• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• 제56권6호
• /
• pp.826-831
• /
• 2018

본 연구는 다중 형광이 표지된 이중 분획 입자의 제조에 관한 것이다. 입자 내에서 형광 발현을 분획화하기 위하여, 형광의 여기 및 방출 스펙트럼의 중첩이 적은 두가지의 형광 염료를 선정한다. 또한, 형광 안정성을 확보하기 위하여 선정된 형광 염료는 입자를 구성하는 소재와 함께 가교될 수 있도록 분자 내에 아크릴레이트(acrylate) 작용기를 포함한다. 공초점 현미경 촬영을 통하여 선정된 형광 물질을 이용하여 제조된 입자에서 강한 형광 발현 및 형광의 분획화를 확인하였다. 더 나아가 4주 동안 형광 발현 및 세기를 측정하여 장기간의 형광 안정성을 검증하였다. 본 연구에서 제조된 다중 형광 표지된 이중 분획 입자는 다중 표적형 약물 전달 체계, 3차원 브라운 운동의 해석 연구, 3차원의 복잡한 자기 조립체 형상의 규명 연구 등에 널리 활용될 수 있으리라 기대한다.

• 멤브레인
• /
• 제29권3호
• /
• pp.130-139
• /
• 2019

그래핀, 제올라이트, metal-organic frameworks (MOF)s 등 다양한 나노 소재를 이차원 나노쉬트 형태로 제조하고, 이를 이용한 초박막 고성능 분리막을 개발하고자 하는 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 특히, 산화그래핀의 경우, 2000년대 초반에 관련 연구가 시작된 이후, 다양한 합성 및 박막 코팅 기술이 축적되어 있어 빠른 속도로 분리막 분야에 응용되고 있다. 다층으로 적층된 산화그래핀 박막은 층간 거리를 조절함에 따라 물리적 거름막으로 작용할 수 있으며, 또한 표면의 기능기 및 삽입된 물질과 거르는 물질 간의 상호작용을 제어함에 따라 다양한 물질의 선택적 분리가 가능하다. 본 총설에서는 산화그래핀의 나노여과막 응용분야에 관하여 중점적으로 다루고자 한다. 본고에서는, 다양한 용매 내에서 산화그래핀 박막의 분리 기작 및 성능에 영향을 미치는 핵심 요소들에 대해 요약하였으며, 그 외 산화그래핀 기반 분리막의 실질적인 상용화에 필요한 핵심 기술요소 및 개발 동향에 대하여 논하고자 한다.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제42권9호
• /
• pp.646-660
• /
• 2019

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone essential for seed development and seedling growth under unfavorable environmental conditions. The signaling pathway leading to ABA response has been established, but relatively little is known about the functional regulation of the constituent signaling components. Here, we present several lines of evidence that Arabidopsis Raf-like kinase Raf10 modulates the core ABA signaling downstream of signal perception step. In particular, Raf10 phosphorylates subclass III SnRK2s (SnRK2.2, SnRK2.3, and SnRK2.6), which are key positive regulators, and our study focused on SnRK2.3 indicates that Raf10 enhances its kinase activity and may facilitate its release from negative regulators. Raf10 also phosphorylates transcription factors (ABI5, ABF2, and ABI3) critical for ABA-regulted gene expression. Furthermore, Raf10 was found to be essential for the in vivo functions of SnRK2s and ABI5. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Raf10 is a novel regulatory component of core ABA signaling.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제29권5호
• /
• pp.827-837
• /
• 2019

The present study was conducted with the aim to investigate the ameliorative effects of a new soybean product (cheonggukjang) fermented with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SCGB1 (SFBA) in atopic dermatitis (AD) mouse model. Visual evaluation of AD induction in the mice indicated the remarkable control of SFBA in reducing the pathological severity of AD-like skin lesions reported as the SCORAD score of AD clinical symptoms. The results revealed that SFBA reduced dorsal skin and epidermal thickness to a similar extent with prednisolone. Further analysis revealed the dominance of SFBA in restraining mast cell infiltration in the dermis; immunoglobulin-E expression in serum; and TH2 IL-4 cytokine and itch-related IL-31 cytokine in the mice skin and serum. SFBA also suppressed scratching behaviours in mice induced by compound 48/80. Further histological findings also revealed the alleviation of collagen fiber deposition in dermal skin of the AD mice model. These actions of SFBA were examined to be mediated by its suppression of the phosphorylation activation of key signalling molecules such as $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPK responsible for the induction of cytokine production. Thus, SFBA can be considered as a promising functional food for managing clinical, histological and immunological spectra associated with AD.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제42권4호
• /
• pp.363-375
• /
• 2019

