• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.223-227
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• 2005

We have identified TMPRSS6, a novel type 2 transmembrane serine protease. TMPRSS6 possesses all the signature motifs of the family of transmembrane serine proteases (TMPRSSs), including a transmembrane domain, an LDL receptor class A (LDLRA) domain, a scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domain, and a serine protease domain. The substrate specificity of TMPRSS6 is slightly different from those of other TMPRSS family members. Combined with the finding that TMPRSS6 is expressed strongly in the thyroid and weakly in the trachea, this may indicate that TMPRSS6 has a specialized role.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.1120-1126
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• 2013

The syndecan family consists of four transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans present in most cell types and each syndecan shares a common structure containing a heparan sulfate modified extracellular domain, a single transmembrane domain and a C-terminal cytoplasmic domain. To get a better understanding of the mechanism and function of syndecan-4 which is one of the syndecan family, it is crucial to investigate its three-dimensional structure. Unfortunately, it is difficult to prepare the peptide because it is membrane-bound protein that transverses the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. Here, we optimize the expression, purification, and characterization of transmembrane, cytoplasmic and short extracellular domains of syndecan4 (syndecan-4 eTC). Syndecan-4 eTC was successfully obtained with high purity and yield from the M9 medium. The structural information of syndecan-4 eTC was investigated by MALDI-TOF mass (MS) spectrometry, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It was confirmed that syndecan-4 eTC had an ${\alpha}$-helical multimeric structure like transmembrane domain of syndecan-4 (syndecan-4 TM) in membrane environments.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.196-200
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• 1998

Zeins, maize storage proteins, are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during the subcellular targeting process without the ER retention signal. Circumstantial data indicate that the 27K zein is an ER transmembrane protein. The potential transmembrane domain may permit the 27K zein to remain in the ER. This study investigated the potential transmembrane feature by employing alkaline extraction, proteinase K digestion, and surface biotinylation on isolated intact protein bodies. These assays consistently support the possibility of the 27K zein as a transmembrane protein. The 27K zein polypeptide was shown to be associated with alkali-stripped membranes. The polypeptide was digested by proteinase K to a smaller fragment. According to surface biotinylation, the 27K zeins was labeled to the exclusion of other classes of zeins. This study, therefore, concludes that the 27K zein has an ER transmembrane domain, which may serve as an anchor for zeins' ER retention.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.367-372
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• 2017

Monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (MGAT) is a microsomal enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of diacylglycerol (DAG) and triacylglycerol (TAG). However, the subcellular localization and catalytic function domain of this enzyme is poorly understood. In this report, we identified that murine MGAT1 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) under normal conditions, whereas MGAT1 co-localize to the lipid droplets (LD) under conditions of enriching fatty acids, contributing to TAG synthesis and LD expansion. For the enzyme activity, both the N-terminal transmembrane domain and catalytic HPHG motif are required. We also show that the transmembrane domain of MGAT1 consists of two hydrophobic regions in the N-terminus, and the consensus sequence FLXLXXXn, a putative neutral lipid-binding domain, exists in the first transmembrane domain. Finally, MGAT1 interacts with DGAT2, which serves to synergistically increase the TAG biosynthesis and LD expansion, leading to enhancement of lipid accumulation in the liver and fat.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.407-409
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• 2000

Outer envelope membrane proteins of chloroplasts encoded by the nuclear genome are transported without the N-terminal transit peptide. Here, we investigated the targeting mechanism of AtOEP7, an Arabidopsis homolog of small outer envelope membrane proteins in vivo. AtOEP7 was expressed transiently in protoplasts or stably in transgenic plants as fusion proteins with GFP. In both cases AtOEP7:GFP was targeted to the outer envelope membrane when assayed under a fluorescent microscope or by Western blot analysis. Except the transmembrane domain, deletions of the N- or C-terminal regions of AtOEP7 did not affect targeting although a region closed to the C-terminal side of the transmembrane domain affected the targeting efficiency. Targeting experiments with various hybrid transmembrane mutants revealed that the amino acid sequence of the transmembrane domain determines the targeting specificity The targeting mechanism was further studied using a fusion protein, AtOEP7：NLS：GFP, that had a nuclear localization signal. AtOEP7：NLS：GFP was efficiently targeted to the chloroplast envelope despite the presence of the nuclear localization signal. Taken together, these results suggest that the transmembrane domain of AtOEP7 functions as the sole determinant of targeting specificity and that AtOEP7 may be associated with a cytosolic component during translocation to the chloroplast envelope membrane.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2003

