• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2011

Perturbation of metabolism with increased expression of lipogenic enzymes is a common characteristic of human cancers, including prostate cancer. In the present work the overexpression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) in LNCaP cells led to increased mRNA levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA-carboxylase-a, whereas micro RNA-mediated silencing of SCD inhibited the expression of these lipogenic genes in LNCaP cells. Treatment with the FAS-specific inhibitor cerulenin inhibited SCD induction of LNCaP cell proliferation. In addition, a transient transfection assay revealed the capability of cerulenin to suppress SCD and dihydrotestosterone induction of androgen receptor transcriptional activity. Furthermore, overexpression of SCD in LNCaP cells produced marked resistance to ceramide-induced cell death with reduced poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. In contrast, silencing of SCD expression increased Bax protein in LNCaP cells. Furthermore, addition of ceramide to SCD knockdown LNCaP cells increased cell death and caspase-3 activity with drastic increase of PARP cleavage. Together, the data indicate that SCD may provide resistance of prostate cancer cells to ceramide-induced cell death.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2023

In eukaryotic cells, a key RNA processing step to generate mature mRNA is the coupled reaction for cleavage and polyadenylation (CPA) at the 3' end of individual transcripts. Many transcripts are alternatively polyadenylated (APA) to produce mRNAs with different 3' ends that may either alter protein coding sequence (CDS-APA) or create different lengths of 3'UTR (tandem-APA). As the CPA reaction is intimately associated with transcriptional termination, it has been widely assumed that APA is regulated cotranscriptionally. Isoforms terminated at different regions may have distinct RNA stability under different conditions, thus altering the ratio of APA isoforms. Such differential impacts on different isoforms have been considered as post-transcriptional APA, but strictly speaking, this can only be considered "apparent" APA, as the choice is not made during the CPA reaction. Interestingly, a recent study reveals sequential APA as a new mechanism for post-transcriptional APA. This minireview will focus on this new mechanism to provide insights into various documented regulatory paradigms.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.10
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• pp.704-709
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• 2010

The Swedish mutation (K595N/M596L) of amyloid precursor protein (APP-swe) has been known to increase abnormal cleavage of cellular APP by Beta-secretase (BACE), which causes tau protein hyperphosphorylation and early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we analyzed the effect of APP-swe in global gene expression using deep transcriptome sequencing technique. We found 283 genes were down-regulated and 348 genes were up-regulated in APP-swe expressing H4-swe cells compared to H4 wild-type cells from a total of approximately 74 million reads of 38 base pairs from each transcriptome. Two independent mechanisms such as kinase and phosphatase signaling cascades leading hyperphosphorylation of tau protein were regulated by the expression of APP-swe. Expressions of catalytic subunit as well as several regulatory subunits of protein phosphatases 2A were decreased. In contrast, expressions of tau-phosphorylating glycogen synthase kinase $3\beta$(GSK-3$\beta$), cyclin dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), and cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) catalytic subunit were increased. Moreover, the expression of AD-related Aquaporin 1 and presenilin 2 expression was regulated by APP-swe. Taken together, we propose that the expression of APP-swe modulates global gene expression directed to AD pathogenesis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2000

The saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad27, a structure-specific endonuclease for the okazaski fragment maturation has been known to interact genetically and biochemically with Dna2, an essential enzyme for DNA replication. In an attempt to define the significance of the interaction between the two enzymes, we expressed and purified both Dna2 and Rad27 proteins. In this report, Rad27 could not form a complex with Dna2 in the three different analyses. The analyses included glycerol gradient sedimentation, protein-column chromatography, and coinfection of baculoviruses followed by affinity purification. This is in striking contrast to the previous results that used crude extracts. These results suggest that the interaction between the two proteins is not sufficiently stable or indirect, and thus requires an additional protein(s) in order for Rad27 and Dna2 to form a stable physical complex. This result is consistent with our genetic findings that Schizosaccharomyces pombe Dna2 is capable of interacting with several proteins that include two subunits of polymerase $\delta$, DNA ligase I, as well as Fen-1. In addition, we found that the N-terminal modification of Rad27 abolished its enzymatic activity. Thus, as suspected, we found that on the basis of the structure determination, N-terminal methionine indeed plays an important role in the nucleolytic cleavage reaction.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2008

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is the causative agent of a highly contagious and devastating Newcastle disease of poultry. A NDV (isolate DK1/07) was isolated from apparently healthy wild spot-billed ducks (Anas poecilorhyncha) captured at upper branch of the SapGyo Creek in Chungbuk province, Korea during early 2007. The DK1/07 isolate of minimum chicken embryo lethal dose killed all SPF chicken embryos within 60 h. The cleavage site of the F protein possessed the amino acid sequence $^{112}R-R-Q-K-R-F^{117}$, which is a motif characteristic of virulent NDV strains. The F protein-based phylogenetic analysis revealed that the DK1/07 duck isolate was included in the cluster of genotype VIId and most closely related to recent NDV isolates obtained from chicken farms in Korea. Epidemiological importance of virulent NDV from wild duck is discussed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8685-8688
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• 2014

