• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 2008

Thiol-dependent redox systems are involved in regulation of diverse biological processes, such as response to stress, signal transduction, and protein folding. The thiol-based redox control is provided by mechanistically similar, but structurally distinct families of enzymes known as thiol oxidoreductases. Many such enzymes have been characterized, but identities and functions of the entire sets of thiol oxidoreductases in organisms are not known. Extreme sequence and structural divergence makes identification of these proteins difficult. Thiol oxidoreductases contain a redox-active cysteine residue, or its functional analog selenocysteine, in their active sites. Here, we describe computational methods for in silico prediction of thiol oxidoreductases in nucleotide and protein sequence databases and identification of their redox-active cysteines. We discuss different functional categories of cysteine residues, describe methods for discrimination between catalytic and noncatalytic and between redox and non-redox cysteine residues and highlight unique properties of the redox-active cysteines based on evolutionary conservation, secondary and three-dimensional structures, and sporadic replacement of cysteines with catalytically superior selenocysteine residues.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2001

Thioredoxin (Trx) is a redox protein possessing conserved sequence Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys in ail organisms. Trx acts as an electron donor of many proteins including thioredoxin peroxidase (TPx). Yeast Trx 2 has two redox active cysteine residues at positions 31 and 34. To investigate the redox activity of each cysteine, we generated mutants C31S, C34S, and C31S/C34S using site directed mutagenesis and examined the redox activity of Trx variants as an electron donor for yeast TPx enzymes. None of the three Cysmutated Trx proteins was active as a redox protein in the 5', 5'-dithiobis-(2-dinitrobenzoic acid) reduction under the condition of the presence of NADPH and thioredoxin reductase, and in the thioredoxin dependent peroxidase activity of yeast TPx II. C34S enhanced the glutamine synthetase protection activity of yeast TPx I, even though 100 times more protein was needed to exhibit the same activity to WT. The formation of a mixed disulfide intermediate between Trx and TPx II subunits was analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The mixed dieter form of TPx II was found only for C34S. These results suggest that Cys-31 more effectively acts as an electron donor for TPx enzymes.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.550-554
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• 2005

YKR049C is a mitochondrial protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is conserved among yeast species, including Candida albicans. However, no biological function for YKR049C has been ascribed based on its primary sequence information. In the present study, NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the putative biological function of YKR049C based on its solution structure. YKR049C shows a well-defined thioredoxin fold with a unique insertion of helices between two $\beta$-strands. The central $\beta$-sheet divides the protein into two parts; a unique face and a conserved face. The 'unique face' is located between ${\beta}2$ and ${\beta}3$. Interestingly, the sequences most conserved among YKR049C families are found on this 'unique face', which incorporates L109 to E114. The side chains of these conserved residues interact with residues on the helical region with a stretch of hydrophobic surface. A putative active site composed by two short helices and a single Cys97 was also well observed. Our findings suggest that YKR049C is a redox protein with a thioredoxin fold containing a single active cysteine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.62-72
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• 2001

The N-carbamoyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolase (D-carbamoylase) gene (dcb) from Agrobacterium tumefaciens AM 10 has been successfully cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Expression of D-carbamoylase gene under the 17 promoter in different host strains showed that the optimal expression was achieved in E. coli JM109 (DE3) with a 9-fold increase in enzyme production compared to the wild-type strain. The co-expression of the GroEL/ES protein with D-carbamoylase protein caused an in vivo solubilization of D-carbamoylase in an active form. The synergistic effect of GroEL/ES at 28$^{\circ}C$ led to 60 ％ solubilization of the total expressed target protein with a 6.2-fold increase in enzyme activity in comparison to that expressed without GroEL/ES and 43-fold increase in enzyme activity compared to A. tumefaciens AM 10. Attempts to express D-carbamoylase in an altered redox cytoplasmic milieu did not improve the enzyme production in an active form. The Histidyl-tagged D-carbamoylase was purified in a single step by Nickel-affinity chromatography and was found to have a specific activity of 9.5 U/mg protein.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.13-29
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• 2006

