• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.269-275
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• 1996

Biosynthesis and secretion of anterior pituitary hormones are under the control of specific hypothalamic stimulatory and inhibitory factors. Among them, Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) is the major stimulator of pituitary somatotrophs activating GH gene expression and secretion. Human GHRH is a polypeptide of 44 amino acids initially isolated from pancreatic tumors, and the gene for the hypothalamic form of GHRH is organized into 5 exons spanning over 10 kilobases (kb) on genomic DNA and encodes a messenger RNA of 700-750 nucleotides. Several neuropeptides classically associated with the hypothalamus have been found in the extrahypothalamic regions, suggesting the existence of novel sources, targets and functions. GHRH-like immunoreactivity has been found in several peripheral sites, including placenta, testis, and ovary, indicating that GHRH may also have regulatory roles in peripheral reproductive organs. Furthermore, higher molecular weight forms of the GHRH transcripts were identified from these organs (1.75 kb in testis; 1.75 and >3 kb in ovary). These tissue-specific expression of GHRH gene suggest the existence of unique regulatory mechanism of GHRH expression and function in these organs. In fact, placenta-specific and testis-specific promoters for GHRH transcripts which are located in about 10 kb upstream region of hypothalamic promoter were reported. The use of unique promoters in extrahypothalamic sites could be refered in a different control of GHRH gene and different functions of the translated products in these tissues. Somatotrophs and lactotrophs have been thought to be derived from a common bipotential progenitor, the somatolactotrophs, which give origins to either phenotypes. Although the precise mechanism responsible for the lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary gland has not been yet clalified, there are several candidators for the generation of lactotrophs. In human, the presence of GHRH peptides with different size from authentic hypothalamic form in the normal anterior pituitary and several types of adenoma were demonstrated. Recently our group found the existence of immunoreactive GHRH and its transcript from the normal rat anterior pituitary (gonadotroph> somatotroph> lactotroph), and the GHRH treatment evoked the increased proliferation rate of anterior pituitary cells in vitro. The transgenic mouse models clearly shown that GHRH or NGF overexpression by anterior pituitary cells induced development of pituitary hyperplasia and adenomas particularly GH-oma and prolactinoma. Taken together, we hypothesize that the pituitary GHRH could serve not only as a modulator of hormone secretion but as a paracrine or autocrine regulator of anterior pituitary cell proliferation and differentiation. Interestingly enough, the expression of Pit-1 homeobox gene (the POU class transcription factor) was confined to somatotrophs, lactotrophs and somatolactotrophs in which GHRH receptors are expressed commonly. Concerning the mechanism of somatolactotroph and lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary, we have focused following two possibilities; (1) changes in the relative levels or interactions of both hypothalamic and intrapituitary factors such as dopamine, VIP, somatostatin, NGF and GHRH; (2) alterations of GHRH-GHRH receptor signaling and Pit-1 activity may be the cause of lactotroph differentiation or pituitary hyperplasia and adenoma formation. Extensive further studies will be necessary to solve these complicated questions.

• 한국가금학회지
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.127-133
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• 2020

Chibby family member 2(CBY2)은 Chibby-like super family domain을 가지고 있으며, SPERT 또는 NURIT 등으로도 알려져 있지만, 그 기능이 많이 알려져 있지는 않다. 본 연구에서는 메추리 CBY2 유전자를 클로닝하여 그 서열을 분석하고, QM7 메추리 근육 세포의 근육발생에서의 역할을 분석하였다. 메추리 CBY2의 코딩 서열은 978개의 염기로 이루어져 있으며, 이는 325개의 아미노산으로 번역되어진다. 메추리 CBY2는 닭의 CBY2와 가장 유사했으며, 이들 조류의 CBY2는 진화 역사상 일찍이 포유류의 CBY2와 나뉘어진 것으로 분석되었다. 단백질 도메인 예측 분석 결과, 메추리 CBY2는 N-말단 쪽에, 포유류와 비교 시 상이한 아미노산을 많이 갖고는 있지만, 83개의 아미노산으로 이루어진 Chibby-like superfamily domain을 가진 것으로 확인되었다. 메추리의 다양한 조직 중 CBY2는 지방조직에서 가장 많이 발현했으며, 간, 심장, 신장에서는 중간 또는 낮은 정도로 발현했고, 대흉근에서는 극히 낮은 발현을 보였다. CBY2의 근육발생에서의 역할을 분석하기 위해 CBY2를 QM7 세포에 과발현시킨 결과, CBY2가 근육발생을 억제하는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며, 근관의 넓이를 수치화해 비교해본 결과, 그 면적이 대조구의 약 25%밖에 되지 않았다. 결론적으로 메추리 CBY2는 Chibby-like superfamily domain을 가지고 있으며, 근육발생을 억제하는 특성이 있다. 추후 연구는 CBY2가 근육발생을 억제하는 기작을 밝혀내는데 중점을 두어야 할 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권8호
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• pp.1003-1008
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• 2009

