• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2009

A $\beta$-agarase gene, agaB34, was functionally cloned from the genomic DNA of a marine bacterium, Agarivorans albus YKW-34. The open reading frame of agaB34 consisted of 1,362 bp encoding 453 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence, consisting of a typical N-terminal signal peptide followed by a catalytic domain of glycoside hydrolase family 16 (GH-16) and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM), showed 37-86% identity to those of agarases belonging to family GH-16. The recombinant enzyme (rAgaB34) with a molecular mass of 49 kDa was produced extracellularly using Escherichia coli $DH5{\alpha}$ as a host. The purified rAgaB34 was a $\beta$-agarase yielding neoagarotetraose (NA4) as the main product. It acted on neoagarohexaose to produce NA4 and neoagarobiose, but it could not further degrade NA4. The maximal activity of rAgaB34 was observed at $30^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0. It was stable over pH 5.0-9.0 and at temperatures up to $50^{\circ}C$. Its specific activity and $k_{cat}/K_m$ value for agarose were 242 U/mg and $1.7{\times}10^6/sM$, respectively. The activity of rAgaB34 was not affected by metal ions commonly existing in seawater. It was resistant to chelating reagents (EDTA, EGTA), reducing reagents (DTT, $\beta$-mercaptoethanol), and denaturing reagents (SDS and urea). The E. coli cell harboring the pUC18-derived agarase expression vector was able to efficiently excrete agarase into the culture medium. Hence, this expression system might be used to express secretory proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1653-1663
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• 2010

The first gene (${\alpha}$-gal1) encoding an extracellular ${\alpha}$-Dgalactosidase from the thermophilic fungus Talaromyces emersonii was cloned and characterized. The ${\alpha}$-gal1 gene consisted of an open reading frame of 1,792 base pairs interrupted by six introns that encoded a mature protein of 452 amino acids, including a 24 amino acid secretory signal sequence. The translated protein had highest identity with other fungal ${\alpha}$-galactosidases belonging to glycosyl hydrolase family 27. The ${\alpha}$-gal1 gene was overexpressed as a secretory protein with an N-terminal histidine tag in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. Recombinant ${\alpha}$-Gal1 was secreted into the culture medium as a monomeric glycoprotein with a maximal yield of 10.75 mg/l and purified to homogeneity using Hisbinding nickel-agarose affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme was maximally active at $70^{\circ}C$, pH 4.5, and lost no activity over 10 days at $50^{\circ}C$. ${\alpha}$-Gal1 followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics ($V_{max}\;of\;240.3{\mu}M/min/mg,\;K_m\;of\;0.294 mM$) and was inhibited competitively by galactose ($K_m{^{obs}}$ of 0.57 mM, $K_i$ of 2.77 mM). The recombinant T. emersonii ${\alpha}$-galactosidase displayed broad substrate preference, being active on both oligo- and polymeric substrates, yet had strict specificity for the ${\alpha}$-galactosidic linkage. Owing to its substrate preference and noteworthy stability, ${\alpha}$-Gal1 is of particular interest for possible biotechnological applications involving the processing of plant materials.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.71-84
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• 2014

The full-length heat shock protein 88 (HSP88) complementary DNA (cDNA) of Paecilomyces tenuipes Jocheon-1 was obtained by screening the Paecilomyces tenuipes (P. tenuipes) Jocheon-1 Uni-Zap cDNA library and performing 5' RACE polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The P. tenuipes Jocheon-1 HSP88 cDNA contained an open reading frame (ORF) of 2,139-basepair encoding 713 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of the P. tenuipe s Jocheon-1 HSP88 cDNA showed 77% identity to Nectria haematococca HSP88 and 45-76% identity to other fungal homologous HSP88s. Phylogenetic analysis and BLAST program analysis confirmed that the deduced amino acid sequences of the P. tenuipes Jocheon-1 HSP88 gene belonged to the ascomycetes group within the fungal clade. The P. tenuipes Jocheon-1 HSP88 also contained the conserved ATPase domain at the N-terminal region. The cDNA encoding P. tenuipes Jocheon-1 HSP88 was expressed as an 88 kilodalton (kDa) polypeptide in baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells. Under higher temperature conditions for the growth of the entomopathogenic fungus, mRNA expression of P. tenuipes Jocheon-1 HSP88 was quantified by real time PCR (qPCR). The results showed that heat shock stress induced a higher level of mRNA expression compared to normal growth conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.636-643
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• 2001

