• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.168-174
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• 2006

Enantiopure epoxides are valuable intermediates for the asymmetric synthesis of enantiopure bioactive compounds. Microbial epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are versatile biocatalysts for the preparation of enantiopure epoxides by enantioselective hydrolysis of cheap and easily available racemic epoxide substrates. EHs are commercially potential biocatalysts due to their characteristics such as high enantioselectivity, cofactor-independent catalysis, and easy-to-prepare catalysts. In this paper, recent progresses In molecular engineering of EHs are reviewed to evaluate the commercial feasibility of EH-catalyzed hydrolytic kinetic resolution for the production of enantiopure epoxides.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 1993

This study was conducted to clarify the translocation and the phytotoxicity of soil treated Heptachlor (0.1ppm) and Heptachlor epoxide (0.1ppm) on Hop plants and Hansam vine. Residues in the soils and the plants were analyzed and phytotoxic patterns were investigated at the different growing stages. Photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll contents were measured. The results were summarized as follows: 1. At the second growing stage, 40 days after transplanting, severe damages by Heptachlor were observed on root of Hop. Growth rate on top and root parts of Hop was retarded from the third growing stage, 70 days after transplanting. The damages seemed to be caused by Heptachlor epoxide rather than by Heptachlor. 2. Residues of Heptachlor and Heptachlor epoxide in the plants, Hops and Hansam vine, were high at the second growing stage in comparison with those at the other stages. Residual levels in the plant parts were in order of root> stem> leaf. 3. Inhibition of photosynthetic rate was more serious in Hop plants than those in Hansam vine. The photosynthetic rate was suppressed at the second growing stage by Heptachlor epoxide and greatly reduced at the third growing stage. 4. Chlorophyll contents were not significantly changed in Hops and Hansam vine. Decreasing trends of the chlorophyll contents in both plants treated with the pesticides were similar to those of control plants.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2004

A gene coding for epoxide hydrolase (EH) of Aspergillus niger LK, a fungus possessing the enantioselective hydrolysis activity for racemic epoxides, was characterized by phylogenetic analysis. The deduced protein of A. niger LK epoxide hydrolase shares significant sequence similarity with several bacterial EHs and mammalian microsomal EHs (mEH) and belongs to the a/${\beta}$ hydrolase fold family. EH from A. niger LK had 90.6% identity with 3D crystal structure of lqo7 in Protein Data Bank. Sequence comparison with other source EHs suggested that Asp$\^$l92/, Asp$\^$374/ and His$\^$374/ constituted the catalytic triad. Based on the multiple sequence comparison of the functional and structural domain sequence, the phylogenetic tree between relevant epoxide hydrolases from various species were reconstructed by using Neighbor-Joining method. Genetic distances were so far as 1.841-2.682 but characteristic oxyanion hole and catalytic triad were highly conserved, which means they have diverged from a common ancestor.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.456-459
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• 2005

UV spectrometric assay for measurement of epoxide hydrolase activity was tested for efficient screening of whole cell activity of epoxide hydrolase. Epoxide hydrolase activities were determined by measuring the amount of p-nitrostyrene diol (pNSD), which was the hydrolysis product of p-nitrostyrene oxide (pNSO). Enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic pNSO using epoxide hydrolase activity of Rhodosporidium toruloides was monitored by UV spectrometric assay, and the relevant $K_m$ and $V_m$ for R. toruloides were determined as $2.457nmol/min{\cdot}mg$ and 1.078 mM, respectively.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.291-295
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• 2007

The present study examines the effect of dominant-negative Akt on the insulin-mediated microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) induction in rat hepatocytes. We also assessed the role of insulin in the expression of soluble epoxide hydrrolase (sEH). Insulin increased mEH levels and the enzyme activities, whereas sEH protein expression was unaffected by insulin. The specific PI3K inhibitors or p70 S6 kinase inhibitor ameliorated the insulin-mediated increase in mEH protein levels. Infection with adenovirus expressing dominant-negative and kinase-dead mutant of Akt1 effectively inhibited the insulin-mediated increase in mEH expression and mEH activity. These results suggest that mEH and sEH are differentially regulated by insulin and PI3K/Akt/p70S6K are active in the insulin-mediated regulation of mEH expression.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2002

