• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권10호
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• pp.1461-1476
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• 2009

This review focuses on the metabolic and osmoregulatory functions of betaine and its impact on nutrient digestibility and performance in pigs and poultry. Betaine is the trimethyl derivative of the amino acid glycine, and is present in plant and animal tissue. It has been shown to play an important role in osmoregulation of plants, bacteria and marine organisms. Due to its chemical structure, betaine exerts a number of functions both at the gastrointestinal and metabolic level. As a methyl group donor, betaine is involved in transmethylation reactions and donates its labile methyl group for the synthesis of several metabolically active substances such as creatine and carnitine. Therefore, supplementation of betaine may reduce the requirement for other methyl group donors such as methionine and choline. Beneficial effects on intestinal cells and intestinal microbes have been reported following betaine supplementation to diets for pigs and poultry, which have been attributed to the osmotic properties of betaine. Furthermore, betaine potentially enhances the digestibility of specific nutrients, in particular fiber and minerals. Moreover, at the metabolic level, betaine is involved in protein and energy metabolism. Growth trials revealed positive effects of supplemental betaine on growth performance in pigs and poultry, and there is evidence that betaine acts as a carcass modifier by reducing the carcass fat content. In conclusion, due to its various metabolic and osmoregulatory functions, betaine plays an important role in the nutrition of monogastric animals.

• ALGAE
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.161-170
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• 2017

Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study carbon allocation patterns in response to N-starvation in the nearly ubiquitous diatom Chaetoceros muellerii. The role of gene expression, protein synthesis and transamination on the organic composition of cells was tested by using specific inhibitors. The results show that inhibition of key processes in algal metabolism influence the macromolecular composition of cells and and prior cell nutritional state can influence a cell's response to changing nutrient availability. The allocation of C can thus lead to different organic composition depending on the nutritional context, with obvious repercussions for the trophic web. This also shows that C allocation in algal cells is highly flexible and that C (and the energy associated with its allocation) can be variably and rapidly partitioned in algal cells in response to relatively short term perturbations. Furthermore, the data confirm and extend the utility of infrared spectroscopy as a probe of the metabolic state of autotrophic cells.

• 한국식품영양학회지
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.880-893
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• 2015

Taurine is an abundant amino acid in many animals, including humans. Relatively large amounts of taurine are found in leukocytes, heart, muscles, retinas, kidneys, bones, and liver. Taurine has antioxidant effects; it reacts with hydrogen peroxide to prevent oxidation of the cell membrane. Taurine enhances the effects of anticancer drugs, while also reducing side effects, and taurolidine, a taurine derivative, has been shown to exhibit anti-cancer effects without notable side effects in several types of cancer. Taurine aids in cholesterol metabolism by increasing the rate of synthesis of bile acids, and, thus, reduces triglyceride levels. In addition, taurine is involved in the growth and differentiation of nerve cells and is associated with some neurological disorders. Taurine aids in bone formation and prevents bone dissolution. Moreover, taurine prevents liver damage from a variety of drugs and, thus, protects the liver. Taurine is involved in the development and function of the retina and lens. It also has anti-atherosclerotic and anti-thrombotic effects that protect against cardiovascular disease. Taurine may have additional physiological functions, and warrants further investigation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.571-578
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• 2018

Biofuel production using lignocellulosic biomass is gaining attention because it can be substituted for fossil fuels without competing with edible resources. However, because Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not have a ${\text\tiny{D}}$-xylose metabolic pathway, oxidoreductase or isomerase pathways must be introduced to utilize ${\text\tiny{D}}$-xylose from lignocellulosic biomass in S. cerevisiae. To elucidate the biochemical properties of xylose isomerase (XI) from Piromyces sp. E2 (PsXI), we determine its crystal structure in complex with substrate mimic glycerol. An amino-acid sequence comparison with other reported XIs and relative activity measurements using five kinds of divalent metal ions confirmed that PsXI belongs to class II XIs. Moreover kinetic analysis of PsXI was also performed using $Mn^{2+}$, the preferred divalent metal ion for PsXI. In addition, the substrate-binding mode of PsXI could be predicted with the substrate mimic glycerol bound to the active site. These studies may provide structural information to enhance ${\text\tiny{D}}$-xylose utilization for biofuel production.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.225-241
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• 2018

Taurine is an abundant, ${\beta}-amino$ acid with diverse cytoprotective activity. In some species, taurine is an essential nutrient but in man it is considered a semi-essential nutrient, although cells lacking taurine show major pathology. These findings have spurred interest in the potential use of taurine as a therapeutic agent. The discovery that taurine is an effective therapy against congestive heart failure led to the study of taurine as a therapeutic agent against other disease conditions. Today, taurine has been approved for the treatment of congestive heart failure in Japan and shows promise in the treatment of several other diseases. The present review summarizes studies supporting a role of taurine in the treatment of diseases of muscle, the central nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. In addition, taurine is extremely effective in the treatment of the mitochondrial disease, mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), and offers a new approach for the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, and inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. The review also addresses the functions of taurine (regulation of antioxidation, energy metabolism, gene expression, ER stress, neuromodulation, quality control and calcium homeostasis) underlying these therapeutic actions.

