• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.1-4
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• 2000

The photosensory ciliates Blepharisma japonicum and Stentor coeruleus use the hypericin-derived pigments blepharismin and stentorin, respectively, as photoreceptor chromophores. Fluorescence quenching studies have shown that the first excited singlet state of hypericin and the purified chromophores blepharismin and stentorin can be deactivated by electron transfer to an acceptor molecule with a suitable reducing potential [1,2]. This paper reports the result of a series of photobehavioral experiments performed with the aim to ascertain if the same electron accepters which quench the photoreceptor pigment fluorescence in vitro may also compete with the native acceptor molecule in its natural physiological environment. Individual cell trajectories were examined before and after light stimulation, in the presence and in the absence of potential "in vivo" electron accepters, with a microvideo-recording apparatus. Our data, on Blepharisma cells, showed that as the negative reduction potential of the electron acceptor increases, a pronounced decrease in cell photoresponsiveness was detected. A dramatic effect on cell photoresponsiveness was noticed in the presence of 1,4-benzoquinone that has the lowest negative reduction potential. Such an effect on the percentage of photoreacting cells was moderate in the case of 1,4-naphthoquinone, with a relatively higher negative reduction potential. In the presence of benzophenone, which has the highest negative reduction potential, no significant effect on photoreacting cells was noticed. Our results can support the hypothesis that in the pigment granules such a light-induced charge transfer from excited blepharismin to a suitable electron acceptor triggers sensory transduction processes in B. japonicum.

• 분석과학
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.125-129
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• 1995

두 가지 활성제를 분포시킨 LaOCl:Pr, Tb와 LaOCl:Pr, Eu계에서 에너지 전달을 관찰하였다. 레이저에 의한 들뜨기와 형광 스펙트럼의 관찰로부터 활성제 이온들 사이에 독특한 에너지 전달 과정이 있음을 발견하였다. $Tb^{3+}$에서 흡수한 에너지는 $Pr^{3+}$로 직접 전달되었다. 들뜬 $Pr^{3+}$의 에너지가 아래 준위인 $^1D_2$로 단계적으로 풀리는 현상이 $Eu^{3+}$에 의해 야기되었다. 비슷한 조건을 가진 $Tb^{3+}$는 $Eu^{3+}$처럼 촘촘한 $^7F_J$ 바닥 준위를 가지고 있으나 단계적 풀림에 효과적이지 못하였다. 이 결과는 에너지 전달에 있어서 이온의 양자 상태가 에너지 전달에 절대적인 조건이 되지 못하며 에너지 전달은 활성제가 가까이 있을 경우 그 준위들 사이에 경쟁적임을 보여 주었다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.356-364
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• 2005

Intramolecular excimer formation of 1,3-di(1-pyrenyl) propane(Py-3-Py) and fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) were used to evaluate the effect of ethanol on the rate and range of lateral and rotational mobilities of bulk bilayer structures of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMVs) from the bovine cerebral cortex. Ethanol increased the excimer to monomer fluorescence intensity ratio (I'/I) of Py-3-Py in the SPMVs. Selective quenching of both DPH and Py-3-Py by trinitrophenyl groups was used to examine the range of transbilayer asymmetric rotational mobility and the rate and range of transbilayer asymmetric lateral mobility of SPMVs. Ethanol increased the rotational and lateral mobility of the outer monolayer more than of the inner one. Thus ethanol has a selective fluidizing effect within the transbilayer domains of the SPMVs. Radiationless energy transfer from the tryptophans of membrane proteins to Py-3-Py was used to examine both the effect of ethanol on annular lipid fluidity and protein distribution in the SPMVs. Ethanol increased annular lipid fluidity and also caused membrane proteins to cluster. These effects on neuronal membranes may be responsible for some, though not all, of the general anesthetic actions of ethanol.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.730-736
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• 2007

