• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.523-529
• /
• 2006

OSH3 is one of the seven yeast homologues of the oxysterol binding proteins (OSBPs) which have the major binding affinity to the oxysterols and function as regulator of cholesterol biosynthesis in mammals. Mutational analysis of OSH3 showed that OSH3 plays a regulatory role in the yeast-to-hyphal transition through its oxysterol-binding domain in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The OSH3 gene was also identified in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. Deletion of OSH3 caused a defect in the filamentous growth, which is the major cause of the C. albicans pathogencity. The filamentation defect of the mutation in the MAPK-associated transcription factor, namely $cph1{\Delta}$ was suppressed by overexpression of OSH3. These findings suggest the regulatory roles of OSH3 in the yeast filamentous growth and the functional conservations of OSH3 in S. cerevisiae and C. albicans.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.539-544
• /
• 2004

The ability of protoberberine alkaloids, berberine and berberrubine, to act as topoisomerase II poisons is linked to the anti-cancer activity. Minor alterations in structure have a significant effect on their relative activity. Berberine, which has methoxy group at the 19-position, is significantly less potent than berberrubine. Several observations support non-specific binding to HP14 by the berberine: (i) nonspecific upfield changes in $^1H$ chemical shift for protons of the berberine; (ii) the broadening of imino protons of HP14 upon binding of the berberine; (iii) very small increases in duplex melting temperature in the presence of the berberine. Our results reveal that substitution of a hydroxyl group to a methoxy group on the 19-position, thereby converting the berberrubine to the berberine is associated with a non-specific DNA binding affinity and a reduced topoisomerase II poisoning. The presence of a bulky 19-methoxy substituent decreases intercalating properties of berberine and makes it inactive as topoisomerase II poison.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.77-82
• /
• 1992

In order to investigate the protein binding characteristics of braD6n and hematoxy6n to bovine semm albumin (BSA), the fluorescence probe method was adopted. Brazilin and hematoxy6n showed strong binding affinity for BSA. It was also confirmed that hematoxy6n was bound to BSA stronger than braDlin. The association constants were decreased by the elevation of concentrations of brazilin and hematoxylin. It might be due to the complex formation of the probe and both compounds or the interaction between the probe-protein complex and both compounds. The bindings between both compounds and BSA were dependent on pH and ionic strength. It seems that electrostatic force as weD as hydrophobic force is involved in the binding of braD6n and bematoxylin to BSA.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.49-53
• /
• 2010

Molecular docking is a critical event which mostly forms Van der waals complex in molecular recognition. Since the majority of developed drugs are small molecules, docking them into proteins has been a prime concern in drug discovery community. Since the binding pose space is too vast to cover completely, many search algorithms such as genetic algorithm, Monte Carlo, simulated annealing, distance geometry have been developed. Proper evaluation of the quality of binding is an essential problem. Scoring functions derived from force fields handle the ligand binding prediction with the use of potential energies and sometimes in combination with solvation and entropy contributions. Knowledge-based scoring functions are based on atom pair potentials derived from structural databases. Forces and potentials are collected from known protein-ligand complexes to get a score for their binding affinities (e.g. PME). Empirical scoring functions are derived from training sets of protein-ligand complexes with determined affinity data. Because non of any single scoring function performs generally better than others, some other approaches have been tried. Although numerous scoring functions have been developed to locate the correct binding poses, it still remains a major hurdle to derive an accurate scoring function for general targets. Recently, consensus scoring functions and target specific scoring functions have been studied to overcome the current limitations.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.768-778
• /
• 2011

Calixpyrroles and related macrocycles are non-planer synthetic anion receptors that have attracted considerable attentions in recent years. Although the synthesis of calix[4]pyrrole (known as meso-octamethylporphyrinogen) was reported more than 100 years ago, the anion binding properties were first discovered in 1996. The simple calix[4]pyrroles can be synthesized in single step in high yield by condensation of pyrrole with acetone. The compounds showed preferential binding for halide anions including fluoride, phosphate, carboxylate, and chloride in organic media. Efforts to improve the anion affinity of calix[4]pyrrole and to enhance its selectivity have led to the synthesis of a variety of new calixpyrrole derivatives. Among the various modifications, introduction of straps on one side of the calix[4]pyrroles are the most effective. Incorporation of aromatic rings other than pyrroles also exhibited interesting binding behaviour. Introduction of signalling units as part of the strapping element enable to detect the anions on chromogenic or fluorogenic fashion. Finding of the anion transport properties across the membrane and cytotoxic effects of the calix[4]pyrroles open new window for calixpyrrole-related research. The polymer-incorporated systems have also been employed as anion complexants in solvent-solvent extraction. These old, yet easy-to-make macrocycles have well advanced more recently with the discovery of the ion-pair complexation properties. In this review, the synthetic developments and anion binding properties of calixpyrroles for the last decades will be discussed and will cover the advances in calixpyrrole chemistry.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.136-138
• /
• 2005