Human CD99 is a ubiquitous 32-kDa transmembrane protein encoded by mic2 gene. Recently it has been reported that expression of a splice variant of CD99 transmembrane protein (Type I and Type II) increases invasive ability of human breast cancer cells. To understand structural basis for cellular functions of CD99 Type II, we have initiated studies on hCD99$\^$TMcytoI/ using circular dichroism (CD) and multi-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. CD spectrum of hCD99$\^$TMytoI/ in the presence of 200mM DPC and CHAPS displayed an existence ${\alpha}$-helical conformation, showing that it could form an ${\alpha}$-helix under membrane environments. In addition, we have found that the cytoplasmic domain of CD99 would form symmetric dimmer in the presence of transmembrane domain. Although it has been rarely figured out the correlation between structure and functional mechanism of hCD99$\^$TMcytoI/, the dimerization or oligomerization would play an important role in its biological function.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.58-62
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• 2014

Human transmembrane proteins (hTMPs) are closely related to transport, channel formation, signaling, cell to cell interaction, so they are the crucial target of modern medicinal drugs. In order to study the structure and function of these hTMPs, it is important to prepare reasonable amounts of proteins. However, their preparation is seriously difficult and time-consuming due to insufficient yields and low solubility of hTMPs. We tried to produce large amounts of Syndecan-4 transmembrane domain (Syd4-TM) that is related to the healing wounds and tumor for a long time. In this study, we performed the structure determination of Syd4-TM combining the Polarity Index at Slanted Angle (PISA) wheel pattern analysis based on $^{15}N-^1H$ 2D SAMPI-4 solid-state NMR of expressed Syd4-TM and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation using Discovery Studio 3.1.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.629-634
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• 2016

Transmembrane and coiled-coil domain family 3 (TMCC3) has been reported to be expressed in the human brain; however, its function is still unknown. Here, we found that expression of TMCC3 is higher in human whole brain, testis and spinal cord compared to other human tissues. TMCC3 was expressed in mouse developing hind brain, lung, kidney and somites, with strongest expression in the mesenchyme of developing tongue. By expression of recombinant TMCC3 and its deletion mutants, we found that TMCC3 proteins self-assemble to oligomerize. Immunostaining and confocal microscopy data revealed that TMCC3 proteins are localized in endoplasmic reticulum through transmembrane domains. Based on immunoprecipitation and mass spectroscopy data, TMCC3 proteins associate with TMCC3 and 14-3-3 proteins. This supports the idea that TMCC3 proteins form oligomers and that 14-3-3 may be involved in the function of TMCC3. Taken together, these results may be useful for better understanding of uncharacterized function of TMCC3.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.88-104
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• 2010

Human melanocortin-4 receptor (hMC4R) has a critical role in part of energy homeostasis, and their heterozygous mutations related in genetic cause of severe human obesity. In order to study the structure and function of these membrane proteins, it is important to prepare the samples. However, the preparation of transmembrane peptide is seriously difficult and time-consuming. Overexpression and purification of membrane proteins was reported to be difficult due to their innate insoluble and toxic properties. Among the many difficulties, the most important is the difficulty in obtaining sufficient quantities of purified protein. Recently, we succeed to produce large amounts of the second transmembrane domain from the wild-type hMC4R (wt-TM2) and D90N mutant hMC4R (m-TM2) and proposed the structural difference of them in membrane-like environments. In this paper, we demonstrate the optimization procedures to express and purify wt-TM2 or m-TM2 peptides, and solution NMR studies in different detergents to get high-resolution spectra were also described.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.3577-3585
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• 2013

Syndecan-4 (heparan sulfate proteoglycan), biologically important in cell-to-cell interactions and tumor suppression, was studied through mutation of the GXXXG motif of its transmembrane domain (Syd4-TM), a motif which governs dimerization. The expression and purification of the mutant (mSyd4-TM) were optimized here to assess the function of the GXXXG motif in the dimerization of Syd4-TM. mSyd4-TM was obtained in M9 minimal media and its oligomerization was identified by SDS PAGE, Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The mutant, unlike Syd4-TM, did not form dimers and was observed as monomers. The GXXXG motif of Syd-4TM was shown to be an important structural determinant of its dimerization.