• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 1995

Thioredoxin is a small redox protein with an active-site disulfide/dithiol, and is ubiquitous in bacteria, plants, and animals. To investigate the structure-function relationship of thioredoxin, the genes encoding Escherichia coli thioredoxin and Corynebacterium nephridii thioredoxin C3 were fused via a common restriction site in the nucleotide sequence coding for the active site of the proteins to generate two chimeric thioredoxins, designated E-C3(N to C-terminal) and C3-E. The hybrid thioredoxin genes were put under the T7 promoter and their productions were confirmed. The two hybrid thioredoxins complemented phenotypes of a thioredoxin-deficient E. coli strain. A strain containing the C3-E hybrid thioredoxin supported growth of the T7 phage, whereas a strain expressing the E-C3 hybrid thioredoxin did not. However, both hybrids supported growth of M13 phages. The two hybrid thioredoxins were also characterized in other aspects. Differences in activity between the hybrid thioredoxins were attributed to altered interactions of the N- and C-terminal domains of the molecule, which produced changes in the three-dimensional structure of the active site region.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2006

Native grass carp (Ctenopharygodon idellus) growth hormone, has 5 cysteine amino acid residues, forms two disulphide bridges in its mature form. Recombinant grass carp growth hormone, when over-expressed in E. coli, forms inclusion bodies. In vitro oxidative renaturation of guanidine-hydrochloride dissolved recombinant grass carp growth hormone was achieved by sequential dilution and stepwise dialysis at pH 8.5. The redox potential of the refolding cocktail was maintained by glutathione disulphide/glutathione couple. The oxidative refolded protein is heterogeneous, and contains multimers, oligomers and monomers. The presence of non-disulphide-bond-forming cysteine in recombinant grass carp growth hormone enhances intermolecular disulphide bond formation and also non-native intramolecular disulphide bond formation during protein folding. The non-disulphide-bond-forming cysteine was converted to serine by PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis. The resulting 4-cysteine grass carp growth hormone has improved in vitro oxidative refolding properties when studied by gel filtration and reverse phase chromatography. The refolded 4-cysteine form has less hydrophobic aggregate and has only one monomeric isoform. Both refolded 4-cysteine and 5-cystiene forms are active in radioreceptor binding assay.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.91-91
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• 2013

Imagine a world where we could biomanufacture hybrid nanomaterials having atomic-scale resolution over functionality and architecture. Toward this vision, a fundamental challenge in materials science is how to design and synthesize protein-like material that can be fully self-assembled and exhibit information-specific process. In an ongoing effort to extend the fundamental understanding of protein structure to non-natural systems, we have designed a class of short peptides to fold like proteins and assemble into defined nanostructures. In this talk, I will talk about new strategies to drive the self-assembled structures designing sequence of peptide. I will also discuss about the specific interaction between proteins and inorganics that can be used for the development of new hybrid solar energy devices. Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen is one of the promising pathways for solar to energy convertsion and storage system. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has been regarded as a major bottleneck in the overall water splitting process due to the slow transfer rate of four electrons and the high activation energy barrier for O-O bond formation. In nature, there is a water oxidation complex (WOC) in photosystem II (PSII) comprised of the earthabundant elements Mn and Ca. The WOC in photosystem II, in the form of a cubical CaMn4O5 cluster, efficiently catalyzes water oxidation under neutral conditions with extremely low overpotential (~160 mV) and a high TOF number. The cluster is stabilized by a surrounding redox-active peptide ligand, and undergo successive changes in oxidation state by PCET (proton-coupled electron transfer) reaction with the peptide ligand. It is fundamental challenge to achieve a level of structural complexity and functionality that rivals that seen in the cubane Mn4CaO5 cluster and surrounding peptide in nature. In this presentation, I will present a new strategy to mimic the natural photosystem. The approach is based on the atomically defined assembly based on the short redox-active peptide sequences. Additionally, I will show a newly identified manganese based compound that is very close to manganese clusters in photosystem II.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 1973

Azotobacter vinelandii cell extracts and its variety of purified fractions with regard to their ability to form the redox state of the Shethna Flavoprotein (free radical form FPH.) were studied. A fluorescent flavoprotein (protein I) and a brown protein (protein II) were the most active proteins which were isolated in purified form. The free radical formation activity was substantially decreased during the purification and was completely lost upon storage in a week under nitrogen in a frozenstate. The presence of free flavin (FMN) with NADH enhanced the rate of free radical formation. The reaction of FMN and NADH was found to be catalysed by various cell fractions. A possible role of FMN as a substrate for free radical shethna flavoprotein was investigated. Slower reaction rate of $FMNH_2+Flavoprotein\;(FP){\to}FPH+FMN$ than $FMN+NADH{\to}FMNH_2$, accumulation of $FMNH_2$ ocurred which subsquently caused FPH.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.316-322
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• 2007

Glutaredoxins (Grxs), also known as thioltransferases (TTases), are thiol oxidoreductases that regulate cellular redox state in a variety of organisms. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Grx1 and 2 are cytosolic dithiol Grxs, while Grx3, 4 and 5 are monothiol Grxs. A gene encoding a new monothiol Grx, Grx6, was cloned from the genomic DNA of S. cerevisiae by PCR. Its DNA sequence contains 1,080 bp, and encodes a putative protein of 203 amino acid residues containing Cys-Phe-Tyr-Ser at the active site. Grx6 is similar to other monothiol Grxs in the same organism and to Grx3 in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. and its predicted three-dimensional structure resembles that of S. pombe Grx3. S. pombe cells harboring plasmid pFGRX6 containing the Grx6 gene had about 1.3-fold elevated Grx activity in the exponential phase, and grew better than the control cells under some stressful conditions. Synthesis of ${\beta}$-galactosidase from a Grx6-lacZ fusion gene in S. pombe was enhanced by potassium chloride, aluminum chloride and heat ($37^{\circ}C$) treatment. S. pombe cells harboring plasmid pFGRX6 had elevated ROS levels whereas S. pombe cells harboring extra copies of Grx3 had reduced ROS levels.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.474-480
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• 2005