• 한국작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국작물학회 2017년도 9th Asian Crop Science Association conference
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• pp.156-156
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• 2017

Plants are grown under constitutive changing of environmental conditions and response to external conditions at both protein and transcription level. The effects of heat on plant growth are broad and influence the yield directly. Heat stresses could be classified depend on intensity and duration. Fundamental changes of growth condition by climate change maybe or maybe not classified as a stress on plant growth. The effects of a short and unanticipated impact of elevated heat on plant could be different with those of under longer extension of ambient heat. To examine differently expressed gene sets by ambient heat stress of soybean, we grow the soybean in normal condition for three weeks. After that, soybean plants move to growth chamber. The temperature of growth chamber increase up to $9^{\circ}C$ for four days. We have extracted mRNA and micro RNA every 24 hours and carried RNA sequence analysis. We found major metabolic pathways affected by ambient heat stress. Mainly carbon metabolism, translation machinery and amino acid synthesis are affected. We discussed the expression patterns of genes of heat sensing and hormone responses.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.103-108
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• 1990

효모나 세균을 이용한 메칠글리옥살 대사의 효소학적, 유전학적 연구로부터 생물체들은 메칠글리옥살의 해독을 위하여 보편적이고 다양한 경로를 가지고 있음을 알았다. 이들 대사경로 가운데 글리옥살라아제 I은 메칠글리옥살 해독에 있어서 가장 중요한 경로이다. 글리옥살라아제 I의 분자구조는 효소의 기원에 따라 크게 다르게 나타났고, 아연 이온은 효소활성에 필수적이었다. Pseudomonas putida의 글리옥살라아제 I은 유전자는 메칠글리옥살리아의 제거제로 작용하였고, 또한 세균의 크기를 조절하는 역활을 가지고 있었다. 본 유전자의 염기배열과 정제효소의 아미노 말단을 비교해 본 결과 아미노 말단의 메치오닌 잔기는 번역 후 제거 됨을 알았다. 그밖에 글리옥살라아제 I의 생리학적 역활에 대해서도 논의하였다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.295-298
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• 2006

Actinomycetes are ubiquitous Gram-positive soil bacteria and a group of the most important industrial microorganisms for the biosynthesis of many valuable secondary metabolites as well as the source of various bioconversion enzymes. Cytochrome P450 hydroxylase (CYP), a hemebinding protein, is known to be involved in the modification of various natural compounds, including polyketides, fatty acids, steroids, and some aromatic compounds. Previously, six different novel CYP genes were isolated from a rare actinomycetes called Sebekia benihana, and they were completely sequenced, revealing significant amino acid similarities to previously known CYP genes involved in Streptomyces secondary metabolism. In the present study, these six CYP genes were functionally expressed in Streptomyces lividans, using an $ermE^{*}$ promoter-containing Streptomyces expression vector. Among six CYP genes, two S. benihana CYP genes (CYP503 and CYP504) showed strong hydroxylation activities toward 7-ethoxycoumarin. Furthermore, the recombinant S. lividans containing both the S. benihana CYP506-ferredoxin genes as well as the S. coelicolor feredoxin reductase gene also demonstrated cyclosporin A hydroxylation activity, suggesting potential application of actinomycetes CYPs for the biocatalysts of natural product bioconversion.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.315-323
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to establish the selection of indicators for estimating and factors affecting the requirement of vitamin B6. There has been a need to establish the human requirements of vitamin $B_6$ since vitamin $B_6$ is thought to be involved in more than one hundred biochemical reactions as a coenzyme in the metabolism of amino acids, glucose, and lipid, and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. For the review of the literature, this study included from early findings of the sixties to studies of 2009. This study suggests that plasma pyridoxal 5' phosphate (PLP) is the best single indicator of vitamin $B_6$ status for the healthy but not for the non-healthy. Erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activation by PLP as an indirect measure and urinary 4-pyridoxic acid excretion as a direct measure are useful as supporting indicators. Bioavailability, nutrient interaction, physiological need, and chronic diseases may increase the requirement for vitamin $B_6$. However, these effects can not be quantified due to insufficient evidences.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제55권1호
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• pp.67-70
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• 2012

Plant MYB transcription factors regulate secondary metabolism, cellular morphogenesis, and plant hormone signaling pathway. MYB proteins in plants consist of two repeats of 50 amino acid residues, which are referred to as R2R3 and they interact with WD40 or basic helix loop helix (bHLH) proteins. Yeast two hybrid assay was determined whether rice MYB protein interacts with either OsTTG1, which contains a WD40 domain, or with OsGL3, which contains a bHLH domain. Among 30 OsMYB proteins, three interacted with OsTTG1 and five interacted with OsGL3. A series of MYB mutants were created to determine the MYB domain important for the interaction with OsTTG1 or OsGL3. By using the yeast two hybrid assay, we found that the R3 motif of OsMYB10 and the R2 motif of OsMYB16 were required for interaction with OsTTG1 and OsGL3 proteins, respectively.