• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.246-249
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• 2000

We investigated the production of chitin oligosaccharides using food grade papain. A solution of commercial food grade papain (FGP) was dialyzed for 12 h before measuring its chitinolytic activity. The effects of enzyme concentration, reaction temperature, and pH on the endochitinase and $\beta$-N-acetylglucosaminidase activities and the thermostability of these enzymes were investigated. In adddition, the reaction products were analyzed with gel filtration on a Bio-Gel P2. The endochitinase activity was twentyfold higher than that of $\beta$-N-acetylglucosaminidase. The optimal endochitinase activity was at pH 3.0, while the maximal $\beta$-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity was at pH 6.0. The reaction product consisted mainly of the dimer of N -acetylglucosamine, with a small amount of its trimer. Under the experimental conditions, $120{\mu}g$ of chitin oligomers were obtained with 1 mg of FGP protein after an incubation of 2 h.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 1993

곤충의 탈피작용에서 일어나는 키틴 분해대사를 구명하기 위한 목적으로 배추흰나비 (Pieris rupae L.)에서 3종의 서N-acetylglucosaminldase(El, Ell, Elll)를 분리, 정제하였다. Polvacrylamide gel 상에서 이들 효소의 활성은 기질과 triphenvltetrazolium chloride와의 반응 결과 생기는 발색정도로 확인하였다. 각각의 분자량은 76,000, 55,000, 35,000 da, pl 값은 모두 5.8이었으며 후p$\beta$GlcNAc와 각p$\beta$GaINAc에 대해서 다같이 기질특이성을 나타내었다. 또한 El과 Elll는 탈피 시기와 일치하는 전용 말기에 최대 활성을 나타내었으며 Ell는 용화 직후에 최대 활성을 나타내었다.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.167-176
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• 1987

배추흰나비의 전용기 혈림프에서 $\beta$-N-Acetylglucosaminidase를 DEAE-cellulose ion exchange 및 Sephadex G-200 column chromatography 법을 이용하여 정제하였다. 정제된 효소는 7% acrylamide gel 전기영동에서 단일 band를 나타내었으며, 당을 함유한 복합단백질이었다. 최적 pH는 5.0, 최적반응온도는 6$0^{\circ}C$이었으며, 각 온도에서 10분간 incubation한 열안정성에 있어서는 6$0^{\circ}C$까지 비교적 높은 활성을 나타내었지만 7$0^{\circ}C$ 이후에는 거의 활성을 나타내지 않았다. 또한 Hg$^2$+ 처리는 심한 효소활성의 저해 현상을 보였지만, Mn$^2$+, $Mg^2$+ 등은 활성의 증가를 나타내었으며, Km 값은 6.67$\times$10-$^3$M, pl 값은 5.8, 분자량은 4.1$\times$105 daltons 이었다.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.147-153
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• 1999

Chitinolytic enzymes such as ${\beta}$-N-acetylglucosaminidase are major hydrolases involved in insect molting. We have isolated, sequenced a CDNA encoding ${\beta}$-N-acetylglucosaminidase from the silkworm, Bombyx mandarina, and compared its sequence with genes encoding chitinolytic enyzmes from other sources. The insert DNA in the clone is 3,284 nucleotides long with an open reading frame of 1,788 nucleotides that encodes a protein of 596 amino acids with a molecular weight of 68.2 kDa. There is a 3’-untranslated region composed with 1.479 nucleotides and are several potential polyadenylation signals. The predicted amino acid sequence apparently contains a leader peptide of 23 amino acids. A search of the amino acids sequence databases for sequences similarities to other ${\beta}$-N-acetylglucosaminidases or ${\beta}$-N-acetylhexosaminidases. The highest similarity matched with the enzyme from B. mori, which has a sequence identity of 95%. On the other hand, the identity between the B. mandarina enzyme and those from M. sexta and human are 70% and 24%, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.190-198
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• 2012

RNA interference (RNAi) is rapidly becoming a valuable tool in biological studies, as it allows the selective and transient knockdown of protein expression. The short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) transiently silence gene expression. By contrast, the expressed short-hairpin RNAs induce long-term, stable knockdown of their target gene. Trichoplusia ni (T. ni) cells are widely used for mammalian cell-derived glycoprotein expression using the baculovirus system. However, a suitable shRNA expression system has not been developed yet. We investigated the potency of shRNA-mediated gene expression inhibition using human and Drosophila U6 promoters in T. ni cells. Luciferase, EGFP, and ${\beta}$-N-acetylglucosaminidase (GlcNAcase) were employed as targets to investigate knockdown of specific genes in T. ni cells. Introduction of the shRNA expression vector under the control of human U6 or Drosophila U6 promoter into T. ni cells exhibited the reduced level of luciferase, EGFP, and ${\beta}$-N-acetylglucosaminidase compared with that of untransfected cells. The shRNA was expressed and processed to siRNA in our vector-transfected T. ni cells. GlcNAcase mRNA levels were down-regulated in T. ni cells transfected with shRNA vectors-targeted GlcNAcase as compared with the control vector-treated cells. It implied that our shRNA expression vectors using human and Drosophila U6 promoters were applied in T. ni cells for the specific gene knockdown.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.726-731
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• 2010

