• Molecules and Cells
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.276-282
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• 2007

Protein phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells transduce extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Calcium/calmodulin ($Ca^{2+}/CaM$)-dependent protein phosphorylation has been implicated in various cellular processes, yet little is known about $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) in plants. From an Arabidopsis expression library screen using a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated soybean calmodulin isoform (SCaM-1) as a probe, we isolated a full-length cDNA clone that encodes AtCK (Arabidopsis thaliana calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase). The predicted structure of AtCK contains a serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic domain followed by a putative calmodulin-binding domain and a putative $Ca^{2+}$-binding domain. Recombinant AtCK was expressed in E. coli and bound to calmodulin in a $Ca^{2+}$-dependent manner. The ability of CaM to bind to AtCK was confirmed by gel mobility shift and competition assays. AtCK exhibited its highest levels of autophosphorylation in the presence of 3 mM $Mn^{2+}$. The phosphorylation of myelin basic protein (MBP) by AtCK was enhanced when AtCK was under the control of calcium-bound CaM, as previously observed for other $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinases. In contrast to maize and tobacco CCaMKs (calcium and $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinase), increasing the concentration of calmodulin to more than $3{\mu}M$ suppressed the phosphorylation activity of AtCK. Taken together our results indicate that AtCK is a novel Arabidopsis $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinase which is presumably involved in CaM-mediated signaling.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.2389-2394
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• 2016

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is influenced by genetic and micro-environmental changes. Malignant plasma cells produce an abnormal monoclonal immunoglobulin, as well as cytokines, such as IL-10 and IL-6 which stimulate cells of the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) and cause dysfunction and failure of many organs. B cell activating factor (BAFF), IL6, IL10 are known to influence the growth & survival of the malignant clone. Aim: The objectives of the present study were to investigate the circulating levels of BAFF, IL-10 and IL-6, correlate them with well-known parameters of disease activity in patients with MM, and to detect their impact on the patients' survival. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 89 newly diagnosed MM patients and seventy apparently healthy volunteers as a normal control group. BAFF, IL6, IL10 were measured by ELISA for both groups. Survival analysis was performed for all patients. Results: Studied markers were higher in the MM patients compared to the normal control subjects. Patients' survival was improved by high serum BAFF levels. Conclusions: High levels of BAFF were found to improve patients' survival. BAFF and IL-6 can be considered probable diagnostic markers for MM.

• 한국식물병리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국식물병리학회 2003년도 정기총회 및 추계학술발표회
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• pp.29-29
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• 2003

Incompatible plant-pathogen interactions result in the rapid cell death response known as hypersensitive response (HR) and activation of host defense-related genes. To understand the molecular and cellular mechanism controlling defense response better, several approaches including isolation and characterization of novel genes, promoter analysis of those genes, protein-protein interaction analysis and reverse genetic approach etc. By using the yeast two-hybrid system a clone named Tsipl, Tsil -interacting protein 1, was isolated whose translation product apparently interacted with Tsil, an EREBP/AP2 type DNA binding protein. RNA gel blot analysis showed that the expression of Tsipl was increased by treatment with NaCl, ethylene, salicylic acid, or gibberellic acid. Transient expression analysis using a Tsipl::smGFP fusion gene in Arabidopsis protoplasts indicated that the Tsipl protein was targeted to the outer surface of chloroplasts. The targeted Tsipl::smGFP proteins were diffused to the cytoplasm of protoplasts in the presence of salicylic acid (SA) The PEG-mediated co-transfection analysis showed that Tsipl could interact with Tsil in the nucleus. These results suggest that Tsipl-Tsil interaction might serve to regulate defense-related gene expression. Basically the useful promoters are valuable tools for effective control of gene expression related to various developmental and environmental condition.(중략)

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.1403-1410
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• 2014

Epigenetic regulators like histone deacetylases (1 and 2), and viral onco-proteins (E6/E7) are known to be overexpressed in cervical cancer cells. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of curcumin on HDACs (1 and 2) and HPV E6/E7 in the cervical cancer cell line SiHa and a drug resistant clone $SiHa^R$ (derived from SiHa). It was further intended to investigate whether curcumin could sensitize the cells towards cisplatin induced cell killing by modulation of multi drug resistant proteins like MRP1 and Pgp1. Curcumin inhibited HDACs, HPV expression and differentially increased acetylation and up-regulation of p53 in SiHa and $SiHa^R$, leading to cell cycle arrest at G1-S phase. Up-regulation of pRb, p21, p27 and corresponding inhibition of cyclin D1 and CDK4 were observed. Cisplatin resistance in $SiHa^R$ due to over-expression of MRP1 and Pgp1 was overcome by curcumin. Curcumin also sensitized both the cervical cancer cells towards cisplatin induced cell killing. Inhibition of HDACs and HPVs led to cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase by alteration of cell cycle regulatory proteins. Suppression of MRP1 and Pgp1 by curcumin resulted in sensitization of cervical cancer cells, lowering the chemotherapeutic dose of the drug cisplatin.

