• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1563-1568
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• 2010

In the course of a research concerning the molecular mechanism of hypocotyl elongation that occurs during soybean seedling growth in darkness, we have generated a number of ESTs from a cDNA library prepared from the hypocotyls of dark-grown soybean seedlings. Comparison of the ESTs assigned a cDNA clone as a putative plastidic ATP-binding-cassette (ABC) protein homologue. The soybean GmNAP1 protein contains an N-terminal transit peptide which targets it into the chloroplast. The transcription level of the GmNAP1 gene was investigated under continuous red light, continuous far-red light, and complete darkness. The main function of this NAP1 protein is the transport of protoporphyrin IX which is the precursor of chlorophyll from the cytoplasm to the chloroplast. The GmNAP1 gene was transferred into the Arabidopsis under the CaMV 35S promoter. The chlorophyll level of this transgenic Arabidopsis plant was much higher than the chlorophyll level of the wild type Arabidopsis plant.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.744-752
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• 1992

Polymer bonded metalloporphyrins are synthesized by reaction between Fe(III) protoporphyrin or Mn(II) tetrakis(4-N-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin with polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer. The spectroscopic properties of synthetic polymer bonded metalloporphyrins are investigated by using resonance Raman spectrometer. By synthetic polymer bonded metalloporphyrins as catalyst, which are model of cytochrome P-450 and peroxidases, epoxidation of olefins and oxidation of alkanes are achieved with H2O2 as oxidant. The catalytic efficiencies with polymer bonded metalloporphyrins are improved on that with corresponding nonpolymer bonded metalloporphyrins. Especially those can be reused because of stability against oxidant. Electron donating imidazole derivatives, which are attached in 5th position of central metal of metalloporphyrins, enhance the catalytic efficiencies.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2010

The effect of Protox expression site on herbicidal resistance was investigated in wild-type and transgenic rice plants imposed by peroxidizing herbicide oxyfluorfen. The transgenic rice systems involved the plastidal expression of Arabidopsis protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox; AP line) and the dual expression of Myxococcus xanthus Protox in chloroplasts and mitochondria (TTS line). The oxyfluorfen-treated TTS4 line showed the lower levels of cellular leakage and malonyldialdehyde and the sustained capacity of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis, compared to the oxyfluorfen-treated AP and wild-type lines. During oxyfluorfen action, the TTS4 line had greater herbicide resistance than the AP1 line, indicating that the dual expression of M. xanthus Protox in chloroplasts and mitochondria prevented the accumulation of photodynamic protoporphyrin IX more effectively than the expression of Arabidopsis Protox only in chloroplasts. These results suggest that the ectopic expression of Protox in mitochondria greatly contributes to the herbicidal resistance in rice plants.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.348-356
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• 1989

An extracellular peroxidase found in culture broth of Pleurotus ostreatus was induced by syringic acid. This enzyme was fractionated by DEAE Sephadex A-50 ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatogrphy on Sephadex G-150. The enzyme is a glycoprotein containing 35.7% carbohydrate. The results of SDS-linear polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis and gel filtration indicate that the enzyme is a dimer consisted of identical subunits (Mr=72,400). The absorption spectrum of the enzyme indicates the presence of one mole of iron protoporphyrin IX per one mole of subunit. Isoelectric point of the enzyme is 4.26 and $K_m$ values for $H_2O_2$ is $7.2{\mu}M$. The enzyme showed its optimal activity at pH 3.5-4.0 and at $40^{\circ}C$. The Km values of this enzyme for ferulic acid and sinapic acid are 2.4 and 12.3 times higher than those of horseradish peroxidase, respectively.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2011

In 1967, the problem of occupational lead exposure came to public attention in Korea. Since then, regular progress has been made in lowering workplace lead exposures, instituting new workplace controls, and implementing health examinations of exposed workers. Past serious lead poisoning episodes made it possible to introduce biological monitoring programs on a voluntary basis in high-lead-exposure facilities in Korea. Industry-specific occupational health services for lead workers in Korea during the last 22 years can be categorized into three phases. During the first phase (1988-1993), efforts were directed at increasing awareness among workers about the hazards of lead exposure, biological monitoring of blood zinc protoporphyrin began, and a respiratory protection program was introduced. During the second phase (1994-1997), a computerized health management system for lead workers was developed, blood-lead measurement was added to biologic monitoring, and engineering controls were introduced in the workplace to lower air-lead levels to comply with air-lead regulations. Finally, during the third phase (1998-present), a new biomarker, bone-lead measurement by X-ray fluorescence, was introduced. Bone-lead measurement proved to be useful for assessing body burden and to demonstrate past lead exposure in retired workers. Occupational health service practice for lead workers, including the industry-specific group occupational health system, has brought considerable success in the prevention of lead poisoning and in reducing the lead burden in Korean lead workers during the last several decades. The successful achievement of prevention of lead poisoning in Korea was a result of the combined efforts of lead workers, employers, relevant government agencies, and academic institutes.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.3 s.39
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• pp.287-302
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• 1992