Bacillus sp. AIR-5, a strain from soil, produced an extracellular maltopentaose-forming amylase from amylose and soluble starch. This bacterium produced 8.9 g/l of maltopentaose from 40 g/l of soluble starch in a batch fermentation and the maltopentaose made up 90 % of the maltooligosaccharides produced (from maltose to maltoheptaose). The culture supernatant was concentrated using a 30 K molecular weight cut-off membrane and purified by DEAE-Cellulose and Sephadex G-150 column chromatographies. The purified protein showed one band on a native-PAGE and its molecular mass was estimated as 250 kDa. The 250-kDa protein was composed of tetramers of a 63-kDa protein. the isoelectric point of the purified protein was pH 6.9, and the optimum temperature for the enzyme activity was $45^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was quickly inactivated above $55^{\circ}C$, and showed a maximum activity at pH 8.5 and over 90% stability between a pH of 6 to 10. The putative N-terminal amino acid sequence of AIR-5 amylase, ATINNGTLMQYFEWYVPNDG, showed a 96% sequence similarity with that of BLA, a general liquefying amylase.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.805-810
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• 2000

An antifungal protein antagonistic to the rice blast fungus, Pyricularia oryzae was purified from Paenibacillus macerans PM-1 by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Q Sepharose Fast Flow column chromatography, Phenyl Sepharose CL-4B column chromatography and Superose 12 gen filtration. An apparent molecular mass of the purified antifungal protein was determined as 8 kDa by SDS-PAGE and 9 kDa by analytical gel filtration, respectively, suggesting that the purified protein is a monomer. The antifungal protein was stable at pH range from 7-12 and up to $100^{\circ}C$. The protein was also stable at 0.1-1% Tween 20 and Triton X-100. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the antifungal protein was Thr-Glu-Leu-Pro-Leu-Gly-Ile-Val-Met-Asp-Lys-Tyr-Thr-Asp-Ala-Phe-Lys-Phe-Asp-Met-Phe. Comparison of the determined sequence with other peptide and DNA sequences did not reveal homology at all. Therefore, the purified antifungal protein was speculated to be a novel protein. The condidial germination in vitro of P. oryzae KJ301:93-39 by the purified protein ($5.9{\mu} g/ml$) was limited to $9{\pm}3.2%$ only, compared with $69{\pm}2.4%$ of the control. Ungerminated conidia were swollen at basa and mid cell by the purified protein. In vivo bioassay for inhibition of conidial germination of P. oryzae KJ 301, one of the most predominating racesin Korea. the purified protein ($5.9{\mu} g/ml$)strongly inhibited the conidial germination. The conidia, even though germinated, could not develop any further to produce appressoria efficiently.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2005

The generation of secretory IgA antibodies (Abs) for specific immune protection of mucosal surfaces depends on stimulation of the mucosal immune system, but this is not effectively achieved by parenteral or even oral administration of most soluble antigens. Thus, to produce a possible vaccine antigen against urinary tract infections, the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) adhesin was genetically coupled to the heat-labile Escherichia coli enterotoxin A2B (ltxa2b) gene and cloned into a pMAL-p2E expression vector. The chimeric construction of pMALfimH/ltxa2b was then transformed into E. coli K-12 TB1 and its nucleotide sequence was verified. The chimeric protein was then purified by applying the affinity chromatography. The purified chimeric protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and westem blotting using antibodies to the maltose binding protein (MBP) or the heat labile E. coli subunit B (LTXB), plus the N-terminal amino acid sequence was analyzedd. The orderly-assembled chimeric protein was confirmed by a modified $G_{M1}$-ganglioside ELISA using antibodies to adhesin. The results indicate that the purified chimeric protein was an Adhesin/LTXA2B protein containing UPEC adhesin and the $G_{M1}$-ganglioside binding activity of LTXB. thisstudy also demonstrate that peroral administration of this chimeric immunogen in mice elicited high level of secretory IgA (sIgA) and serum IgG Abs to the UPEC adhesin. The results suggest that the genetically linked LTXA2B acts as a useful mucosal adjuvant, and that adhesin/LTXA2A chimeric protein might be a potential antigen for oral immunization against UPEC.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 2003

