• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.101-104
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• 2014

Food safety is a global health goal, and food-borne disease are a significant public health threat throughout the world. Dairy products are susceptible to contamination through a wide variety of physical, microbial, and chemical hazards. Risks of microbiological hazards are of immediate and serious concern to human health. Milk was inoculated with Bacillus cereus and stored at 10, 15, 20, and $30^{\circ}C$ for 7 days. We monitored the effect of the temperature on growth rate and variance of toxin production. The growth rate of B. cereus was suppressed in low temperature. We confirmed that the growth rate and the toxin production were accelerated when the storage temperature was increased. B. cereus began to produce toxins when the number of bacteria was higher than $10^7CFU/mL$. Therefore, managing the storage temperature of milk is important to inhibit the growth and the toxin production of B. cereus.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.253-261
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• 1993

Possible changes in the role of insulin-sensitive cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase(PDE) in mediating the antilipolytic action of insulin were investigated in adipocytes from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Isolated adipocytes prepared from epididymal adipose tissue were incubated, with or without insulin, at $37^{\circ}C$ for 15 min following pretreatment with various drugs or toxins, and three (plasma membranes, microsomal membranes, and cytosol) fractions prepared by differential centrifugation were then assayed for cAMP phosphodiesterase activity. The PDE activities only in the crude microsomal (P2) fractions were activated by insulin both in diabetic and control rats. The basal PDE activities in P2 fractions of adipocytes from diabetic rats were higher than those from control rats, although the maximal effects observed at 2 nM of insulin, $100\;{\mu}M$ of isoproterenol or the combination of both were not significantly different from each other. The insulin-stimulated PDE activities in P2 fractions of adipocytes from diabetic rats were not changed by PIA, a $A_{1}$ adenosine receptor agonist, whereas they were decreased to the basal PDE activities in those from control rats. In addition, the adipocytes from diabetic rats showed an increased sensitivity to pertussis toxin compared to those from controls. There were no differences between diabetic and control rats in the sensitivity of adipocytes to cholera toxin. These data indicate that the impaired signalling through inhibitory receptors such as adenosine receptors in adipocytes from streptozotocin-induced diabetes relates to the loss or the decreased function of $G_i$ proteins, and leads to the increased activity of the insulin-dependent PDE at the basal states.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.987-996
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• 2018

Bacterial programmed cell death is regulated by the toxin-antitoxin (TA) system. YhaV (toxin) and Pr1F (antitoxin) have been recently identified as a type II TA system in Escherichia coli. YhaV homologs have conserved active residues within the C-terminus, and to characterize the function of this region, we purified native YhaV protein (without denaturing) and constructed YhaV proteins of varying lengths. Here, we report a new low-temperature method of purifying native YhaV, which is notable given the existing challenges of purifying this highly toxic protein. The secondary structures and thermostability of the purified native protein were characterized and no significant structural destruction was observed, suggesting that the observed inhibition of cell growth in vivo was not the result of structural protein damage. However, it has been reported that excessive levels of protein expression may result in protein misfolding and changes in cell growth and mRNA stability. To exclude this possibility, we used an [$^{35}S$]-methionine prokaryotic cell-free protein synthesis system in vitro in the presence of purified YhaV, and two C-terminal truncated forms of this protein (YhaV-L and YhaV-S). Our results suggest that the YhaV C-terminal region is essential for mRNA interferase activity, and the W143 or H154 residues may play an analogous role to Y87 of RelE.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2001

Single base substitution and deletion mutation have been introducted into the verotoxin 2 (VT2)A subunit gene from O157:H7 isolates to reduce cytotoxicity of VT2 and the cytotoxicity between wild type toxin and mutant toxoid were compared. A M13-derived recombinant plasmid pEP19RF containing a 940bp EcoRI-PstI fragment of VT2A gene was constructed for oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The duoble mutant pDOEX was constructed by point and deletion mutation of two different highly conserved regions of VT2A encoding active site cleft of enzymatic domain. The key residue, Glu 167(GAA) and the pentamer(WGRIS) consisting of the enzymatic domain were replaced by ASP(GAC) and completely deleted in nucleotide sequence analysis of mutant, respectively. In the comparision of vero cell cytotoxicity between wide type toxin and toxoid from mutant, the wild type toxin expressed cytotoxicity in dilution of $10^{-6}$, but the toxid from mutant did not show cytotoxicity to vero cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.56-62
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• 2000

The hpa gene genetically linked to the ctxa2b gene was cloned into the pTED expression vector, and the constructed pTEDhpa/ctxa2b was transformed into Excherichia coli. The fusion protein, the adhesin fused to the cholera toxin subunit A2B (CTXA2B) subunit, was expressed to high levels as inclusion bodies in E. coli. The expressed protein was partially purified by washing the inclusion bodies with working solution containing 8M Urea and 0.1M DTT. Refolding of denatured fusion protein was carried out in the presence of glutathione redox buffer. The refolded fusion protein was purified by size exclusion chromatography. The expressed fusion protein was verified by SDS-PAGE, western blotting with antibodies to both antigenic components of adhesin and cholera toxin subunit B (CTXB), and its N-terminal amino acid sequence was analyzed. The orderly assembled fusion protein was confirmed by modified Gm1-ganglioside ELISA with Abs to adhesin. The results indicate that the purified fusion protein is an Adhesin/CTXA2B protein containing the H. pylori adhesin and $G_{m1}4-ganglioside binding activity of CTXB and the expressed fusion protein in E. coli could be easily purified by the refolding process, Its molecular weight was 168kDa as estimated by size exclusion chromatography. The Adhesin/CTXA2B protein may be used as a candidate antigen for oral immunization against H. pylori.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.5
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• pp.485-493
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• 1997