Most redox-active proteins have thiol-bearing cysteine residues that are sensitive to oxidation. Cysteine thiols oxidized to sulfenic acid are generally unstable, either forming a disulfide with a nearby thiol or being further oxidized to a stable sulfinic acid, which have been viewed as an irreversible protein modification. However, recent studies showed that cysteine residues of certain thiol peroxidases (Prxs) undergo reversible oxidation to sulfinic acid and the reduction reaction is catalyzed by sulfiredoxin (Srx1). Specific Cys residues of various other proteins are also oxidized to sulfinic acid ($Cys-So_2H$). Srxl is considered one of the oxidant proteins with a role in signaling through catalytic reduction of oxidative modification like in the reduction of glutathionylation, a post-translational, oxidative modification that occurs on numerous proteins. In this study, the role of sulfiredoxin in cellular processes, was investigated by studying its interaction with other proteins. Through the yeast two-hybrid system (Y2HS) technique, we have found that Ams1 is a potential and novel interacting protein partner of Srxl. $\alpha$-mannosidase (Ams1) is a resident vacuolar hydrolase which aids in recycling macromolecular components of the cell through hydrolysis of terminal, non-reducing $\alpha$-D-mannose residues. It forms an oligomer in the cytoplasm and under nutrient rich condition and is delivered to the vacuole by the Cytoplasm to Vacuole (Cvt) pathway. Aside from the role of Srxl as a catalyst in the reduction of cysteine sulfenic acid groups, it may play a completely new function in the cellular process as indicated by its interaction with Ams1 of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

• Proceedings of the Korea Crystallographic Association Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.18-18
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• 2003

Thioredoxin (Trx) is a small redox protein that is ubiquitously distributed from achaes to human. In diverse organisms, the protein is involved in various physiological roles by acting as electron donor and regulators of transcription and apoptosis as well as antioxidants. Sequences of Trx within various species are 27～69% identical to that of E. coli and all Trx proteins have the same overall fold, which consists of central five β strands surrounded by four α helices. The N-terminal cysteine in WCGPC motif of Trx is redox sensitive and the motif is highly conserved. Compared with general cysteine, the N-terminal cysteine has low pKa value. The result leads to increased reduction activity of protein. Recently, novel thio.edoxin-related protein (TRP14) was found from rat brain. TRP14 acts as disulfide reductase like Trx1, and its redox potential and pKa are similar to those of Trx1. However, TRP14 takes up electrons from cytosolic thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1), not from the mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase (TrxR2). Biological roles of TES14 were reported to be involved in regulating TNF-α induced signaling pathways in different manner with Trx1. In depletion experiments, depletion of TRP14 increased TNF-α induced phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα more than the depletion Trx1 did. It also facilitated activation of JNK and p38 MAP kinase induced by TNF-α. Unlike Trx1, TRP14 shows neither interaction nor interference with ASK1. Here, we determined three-dimensional crystal structure of TRP14 by MAD method at 1.8Å. The structure reveals that the conserved cis-Pro (Pro90) and active site-W-C-X-X-C motif, which may be involved in substrate recognition similar to Trx1 , are located at the beginning position of strand β4 and helix α2, respectively. The TRP14 structure also shows that surface of TRP14 in the vicinity of the active site, which is surrounded by an extended flexible loop and an additional short a helix, is different from that of Trx1. In addition, the structure exhibits that TRP14 interact with a distinct target proteins compared with Trx1 and the binding may depend mainly on hydrophobic and charge interactions. Consequently, the structure supports biological data that the TRP14 is involved in regulating TNF-α induced signaling pathways in different manner with Trx1.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2004

