• Molecules and Cells
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.385-391
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• 2005

As a first step towards identifying genes involving in the signal transduction pathways mediating rice blast resistance, we isolated 3 mutants lines that showed enhanced susceptibility to rice blast KJ105 (91-033) from a T-DNA insertion library of the japonica rice cultivar, Hwayeong. Since none of the susceptible phenotypes co-segregated with the T-DNA insertion we adapted a map-based cloning strategy to isolate the gene(s) responsible for the enhanced susceptibility of the Hwayeong mutants. A genetic mapping population was produced by crossing the resistant wild type Hwayeong with the susceptible cultivar, Nagdong. Chi-square analysis of the $F_2$ segregating population indicated that resistance in Hwayeong was controlled by a single major gene that we tentatively named Pi-hy. Randomly selected susceptible plants in the $F_2$ population were used to build an initial map of Pi-hy. The SSLP marker RM2265 on chromosome 2 was closely linked to resistance. High resolution mapping using 105 $F_2$ plants revealed that the resistance gene was tightly linked, or identical, to Pib, a resistance gene with a nucleotide binding sequence and leucine-rich repeats (NB-LRR) previously isolated. Sequence analysis of the Pib locus amplified from three susceptible mutants revealed lesions within this gene, demonstrating that the Pi-hy gene is Pib. The Pib mutations in 1D-22-10-13, 1D-54-16-8, and 1C-143-16-1 were, respectively, a missense mutation in the conserved NB domain 3, a nonsense mutation in the 5th LRR, and a nonsense mutation in the C terminus following the LRRs that causes a small deletion of the C terminus. These findings provide evidence that NB domain 3 and the C terminus are required for full activity of the plant R gene. They also suggest that alterations of the resistance gene can cause major differences in pathogen specificity by affecting interactions with an avirulence factor.

• 한국결정학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.127-131
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• 1997

Ag+ 이온과 Ca2+ 이온으로 교환하고 진공 탈수한 제올라이트 A에 브롬을 흡착한 결정 구조(a=12.234(1) Å)를 입방공간군 Pm3m을 사용하여 단결정 X-선 회절법으로 구조를 해석하였다. 결정은 AgNo3와 Ca(No3)2의 몰 비를 1:150으로 하고 농도를 0.05M으로 한 혼합용액을 사용하여 흐름법으로 3일간 이온 교환하였다. 그 결정을 360℃에서 2 ×10-6 Torr하에서 2일간 진공 탈수한 다음 약 180 Torr의 브롬 기체로 24℃에서 20분간 처리하였다. 이 결정 구조는 Full-matrix 최소자승법 정밀화 계산에서 I>3o(I)인 반사 90개를 써서 R1=0.111, R2=0.101까지 얻었다. 이 구조에서 3.1개의 Ag+이온과 4.45개의 Ca2+ 이온이 6-링 산소와 결합하면서 두개의 서로 다른 3회 회전축 상에 위치하고 있었고 단위 세포당 총 여섯 분자의 브롬이 흡착되었다. 각 브롬 분자는 골격 구조의 산소 이온과 전하 이동 작용에 의해 결합하고 있었다(Br-Br-O=171(2), O-Br=3.25(6) Å; Br-Br=2.61(8) Å.

• 멤브레인
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.352-359
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• 2013

본 연구에서는 친수성 NaY 제올라이트 분리막의 단일기체, 이성분계 및 삼성분계 혼합기체에서의 $CO_2$ 투과거동에 대하여 고찰하였다. 분리막을 통한 $CO_2$ 투과는 표면확산에 의해 지배되며 $CO_2$ 분리는 흡착된 $CO_2$ 분자에 의한 blocking 효과에 의해 나타남을 재확인하였다. 진공모드에서 얻어진 $CO_2$ 투과도는 He sweeping 모드에서 얻어진 값보다 작았지만 가압모드에서 얻어진 $CO_2$ 투과도 값과 유사하였다. 특히, NaY 제올라이트 분리막은 실제 연소배가스 조건과 유사한 $14%CO_2-80%N_2-6%O_2$ 모델기체에 대하여 진공모드에서 $CO_2$ 투과도 약 $1{\times}10^{-7}mol/m^2secPa$, $CO_2$ 선택도 10 이상의 우수한 분리성능을 보였다. 따라서, NaY 제올라이트 분리막은 연소후 이산화탄소 회수용 분리막으로 응용 가능성 있는 소재임을 확인하였다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.1-13
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• 2015

