• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권11호
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• pp.1859-1869
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• 2021

Objective: The effects of a crude protease extracted from Cordyceps militaris (CM) mushrooms on the postmortem tenderization mechanism and quality improvement in spent hen breast were investigated. Methods: Different percentages of the crude protease extracted from CM mushrooms were introduced to spent hen breast via spray marination, and its effects on tenderness-related indexes and proteolytic enzymes were compared to papain. Results: The results indicated that there was a possible improvement by the protease extracted from CM mushroom through the upregulation of endogenous proteolytic enzymes involved in the calpain system, cathepsin-B, and caspase-3 coupled with its nucleotide-specific impact. However, the effect of the protease extracted from CM mushroom was likely dose-dependent, with significant improvements at a minimum level of 4%. Marination with the protease extracted from CM mushroom at this level led to increased protein solubility and an increased myofibrillar fragmentation index. The sarcoplasmic protein and collagen contents seemed to be less affected by the protease extracted from CM mushroom, indicating that substrate hydrolysis was limited to myofibrillar protein. Furthermore the protease extracted from CM mushroom intensified meat product taste due to increasing the inosinic acid content, a highly effective salt that provides umami taste. Conclusion: The synergistic results of the proteolytic activity and nucleotide-specific effects following treatments suggest that the exogenous protease derived from CM mushroom has the potential for improving the texture of spent hen breast.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.16-26
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• 2007

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a serine protease catalyzing the proteolytic conversion of plasminogen into plasmin, which is involved in thrombolysis. During last two decades, the role of tPA in brain physiology and pathology has been extensively investigated. tPA is expressed in brain regions such as cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum, and major neural cell types such as neuron, astrocyte, microglia and endothelial cells express tPA in basal status. After strong neural stimulation such as seizure, tPA behaves as an immediate early gene increasing the expression level within an hour. Neural activity and/or postsynaptic stimulation increased the release of tPA from axonal terminal and presumably from dendritic compartment. Neuronal tPA regulates plastic changes in neuronal function and structure mediating key neurologic processes such as visual cortex plasticity, seizure spreading, cerebellar motor learning, long term potentiation and addictive or withdrawal behavior after morphine discontinuance. In addition to these physiological roles, tPA mediates excitotoxicity leading to the neurodegeneration in several pathological conditions including ischemic stroke. Increasing amount of evidence also suggest the role of tPA in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis even though beneficial effects was also reported in case of Alzheimer's disease based on the observation of tPA-induced degradation of $A{\beta}$ aggregates. Target proteins of tPA action include extracellular matrix protein laminin, proteoglycans and NMDA receptor. In addition, several receptors (or binding partners) for tPA has been reported such as low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) and annexin II, even though intracellular signaling mechanism underlying tPA action is not clear yet. Interestingly, the action of tPA comprises both proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanism. In case of microglial activation, tPA showed non-proteolytic cytokine-like function. The search for exact target proteins and receptor molecules for tPA along with the identification of the mechanism regulating tPA expression and release in the nervous system will enable us to better understand several key neurological processes like teaming and memory as well as to obtain therapeutic tools against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.27-28
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• 2002

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.169-178
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• 2016

Although $N{\alpha}$-terminal acetylation (Nt-acetylation) is a pervasive protein modification in eukaryotes, its general functions in a majority of proteins are poorly understood. In 2010, it was discovered that Nt-acetylation creates a specific protein degradation signal that is targeted by a new class of the N-end rule proteolytic system, called the Ac/N-end rule pathway. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the mechanism and biological functions of the Ac/N-end rule pathway, and its crosstalk with the Arg/N-end rule pathway (the classical N-end rule pathway).

• 한국결정학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국결정학회 2002년도 정기총회 및 추계학술연구발표회
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• pp.24-24
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• 2002

HtrA (high temperature requirement A), a periplasmic heat shock protein, is known to have molecular chaperone function at low temperatures and proteolytic activity at elevated temperatures. To investigate the mechanism of functional switch to pretense, we have determined the crystal structure of the N-terminal protease domain (PD) of HtrA from Thermotoga maritima. HtrA PD shares the same fold with chymotrypsin-like serine professes. However, crystal structure suggests that HtrA PD is not an active pretense at current state since its active site is not formed properly and blocked by an additional helical lid. On the surface of the lid, HtrA PD has hydrophobic patches that could be potential substrate binding sites for molecular chaperone activity. Present structure suggests that the activation of the proteolytic function of HtrA PD at elevated temperatures might occur by the conformational change.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권5호
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• pp.675-682
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• 2022