The objective of the present study was to investigate cloning, expression, and functions of the recombinant protein, Siva1. Siva1 gene was synthesized by RT-PCR from HCT116 cells. Plasmids were cleaved with the restriction endonuclease, BamH1/Sal1 and products were connected to pQE30, which underwent cleavage by BamH1/Sal1. The recombinant plasmid, pQE30-Siva1, was identified after digestion with restriction endonucleases followed by transformation into E. coli M15. Expression of Siva1 was induced by IPTG and identified by SDS-PAGE following purification with affinity chromatography. The results showed that size of Siva1 was 12 kDa, consistent with the molecular weight of the His-Siva1 fusion protein. Functional test demonstrated that Siva1 significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of HCT116 cells. It may thus find clinical application for control of cancers.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.281-285
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• 2009

Peroxisomes play an important role in cellular defense systems and generate secondary messengers for cellular communication. Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing oleate-induced peroxisomes were subjected to buffer-soluble extraction and two chromatographic procedures, and a protein with antifungal activity was isolated. The results of MALDI-TOF analysis identified the isolated protein as peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (ScFox3). Purified yeast ScFox3 exhibited thiolase activity that catalyzed the thiolytic cleavage of 3-ketoacyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA and acyl-CoA. ScFox3 protein inhibited various pathogenic fungal strains, with the exception of Aspergillus flavus. Using ScFox3-GFP and PTS2 signal-truncated ScFox3M-GFP, we showed that only ScFox3-GFP, with an intact PTS2 peroxisome signal sequence, was able to translocate into peroxisomes. Yeast ScFox3 is a natural antifungal agent found in peroxisomes.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.1 s.128
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• pp.29-34
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• 2002

Albizzia julibrissin belonging to the family Leguminosae has been used for the treatment of contusion, sore throat, amnesia, and insomnia in Oriental traditional medicine. The water extract of A. julibrissin induced apoptosis in Jurkat T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells as measured by cell morphology. The capability of this herb medicine to induce apoptosis was associated with proteolytic cleavage of specific target protein such as beta-catenin protein suggesting the possible involvement of caspases. The purpose of the present study is also to investigate the effect of A. julibrissin on cell cycle progression. Our results showed that GI checkpoint related gene products (cyclin D1, cyclin dependent kinase 4, retinoblastoma, E2F1) were decreased in their protein levels in a dose-dependent manners after treatment of the extract. These results indicate that the increase of apoptotic cell death by A. julibrissin may be due to the inhibition of cell cycle progression in wild type p53-lacking Jurkat cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2017

In our program to search for new AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activators from plants that exert potential anticancer property, we found that an EtOAc extract of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) activated AMPK enzyme in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Two major diarylbutane-type lignans, macelignan and meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (MDGA), were isolated as active principles from this extract. Treatment of breast cancer cells with two compounds induced cellular apoptosis, evidenced by cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and Ser 15 phosphorylation of p53. Moreover, macelignan and MDGA significantly inhibited the colony formation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells on soft agar. Intraperitoneal injection of macelignan and MDGA (20 mg/kg) suppressed the tumor growth of 4T1 mammary cancer cells. These results indicate that the chemopreventive effects of two major diarylbutane-type lignans from Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) may be associated with induction of apoptosis presumably through AMPK activation.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.455-461
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• 2012

Amongst the various antimicrobial peptides, lysozyme plays a central role in initiating and maintaining the antibacterial defense response of insect. Here we propose the biosynthesis and refolding of recombinant lysozyme in Escherichia coli expressed in inclusion body form. The Agrius lysozyme gene was amplified using gene specific primers and then ligated into the pGEX-4T-1 vector, which contained the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene as a fusion partner. A recombinant lysozyme was expressed in E. coli Rosetta cells using a pGEX-4T-1 expression vector, and the fusion protein was induced by ioporpyl-${\beta}$-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). The recombinant protein produced as an inclusion body was resolubilized in solubilization buffer, and the resultant solution was dialyzed in refolding buffer. After thrombin cleavage, the recombinant lysozyme was purified by ion exchange chromatography and reverse phase chromatography. The recombinant lysozyme was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis and immunoreactivity against the anti-Agrius lysozyme was observed by western blot analysis of this protein. The recombinant lysozyme displayed antibacterial activity against Bacillus megaterium and Micrococcus luteus, which was confirmed by the inhibition zone assay.