• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제21권9호
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• pp.937-946
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• 2011

Several isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) were screened for the vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) effective against sap-sucking insect pests. Screening results were based on $LC_{50}$ values against cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii), one of the dangerous pests of various crop plants including cotton. Among the isolates, the Bt#BREF24 showed promising results, and upon purification the aphidicidal protein was recognized as a binary toxin. One of the components of this binary toxin was identified by peptide sequencing to be a homolog of Vip2A that has been reported previously in other Bacillus spp. Vip2 belongs to the binary toxin group Vip1-Vip2, and is responsible for the enzymatic activity; and Vip1 is the translocation and receptor binding protein. The two genes encoding the corresponding proteins of the binary toxin, designated as vip2Ae and vip1Ae, were cloned from the Bt#BREF24, sequenced, and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. Aphid feeding assay with the recombinant proteins confirmed that these proteins are indeed the two components of the binary toxins, and the presence of both partners is essential for the activity. Aphid specificity of the binary toxin was further verified by ligand blotting experiment, which identified an ~50 kDa receptor in the brush border membrane vesicles of the cotton aphids only, but not in the lepidopteran insects. Our finding holds a promise of its use in future as a candidate gene for developing transgenic crop plants tolerant against sap-sucking insect pests.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.167-176
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• 2013

A novel bioactive molecule produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Bn1 (Bt-Bn1), isolated from a common pest of hazelnut, Balaninus nucum L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was determined, purified, and characterized in this study. The Bt-Bn1 strain was investigated for antibacterial activity with an agar spot assay and well diffusion assay against B. cereus, B. weinhenstephenensis, L. monocytogenes, P. savastanoi, P. syringae, P. lemoignei, and many other B. thuringiensis strains. The production of bioactive molecule was determined at the early logarithmic phase in the growth cycle of strain Bt-Bn1 and its production continued until the beginning of the stationary phase. The mode of action of this molecule displayed bacteriocidal or bacteriolytic effect depending on the concentration. The bioactive molecule was purified 78-fold from the bacteria supernatant with ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, and HPLC, respectively. The molecular mass of this molecule was estimated via SDS-PAGE and confirmed by the ESI-TOFMS as 3,139 Da. The bioactive molecule was also determined to be a heat-stable, pH-stable (range 6-8), and proteinase K sensitive antibacterial peptide, similar to bacteriocins. Based on all characteristics determined in this study, the purified bacteriocin was named as thuricin Bn1 because of the similarities to the previously identified thuricin-like bacteriocin produced by the various B. thuringiensis strains. Plasmid elution studies showed that gene responsible for the production of thuricin Bn1 is located on the chromosome of Bt-Bn1. Therefore, it is a novel bacteriocin and the first recorded one produced by an insect originated bacterium. It has potential usage for the control of many different pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in the food industry, agriculture, and various other areas.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.295-303
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• 1985

Carboxypeptidase B from Salmo Salar eggs was purified by CM-cellulose, 0.5 ammonium sulfate saturation, DEAE-cellulose, and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration and its enzymatic properties were investigated. Optimum temperature was 55$^{\circ}C$, pH optima were 4.0 and 7.0 at 37$^{\circ}C$, and the enzyme was stable at pH 2.0∼3.0 and 5.5∼7.0 for 1.5h. This enzyme showed substrate specificity hydrolyzing the peptide bond of glycyl-L-arginine. Its K$_m$ values was 0.21mM, and the enzyme activity was stimulated by Cu$^{2+}$ and Fe$^{3+}$, while inhibited by Zn$^{2+}$. The lysine was found to be competitive inhibitor and its K$_i$ value was determined to be 4.3mM. Molecular weight of this enzyme was determined to be 36,400 daltons by SDS-PAGE and the enzyme was monomeric protein composed of 19 kinds of amino acid residues.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.38-41
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• 1961

