of the LF and ST fermented extract was similar to a natural antioxidant, vitamin C. It has not a concerned in a fermentation. Nitrite scavenging ability of a 24 hr fermented extract was above 80% at pH 2.5 and 4.2, it was similar to an artificial antioxidant, BHT ($84.76{\pm}0.13%$; pH2.5, $84.98{\pm}0.11%$; pH 4.2). It has not a concerned in a fermentation. SOD-like activity of a fermented extract was lower than that of a not-fermented extract ($19.22{\pm}0.51%$), but it of the E and LP-fermented extract was a very highly notable value. As the fermented time get longer, the SOD-like activity tendency to increase.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2013

AprE51 from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH51 is a 27 kDa subtilisin-like protease with fibrinolytic activity. AprE51-6 showing increased catalytic activity was produced previously. To enhance the thermostability of AprE51-6, 2 residues, Gly-166 and Asn-218 based on B. subtilis subtilisin E were mutated by site-directed mutagenesis. The results of the mutational analysis showed that substitution of arginine for Gly-166 (AprE51-7) increased the fibrinolytic activity 1.8-fold. An N218S mutant (AprE51-8) also increased the fibrinolytic activity up to 4.5-fold in a fibrin plate assay. Purified AprE51-7 and AprE51-8 mutants had a 1.9- and a 2.5-fold higher $k_{cat}$, respectively, and a 2.1-1.9-fold lower $K_m$, respectively. This resulted in a 3.8- and a 4.7-fold increase in catalytic efficiency ($k_{cat}/K_m$), respectively, relative to that of wild-type AprE51. AprE51-8 had a broader pH range than AprE51-6 and nattokinase, especially at an alkaline pH value. In addition, AprE51-8 showed higher thermostability than AprE51-6 at $60^{\circ}C$. The half-lives of AprE51-7 and AprE51-8 at $50^{\circ}C$ were 21.5 and 27.3 min, respectively, which are 2.0 and 2.6 times longer, respectively, than that of the wild-type AprE51.