Fungal sectorization is a complex trait that is still not fully understood. The unique phenotypic changes in sporadic sectorization in mutants of CpBck1, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) gene, and CpSlt2, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) gene, in the cell wall integrity pathway of the chestnut blight fungus Cryphonectria parasitica have been previously studied. Although several environmental and physiological factors cause this sectoring phenotype, genetic variants can also impact this complex morphogenesis. Therefore, RNA sequencing analysis was employed to identify candidate genes associated with sectorization traits and understand the genetic mechanism of this phenotype. Transcriptomic analysis of CpBck1 and CpSlt2 mutants and their sectored progeny strains revealed a number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to various cellular processes. Approximately 70% of DEGs were common between the wild-type and each of CpBck1 and CpSlt2 mutants, indicating that CpBck1 and CpSlt2 are components of the same MAPK pathway, but each component governs specific sets of genes. Functional description of the DEGs between the parental mutants and their sectored progenies revealed several key pathways, including the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, translation, amino acid metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism; among these, pathways for secondary metabolism and translation appeared to be the most common pathway. The results of this comparative study provide a better understanding of the genetic regulation of sector formation and suggest that complex several regulatory pathways result in interplays between secondary metabolites and morphogenesis.

• 한국식품과학회지
• /
• 제53권2호
• /
• pp.111-114
• /
• 2021

과일, 채소, 곡물, 견과류 등에 함유된 파이토케미컬은 심혈관질환, 암, 퇴행성신경질환 등을 유발하는 활성산소의 바람직하지 않은 영향을 방지하는 산화방지제로 역할을 한다. 이처럼 유해물질로 간주되었던 활성산소는 최근에 면역 및 다른 생리적 반응 신호에서 인체에 유익한 역할을 하는 것으로 밝혀졌다. 여러 연구에 따르면 활성산소는 신진대사 건강을 증진시키는 필수 신호 전달 물질로 작용한다. 따라서, 산화방지제가 활성산소의 신호 전달에 간섭하는 것은 전반적인 이점에 의문의 여지가 있다. 그러므로 건강상의 이익을 위해 파이토케미컬을 기능성 식품과 보충제에 적용할 때 활성산소가 미치는 영향을 이해하기 위한 연구가 반드시 필요하다. 본 논문은 활성산소에 관한 연구를 계획하는 식품학자 및 영양학자들에게 가능한 연구 방향을 제공하고자 활성산소의 새로운 역할과 다양한 파이토케미컬의 호메시스를 간략하게 다루고 있다.

• Mycobiology
• /
• 제49권1호
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2021

Pleurotus species are commercially essential mushrooms and widely cultivated throughout the world. The production of Pleurotus mushrooms alone accounts for around 25% of that total cultivated mushrooms globally. In America and Europe, Pleurotus species are considered specialty mushrooms, whereas, in Korea, their cultivation is economically profitable, and it is one of the highly consumed species. Pleurotus species are predominantly found in tropical forests and often grow on fallen branches, dead and decaying tree stumps, and wet logs. Biographical studies have shown that the Pleurotus genus is among the more conspicuous fungi that induce wood decay in terrestrial ecosystems worldwide due to its formidable lignin-modifying enzymes, including laccase and versatile peroxidases. Pleurotus species can be grown easily due to their fast colonization nature on diversified agro-substrates and their biological efficiency 100%. Pleurotus mushrooms are rich in proteins, dietary fiber, essential amino acids, carbohydrates, water-soluble vitamins, and minerals. These mushrooms are abundant in functional bioactive molecules, though to influence health. Pleurotus mushrooms are finding unique applications as flavoring, aroma, and excellent preservation quality. Apart from its unique applications, Pleurotus mushrooms have a unique status delicacy with high nutritional and medicinal values. The present review provides an insight into the cultivation of Pleurotus spp. using different agro-waste as growth substances paying attention to their effects on the growth and chemical composition.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제45권7호
• /
• pp.502-511
• /
• 2022

