• Molecules and Cells
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.7-20
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• 2006

The major event in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is the death of many cells related to host immune response. The demise of these cells is normally explained by cell suicide mechanism, apoptosis. Interestingly, the decrease in the number of immune cells, such as non-CD4+ cells as well as CD4+ T cells, in HIV infection usually occurs in uninfected bystander cells, not in directly infected cells. It has, therefore, been suggested that several soluble factors, including viral protein R (Vpr), are released from the infected cells and induce the death of bystander cells. Some studies show that Vpr interacts directly with adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) to induce mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP). The MMP results in release of some apoptogenic factors such as cytochrome-c (cyt-c) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). Vpr also has indirect effect on mitochondria through enhancing the level of caspase-9 transcription and suppressing nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$). The involvement of p53 in Vpr-induced apoptosis remains to be studied. On the other hand, low level of Vpr expression has anti-apoptotic effect, whereas it's high level of expression induces apoptosis. Extracellular Vpr also exhibits cytotoxicity to uninfected bystander cells through apoptotic or necrotic mechanism. The facts that Vpr has cytotoxic effect on both infected cells and bystander cells, and that it exhibits both proand anti-apoptotic activity may explain its role in viral survival and disease progression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제30권11호
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• pp.1720-1728
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• 2020

We have previously characterized AprESJ4, the major fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus subtilis SJ4 (Yao et al., 2019). During that study, we observed a 68 kDa protein with fibrinolytic activity. In this study, we cloned the gene (vprSJ4) encoding the 68 kDa protein, a mature Vpr and minor protease secreted by Bacillus species. vprSJ4 encodes a preproenzyme consisting of 810 amino acids (aa) including signal sequence (28 aa) and prosequence (132 aa). The mature enzyme (650 aa) has a predicted molecular weight of 68,467.35. Unlike Vprs from other B. subtilis strains, VprSJ4 has 4 additional amino acids (DEFA) at the C-terminus. vprSJ4 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. PreproVprSJ4 was localized in inclusion bodies, and subjected to in vitro renaturation and purification by an affinity column. SDS-PAGE and western blot showed that autoprocessing of preproVprSJ4 occurred and 68 kDa and smaller proteins were produced. The optimum pH and temperature of the recombinant VprSJ4 were pH 7.0 and 40℃, respectively. Kinetic parameters of recombinant VprSJ4 were measured by using an artificial substrate, N-succinyl-ala-ala-pro-phe-p-nitroanilide. Coexpression of vprSJ4 and aprESJ4 using pHY300PLK increased the fibrinolytic activity a further 117% when compared with aprESJ4 single expression using the same vector in B. subtilis WB600.

• 대한바이러스학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.107-114
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• 1996

본 연구는 인간면역결핍바이러스의 입자를 비이온성 계면활성제로 처리할 때 바이러스 입자구조에서 분리되어 방출되는 바이러스 구조단백질들의 분포를 sucrose gradient로 분석하여, 바이러스 입자를 구성하는 바이러스 구조단백질과 바이러스입자의 생물리학적 특성을 연구하였다. 바이러스입자들을 0.16% NP40 (Nonidet P-40)으로 처리할 때, 바이러스 capsid 단백질과 바이러스 막 단백질 (membrance protein)들은 다른 바이러스 구성성분들과 잘 분리되었다. 계면활성제처리에서 방출되지 않은 구성 성분들은 matrix 단백질, nucleocapsid 단백질, reverse transcriptase, integrase 및 바이러스 RNA genome로써, 이들은 subviral 구조를 형성한다. 이러한 결과는 상대적으로 다른 바이러스들의 capsid 단백질과 면역 결핍 바이러스의 capsid 단백질 (p24)를 비교할 때, 면역결핍바이러스의 capsid 단백질은 바이러스핵을 형성할 때, capsid 단백질 사이의 결합력이 매우 약한 것으로 추정된다. 또한 바이러스 조절단백질의 하나인 vpr 단백질을 함유하는 바이러스입자를 NP40 처리하여 분석하였을 때, vpr 단백질은 subviral 구조에 존재하는 것으로 나타났다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.457-464
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• 2006

Three extracellular proteases (Vpr, peptidase T, and subtilisin) were identified from the culture supernatant of Bacillus subtilis KCTC 3014. All the proteins were partially purified as a mature form by using a DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange column chromatography. Their activities were determined by using zymography and densitometry. The relative molecular masses of Vpr and peptidase T (PepT) were determined to be 68 and 48 kDa by SDS-PAGE and zymography, respectively. However, subtilisin formed a 'binding mode' at the top of the separating gel. After denaturation by boiling at $100^{\circ}C$ for 5 min, its molecular mass was determined to be 29 kDa, whereas its activity was lost. The optimal pH of Vpr, PepT, and subtilisin were 9.0, 6.0-7.0, and 7.0-8.0, respectively. The optimal temperature of Vpr, PepT, and subtilisin was 40, 50, and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. Inhibitor test revealed that Vpr and subtilisin were serine proteases and that PepT was a metalloprotease. Interestingly, we found that Vpr showed no enzyme activity on a 2DE zymogram gel. Three genes, vpr, pepT, and apr (encoding subtilisin protein), were cloned and their nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were determined.

• 한국미생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국미생물학회 2002년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.118-120
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• 2002

Genetic materials including DNA plasmid are effective delivery vehicle to express interesting gene efficiently and safely not to generate replication competent virus. Moreover, it has advantages to design a better vector and to simplify manufacturing and storage condition. To understand a possible pathogenic mechanism by a flavivirus, West Nile virus (WNV), WNV genome sequence was aligned to other pathogenic viral genome. Interestingly, WNV capsid (Cp) amino acid sequence has some homology to HIV-l Vpr protein. These proteins induce apoptosis in human cell lines as well as in vivo and cell cycle arrest. Therefore, DNA plasmid carrying apoptosis-inducing and cell cycle arresting viral proteins including a HIV-1 Vpr and a WNV Cp protein can be useful for anti-cancer therapeutic applications. This WNV Cp protein is an early expressed protein which can be a reasonable target antigen (Ag) for vaccine design. Immunization of a DNA construct encoding WNV Cp protein induces a strong Ag-specific humoral and Th1-type immune responses in animal. Therefore, DNA plasmid encoding apoptotic viral proteins can be useful tool for therapeutic and prophylactic applications.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권12호
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• pp.639-644
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• 2022

Serine-arginine-rich splicing factors (SRSFs) are members of RNA processing proteins in the serine-arginine-rich (SR) family that could regulate the alternative splicing of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). Whether SRSF9 has any effect on HIV-1 regulation requires elucidation. Here, we report for the first time the effects and mechanisms of SRSF9 on HIV-1 regulation. The overexpression of SRSF9 inhibits viral production and infectivity in both HEK293T and MT-4 cells. Deletion analysis of SRSF9 determined that the RNA regulation motif domain of SRSF9 is important for anti-HIV-1 effects. Furthermore, overexpression of SRSF9 increases multiple spliced forms of viral mRNA, such as Vpr mRNA. These data suggest that SRSF9 overexpression inhibits HIV-1 production by inducing the imbalanced HIV-1 mRNA splicing that could be exploited further for a novel HIV-1 therapeutic molecule.