• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.78-84
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• 2017

Pseudin is a naturally occurring 24 amino-acid-residue antimicrobial peptide derived from the skin of paradoxical frog Pseud's paradoxa. It shows potency against the bacteria and antibiotic-resistant bacteria strain, but has high cytotoxicity against mammalian cell. In our previous study, substitution of $Pro^{11}$ for Gly (Ps-P) increased bacterial cell selectivity but decreased the antibacterial activity of pseudin. In this study, we designed pseudin analogue, Ps-4K-P with increased cationicity up to +7 in Ps-P by substituting Glu14, Gln10, Gln24, and Leu18 with Lys. Ps-4K-P showed improved potent antibacterial activity with high bacterial cell selectivity. We determined the tertiary structure of Ps-4K-P in the presence of DPC micelles by NMR spectroscopy and it has a hinge structure at $Pro^{11}$ followed by three turn helices from $Pro^{11}$ to $Val^{23}$ at the C-terminus. Amphipathicity with increased cationicity as well as helix-hinge-helix structural motif provided by introduction of a Pro at position $Gly^{11}$ are the crucial factors which confer antibacterial activity with bacterial cell selectivity to Ps-4K-P.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2009

The programed cell death of the cutaneous epithelial tissue during tail regression stages in anuran tadpoles of the blackspotted frog, Rana nigromaculata were visualized by the histochemical and transmission electron microscopic techniques. Metamorphotic changes in the tail regression during the period of the Shumway stage number 31 to 33 are characterized by the disappearance of mucous layer and formation of compound epithelium through cutaneous thickening. Following the TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated d-uridine triphosphate nick end labeling) staining technique, the apoptotic cells were detected at the distal region of the tail skin initially, but they can be seen at the proximal region according to their following development. It has been also revealed that the number of the TUNEL-positive cells gradually increased from apical to basal direction of the epithelial layers during the tail regressing stages. Following the TEM observation, the early apoptotic cells shown in the epithelium demonstrated condensation and margination of the chromatin material at the nuclear periphery. Another epithelial apoptotic cells were shown nuclear fragmentation, membrane blebbing and cytoplasmic condensation. Following the process of the apoptotic degradation, well preserved organelles and nuclear fragments can be identified in the cytoplasm of lysosome-rich cells, however they soon reduced to lysosomal residual bodies through the progressive degradation.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2004

The wound healing is very complex biological processing including inflammatory, reepithelialization and matrix construction. According to the biological systematic category, the ability of the healing is very different. Generally healing ability of the lower animal group has been known more excellent compared to its higher group. Therefore, lower animals have been used as the experimental model to explore the mechanism of the wound healing or repair. To verify histochemical characteristics of the wound healing, we have used skin of the frog (Bombina orientalis) as known common amphibian. At day 1, 10, and 16, the mucous substance was very actively synthesized and strong positive by PAS and Alcian blue (pH 2.5). Day 10 after wounding, margin of the wound was gradually strong positive by PTAH staining for detection of collagen synthesis. At 3 to 6 hour and day 23 to 27, we have found the cell division was active through the MG-P staining, in which the concentration and division of DNA in nucleus was green to deep blue color.

• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.291-296
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• 2002

Thanatin, a 21-residue peptide, is an inducible insect peptide with a broad range of activity against bacteria and fungi. It has a C-terminal disulfide loop, like the frog skin secretion antimicrobial peptides of the brevinin family. In this study, we tried to find the effect of a number of amino acids between the disulfide bond. Thanatin showed stronger antibacterial activity to Gram negative bacteria than other mutants, except Th1; whereas, the mutant peptides with deletion had higher activity to Gram positive bacteria than thanatin. An increase in the number of amino acid(s) using the alanine residue decreased the antibacterial activity in all of the bacteria. Th1 with deletion of threonine at position 15 ($Thr^{15}$) showed similar antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, but had higher activity against the Gram positive bacteria. In order to study the structure-function relationship, we measured liposome disruption by the peptides and CD spectra of the peptides. Th1 also showed the highest liposome leaking activity and α-helical propensity in the sodium dodecyl sulfate solution, compared with other peptides. Liposome disruption activity was closely correlated with the anti-Gram positive bacterial activity. All of the peptides showed no hemolytic activity. Th1 was considered to be useful as an antimicrobial peptide with broad spectrum without toxicity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.467-473
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• 2020

Chinese edible frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus, were examined to estimate the potential risks of human gnathostomiasis and sparganosis in Myanmar. A total of 20 frogs were purchased in a local market of Yangon and examined with naked eyes and the artificial digestion method after skin peeling in June 2018 and June 2019. Larvae of gnathostomes and Spirometra (=spargana) were detected in 15 (75.0%) and 15 (75.0%) frogs with average intensities of 10.5 and 6.3 larvae per infected frog, respectively. Gnathostome larvae were 2.75-3.80 (av. 3.30) mm long and 0.29-0.36 (0.33) mm wide. They had a characteristic head bulb with 4 rows of hooklets, a muscular long esophagus, and 2 pairs of cervical sac. The mean number of hooklets were 41, 44, 47, and 50 on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th row, respectively. Collected spargana were actively moving, particularly with the scolex part, and have ivory-white color and variable in size. Conclusively, it has been first confirmed that Chinese edible frogs, H. rugulosus, are highly infected with larval gnathostomes and spargana in this study. Consuming these frogs is considered a potential risk of human gnathostomiasis and sparganosis in Myanmar.