By varying groups on biologically active molecules, it is possible to produce analogues which sometimes inhibit the action of the parent compound. Such is true of taurine(${\beta}$-amino-ethane sulfonic acid)as an analogue of ${\beta}$-alanine and of pantoyl taurine for pantothenic acid. It seemed possible that the sulfonic acid analogues of amino acids built into peptides might possibly produce inhibition of the parent peptide. Tauryl-L-histidine was selected to prepare as an analogue of carnosine(${\beta}$-alanyl-L-histidine). There were several reasons for this choice. Camosine causes a slight contraction of isolated uterine muscle and inhibition of this action can be easily tested. Also, taurine, being a ${\beta}$-amino sulfonic acid, is much more stable than the ${\beta}$-amino sulfonic acids. Phthalyl tauryl-L-histidine methyl ester was prepared by condensing phthalyl tauryl chloride with histidine methyl ester in chloroform. The yields were quite low possibly due to reaction between the acid chloride and the imidazole of histidine. Approximately 50 per cent yield of crude amorphous product was obtained, but upon purification by crystallization they yielded only 25 percent of a pure product. The methyl ester was removed by acid hydrolysis to prevent partial cleavage of the phthalyl group. Crystalline tauryl histidine was then obtained from this acid by removal of the phthalyl group by hydrazinolysis. Tests for inhibition were carried out by comparing the action of camosine on isolated uterine muscle before and after tauryl histidine had been added to the bath surrounding the muscle strip. Only in very high relative concentrations of tauryl histidine was there any demonstrable inhibition.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.271-282
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• 1995

The authentic hGH converted from met-hGH by immobilized ApM was purified by successive chromatographic processes based on the differences in isoelectric points, hydrophobicities and charges. The final recovery yield was about 14.1% and the specific activity of the purified hGH was 2.75IU per mg when assayed by enzyme immunoassay. The purified hGH was verified to be authentic hGH through the analysis of amino acid composition, amino-terminal amino acid sequence, carboxy-terminal amino acid and tryptic peptide map. The purity of purified hGH was higher than that of commercial hGH when assessed by SDS-PAGE, PAGE, IEF and HSGF. In weight-gain assay and tibia test with hypophysectomized rats, the hGH produced in this study showed the same growth effect as the commercial hGH.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.798-803
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• 1999

Prolyl endopeptidase [PEP; EC 3.4.21.26], a serine protease which is known to cleave peptide bonds on the carboxy side of a proline residue, plays an important role in the degradation of proline-containing neuropeptides that have been suggested to participate in learning and memory processes. An abnormal increase in the level of PEP, which can lead to generation of $A{\beta}$, is also suggested to be involved in Alzheimer's type senile dementia. In the course of screening PEP inhibitors from Basidiomycetes, the mushroom Polyozellus multiplex exhibited a high inhibitory activity against PEP. Two active compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction by consecutive purification, using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and Lobar RP-18 chromatography. The chemical structures of these compounds were identified as thelephoric acid and 12-acety1-2,3,7,8-tetrahydroxy-[12H]-12-hydroxymethylbenzobis[I.2b,3.4b'] benzofuran-11-one (kynapcin-9) by spectral data including UV, IR, MS, HR-MS, $^1H-,{\;}^{13}C-$, and 2D-NMR. The $IC_{50}$ values of the thelephoric acid and kynapcin-9 were 0.157 ppm (446nM) and 0.087 ppm (212nM) and their inhibitor constants ($K_i$) were 0.73ppm ($2.09{\;}\mu\textrm{m}$) and 0.060 ppm (146 nM), respectively. Furthermore, they were non-competitive with a substrate in Dixon plots.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 한국독성학회 1997년도 국제심포지움 및 추계학술대회
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• pp.38-42
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• 1997

Human growth hormone is known as one of the peptide hormones which is consisted of 191 amino acids derived from the pituitary gland in humans. The objectives of this study were to supply inexpensive recombinant methionyl human growth hormones (rHGH) synthesized by the DNA technology in a yeast cell line and followed by the establishement of protein purification techniques. The next steps of the research were to study its physic-chemical properties and biological properties, and to evaluate various preclinical aspcts including pharmacokinetics sutdy, general pharmacology study, general toxicity test, and specific toxicity tests. Clinical phase I, II, III studies were also done against growth hormone dficient children to reveal that growth promoting effects were similar compared with the natural HGH extracted from pituitary glands and commercially available rHGHs. The results could be summarized that (I) this yeast dervied rHGH have had excellent physico-chemical and biological properties in comparison with a natural HGH and other synthesized rHGHs, (2) we could not see any toxic side effects when very high doses were administered to the experimental animals, and (3) this growth hormone showed effectiveness in the growth stimulating to growth hormone deficient patients.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.73-79
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• 2019