Curcumin, a major active component of turmeric, has been identified as an inhibitor of the transcriptional activity of activator protein-1 (AP-1). Recently, it was also found that curcumin and synthetic curcumin derivatives can inhibit the binding of Jun-Fos, which are the members of the AP-1 family, to DNA. However, the mechanism of this inhibition by curcumin and its derivatives was not disclosed. Since the binding of Jun-Fos dimer to DNA can be modulated by redox control involving conserved cysteine residues, we studied whether curcumin and its derivatives inhibit Jun-Fos DNA binding activity via these residues. However, the inhibitory mechanism of curcumin and its derivatives, unlike that of other Jun-Fos inhibitors, was found to be independent of these conserved cysteine residues. In addition, we investigated whether curcumin derivatives can inhibit AP-1 transcriptional activity in vivo using a luciferase assay. We found that, among the curcumin derivatives examined, only inhibitors shown to inhibit the binding of Jun-Fos to DNA by Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) inhibited AP-1 transcriptional activity in vivo. Moreover, RT-PCR revealed that curcumin derivatives, like curcumin, downregulated c-jun mRNA in JB6 cells. These results suggest that the suppression of the formation of DNA-Jun-Fos complex is the main cause of reduced AP-1 transcriptional activity by curcuminoids, and that EMSA is a suitable tool for identifying inhibitors of transcriptional activation.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2006

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are ubiquitously distributed and play important functions in diverse cellular signaling systems. The proteins are largely classified into three groups, such as typical 2-Cys Prx, atypical 2-Cys Prx, and 1-Cys Prx, that are distinguished by their catalytic mechanisms and number of Cys residues. From the three classes of Prxs, the typical 2-Cys Prx containing the two-conserved Cys residues at its N-terminus and C-terminus catalyzes $H_2O_2$ with the use of thioredoxin (Trx) as an electron donor. During the catalytic cycle, the N-terminal Cys residue undergoes a peroxide-dependent oxidation to sulfenic acid, which can be further oxidized to sulfinic acid at the presence of high concentrations of $H_2O_2$ and a Trx system containing Trx, Trx reductase, and NADPH. The sulfinic acid form of 2-Cys Prx is reduced by the action of sulfiredoxin which requires ATP as an energy source. Under the strong oxidative or heat shock stress conditions, 2-Cys Prx in eukaryotes rapidly switches its protein structure from low-molecular-weight species to high-molecular-weight protein structures. In accordance with its structural changes, the protein concomitantly triggers functional switching from a peroxidase to a molecular chaperone, which can protect its substrate denaturation from external stress. In addition to its N-terminal active site, the C-terminal domain including 'YF-motif' of 2-Cys Prx plays a critical role in the structural changes. Therefore, the C-terminal truncated 2-Cys Prxs are not able to regulate their protein structures and highly resistant to $H_2O_2$-dependent hyperoxidation, suggesting that the reaction is guided by the peroxidatic Cys residue. Based on the results, it may be concluded that the peroxidatic Cys of 2-Cys Prx acts as an '$H_2O_2$-sensor' in the cells. The oxidative stress-dependent regulation of 2-Cys Prx provides a means of defense systems in cells to adapt stress conditions by activating intracellular defense signaling pathways. Particularly, 2-Cys Prxs in plants are localized in chloroplasts with a dynamic protein structure. The protein undergoes conformational changes again oxidative stress. Depending on a redox-potential of the chloroplasts, the plant 2-Cys Prx forms super-molecular weight protein structures, which attach to the thylakoid membranes in a reversible manner.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.7-18
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• 2015

Objectives: Lawsone (1,4 naphthoquinone) is a non redox cycling compound that can be catalyzed by DT diaphorase (DTD) into 1,2,4-trihydroxynaphthalene (THN), which can generate reactive oxygen species by auto oxidation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the phytomarker 1,4 naphthoquinone and its metabolite THN by using the molecular docking program AutoDock 4. Methods: The 3D structure of ligands such as hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH) were drawn using hyperchem drawing tools and minimizing the energy of all pdb files with the help of hyperchem by $MM^+$ followed by a semi-empirical (PM3) method. The docking process was studied with ligand molecules to identify suitable dockings at protein binding sites through annealing and genetic simulation algorithms. The program auto dock tools (ADT) was released as an extension suite to the python molecular viewer used to prepare proteins and ligands. Grids centered on active sites were obtained with spacings of $54{\times}55{\times}56$, and a grid spacing of 0.503 was calculated. Comparisons of Global and Local Search Methods in Drug Docking were adopted to determine parameters; a maximum number of 250,000 energy evaluations, a maximum number of generations of 27,000, and mutation and crossover rates of 0.02 and 0.8 were used. The number of docking runs was set to 10. Results: Lawsone and THN can be considered to efficiently bind with NOS, CAT, GSH, GR, G6PDH and NADPH, which has been confirmed through hydrogen bond affinity with the respective amino acids. Conclusion: Naphthoquinone derivatives of lawsone, which can be metabolized into THN by a catalyst DTD, were examined. Lawsone and THN were found to be identically potent molecules for their affinities for selected proteins.