Recent technical developments have transformed how neuroscientists can probe brain function. What was once thought to be difficult and perhaps impossible, stimulating a single set of long range inputs among many, is now relatively straight-forward using optogenetic approaches. This has provided an avalanche of data demonstrating causal roles for circuits in a variety of behaviors. However, despite the critical role that neuropeptide signaling plays in the regulation of behavior and physiology of the brain, there have been remarkably few studies demonstrating how peptide release is causally linked to behaviors. This is likely due to both the different time scale by which peptides act on and the modulatory nature of their actions. For example, while glutamate release can effectively transmit information between synapses in milliseconds, peptide release is potentially slower [See the excellent review by Van Den Pol on the time scales and mechanisms of release (van den Pol, 2012)] and it can only tune the existing signals via modulation. And while there have been some studies exploring mechanisms of release, it is still not as clearly known what is required for efficient peptide release. Furthermore, this analysis could be complicated by the fact that there are multiple peptides released, some of which may act in contrast. Despite these limitations, there are a number of groups making progress in this area. The goal of this review is to explore the role of peptide signaling in one specific structure, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, that has proven to be a fertile ground for peptide action.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.923-929
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• 1995

Four crystal structures of M3-A (M3Na9-xHx-A, M=Rb or K and x=1 or 0), Rb3Na8H-A(a=12.228(1) Å and R1=0.046), Rb3Na9-A (a=12.258(3) Å and R1=0.058), K3Na8H-A (a=12.257(3) Å and R1=0.048) and K3Na9-A (a=12.257(3) Å and R1=0.052), have been determined by single crystal x-ray diffraction technique in the cubic space group Pm3^m at 21 ℃. In all structures, each unit cell contained three M+ ions all located at one crystallographically distinct position on 8-rings. Rb+ ions are 3.12 and 3.21 Å away respectively from O(1) and O(2) oxygens, about 0.40 Å away from the centers of the 8-rings, and K+ ions are 2.87 and 2.81 Å apart from the corresponding oxygens. These distances are the shortest ones among those previously found for the corresoponding ones. Eight 6-rings per unit cell are occupied by eight Na+ ions, each with a distance of 2.31 Å to three O(3) oxygens. The twelfth cation per unit cell is found as Na+ opposite 4-ring in the large cavities of M3Na9-A and assumed to be H+ for M3Na8H-A. With these noble non-framework cationic arrangements, larger M+ ions preferably on all larger 8-rings and the compact Na+ ions on all 6-rings, the bond angles in the 8-rings of M3-A, 145.1 and 161.0 respectively for (Si,Al)-O(1)-(Si,Al) and (Si,Al)-O(2)-(Si,Al), turned out to be remarkably stable and smaller, by more than 12 to 17°, than the corresponding angles found in the crystal structures of zeolites A with high concentration of M+ ions. It is to achieve these remarkably relaxed 8-rings, the main windows for the passage of gas molecules, with simultaneously maximized cavity volumes that M3-A have been selected as one of the efficient zeolite A systems for gas encapsulation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제60권4호
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• pp.550-556
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• 2022