• 한국토양비료학회지
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.127-145
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• 2011

Various environmental ecosystems are valuable sources for microbial ecology studies, and their analyses using recently developed molecular ecological approaches have drawn significant attention within the scientific community. Changes in the microbial community structures due to various anthropogenic activities can be evaluated by various culture-independent methods e.g. ARISA, DGGE, SSCP, T-RFLP, clone library, pyrosequencing, etc. Direct amplification of total community DNA and amplification of most conserved region (16S rRNA) are common initial steps, followed by either fingerprinting or sequencing analysis. Fingerprinting methods are relatively quicker than sequencing analysis in evaluating the changes in the microbial community. Being an efficient, sensitive and time- and cost effective method, T-RFLP is regularly used by many researchers to access the microbial diversity. Among various fingerprinting methods T-RFLP became an important tool in studying the microbial community structure because of its sensitivity and reproducibility. In this present review, we will discuss the important developments in T-RFLP methodology to distinguish the total microbial diversity and community composition in the various ecosystems.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.195-198
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• 2004

Molec-ular analysis was performed on the microflora found In the necrotic pulpal tissue collected from 5 infected root canals that were diagnosed as a periapical abscess. 16S rRNA coding gene (rDNA) library construction and sequencing were performed in order to identify the microflora, The 16S rDNA sequences from 278 clones were identified by a comparison with the database sequence in GenBank. Three phylum and 31 species, which were related to the oral microflora, were identified from the 3 samples (No. 87, 105, and 115). Dialister invisus (5.6％), Peptostreptococcus micron (18.3％), and Veillonella sp. (3.3％) were the organism present in all tee samples. Lac-tobacillusfementum (2.8％),Eubacterumsp./E. infirmum (6.7％), Shuttleworthiasatelles (3.9％), Psudorarnihacfer alactoiyticus (13.3％), Bulleidia moorei (2.8％), and Prevotella denticola (1.1％) were found in two samples. Two phylum and low species of environmental microflora were identified from 2 samples (No.95 and 101). The reason for this might be contamination of the samples with dental water. These results showed that molecular analysis could reveal more diverse microflora that are associated with endodontic infections than that revealed by conventional cultural methods. In addition, these results may of for the basic data to epidemiological studies related with endodontic infection.

• BMB Reports
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.159-166
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• 2004

Angiostatin is a potent anti-angiogenic protein. To examine the angiostatin-interacting proteins, we used the display-cloning method with a T7 phage library presenting human cDNAs. The specific T7 phage clone that bound to the immobilized angiostatin was isolated, and a novel gene encoding the displayed polypeptide on the isolated T7 phage was identified. The displayed angiostatin-binding sequence was expressed in E. coli as a soluble protein and purified to homogeneity. This novel angiostatin-binding region interacted specifically to angiostatin with a dissociation constant of $3.4{\times}10^{-7}\;M$. A sequence analysis showed that the identified sequence was a part of the large ORF of 1,998 amino acids, whose function has not yet been characterized. A Northern analysis indicated that the gene containing the angiostatin-binding sequence was expressed differentially in the developmental stages or cell types.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.271-275
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• 1996