High-performance frontal analysis (HPFA) was used for the determination of the binding constant of Sibuprofen to human serum albumin (HSA). This experiment was based on an Inertsil 100 Diol 5 column and sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4 and ionic strength of 0.17) as the mobile phase. The mixture of S-ibuprofen and HSA (70 $\mu$M) solution were directly injected into the HPFA column. An injection volume of 200 $\mu$L and a “estricted injection”method were applied to ensure the drug to be eluted as a zonal peak with a plateau. The unbound drug concentration was calculated from the peak height of the zonal peak. Scatchard analysis was used for evaluation of the binding constant (K) and binding affinity (nK) of S-ibuprofen to HSA, and the results were K = 2.833 ${\times}$ 10$^4$ [L mol$^{-1}$], nK = 4.935 ${\times}$ 10$^4$ [L mol$^{-1}$], respectively.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.462-468
• /
• 1996

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of age on angiotensin II (AII) response and antagonistic activity of losartan using aortic rings and liver homogenates from rats ranging in age from 0.7 to 20 months. Whether the endothelium was present or not, the maximum contractile response to AII decreased with age. Removal of the endothelium enhanced AII-induced maximum contraction and these endothelial effects seemed to be due to endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) in all ages. Equilibrium binding studies demonstrated an age-related decrease in maximum binding $(B_{max})$ with little change in binding affinity $(K_d)$. In rat aorta, the extent of losartan-induced parallel shifts $(K_B)$ in AII concentration-response curves was not significantly different between ages. In addition, $IC_{50}$ value of losartan in competition binding was not changed with age in rat liver homogenates. These results suggest that the potency of losartan is not altered with age in rat aorta and liver, although AII-induced contractile response and the maximum AII binding decreased significantly with age.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 1983

An improved procedure for the rapid purification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was developed by using affinity chromatography. Among six affinty media tested, $NADP^+ -agarose$ and Affi-gel Blue were more effective than others (i.e., Affi-gel Red, AMP-agarose, ATP-agarose, and $NAD^+ -agarose$). Conditions to desorb the enzyme bound to the affinity media were examined to increase the purity as well as yield. The best result was obtained when the column was developed with a linear gradient of KCl (0-1.0M). In case of Affi-gel Blue, introduction of $NAD^+$ (15mM) washing step prior to the salt gradient was most effective to remove $NAD^+ -binding$ proteins. For a large scale preparation of G-6-P dehydrogenase higher recovery was obtained by Affi-gel Blue than $NADP^+ -agarose$, however, the purity of the enzyme was decreased by 10 times if the former was used as the affinity medium. The capacity of Affi-gel Blue for G-6-P dehydrogenase was found to be 5 times higher than that of $NADP^+ -agarose$. Furthermore Affi-gel Blue could be reused repeatedly and its preparation is relatively easier and less expensive than $NADP^+ -agarose$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.274-279
• /
• 2015

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) is a critical factor in osteoclastogenesis. It makes osteoclasts differentiate and multinucleate in bone remodeling. In the present study, RANKL was expressed as a soluble maltose binding protein (MBP)-fusion protein using the Escherichia coli maltose binding domain tag system (pMAL) expression vector system. The host cell E. coli DH5α was cultured and induced by isopropyl β-_D-1-thiogalactopyranoside for rRANKL expression. Cells were disrupted by sonication to collect soluble MBP-fused rRANKL. The MBP-fusion rRANKL was purified with MBP Trap affinity chromatography and treated with Tobacco Etch Virus nuclear inclusion endopeptidase (TEV protease) to remove the MBP fusion protein. Dialysis was then carried out to remove binding maltose from the cleaved rRANKL solution. The cleaved rRANKL was purified with a second MBP Trap affinity chromatography to separate unsevered MBP-fusion rRANKL and cleaved MBP fusion protein. The purified rRANKL was shown to have biological activity by performing in vitro cell tests. In conclusion, biologically active rRANKL was successfully purified by a simple two-step chromatography purification process with one column.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.2 no.5
• /
• pp.637-644
• /
• 1998

Previously, we have isolated authentic bombesin and another bombesin like peptide named bombesin like immunoreactivity (BLI)-K2 from the skin of Korean fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis. In the present study, we have newly purified three heterogeneous forms of BLI named BLI-K3, BLI-K4, and BLI-K5 from side fractions obtained in previous isolation of bombesin like peptide. The BLIs were separated into five peaks on a column of $C_{18}$ preparative HPLC. Among them, three minor peaks containing BLI-K3, K4, and K5 were purified by means of sequential chromatography on the columns of SP cation exchange HPLC and $C_{18}$ reverse phase HPLC. The purified BLI-K3 and K4 showed high binding affinity to an anti-bombesin serum (LBE 2G-2) with binding potency of 72 and 95%, respectively, relative to that of bombesin. However, they did not possess any distinctive biological activity of bombesin like peptide. On the contrary, the biological activity of BLI-K5 was similar to that of bombesin but its binding affinity to an anti-bombesin serum was low. The results indicate that three heterogeneous forms of BLI were coexpressed with bombesin and BLI-K2 in the skin of B. orientalis. All forms of the purified BLI in the present study were immunologically active but only BLI-K5 possessed the distinctive biological activity of bombesin like peptide.