당, 알코올, 유기산 및 아미노산 등과 같은 다양한 유기물에 포함된 화학에너지를 전기에너지로 전환시키는 효소 연료전지의 성능은 anode 뿐만 아니라 cathode에도 큰 영향을 받는다. 본 연구의 목적은 laccase 기반의 고성능 cathode 전극을 개발하는데 있다. 효소, 전자전달체 및 탄소나노튜브로 구성된 효소 복합체를 제조하고 이를 전극 표면에 다층으로 부착하며 층수 및 탄소나노튜브의 첨가 유무가 전극 성능에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 전극 표면에 효소-전자전달체(Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl))의 층수가 증가할수록 전극에서 발생되는 환원 전류량이 증가하였다. 탄소나노튜브가 첨가된 효소-전자전달체 복합체 전극(Lac-SWCNTs-(PVI-Os-dCl))이 Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl) 전극에 비하여 1.7배 많은 환원 전류를 생성하였다. Lac-SWCNTs-(PVI-Os-dCl)과 Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl)의 비율을 변화시키며 적층한 전극들에서 2층의 Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl)과 2층의 Lac-SWCNTs-(PVI-Os-dCl)으로 구성된 전극이 가장 많은 양의 환원 전류(10.1±0.1 µA)를 생성하였다. 단일 층의 Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl)로 구성된 cathode를 사용하는 셀과 최적화된 cathode를 사용하는 셀의 최대 생산 전력밀도는 각각 0.46±0.05와 1.23±0.04 µW/cm²였다. 본 연구 결과는 전극 표면에 laccase, 전자전달체 및 탄소나노튜브로 구성된 복합체의 적층 최적화를 통해 cathode 및 이를 이용하는 효소 연료전지의 성능을 향상시킬 수 있음을 시사한다.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.27-37
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• 2023

Objectives: Moroccan Arbutus unedo is an essential medicinal plant; however, little is known about the biological properties of its leaves mentioned in Moroccan traditional medicine. Methods: Various standard experiments were performed to evaluate the phytochemical, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antibacterial, and acute and sub-chronic toxicity characteristics of A. unedo leaves. Results: Phytochemical screening led to the identification of several phytochemical classes, including tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and anthraquinones, with high concentrations of polyphenols (31.83 ± 0.29 mg GAEs/g extract) and flavonoids (16.66 ± 1.47 mg REs/g extract). Further, the mineral analysis revealed high levels of calcium and potassium. A. unedo extract demonstrated significant antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities by inhibiting α-amylase (1.350 ± 0.32 g/mL) and α-glucosidase (0.099 ± 1.21 g/mL) compared to the reference drug Acarbose. Also, the methanolic extract of the plant exhibited significantly higher antibacterial activity than the aqueous extract. Precisely, three of the four examined bacterial strains exhibited substantial susceptibility to the methanolic extract . Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)/minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values indicated that A. unedo harbor abundant bactericidal compounds. For toxicological studies, mice were administered with A. unedo aqueous extract at single doses of 2,000 and 5,000 mg/kg. They did not exhibit significant abnormal behavior, toxic symptoms, or death during the 14-day acute toxicity test and the 90-day sub-chronic toxicity test periods. The general behavior, body weight, and hematological and biochemical status of the rats were assessed, revealing no toxicological symptoms or clinically significant changes in biological markers observed in the mice models, except hypoglycemia, after 90 days of daily dose administration. Conclusion: The study highlighted several biological advantages of A. unedo leaves without toxic effects in short-term application. Our findings suggest that conducting more comprehensive and extensive in vivo investigations is of utmost importance to identify molecules that can be formulated into pharmaceuticals in the future.

• 멤브레인
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.447-453
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• 2023