We investigated the effect of ${\alpha}-adrenergic$ and cholinergic receptor agonists on $Ca^{2+}$ current in adult rat trigeminal ganglion neurons using whole-cell patch clamp methods. The application of acetylcholine, carbachol, and oxotremorine ($50\;{\mu}M\;each$) produced a rapid and reversible reduction of the $Ca^{2+}$ current by $17{\pm}6%,\;19{\pm}3%,\;and\;18{\pm}4%$, respectively. Atropine, a muscarinic antagonist, blocked carbachol- induced $Ca^{2+}$ current inhibition to $3{\pm}1%$. Norepinephrine ($50\;{\mu}M$) reduced $Ca^{2+}$ current by $18{\pm}2%$, while clonidine ($50\;{\mu}M$), an ${\alpha}2-adrenergic$ receptor agonist, inhibited $Ca^{2+}$ current by only $4{\pm}1%$. Yohimbine, an ${\alpha}2-adrenergic$ receptor antagonist, did not block the inhibitory effect of norepinephrine on $Ca^{2+}$ current, whereas prazosin, an ${\alpha}1-adrenergic$ receptor antagonist, attenuated the inhibitory effect of norepinephrine on $Ca^{2+}$ current to $6{\pm}1%$. This pharmacology contrasts with ${\alpha}2-adrenergic$ receptor modulation of $Ca^{2+}$ channels in rat sympathetic neurons, which is sensitive to clonidine and blocked by yohimbine. Our data suggest that the modulation of voltage dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel by norepinephrine is mediated via an α1-adrenergic receptor. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin (250 ng/ml) for 16 h greatly reduced norepinephrine- and carbachol-induced $Ca^{2+}$ current inhibition from $17{\pm}3%\;and\;18{\pm}3%\;to\;2{\pm}1%\;and\;2{\pm}1%$, respectively. These results demonstrate that norepinephrine, through an ${\alpha}1-adrenergic$ receptor, and carbachol, through a muscarinic receptor, inhibit $Ca^{2+}$ currents in adult rat trigeminal ganglion neurons via pertussis toxin sensitive GTP-binding proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.808-815
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• 2017

We demonstrated the quantitative detection of a toxin-producing Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) strain with the laboratory protocol of the NanoGene assay. The NanoGene assay was selected because its laboratory protocol is in the process of being transplanted into a portable system. The mcyD gene of M. aeruginosa was targeted and, as expected, its corresponding fluorescence signal was linearly proportional to the mcyD gene copy number. The sensitivity of the NanoGene assay for this purpose was validated using both dsDNA mcyD gene amplicons and genomic DNAs (gDNA). The limit of detection was determined to be 38 mcyD gene copies per reaction and 9 algal cells/ml water. The specificity of the assay was also demonstrated by the addition of gDNA extracted from environmental algae into the hybridization reaction. Detection of M. aeruginosa was performed in the environmental samples with environmentally relevant sensitivity (${\sim}10^5$ algal cells/ml) and specificity. As expected, M. aeruginosa were not detected in nonspecific environmental algal gDNA over the range of $2{\times}10^0$ to $2{\times}10^7$ algal cells/ml.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.308-312
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• 1991

The delta-endotoxin from B. thuringiensis subsp. damstadienszs 73E10-2 was resistant to high concentration of salt (4M NaBr), organic solvents (50% acetone), denaturants (4 M urea), and neutral detergents (10% triton X-100). In contrast, the toxin was inactivated by treating with charged detergents as well as guanidine hydrochloride or carbon tetra-chloride. The delta-endotoxin is not a sulfhydryl activated toxin, but modification of the lysine side chains eliminated toxicity against mosquito larvae.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.780-786
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• 1988

In order to investigate the most efficient and rapid method for the purification of enterotoxin A from Staphylococcus aureus M 7/1, various methods such as ion-exchange chromatography on Amberlite, and CM-cellulose. gel filtration on Sephadex G-50, 75, 100 and Sephacryl, and fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) were applied and compared in terms of purity and speed. Although ion-exchange chromatography on Amberlite resin was good enough to remove other materials in culture medium from enterotoxin, and convenient, and fast method, the purity of this method was less than 70%. However. carboxymethyl ion-exchange column showed to be better purity than that of Amberlite method. The yields of these two methods were about 70% and 75%, respectively. When gel filtration methods on Sephadex G-50, 75, 100 and Sephacryl were applied, the purity was about 90%. Fast protein liquid chromatography was found to be the most efficient method in terms of purity (97%) and speed. The combined method, gel filtration after CM-cellulose column (stepwise elution) treatment can be also used as a efficient method particularly for the purification of large volume of sample.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.175-184
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• 2017

Cholera toxin (CT) is an ADP-ribosylating bacterial exotoxin that has been used as an adjuvant in animal studies of oral immunization. The mechanisms of mucosal immunogenicity and adjuvanticity of CT remain to be established. In this study, we investigated the role of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which participates in the induction of immune tolerance, in CT-mediated breakdown of oral tolerance. When IDO-deficient ($IDO^{-/-}$) mice and their littermates were given oral ovalbumin, significant changes in antibody responses, footpad swelling and $CD4^+$ T cell proliferation were not observed in $IDO^{-/-}$ mice. Feeding of CT decreased IDO expression in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and Peyer's patch (PP). CT-induced downregulation of IDO expression was reversed by inhibitors of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$), pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and p50 small interfering RNA. IDO expression was downregulated by the NF-${\kappa}B$ inducers lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$. CT dampened IDO activity and mRNA expression in dendritic cells from MLN and PP. These data indicate that CT disrupts oral tolerance by activating NF-${\kappa}B$, which in turn downregulates IDO expression. This study betters the understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying CT-mediated abrogation of oral tolerance.