전복속에 속하는 종은 아시아를 포함한 세계에 광범위하게 서식한다. 전복속 종은 한국과 중국에서는 식용뿐만 아니라 약용으로도 이용된다. 한국내 전복속(genus Haliotis)에 속하는 분류군에 대해 ITS에 의한 계통관계를 조사하였다. 전복속 전체 종에서 5.8S exon은 160 핵산서열로 일정하였다. ITS1은 종에 따라 다양하였는데, 오분자기(H. diversicolor aquatilis)에서 272 핵산서열인 반면, 시볼트전복은 294 핵산서열이었다. ITS2 핵산서열 역시 종에 따라 다양하였다. 전체 서열은 오분자기는 722 핵산서열인 반면, 시볼트전복은 752 핵산서열이었다. ITS 전체 서열은 763 핵산서열에서 78개는 절약법에 정보적이었고, 57개는 변이로 비정보적이였고, 459는 일정하였다. 오분자기는 다른 전복속 종과 다른 분지를 나타내었다. ITS 서열로 한국내 분류군과 유럽종간 구분이 잘 되었다. ITS 서열로 종 동정에 이용할 수 있었으며, 종의 보전이나 생식질 보전에 기초로 이용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권9호
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• pp.1097-1104
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• 2016

차세대 염기서열 분석기술의 발달로 대량의 전사수준의 단위체들이 발견되었는데, 이것들 중 대부분의 전사체들은 비암호화 RNA들이다. 이들 중 긴 비암호화 RNA (lncRNA)들은 200개 이상의 뉴클레오티드를 가지며 단백질로 번역이 되지 않는 기능적 RNA 분자들이다. 식물의 lncRNA들은 RNA Pol II, Pol III, Pol IV, Pol V에 의해 전사체가 만들어지고, 전사 후 이들 lncRNA들은 추가적인 splicing과 polyadenylation 과정이 일어난다. 식물의 lncRNA들은 그 발현수준이 매우 낮고, 조직 특이적으로 발현 되지만, 이들 lncRNA들은 외부자극에 의해 강한 발현이 유도된다. 환경스트레스를 포함한 각기 다른 외부자극에 의해 많은 식물 lncRNA들의 발현이 유도되었기 때문에 이들 lncRNA들은 식물의 다양한 생물학적 기능과 식물의 생장발달 과정에 있어 새로운 조절 인자로 고려되고 있다. 특히 후성유전학적인 유전자 억제, 크로마틴 변형, 타겟모방, 광형태형성, 단백질 재배치, 환경스트레스 반응, 병원균 감염등에 관련하여 기능을 한다. 또한 어떤 lncRNA들은 short RNA들의 전구체로 역할도 한다. 최근 식물에서 많은 lncRNA들이 분리 동정되었지만, 이들 lncRNA들의 생리학적인 기능에 대한 현재의 이해는 여전히 제한적이고, 이들의 세부적인 조절 메커니즘 연구는 지속적으로 이루어져야 할 것이다. 이 총설에서는 식물 lncRNA들의 생합성 및 조절 메커니즘과 현재까지 밝혀진 분자수준에서의 중요한 기능들을 요약 정리하였다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권10호
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• pp.1113-1120
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• 2016

우리나라의 전통 발효 된장으로부터 균체외 효소로 mannanase를 생산하는 세균 2주가 분리되었다. 분리균 WL-6과 WL-11은 형태적 특성, 생화학적 성질 및 16S rDNA의 염기서열에 따라 Bacillus subtilis로 확인되었다. 이들 두 균주로부터 각각 mannanase 유전자를 대장균에 클로닝하여 염기서열을 결정한 결과 mannanase 유전자는 362 아미노산으로 구성된 단백질을 코드하며 1,086 뉴클레오티드로 동일하게 이루어졌다. WL-6과 WL-11 mannanase (Man6, Man11)의 아미노산 잔기 배열은 서로 8개 잔기가 다르며 GH family 26에 속하는 B. subtilis의 mannanases와 매우 상동성이 높았다. Man6과 Man11의 아미노 말단의 26개 아미노 잔기가 signal peptide로 예측되었다. 재조합 대장균로부터 각각 생산된 Man6과 Man11은 94~95% 정도가 균체내에 존재하였고, mannotriose, mannotetraose, mannopentaose, mannohexaose와 같은 만노올리고당과 locust bean gum을 유사하게 분해하여 주된 반응산물로 mannobiose와 mannotriose를 생성하였다. Man6는 55℃와 pH 6.0, Man11은 60℃와 pH 5.5에서 각각 최대 반응활성을 보였으며, Man11이 Man6에 비해 열안정성이 높았다.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2013년도 제44회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.108-109
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• 2013