Hemoglobin (Hb), zinc protoporphyrin(ZPP) and blood lead (PbB) levels were determined for 1,851 blood samples collected from healthy urban population to establish reliable baselines for Hb, ZPP and PbB levels by age and sex. ZPP values were analyzed with a hematofluorometer and PbB determinations were concurrently carried out using flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The blood sampling period was about 6 months from May, 1991 and the summarized results were as follows ; 1. The mean value of Hb in male and female were $14.55{\pm}1.81g/dl$ and $12.61{\pm}1.18g/dl$ respectively and there was statistically significant difference(p<0.05). 2. The mean value of ZPP in pre-schoolchildren was $37.49{\pm}13.31{\mu}g/dl$ for male, $35.77{\pm}11.85{\mu}g/dl$ for female and that of ZPP in after 7 years groups was $31.91{\pm}8.23{\mu}g/dl$ for male, $30.11{\pm}9.11{\mu}g/dl$ for female and there was statistically significant difference(p<0.05). 3. The mean value of PbB in pre-schoolchildren was $25.10{\pm}5.21{\mu}g/dl$ for male, $24.45{\pm}4.18{\mu}g/dl$ for female and that of PbB in after 7 years groups was $24.28{\pm}3.00{\mu}g/dl$ for male, $21.99{\pm}5.05{\mu}g/dl$ for female and there was statistically significant difference(p<0.05).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2022

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors have received considerable attention regarding their involvement in glutamate-induced neuronal excitotoxicity. Resveratrol has been shown to exhibit neuroprotective effects against this kind of overactivation, but the underlying cellular mechanisms are not yet clearly understood. In this study, HT-22 neuronal cells were treated with NMDA in Mg²⁺-free buffer and subsequently used as an experimental model of glutamate excitotoxicity to elucidate the mechanisms of resveratrol-induced neuroprotection. We found that NMDA treatment causes a drop in MTT reduction ability, disrupts inside-negative transmembrane potential of mitochondria, depletes cellular ATP levels, and stimulates intracellular ROS production. Double fluorescence imaging studies demonstrated an increased formation of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pores accompanied by apoptotic cell death, while cobalt protoporphyrin and bilirubin showed protective effects against NMDA-induced mitochondrial injury. On the other hand, zinc protoporphyrin IX significantly attenuated the protective effects of resveratrol which was itself shown to enhance heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA and protein expression levels. In cells transfected with HO-1 small interfering RNA, resveratrol failed to suppress the NMDA-induced effects on MTT reduction ability and MPT pore formation. The present study suggests that resveratrol may prevent mitochondrial injury in NMDA- treated HT-22 cells and that enhanced expression of HO-1 is involved in the underlying cellular mechanism.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.512-514
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• 2002

S-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a new kind drug used in photodynamic therapy. ALA-PDT have successfully used in superficial malignancies and some skin diseases. Here the effects of ALA-PDT were studied on leukemia cells and hepatoma cells to explore the application on different kind cancers. It was found from the fluorescence emission spectra, that after ALA incubation the sensitizer - protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) was endogenously produced in both leukemia and hepatoma cells. The fluorescence images showed that the PpIX distribute in cytoplasm. However the efficiency of ALA photodynamic inactivation to two cell lines was different. The leukemia cells were more sensitive for ALA-PDT than hepatoma cells, revealing that the ALA-PDT effect is cell line dependent. However by using ALA-Hexyl ester (He-ALA) instead of ALA, the cell photo-inactivation was improved. The PDT efficiency of He-ALA was 10 times high than that of ALA, showing He-ALA is a very promising drug in ALA-PDT.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2001

Previous studies indicate that B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen oxidase is poorly inhibited by diphenyl ether herbicides. To better understand the basis of this insensitivity, the enzyme was overexpressed as a soluble protein in E. coli, purified and characterized. The mechanism of oxidation of B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen IX was studied and the enzyme kinetic parameters were determined for protoporpyrinogen IX; $K_m$, and $k_{cat}$ were $6.3\;{\mu}M$ and $0.028\;h-^1$, respectively. The enzyme required flavin adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor and its activity was enhanced by 1 mM n-octylglucopyranoside. The nonenzymatic oxidation rate was dependent on the concentration of protoporphyrinogen IX, suggesting that the reaction involves a pre-equilibrium step followed by a rate-limiting step.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.137-140
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• 1996

The inhibition of chlorophyll formation in cucumber cotyledons by N-phenyl oxadiazolidinedione derivatives Ia-u showed similar trend as their herbicidal activities. In case of oxadiazolidinedione Iq, with a propargyloxy substituent, both the highest herbicidal activity and inhibitory action(pI$_{50}$ = 6.37) were observed. The accumulation of protoporphyrin IX and cellular electrolyte leakage by oxadiazolidinedione Ia, Ik and Iq were well correlated with their inhibition of chlorophyll biosynthesis. These results suggest that the herbicidal activity of oxadiazolidine Ia-u is originated from the inhibition of chlorophyll biosynthesis.