A novel esterase gene (est7S) was cloned from an enriched metagenomic library derived from an oil-spill area. The gene encoded a protein of 505 amino acids, and the molecular mass of the Est7S was estimated to be 54,512 Da with no signal peptide. Est7S showed the highest identity of 40% to an esterase from a sludge metagenome compared to the characterized enzymes with their properties, although it showed 99% identity to a carboxylesterase in the genome sequence of Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2. Est7S had catalytic triad residues, Ser183, Glu312, and His420, and the GESAG motif in most family VII lipolytic enzymes. Est7S was purified from the crude extract of clone SM7 using Sephacryl S-200 HR and HiTrap Q column chromatographies. The purified Est7S was optimally active at $50^{\circ}C$ and pH 10.0. Est7S showed a high specific activity of 366.7 U/mg protein. It preferred short length esters, particularly p-nitrophenyl acetate, efficiently hydrolyzed R- and S-enantiomers of methyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate, and glyceryl tributyrate. These properties of Est7S may provide potential merits in biotechnological applications such as detergent and paper processing under alkaline conditions.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.21-27
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• 2023

Lotus Nelumbo nucifera seed protein (LSP) was isolated by alkaline solubilization after removing fat and phenolics by hexane and ethanol treatment. Antioxidant peptides from LSP were produced with Alcalase^® and pepsin and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities were determined. LSP-Alcalase^® hydrolysates showed higher hydroxyl radical scavenging activity than LSP-pepsin hydrolysates. To purify antioxidant peptides, LSP-Alcalase^® hydrolysates were subjected to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation on the C18 column and the active fraction was further purified using a Superdex^TM peptide 10/300 GL column. Finally, the active fraction (F8-2) was evaluated for antioxidant activities by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radical scavenging, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. The EC₅₀ values of the F8-2 were 105.81±0.02 ㎍/mL for DPPH and 32.26±0.02 ㎍/mL for hydroxyl radical and the F8-2 exhibited 7.22 μM trolox equivalent (TE)/100 ㎍ F8-2. Glutathione (GSH), which is a positive control, showed EC₅₀ values of 19.87±0.01 ㎍/mL for DPPH and 15.95±0.03 ㎍/mL for hydroxyl radical and an ORAC value of 14.17±0.03 μM TE/100 ㎍ GSH. Finally, sixteen peptides were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Among them, Ile-Tyr and Leu-Tyr showed higher antioxidant scores.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.58-66
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• 2007

Isolation, expression, and characterization of a novel $endo-{\beta}-1,3(4)-D-glucanase$ with high specific activity and homology to Bacillus lichenases is described. One clone was screened from a genomic library of Paenibacillus sp. F-40, using lichenan-containing plates. The nucleotide sequence of the clone contains an ORF consisting of 717 nucleotides, encoding a ${\beta}-glucanase$ protein of 238 amino acids and 26 residues of a putative signal peptide at its N-terminus. The amino acid sequence showed the highest similarity of 87% to other ${\beta}-1,3-1,4-glucanases$ of Bacillus. The gene fragment Bg1 containing the mature glucanase protein was expressed in Pichia pastoris at high expression level in a 3-1 high-cell-density fermenter. The purified recombinant enzyme Bg1 showed activity against barley ${\beta}-glucan$, lichenan, and laminarin. The gene encodes an $endo-{\beta}-1,3(4)-D-glucanase$ (E. C. 3.2.1.6). When lichenan was used as substrate, the optimal pH was 6.5, and the optimal temperature was $60^{\circ}C$. The $K_m,\;V_{max},\;and\;k_{cat}$ values for lichenan are 2.96mg/ml, $6,951{\mu}mol/min{\cdot}mg,\;and\;3,131s^{-1}$, respectively. For barley ${\beta}-glucan$ the values are 3.73mg/ml, $8,939{\mu}mol/min{\cdot}mg,\;and\;4,026s^{-1}$, respectively. The recombinant Bg1 had resistance to pepsin and trypsin. Other features of recombinant Bg1 including temperature and pH stability, and sensitivity to some metal ions and chemical reagents were also characterized.