Mitochondria play key roles in the production of cell's energy. Their dominant function is the synthesis of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) from adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and phosphate (Pi) through the oxidative phosphorylation. Evaluation of drug-induced mitochondrial toxicity has become increasingly important since mitochondrial dysfunction has recently been implicated in numerous diseases including cancer and diabetes mellitus. Mitochondrial functions have been monitored via oxygen consumption, mitochondrial membrane potential, and more importantly via ATP synthesis since ATP synthesis is the most essential function of mitochondria. Various analytical methods have been employed to investigate ATP synthesis in mitochondria, including high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), bioluminescence technique, and pH measurement. However, most of these methods are based on destructive analysis or indirect monitoring through the enzymatic reaction. Infrared absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) is one of the useful techniques for real-time, label-free, and direct monitoring of biological reactions [1,2]. However, the strong water absorption requires very short path length in the order of several micrometers. Transmission measurements with thin path length are not suitable for mitochondrial assays because solution handlings necessary for evaluating mitochondrial toxicity, such as rapid mixing of drugs and oxygen supply, are difficult in such a narrow space. On the other hand, IRAS in the multiple internal reflection (MIR) geometry provides an ideal optical configuration to combine solution handling and aqueous-phase measurement. We have recently reportedon a real-time monitoring of drug-induced necrotic and apoptotic cell death using MIR-IRAS [3,4]. Clear discrimination between viable and damaged cells has been demonstrated, showing a promise as a label-free and real-time detection for cell-based assays. In the present study, we have applied our MIR-IRAS system to mitochondria-based assays by monitoring ATP synthesis in isolated mitochondria from rat livers. Mitochondrial ATP synthesis and hydrolysis were in situ monitored with MIR-IRAS, while dissolved oxygen level and solution pH were simultaneously monitored with O2 and pH electrodes, respectively. It is demonstrated that ATP synthesis and hydrolysis can be monitored by the IR spectral changes in phosphate groups in adenine nucleotides and MIR-IRAS is useful for evaluating time-dependent drug effects of mitochondrial toxicants.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.301-310
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• 2006

Two pathways of ammonium assimilation and glutamate biosynthesis have been identified in microorganisms. One pathway involves the NADP-linked glutamate dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the amination of 2-oxoglutarate to form glutamate. An alternative pathway involves the combined activities of glutamine synthetase, which aminates glutamate to form glutamine, and glutamate synthase, which transfers the amide group of glutamine to 2-oxoglutarate to yield two molecules of glutamate. We have cloned the large subunit of the glutamate synthase (GOGAT) from Salmonella typhimurium by screening the expression of GOGAT and complementing the gene in E. coli GOGAT large subunit-deficient mutants. Three positive clones (named pUC19C12, pUC19C13 and pUC19C15) contained identical Sau3AI fragments, as determined by restriction mapping and Southern hybridization, and expressed GOGAT efficiently and constitutively using its own promoter in the heterologous host. The coding region expressed in Escherichia coli was about 170 kDa on SDS-PAGE. This gene spans 4,732 bases, contains an open reading frame of 4,458 nucleotides, and encodes a mature protein of 1,486 amino acid residues (Mr =166,208). The EMN-binding domain of GOGAT contains 12 glycine residues, and the 3Fe-4S cluster has 3 cysteine residues. The comparison of the translated amino acid sequence of the Salmonella GOGAT with sequences from other bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Shigella flexneri, Yersinia pestis, Vibrio vulnificus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa shows sequence identity between 87 and 95%.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제11권5호
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• pp.175-182
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• 2007