Chiral epoxides are valuable intermediates for the asymmetric synthesis of enantiopure bioactive compounds. Microbial epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are newly discovered enzymes and versatile biocatalysts for the preparation of chiral epoxides by enantioselective hydrolysis of cheap and easily available racemic epoxide substrates. EHs are commercially potential biocatalysts due to their characteristics such as high enantioselectivity, cofactor-independent catalysis, and easy-to-Prepare catalysts. In this Paper, recent progresses in biochemistry and molecular biology of EH and developments of novel reaction systems are reviewed to evaluate the commercial feasibility of EH-catalyzed hydrolytic kinetic resolution for the production of chiral epoxides.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 1981

Residues of some organochlorine insecticides ${\alpha}-BHC$, ${\gamma}-BHC$, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide of field soils and vegetables in Jeju island were investigated from october, 1979 to november, 1980. Residues in soil ranged in n.d-0.967 (aver.; 0.391) ppm for ${\alpha}-BHC$, n.d-0.590 (aver.; 0.218) ppm for ${\gamma}-BHC$, n.d-0.819 (aver.; 0.163) ppm for heptachlor, and n.d.-0.256 (aver.; 0.034)ppm for heptachlor epoxide. Average residue levels in cabbage were 0.002ppm for ${\alpha}-BHC$, 0.001ppm for ${\gamma}-BHC$, 0.002 ppm for heptachlor, and 0.001ppm for heptachlor epoxide. The levels of the same chemicals were 0.012ppm, 0.004ppm, 0.003ppm and 0.011ppm on carrot, and 0.014 ppm, 0.007ppm, 0.002ppm and trace on garlic, respectively.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.97-108
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• 1997

The drugs or xenobiotics introduced to the body, are detoxified through the process of biotransformation in the body. In this process, most of the insoluble compounds become more polar, soluble and easily excretable. But, parts of introduced materials are metabolized to highly reactive electrophilic carcinogens through activation pathways. These metabolites are toxic and can react with DNA, RNA and proteins which are nucleophilic compounds. The objective of this study is to illustrate the aleactivation pathways of two highly reactive epoxide compounds, vinyl carbamate epoxide (VCO) and 2'-(4-nitrophenoxy)oxirane (NPO). They are the ultimate electrophilic carcinogens of ethyl carbamate(urethane) and 4-nitrophenyl vinyl ether, respectively. In this research, we studied the inhibition of the mutagenic activities of VCO or NPO by nuchieophiles [glutahione(GSH) and N-acetylcysteine(NAC)], detoxifying enzymes[epoxide hydrolase and glutathione-S-transferase(GST)] and intracellular organelles (microsomes and cytosol). In addition we also tested the suppression of DNA adducts formation by GSH and NAC. The results are summerized as follow. 1. The microsomes and cytosol which contain epoxide hydrolase and GST, respectively, decreased the mutagenicity of VCO (74% and 95%, respecfivel), and NPO (35% and 93%, respectively). The nucleophilic GSH and NAC decreased the mutagenicity by 86% (VCO) and 80% (NPO), 76% (VCO) and 40% (NPO), respectively. 2. The purified epoxide hydrolase decreased the mutagenicity of two epoxides in a dose-dependent manner, and GSH also decreased the mutagenicity in the presence of GST. 3. Formation of two DNA adducts, 7-(2'-oxoethyi)guanine (OEG) and N2,3-ethenoguanine(EG), were compared in the presence of calf thymus DNA and epoxide (VCO or NPO) in vitro system. The amounts of DNA adducts were decreased in the presence of GSH (25% and 29% in VCO, 32% and 29% in NPO), and NAC (14% and 16% in VCO, 21% and 11% in NPO), respectively. From these results, it is concluded that the ultimate carcinogenic metabolites, VCO and NPO, can be made in the body, but much of them may be inactivated and detoxified by the nucleophilic GSH, NAC and detoxifying enzymes (epoxide hydrolase and GST). Therefore, by these mechanism, the formation of DNA adducts and mutagenic activities of these two epoxides may be lowered in vivo.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.1099-1106
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• 1999