The interaction of a polyoxometal (POM), K6SiW11Co(H2O)O39.10H2O (K6) as a Keggin, with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied by different methods and techniques. Binding studies show two sets of binding sites for interaction of POM to HSA. Binding analysis and isothermal calorimetery revealed that, the first set of binding site has lower number of bound ligand per mole of protein (ν), lower Hill constant (n), higher binding constant (K), more negative entropy (ΔS) and more electrostatic interaction in comparison to the second set of binding site. In addition, differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) and spectrophotometery data showed that, there are two energetic domains. The first domain is less stable (lower Tm and Cp) which corresponds to the tail segment of HSA and another with more stability is related to the head segment of HSA. Polyoxometal also decreases the stability of protein as Tm, secondary and tertiary structure as well as quenching of the fluorescence decrease. On other hand, perturbations in tertiary structure are more than secondary structure.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.63-72
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• 2000

Chronic exposure to cadmium (Cd) results in an inhibition of protein endocytosis in the renal proximal tubule, leading to proteinuria. In order to gain insight into the mechanism by which Cd impairs the protein endocytosis, we investigated the effect of Cd on the acidification of renal cortical endocytotic vesicles (endosomes). The endosomal acidification was assessed by measuring the pH gradient-dependent fluorescence change, using acridine orange or FITC-dextran as a probe. In renal endosomes isolated from Cd-intoxicated rats, the $V_{max}$ of ATP-driven fluorescence quenching ($H^+-ATPase$ dependent intravesicular acidification) was significantly attenuated with no substantial changes in the apparent $K_m,$ indicating that the capacity of acidification was reduced. When endosomes from normal animals were directly exposed to free Cd in vitro, the $V_{max}$ was slightly reduced, whereas the $K_m$ was markedly increased, implying that the biochemical property of the $H^+-ATPase$ was altered by Cd. In endosomes exposed to free Cd in vitro, the rate of dissipation of the transmembrane pH gradient after $H^+-ATPase$ inhibition appeared to be significantly faster compared to that in normal endosomes, indicating that the $H^+-conductance$ of the membrane was increased by Cd. These results suggest that in long-term Cd-exposed animals, free Cd ions liberated in the proximal tubular cytoplasm by lysosomal degradation of cadmium-metallothionein complex (CdMT) may impair endosomal acidification 1) by reducing the $H^+-ATPase$ density in the endosomal membrane, 2) by suppressing the intrinsic $H^+-ATPase$ activity, and 3) possibly by increasing the membrane conductance to $H^+$ ion. Such effects of Cd could be responsible for the alterations of proximal tubular endocytotic activities, protein reabsorption and various transporter distributions observed in Cd-exposed cells and animals.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2013년도 제45회 하계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.281.2-281.2
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• 2013

Since heavy metal ions included in water or food resources have critical effects on human health, highly sensitive, rapid and selective analysis for heavy metal detection has been extensively explored by means of electrochemical, optical and colorimetric methods. For example, quantum dots (QDs), such as semiconductor QDs, have received enormous attention due to extraordinary optical properties including high fluorescence intensity and its narrow emission peaks, and have been utilized for heavy metal ion detection. However, the semiconductor QDs have a drawback of serious toxicity derived from cadmium, lead and other lethal elements, thereby limiting its application in the environmental screening system. On the other hand, Graphene oxide (GO) has proven its superlative properties of biocompatibility, unique photoluminescence (PL), good quenching efficiency and facile surface modification. Recently, the size of GO was controlled to a few nanometers, enhancing its optical properties to be applied for biological or chemical sensors. Interestingly, the presence of various oxygenous functional groups of GO contributes to opening the band gap of graphene, resulting in a unique PL emission pattern, and the control of the sp2 domain in the sp3 matrix of GO can tune the PL intensity as well as the PL emission wavelength. Herein, we reported a photoluminescent GO array on which heavy metal ion-specific DNA aptamers were immobilized, and sensitive and multiplex heavy metal ion detection was performed utilizing fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the photoluminescent monolayered GO and the captured metal ion.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제34권9호
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• pp.2629-2634
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• 2013