Members of prostaglandin(PG) E-series elicit cellular effects mainly through adenylyl cyclase-cAMP signaling. The role of $PGE_2$-induced increase in cAMP has been shown to be compartmentalized in the cardiac myocytes: $PGE_2$-induced increase of cAMP is not involved in the control of cardiomyocytic contraction. The purpose of the present study was to define the effect of $PGE_1$ on the cGMP levels and the role of $PGE_1$ in the atrial secretory function. Experiments were performed in perfused beating rabbit atria and atrial contractile responses, cGMP and cAMP efflux, and atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP) secretion were measured. $PGE_1$ increased cGMP as well as cAMP efflux concentration in a concentration-dependent manner, however, no significant changes in atrial secretory responses were observed(with $1.0{\mu}M\;PGE_1$; for cGMP, $144.76{\pm}37.5%$, n=11 versus $-16.81{\pm}4.76%$, n=6, control, p<0.01; for cAMP, $187.60{\pm}41.52%$, n=11 versus $7.38{\pm}19.44%$, n=6, control, p<0.01). $PGE_1$ decreased atrial dynamics slightly but transiently, whereas $PGE_2$ showed similar effects but with lower potency. Isoproterenol increased atrial cAMP efflux(with 2.0 nM; $145.71{\pm}41.89$, n=5 versus $7.38{\pm}19.44%$, n=6, control, p<0.05) and mechanical dynamics and decreased ANP secretion. The $PGE_1$-induced increase in cGMP efflux showed a bell-shaped concentration-response curve. $PGE_1$-induced increase of cGMP efflux was not observed in the presence of L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide(NO) synthase, or ODQ, an inhibitor of NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase. L-NAME and ODQ showed no significant effect on the $PGE_1$-induced transient decrease of atrial dynamics. These data indicate that $PGE_1$ increases cGMP levels via NO-soluble GC signaling in the cardiac atrium and also show that $PGE_1$-induced increases in cGMP and cAMP levels are not involved in the regulation of atrial secretory and contractile functions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.211-217
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• 2013

Corynebacterium glutamicum is one of the well-studied industrial strain that is used for the production of nucleotides and amino acids. Recently, it has also been studied as a possible producer of organic acids such as succinic acid, based on its ability to produce organic acids under an oxygen deprivation condition. In this study, we conducted the optimization of medium components for improved succinate production from C. glutamicum under an oxygen deprivation condition by Plackett-Burman design and applied a response surface methodology. A Plackett-Burman design for ten factors such as glucose, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, potassium phosphate ($K_2HPO_4$ and $KH_2PO_4$), iron sulfate, manganese sulfate, biotin, thiamine, and sodium bicarbonate was applied to evaluate the effects on succinate production. Glucose, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and dipotassium phosphate were found to have significant influence on succinate production, and the optimal concentrations of these four factors were sequentially investigated by the response surface methodology using a Box-Behnken design. The optimal medium components obtained for achieving maximum concentration of succinic acid were as follows: glucose 10 g/l, magnesium sulfate 0.5 g/l, dipotassium phosphate ($K_2HPO_4$) 0.75 g/l, potassium dihydrogen phosphate ($KH_2PO_4$) 0.5 g/l, iron sulfate 6 mg/l, manganese sulfate 4.2 mg/l, biotin 0.2 mg/l, thiamine 0.2 mg/l, and sodium bicarbonate 100 mM. The parameters that differed from a normal BT medium were glucose changed from 40 g/l to 10 g/l, dipotassium phosphate ($K_2HPO_4$) 0.5 g/l changed to 0.75 g/l, and ammonium sulfate ($(NH_4)_2SO_4$) 7 g/l changed to 0 g/l. Under these conditions, the final succinic acid concentration was 16.3 mM, which is about 1.46 fold higher than the original medium (11.1 mM) at 24 h. This work showed the improvement of succinate production by a simple change of media components deduced from sequential optimization.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.196-200
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• 2002

우리나라 해산어 양식의 주요 대상 어종인 넙치의 섭식 촉진 물질을 확인하기 위하여 몇 가지 아미노산, 핵산관련물질, 염기성 물질 및 산가수분해물의 섭식촉진 효과를 수조 실험을 통해 검토하였다. Glycine, IMP, GMP 및 betaine은 다소의 섭식 촉진 효과가 인정되었으며 천연 단백질 자원의 산 가수분해물인 KH가 가장 우수한 섭식촉진 효과를 보였다. KH는 사료 중량에 대하여 $1.05\%$ (w/w)까지 섭식촉진 효과가 증가하였으나 그 이상의 농도에서는 효과가 거의 일정하였다. 산 가수분해물의 pH는 섭식촉진에 영향을 미치지 않았고, 물질의 흔합에 따른 상승효과는 KH와 glycine의 조합이 가장 우수하였다. 대조군 사료는 총 급이량의 $58.2\%$를 섭취한 반면 섭식촉진 사료는 $83.3\%$를 섭취하여 섭식촉진물질의 첨가는 섭식량의 증가 뿐 아니라 사료 효율의 개선에 현저히 기여하였다. 그리고 섭식촉진 물질의 조합에 따른 단가 상승은 기본사료 가격의 $0.05\%$ 이내에 불과하여 경제성이 충분하며 실용화가 가능한 것으로 예상하였다. 한편 본 연구 결과의 적용을 확대하기 위해서는 장차 넙치 성어에 대한 연구도 필요할 것으로 보인다.