The direct electrochemical studies of four laccases (plant and fungal laccases) have been investigated on a gold electrode functionalized with a new tether of 2.2'-dithiosalicylic aldehyde. Results from these studies indicate that the redox potential of the active site of plant laccase from Rhus vernificera is shifted to a more negative value(255 mV versus SCE) than that of fungal laccase from Pyricularia oryzae (480 mV versus SCE). Mechanistic studies indicate that the reduction of type-1 Cu precedes the reduction of type-2 and type-3 Cu ions when the electrode is poised initially at different potentials. Also a new tether, 2.2'-dithiosalicylic aldehyde, has been used to study the redox properties of two laccases (LCCI and Lccla) covalently attached to a gold electrode. An irreversible peak at 0.47V vs. SCE is observed in the cyclic voltammorams of LCCI. In contrast, the cyclic voltammograms of LCCIa contain a quasi-reversible peak at 0.18V vs. SCE and an irreversible peak at 0.50V vs. SCE. We find that the replacement of the eleven amino acids a the C-terminus with a single cysteine residue $(i.e., \;LCCI{\rightarrow}LCCIa)$ influences the rate of heterogeneous electron transfer between an electrode and the copper containing active sites $(K_{het}\;for\;LCCI=1.0\times10^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;and\;K_{het}\;for\;LCCI_a= 1.0\;times10^{-1}\;s^{-1}\'at\;0.18V\;versus\;SCE\;and\;4.0\times10^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;at\;0.50V\; versus\;SCE)$. These results show for the first time that the change of the primary structure of a protein via site-directed mutagenesis influences both the redox potentials of the copper ions in the active site and the rate of heterogeneous electron transfer.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2018

Most proteins produced in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of eukaryotic cells fold via disulfide formation (oxidative folding). Oxidative folding is catalyzed by protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and PDI-related ER protein thiol disulfide oxidoreductases (ER oxidoreductases). In yeast and mammals, ER oxidoreductin-1s (ERO1s) supply oxidizing equivalent to the active centers of PDI. We previously identified and characterized the ERO1 of Bombyx mori (bERO1) as a thioredoxin-like protein that shares primary sequence homology with other ERO1s. Here we compare the reactivation of inactivated rRNase and sRNase by bERO1, and show that bERO1 and bPDI cooperatively refold denatured RNase A. This is the first result suggesting that bERO1 plays an essential role in ER quality control through the combined activities of bERO1 and bPDI as a catalyst of protein folding in the ER and sustaining cellular redox homeostasis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.139-148
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• 2009

Cell death has been traditionally classified in apoptosis and necrosis. Apoptosis, known as programmed cell death, is an active form of cell death mechanism that is tightly regulated by multiple cellular signaling pathways and requires ATP for its appropriate process. Apoptotic death plays essential roles for successful development and maintenance of normal cellular homeostasis in mammalian. In contrast to apoptosis, necrosis is classically considered as a passive cell death process that occurs rather by accident in disastrous conditions, is not required for energy and eventually induces inflammation. Regardless of different characteristics between apoptosis and necrosis, it has been well defined that both are responsible for a wide range of human diseases. Glycogen storage disease type I (GSD-I) is a kind of human genetic disorders and is caused by the deficiency of a microsomal protein, glucose-6-phosphatase-${\alpha}$ ($G6Pase-{\alpha}$) or glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT) responsible for glucose homeostasis, leading to GSD-Ia or GSD-Ib, respectively. This review summarizes cell deaths in GSD-I and mostly focuses on current knowledge of the neutrophil apoptosis in GSD-Ib based upon ER stress and redox signaling.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.118-122
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• 2006

In this report, we describe that the use of GroEL/GroES-enriched S30 extract remarkably enhances the solubility and enzymatic activity of cell-free synthesized rPA, which requires the correct formation of 9 disulfide bonds for its biological activity. We found that the stable maintenance of redox potential is necessary, but not sufficient for the optimal expression of active rPA. In a control reaction without using additional molecular chaperones, most of the rPA molecules were aggregated almost instantly after their expression and thus failed to exhibit the enzymatic activity. However, by the use of GroEL/GroES-enriched extract, combined with IAM-treatment, approximately $30{\mu}g/ml$ of active rPA was expressed in the cell-free synthesis reaction. This result not only demonstrates the efficient production of complex proteins, but also shows the control and flexibility offered by the cell-free protein synthesis system.