컴퓨터 시스템의 성능 및 다양한 전산모사 프로그램의 발전으로 더 복잡한 원소로 이루어진 화학시스템의 해석이 가능해지고, 그에 따라 분자동역학 전사모사를 활용한 연구가 활발히 이루어지고 있다. 특히, 기존에는 실험위주로 진행되던 고분자 막에 대한 기체 투과 특성을 계산하는 연구가 관심을 받고 있고, 식품포장, 의약품등에 사용되고 있는 기체차단성 막에 대한 분자동역학 연구가 많이 이루어지고 있다. 최근 실크 피브로인을 이용해 코팅막을 만들었을 때 기체 차단 효과가 나타난다는 보고가 있었고, 본 연구에서는 이러한 실크 피브로인을 활용해 복합막을 만들었을 때 산소 차단 효과가 나타나는지 확인하고자 분자동역학 전산모사를 이용해 연구를 진행하였다. 단일 모델을 제작하고 기체 투과 특성을 계산하고 실험값과 비교를 통해 모델이 실제 실험 결과를 반영하는 것을 확인하였고, 실제 복합막 모델을 만들어 고분자 내에서 기체 이동경로 분석을 진행한 결과 산소 분자가 피브로인 영역을 통과하지 못하고 막히는 것을 보여주었다. 따라서, 실크 피브로인이 도입된 복합막이 산소 차단 성능이 우수하여, 식품포장 등에 유용할 것으로 기대된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제46권9호
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• pp.545-557
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• 2023

Sphingomyelinase (SMase) catalyzes ceramide production from sphingomyelin. Ceramides are critical in cellular responses such as apoptosis. They enhance mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) through self-assembly in the mitochondrial outer membrane to form channels that release cytochrome c from intermembrane space (IMS) into the cytosol, triggering caspase-9 activation. However, the SMase involved in MOMP is yet to be identified. Here, we identified a mitochondrial Mg²⁺-independent SMase (mt-iSMase) from rat brain, which was purified 6,130-fold using a Percoll gradient, pulled down with biotinylated sphingomyelin, and subjected to Mono Q anion exchange. A single peak of mt-iSMase activity was eluted at a molecular mass of approximately 65 kDa using Superose 6 gel filtration. The purified enzyme showed optimal activity at pH of 6.5 and was inhibited by dithiothreitol and Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Fe³⁺ ions. It was also inhibited by GW4869, which is a non-competitive inhibitor of Mg²⁺-dependent neutral SMase 2 (encoded by SMPD3), that protects against cytochrome c release-mediated cell death. Subfractionation experiments showed that mt-iSMase localizes in the IMS of the mitochondria, implying that mt-iSMase may play a critical role in generating ceramides for MOMP, cytochrome c release, and apoptosis. These data suggest that the purified enzyme in this study is a novel SMase.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.40.1-40.24
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• 2022

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are attractive alternatives to conventional anti-asthmatic drugs for severe asthma. Mechanisms underlying the anti-asthmatic effects of MSCs have not yet been elucidated. This study evaluated the anti-asthmatic effects of intravenously administered MSCs, focusing on macrophages and monocytes. Seven-week-old transgenic (Tg) mice with lung-specific overexpression of IL-13 were used to simulate chronic asthma. MSCs were intravenously administered four days before sampling. We examined changes in immune cell subpopulations, gene expression, and histological phenotypes. IL-13 Tg mice exhibited diverse features of chronic asthma, including severe type 2 inflammation, airway fibrosis, and mucus metaplasia. Intravenous administration of MSCs attenuated these asthmatic features just four days after a single treatment. MSC treatment significantly reduced SiglecF^-CD11c^-CD11b⁺ monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMs) and inhibited the polarization of MoMs into M2 macrophages, especially M2a and M2c. Furthermore, MSCs downregulated the excessive accumulation of Ly6c^- monocytes in the lungs. While an intravenous adoptive transfer of Ly6c^- monocytes promoted the infiltration of MoM and Th2 inflammation, that of MSC-exposed Ly6c^- monocytes did not. Ex vivo Ly6c^- MoMs upregulated M2-related genes, which were reduced by MSC treatment. Molecules secreted by Ly6c^- MoMs from IL-13 Tg mice lungs upregulated the expression of fibrosis-related genes in fibroblasts, which were also suppressed by MSC treatment. In conclusion, intravenously administered MSCs attenuate asthma phenotypes of chronic asthma by modulating macrophages. Identifying M2 macrophage subtypes revealed that exposure to MSCs transforms the phenotype and function of macrophages. We suggest that Ly6c^- monocytes could be a therapeutic target for asthma management.