Fisetin is a naturally occurring flavonoid with some anti-cancer and anti-inflammation capabilities. In this study, we perform docking studies between human c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK 1) and fisetin and proposed a binding model of fisetin and JNK 1, in which the hydroxyl groups of the B ring and oxygen at the 4-position of the C ring play key roles in binding interactions with JNK. Fluorescence quenching and saturation-transfer difference (STD) NMR experiments showed that fisetin exhibits good binding affinity to JNK, $1.32{\times}10^8M^{-1}$. The anti-inflammatory activity of fisetin was also investigated. Fisetin significantly suppressed tumor necrosis factor, the NO production, and macrophage inflammatory cytokine release in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. We found that the anti-inflammatory cascade of fisetin was mediated through the JNK, and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 pathways. Our findings suggest the potential of fisetin as an anti-inflammatory agent.

• BMB Reports
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• 제39권5호
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• pp.636-641
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• 2006

Our previous studies indicated that native carbonic anhydrase does not interact with hydrophobic adsorbents and that it acquires this ability upon denaturation. In the present study, an apo form of the enzyme was prepared by removal of zinc and a comparative study was performed on some characteristic features of the apo and native forms by far- and near-UV circular dichroism (CD), intrinsic fluorescent spectroscopy, 1-anilino naphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) binding, fluorescence quenching by acrylamide, and Tm measurement. Results indicate that protein flexibility is enhanced and the hydrophobic sites become more exposed upon conversion to the apo form. Accordingly, the apo structure showed a greater affinity for interaction with hydrophobic adsorbents as compared with the native structure. As observed for the native enzyme, heat denaturation of the apo form promoted interaction with alkyl residues present on the adsorbents and, by cooling followed by addition of zinc, catalytically-active immobilized preparations were obtained.

• 한국자동차공학회논문집
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2004

Combustion and fuel distribution characteristics of heavy duty engine with the liquid phase LPG injection(LPLI) were studied in a single cylinder engine, Swirl ratio were varied between 1.2, 2.3, and 3.4 following Ricardo swirl number(Rs) definition, Rs=2.3 showed the best results with lower cycle-by-cycle variation and shorter burning duration in the lean region while strong swirl(Rs=3.4) made these worse for combustion enhancement. Excessive swirl resulted in reverse effects due to high heat transfer and initial flame kernel quenching. Fuel injection timings were categorized with open valve injection(OVI) and closed valve injection(CVI). Open valve injection showed shorter combustion duration and extended lean limit. The formation of rich mixture in the spark plug vicinity was achieved by open valve injection. With higher swirl strength(Rs=3.4) and open valve injection, the cloud of fuel followed the flow direction and the radial air/fuel mixing was limited by strong swirl flow. It was expected that axial stratification was maintained with open-valve injection if the radial component of the swirling motion was stronger than the axial components. The axial fuel stratification and concentration were sensitive to fuel injection timing in case of Rs=3.4 while those were relatively independent of the injection timing in case of Rs=2.3.

• BMB Reports
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.416-421
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• 2004

The antioxidant activities of NADH and of its analogue, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dicarbethoxy-pyridine ($PyH_2$), were evaluated in vitro. NADH was found to be oxidized by the peroxyl radical derived from 2,2-azobis-(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) decomposition, in a pH-dependent manner. Both NADH and $PyH_2$ inhibited the peroxidation of egg yolk lecithin (EYL) liposomes, although $PyH_2$ was more effective than NADH when 2,2'-azobis-4-methoxy-2,4-dimethyl-valeronitrile (methoxy-AMVN) was employed to induce EYL liposome peroxidation. The antioxidant activities of NADH and $PyH_2$ were also evaluated by measuring their influences on 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) fluorescence decay in the presence of peroxyl radicals. NADH and $PyH_2$ were much more effective at inhibiting DPBF quenching in Triton X-100 micelles than in liposomes. These results indicate that NADH can inhibit lipid peroxidation despite being hydrophilic. Nevertheless, membrane penetration is an important factor and limits its antioxidant activity.