We report the tissue-specific distribution of chitinolytic activity in Korean ginseng root and characterize two 31-kDa chitinolytic enzymes. These two enzymes (SBF1 and SBF2) were purified 70- and 81-fold with yields of 0.75 and 1.25%, respectively, and exhibited optimal pH and temperature ranges of 5.0-5.5 and 40-$50^{\circ}C$. With [$^3H$]-chitin as a substrate, $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values of SBF1 were 4.6 mM and 220 mmol/mg-protein/h, respectively, while those of SBF2 were 7.14 mM and 287 mmol/mg-protein/h. The purified enzymes showed markedly less activity with p-nitrophenyl-N-acetylglucosaminide and fluorescent 4-methylumbelliferyl glycosides of D-N-acetylglucosamine oligomers than with [$^3H$]-chitin. End-product inhibition of both enzymes demonstrated that both are endochitinases with different N-acetylglucosaminidase activity. Furthermore, the $NH_2$-terminal sequence of SBF1 showed a high degree of homology with other plant chitinases whereas the $NH_2$-terminal amino acid of SBF2 was blocked.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2012

We have measured soil enzyme activities, which represent the rates of organic matter decomposition, in four riparian ecosystems in Korea. ${\beta}$-glucosidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities were determined in five occasions over a year period in soils of control plots and plots with invasive plants, namely Sicyos angulatus and Humulus japonicus. Significantly higher enzyme activities were found in soils with invasive plant in barren land, but the difference was season and enzyme-specific. Although it was not universal changes, the invasive plants appeared to accelerate organic matter decomposition in some disturbed riparian ecosystems.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.988-995
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• 2003

Physiological parameters were measured on six primiparous, non-pregnant Holstein cows prior to peak lactation over a 3-month summer season in southwestern Taiwan. The objectives were to characterize heat stress-induced change in functionality of mammary gland under natural climates of tropical summer and to establish physiological indices applicable to this environment in referring to this change. Environmental and physiological readings, milk and blood samples were taken at 15:00 h biweekly for totally five time points during the study. Climate readings showed that the afternoon humidex value reached the highest (53.5) around mid summer. Rectal temperature of cows taken simultaneously varied between $38.26^{\circ}C$ and $40.02^{\circ}C$ in parallel to humidex. Milk production declined drastically from 29.2 to 22.2 kg/d the first month entering summer but leveled up at end of the summer season suggesting effects exerted by heat stress rather than stages of lactation. Lactose content decreased linearly (p<0.05) with times in summer, from 4.69 to 4.38%. On the other hand, activity of N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGase) in milk increased linearly to over two folds (p<0.05) during the same intervals. Elevations of fractional constituent of BSA in whey protein and serum cortisol level were also noticed in the course. Measurement of arteriovenous concentration (A-V) difference across the mammary gland demonstrated net uptake of glucose and net release of urea throughout the study period. The amount of urea released from mammary gland increased (p<0.05) progressively from 1.54 to 7.76 mg/dl during summer. It is concluded that gradual regression of mammary gland occurred along the humid tropical summer season. This regression is likely initiated through elevation of body temperature, which is irreversible above certain point. The increased release of urea from mammary gland during heat stress suggests its potential role as an early indicator of suboptimal mammary function.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

The enzymatic hydrolysis of chitin has been studied for almost a century, and early work established that at least two enzymes are required, a chitinase that mainly yields the disaccharide N,N'-diacetylchitobiose, or $(GlcNAc)_2$, and a "chitobiase", or ${\beta}$-N-acetylglucosaminidase, which gives the final product G1cNAc. This pathway has not been completely identified but has remained the central concept for the chitin catabolism through the $20^{th}$ century1 including in marine bacteria. However, the chitin catabolic cascade is quite complex, as described in this review. This report describes three biologically functional genes involved in the chitin catabolic cascade of Vibrios in an attempt to better understand the metabolic pathway of chitin.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.255-260
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• 1991

Chitinase was partially purified from Allium fistulosum L (green onion_. Protein fraction precipitated from ammonium sulfate was passed through CM-Sepharose and Sephacryl HR-200. The specific activity of the chitinase was 6.4 units/mg and total recovery was 6.3%. The analysis of the products from the digestion of N-acetychitohexaose indicated that chitinase was endo in action, with oligerms from N-acetylchitobiose to chitotetraose. N-Acetylglucosaminidase from the same species hydrolyzed oligomers obtained from chitinase reaction to lower oligosaccharides. These data demonstrated that chitinolytic system exists in green onion.