The generation of secretory IgA antibodies(Abs) for specific immune protection of mucosal surfaces depends on stimulation of the mucosal immune system, but this is not effectively achieved by parenteral or even oral administration of most soluble antigens. Thus, to produce a possible vaccine antigen against urinary tract infections, the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) adhesin was genetically coupled to the ctxa2b gene and cloned into a pMAL-p2E expression vector. The chimeric construction of pMALfimHIctxa2b was then transformed into E. coli K-12 TB1 and its nucleotide sequence was verified. The chimeric protein was then purified by applying the affinity chromatography. The purified chimeric protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and western blotting using antibodies to the maltose binding protein (MBP) or the cholera toxin subunit B (CTXB), plus the N-terminal amino acid sequence was analyzed. The orderly-assembled chimeric protein was confirmed by a modified $G_{M1}$-ganglioside ELISA using antibodies to adhesin. The results indicate that the purified chimeric protein was an Adhesin/CTXA2B protein containing UPEC adhesin and the $G_{M1}$-ganglioside binding activity of CTXB. This study also demonstrate that peroral administration of this chimeric immunogen in mice elicited high level of secretory IgA and serum IgG Abs to the UPEC adhesin. The results suggest that the genetically linked CTXA2B acts as a useful mucosal adjuvant, and that the adhesin/CTXA2B chimeric protein might be a potential antigen for oral immunization against UPEC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.552-559
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• 2003

The FimH subunit of type 1-fimbriated Escherichiu coli (E. coli) has been determined as a major cause for urinary tract infections. Thus, to produce a possible vaccine antigen against urinary tract infections, the fimIH gene was genetically coupled to the ctxa2b gene and cloned into a pMAL-p2E expression vector. The chimeric construction of pMALfimH/ctxa2b was then transformed into E. coli K-12 TB1 and its nucleotide sequence was verified. A fusion protein, based on fusing adhesin to the cholera toxin subunit A2B (CTXA2B), was induced with 0.01 mM isopropyl-${\beta}-D-thiogalactoside$ (IPTG) for 4 h at $37^{\circ}C$ to yield a soluble fusion protein. The fusion protein was then purified by affinity chromatography. The expressed fusion protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting using antibodies to the maltose binding protein (MBP) or the cholera toxin subunit B (CTXB), plus the N-terminal amino acid sequence was also analyzed. The orderly-assembled fusion protein was confirmed by a modified $G_{Ml}-ganglioside$ ELISA, using antibodies to adhesin. The results indicated that the purified fusion protein was an adhesin/CTXA2B protein containing E. coli adhesin and the $G_{Ml}-ganglioside$ binding activity of CTXB. Accordingly, this adhesin/CTXA2B protein may be a potential antigen for oral immunization against uropathogenic E. coli.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.500-505
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• 2009

The fibrinolytic enzyme, subtilisin D5, was purified from the culture supernatant of the isolated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DJ-5. The molecular weight of subtilisin D5 was estimated to be 30 kDa. Subtilisin D5 was optimally active at pH 10.0 and $45^{\circ}C$. Subtilisin D5 had high degrading activity for the A$\alpha$-chain of human fibrinogen and hydrolyzed the $B{\beta}$-chain slowly, but did not affect the $\gamma$-chain, indicating that it is an $\alpha$-fibrinogenase. Subtilisin D5 was completely inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, indicating that it belongs to the serine protease. The specific activity (F/C, fibrinolytic/caseinolytic activity) of subtilisin D5 was 2.37 and 3.52 times higher than those of subtilisin BPN' and Carlsberg, respectively. Subtilisin D5 exhibited high specificity for Meo-Suc-Arg-Pro-Tyr-pNA (S-2586), a synthetic chromogenic substrate for chymotrypsin. The first 15 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence of subtilisin D5 are AQSVPYGISQIKAPA; this sequence is identical to that of subtilisin NAT and subtilisin E.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.255-261
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• 2012

A bacterium AB-55, isolated from waste mushroom bed of Agaricus bisporus in Sukseong-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea, was screened onto xylan agar congo-red plate by the xylanolysis method and was used to produce an xylanase in shaker buffle flask cultures containing oat spelt xylans. The phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequence data showed that the strain AB-55 had the highest homology (99.0%) with Bacillus subtilis and it was named as Bacillus subtilis AB-55. A xylanase was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation (50~80%), gel filtration on sephacryl S-300, and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE sepharose FF. The molecular weight of the xylanase was estimated as 44 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Optimal pH and temperature for the xylanase activity was pH 7 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was identified as Ser-Ala-Val-Lys-His-Gly-Ala-Ile-Val-Phe. The substrate specificity of the enzyme exhibited that it hydrolyzed efficiently oat spelt xylan as well as beechwood xylan, but showed no activity against Avicel and carboxymethyl clellulose (CMC). The enzyme activity was enhanced by $Fe^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$ whereas was entirely inhibited by $Hg^+$.