Bacterial volatile compounds (BVCs) exert beneficial effects on plant protection both directly and indirectly. Although BVCs have been detected in vitro, their detection in situ remains challenging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of BVCs detection under in situ condition and estimate the potentials of in situ BVC to plants at below detection limit. We developed a method for detecting BVCs released by the soil bacteria Bacillus velezensis strain GB03 and Streptomyces griseus strain S4-7 in situ using solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). Additionally, we evaluated the BVC detection limit in the rhizosphere and induction of systemic immune response in tomato plants grown in the greenhouse. Two signature BVCs, 2-nonanone and caryolan-1-ol, of GB03 and S4-7 respectively were successfully detected using the soil-vial system. However, these BVCs could not be detected in the rhizosphere pretreated with strains GB03 and S4-7. The detection limit of 2-nonanone in the tomato rhizosphere was 1 µM. Unexpectedly, drench application of 2-nonanone at 10 nM concentration, which is below its detection limit, protected tomato seedlings against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Our finding highlights that BVCs, including 2-nonanone, released by a soil bacterium are functional even when present at a concentration below the detection limit of SPME-GC-MS.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제45권5호
• /
• pp.317-328
• /
• 2022

Trophoblasts, important functional cells in the placenta, play a critical role in maintaining placental function. The heterogeneity of trophoblasts has been reported, but little is known about the trophoblast subtypes and distinctive functions during preeclampsia (PE). In this study, we aimed to gain insight into the cell type-specific transcriptomic changes by performing unbiased single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of placental tissue samples, including those of patients diagnosed with PE and matched healthy controls. A total of 29,006 cells were identified in 11 cell types, including trophoblasts and immune cells, and the functions of the trophoblast subtypes in the PE group and the control group were also analyzed. As an important trophoblast subtype, extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) were further divided into 4 subgroups, and their functions were preliminarily analyzed. We found that some biological processes related to pregnancy, hormone secretion and immunity changed in the PE group. We also identified and analyzed the regulatory network of transcription factors (TFs) identified in the EVTs, among which 3 modules were decreased in the PE group. Then, through in vitro cell experiments, we found that in one of the modules, CEBPB and GTF2B may be involved in EVT dysfunction in PE. In conclusion, our study showed the different transcriptional profiles and regulatory modules in trophoblasts between placentas in the control and PE groups at the single-cell level; these changes may be involved in the pathological process of PE, providing a new molecular theoretical basis for preeclamptic trophoblast dysfunction.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제45권8호
• /
• pp.537-549
• /
• 2022

Preproenkephalin (PPE) is a precursor molecule for multiple endogenous opioid peptides Leu-enkephalin (ENK) and Met-ENK, which are involved in a wide variety of modulatory functions in the nervous system. Despite the functional importance of ENK in the brain, the effect of brain-derived factor(s) on PPE expression is unknown. We report the dual effect of neural epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like-like 2 (NELL2) on PPE gene expression. In cultured NIH3T3 cells, transfection of NELL2 expression vectors induced an inhibition of PPE transcription intracellularly, in parallel with downregulation of protein kinase C signaling pathways and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Interestingly, these phenomena were reversed when synthetic NELL2 was administered extracellularly. The in vivo disruption of NELL2 synthesis resulted in an increase in PPE mRNA level in the rat brain, suggesting that the inhibitory action of intracellular NELL2 predominates the activation effect of extracellular NELL2 on PPE gene expression in the brain. Biochemical and molecular studies with mutant NELL2 structures further demonstrated the critical role of EGF-like repeat domains in NELL2 for regulation of PPE transcription. These are the first results to reveal the spatio-specific role of NELL2 in the homeostatic regulation of PPE gene expression.