Carcinogenic potential of HPV-16 DNA and NNK in a human keratinocyte cell line was assessed to study effects of viral-chemical interaction. Human cells were transfected with HPV-16 DNA and 6 clonal cell lines were subsequently obtained. Clonal line-3 and 6 at passage 7 showed characteristics of tumor cells such as increases of saturation density, soft-agar colony formation, cell aggregation and foci appearance. Among cells treated with 1$\mu M$, 10$\mu M$, 100$\mu M$ or 1 mM of NNK for 4 weeks, 100$\mu M$ treatment showed most tumorigenic characteristics at passage 7. These results indicate that either HPV-16 or NNK alone is tumorigenic in this in human in vitro model. When cells transfected with HPV-16 were subsequently exposed by 100 uM NNK for 4 weeks, all the clonal cells except clone-1 showed higher levels of tumor cell characteristics than HPV-16 DNA or NNK exposure alone. Clonal line-6, the most tumorigenic cells, showed higher transcriptional level of fibronectin and lower level of TGF-$\beta_1$, as compared to control cells, suggesting that alteration of growth factor or extracellular matrix may play a role in carcinogenesis process induced by HPV-16 and NNK. Taken together, the present study indicates that viral-chemical interactions between HPV-16 DNA and NNK enhance carcinogenic potentials of human cells and implies that smoking among people infected with human papillomavirus may pose an additional risk of causing cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.1377-1383
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• 2006

Among 46 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates collected in 2004, two imipenem-resistant isolates were obtained from clinical specimens taken from patients hospitalized in Busan, Republic of Korea. Two carbapenemase-producing isolates were further investigated to determine the mechanism of resistance. These isolates were analyzed by antibiotic susceptibility testing, microbiological tests of carbapenemase activity, determination of pI, transconjugation test, enterobacterial repetitive consensus (ERIC)-PCR, and DNA sequencing. Two cases of infection by A. baumannii producing the IMP-1 ${\beta}$-lactamase were detected. The isolates were characterized by a modified cloverleaf synergy test and EDTA-disk synergy test. Isoelectric focusing of crude bacterial extracts revealed nitrocefin-positive bands with a pI value of 9.0. PCR amplification and characterization of the amplicons by direct sequencing indicated that the isolates carried a $bla_{IMP-l}$ determinant. The isolates were characterized by a multidrug resistance phenotype, including penicillins, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, carbapenems, and aminoglycosides. These results indicate that the observed imipenem resistance of two Korean A. baumannii isolates was due to the spread of an IMP-1-producing clone. Our microbiological test of carbapenemase activity is simple to screen class B metallo-${\beta}$-lactamase-producing clinical isolates to determine their clinical impact and to prevent further spread. This study shows that the $bla_{IMP-l}$ resistance determinant, which is emerging in Korea, may become an emerging therapeutic problem, since clinicians are advised not to use extended-spectrum cephalosporins, imipenem, and aminoglycosides. This observation emphasizes the importance of having effective control measures in Asian hospitals, such as early detection of colonized patients, isolation procedures, and a judicious use of antibiotics.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.334-340
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• 2004

본 연구는 환경조건에 따른 지의류분포에 대한 기초 자료를 얻고자 수시로 해수와 접하는 지역의 해안가 암석과 해안에서 약 20 m 이상 떨어진 곳에 위치한 노지암석에서 살아가는 지의류를 대상으로 처음 수행되었다. rDNA ITS clone 유전자의 염기서열 및 형태학적 분석을 기초로 하여 비교 분석한 결과 해수와 직법 접하는 곳에 위치한 암석에서는 9과(family) 15 속(genus)에 속하는 지의류가 분포되어 있었고, 노지암석에서는 10과 14 속에 속하는 지의류가 분포되어 그 다양성에 있어 큰 차이가 없었다. Parmeliaceae 과에 포함된 것 중 엽상형(foliose)인 Phaeophyscia, physcia, Pyxine와 Parmeliaceae과에 속하는 Xanthoparmelia가 해안가 암석에 분포하는 대표적인 지의류로 나타났고, 수지상(fruticose) 지의류로는 Ramalinaceae과에 속하는 Ramalina 속 2종이 유일하게 분포하고 있음이 밝혀졌다. 가상형 (crustose) 지의류는 Lecanora속이 대표적인 해안가 암석에 분포하는 지의류로 나타났다. 반면, 노지암석위의 흙이나 이끼 낀 곳에서 발견되었으나 해안가 암석에서 발견되지 않은 지의류로는 엽상형인 Cladonia, 수지상 지의류인 Sterocaulon, 가상형 지의류인 Porpidia로 조사되었다. 가상형(crustose) 지의류인 Caloplaca, Candelaria, Dirinaria, Graphis, Rhizocarpon, Pertusaria 등이 해안가 암석에 분포하고 있음이 확인되었으나 매우 드물게 나타났으며 이들 지의류 모두는 해안가에서 비교적 멀리 떨어진 노지암석에서 대부분 분포하고 있음이 밝혀졌다.