Effects of dietary carotenoids were investigated on metabolism of the carotenoids, and body pigmen tation in oily bittering, Acheilognathus koreensis. Two weeks later after depletion,oily bitterings were fed the diets supplemented with either lutein, cynthiaxanthin and astaxathin for 4 weeks. Carotenoids distributed to and metabolized in integument were analyed. The carotenoid isolated from the integument of wild oily bittering, composed of 47.2% zeaxanthin, 11.4% lutein epoxide, 11.0% diatoxanthin, 9.7% lutein and 8.3% zeaxanthin epoxide. Meanwhile, two weeks later after depletion, the carotenoid composed of 29.9% crytoxanthin, 19.3% zeaxanthin, 13.2% lutein epoxide, 12.0% diatoxanthin and 8.8% zeaxanthin epoxide. These indicated that zeaxanthin, diatoxanthin, lutein epoxide and zeaxanthin epoxide were actively metabolized in oily bittering, compared to that of other fresh water fish. Total carotenoid content in the integument of wild oily bittering and oily bittering depleted for two weeks was found to be 1.72mg% and 2.08mg%, respectively. Two weeks later after treatment of experimental diet, total carotenoids content was increased to 2.23mg% in lutein, 2.36mg% in cynthiaxanthin and 2.49mg% in astaxanthin supplemented group, which were relatively higher than 2.10mg% in control group. Meanwhile, 4 weeks later, total ca rotenoids content was decreased to 1.76mg% in control, 1.95mg% in lutein, 1.74mg% in cynthiaxanthin and 1.72mg% in astaxanthin supplemented groups. These result indicate that dietary carotenoids were rapidly accumulated and then metabolized to certain metabolites shortly after feeding. Body pigmentation effects of the carotenoids due to accumulation of carotenoids in the integument of oily bittering was the most effectively shown in the astaxanthin supplemented group, followed by cynthiaxanthin and lutein supplemented groups. In the integument of oily bittering, dietary carotenoids were presumably biotrans formed via either oxidative or reductive pathways as presumed the variation of total carotenoid content and carotenoid composition in all experimental groups. The lutein was oxidized either to astaxanthin via doradexanthin and doradexanthin, or to zeaxanthin epoxide via zeaxanthin by oxidative pathway. Cynthiaxanthin was converted either to diatoxanthin and zeaxanthin by reductive pathway and then to zeaxanthin epoxide by oxidative pathway, or it was converted to astaxanthin via diatoxanthin, zeaxan thin and doradexanthin by oxidative pathway. Astaxanthin was converted to doradexanthin and zeaxanthin by reductive pathway and then to zeaxanthin epoxide by oxidative pathway. These results suggest that, oxidative pathway of carotenoids was major metabolic pathway along with reductive path way in fresh water fish.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 1989

The binding of bay region diol-epoxides of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to target tissue DNA is thought to be essential for the initiation of cancer by these compounds. In this study we investigated the effect of polyacetylenes such as panaxynol and panaxydol on the formation of benzo(a)pyreno (BP)-metabolite-DNA adduct in the liver of ICR mice. Treatment of mice by i.p. administration of polyacetylenes produced a marked reduction in BP metabolite binding to DNA in vitro. Following i.v. administration of (3H)BP(300, ${\mu}$Ci/21 nmoles/0.1 nt DMSO) to mice, radioactivity was detected in the DNA of the liver in vivo. The result of tentative identification of the 4 peaks between the two standard markers for high pressure liquid chromatography showed that the peaks. I, II, III, and IV were BP-phenol oxide-DNA adduct (or BP-diol-epoxide-dCyt. adduct), (-) BP$.$diolepoxide I:dGuO adduct, (+) BP-diol-epoxide I: dGuo adduct, and BP-diol-epoxide II:dGuO adduct, respectively. The minor adduct, (-) BP-diol epoxide I: dGuo was reduced to 6971 of the amount of the control, while the major adduct, (+) BP-diolepoxide I: dGuO(peak II) which was produced from (-) BP-7, 8-diol was reduced to 78% of that of the control. The amount of the minor adduct, BP-diol-epoxide II:dGuo adduct(peak IV) which formed from (+) BP-7, 8-diol was 58% of the control. These results show that the panaxydol is more related to inhibition of the formation of the minor ad- ducts than of the major adducts, which were generally produced from ($\pm$) BP-7, 8-dihydro-dials.