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) was reported to play an anti-inflammatory role, however, previous studies largely focused on the effects of KRG on priming step, the inflammation-preparing step, and the anti-inflammatory effect of KRG on triggering, the inflammation-activating step has been poorly understood. This study demonstrated anti-inflammatory role of KRG in caspase-11 non-canonical inflammasome activation in macrophages during triggering of inflammatory responses. Methods: Caspase-11 non-canonical inflammasome-activated J774A.1 macrophages were established by priming with Pam3CSK4 and triggering with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cell viability and pyroptosis were examined by MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. Nitric oxide (NO)-inhibitory effect of KRG was assessed using a NO production assay. Expression and proteolytic cleavage of proteins were examined by Western blotting analysis. In vivo anti-inflammatory action of KRG was evaluated with the LPS-injected sepsis model in mice. Results: KRG reduced LPS-stimulated NO production in J774A.1 cells and suppressed pyroptosis and IL-1β secretion in caspase-11 non-canonical inflammasome-activated J774A.1 cells. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that KRG suppressed the direct interaction between LPS and caspase-11 and inhibited proteolytic processing of both caspase-11 and gasdermin D in caspase-11 non-canonical inflammasome-activated J774A.1 cells. Furthermore, KRG significantly ameliorated LPS-mediated lethal septic shock in mice. Conclusion: The results demonstrate a novel mechanism of KRG-mediated anti-inflammatory action that operates through targeting the caspase-11 non-canonical inflammasome at triggering step of macrophage-mediated inflammatory response.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.243-249
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• 2023

We recently found that the insect-derived antimicrobial peptide CopA3 (LLCIALRKK) directly binds to and inhibits the proteolytic activation of caspases, which play essential roles in apoptotic processes. However, the mechanism of CopA3 binding to caspases remained unknown. Here, using recombinant GST-caspase-3 and -6 proteins, we investigated the mechanism by which CopA3 binds to caspases. We showed that replacement of cysteine in CopA3 with alanine caused a marked loss in its binding activity towards caspase-3 and -6. Exposure to DTT, a reducing agent, also diminished their interaction, suggesting that this cysteine plays an essential role in caspase binding. Experiments using deletion mutants of CopA3 showed that the last N-terminal leucine residue of CopA3 peptide is required for binding of CopA3 to caspases, and that C-terminal lysine and arginine residues also contribute to their interaction. These conclusions are supported by binding experiments employing direct addition of CopA3 deletion mutants to human colonocyte (HT29) extracts containing endogenous caspase-3 and -6 proteins. In summary, binding of CopA3 to caspases is dependent on a cysteine in the intermediate region of the CopA3 peptide and a leucine in the N-terminal region, but that both an arginine and two adjacent lysines in the C-terminal region of CopA3 also contribute. Collectively, these results provide insight into the interaction mechanism and the high selectivity of CopA3 for caspases.

• BMB Reports
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• 제51권5호
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• pp.211-218
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• 2018

Chromatin is an intelligent building block that can express either external or internal needs through structural changes. To date, three methods to change chromatin structure and regulate gene expression have been well-documented: histone modification, histone exchange, and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling. Recently, a growing body of literature has suggested that histone tail cleavage is related to various cellular processes including stem cell differentiation, osteoclast differentiation, granulocyte differentiation, mammary gland differentiation, viral infection, aging, and yeast sporulation. Although the underlying mechanisms suggesting how histone cleavage affects gene expression in view of chromatin structure are only beginning to be understood, it is clear that this process is a novel transcriptional epigenetic mechanism involving chromatin dynamics. In this review, we describe the functional properties of the known histone tail cleavage with its proteolytic enzymes, discuss how histone cleavage impacts gene expression, and present future directions for this area of study.

• BMB Reports
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.277-282
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• 2015

We demonstrated previously that a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 15 (ADAM15) is released into the extracellular space as an exosomal component, and that ADAM15-rich exosomes have tumor suppressive functions. However, the suppressive mechanism of ADAM15-rich exosomes remains unclear. In this study, we show that the ADAM15 ectodomain is cleaved from released exosomes. This shedding process of the ADAM15 ectodomain was dramatically enhanced in conditioned ovarian cancer cell medium. Proteolytic cleavage was completely blocked by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, indicating that a serine protease is responsible for exosomal ADAM15 shedding. Experimental evidence indicates that the ADAM15 ectodomain itself has comparable functions with those of ADAM15-rich exosomes, which effectively inhibit vitronectininduced cancer cell migration and activation of the MEK/extracellular regulated kinase signaling pathway. We present a tumor suppressive mechanism for ADAM15 exosomes and provide insight into the functional significance of exosomes that generate tumor-inhibitory factors. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(5): 277-282]

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제33권9호
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• pp.3048-3054
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• 2012

The use of aspirin is widely recommended for the prevention of heart attacks owing to its ability to inhibit platelet activation by irreversibly blocking cyclooxygenase 1. However, aspirin also affects the fibrinolytic and hemostatic pathways by mechanisms that are not well understood, causing severe hemorrhagic complications. Here, we investigated the ability of aspirin and aspirin metabolites to inhibit thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), the major inhibitor of plasma fibrinolysis. TAFI is activated via proteolytic cleavage by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex to TAFIa, a carboxypeptidase B-like enzyme. TAFIa modulates fibrinolysis by removing the C-terminal arginine and lysine residues from partially degraded fibrin, which in turn inhibits the binding of plasminogen to fibrin clots. Aspirin and its major metabolites, salicylic acid, gentisic acid, and salicyluric acid, inhibit TAFIa carboxypeptidase activity. Salicyluric acid effectively blocks activation of TAFI by thrombin-thrombomodulin; however, salicylates do not inhibit carboxypeptidase N or pancreatic carboxypeptidase B. Aspirin and other salicylates accelerated the dissolution of fibrin clots and reduced thrombus formation in an in vitro model of fibrinolysis. Inhibition of TAFI represents a novel hemostatic mechanism that contributes to aspirin's therapy-associated antithrombotic activity and hemorrhagic complications.