• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1451-1456
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• 2004

Amino acid transporters play an important role in supplying nutrients to normal and cancer cells for cell proliferation. System L is a major transport system responsible for the $Na^+$ -independent, large neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids. L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), an isoform of system L amino acid transporter, is highly expressed presumably to support their continuous growth and proliferation in malignant tumors. In the present study, we have examined the correlation between the expressions of amino acid transporter LAT1 mRNA and its subunit 4F2hc mRNA and the amount of L-leucine transport in various human cancer cell lines. Northern blot analysis have revealed that the 26 human cancer cell lines expressed LAT1 mRNA and 4F2hc mRNA. There were the differences for the levels of LAT1 and 4F2hc mRNA expressions in the 26 human cancer cell lines. The 26 human cancer cell lines transported the L-[$^{14}C$]leucine into the cells via amino acid transporter. In the 26 human cancer cell lines, a linear relationship was observed between the expression of amino acid transporter LAT1 mRNA and the amount of L-leucine transport. Little relationship was observed between the expression of 4F2hc mRNA and the amount of L-leucine transport, but the statistical significance of difference was not detected. These results indicate that the 26 human cancer cell lines express LAT1 mRNA and 4F2hc mRNA and there is the correlation between the expression of amino acid transporter LAT1 mRNA and the amount of L-leucine transport. In addition, specific inhibition of LAT1 in cancer cells will be a new rationale for anti-cancer therapy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.758-763
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• 2003

Amino acid transporters play an important role in supplying nutrients to normal and cancer cells for cell proliferation. System L is a major transport system responsible for the N $a^{＋}$-independent, large neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids. L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), an isoform of system L amino acid transporter, is highly expressed presumably to support their continuous growth and proliferation in malignant tumors. 2-Aminobicyclo- (2,2,1) -heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH) is a model compound for study of amino acid transporter as a system L selective inhibitor. In the present study, we examined whether BCH induced growth inhibition in KB human oral squamous carcinoma cell line or not. The uptake of L-［$^{14}$ C］leucine by KB cells is inhibited by BCH in a concentration dependent manner with a Ι $C_{50}$ value of 75.3$\pm$6.2 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and a $K_{i}$ value of 98.7$\pm$ 4.1 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The growth of KB cells is inhibited by BCH in time dependent manner and concentration dependent manner with a Ι $C_{50}$ value of 11.1 $\pm$0.8 mM. In the DNA of KB cells treated with the various concentrations and various periods of BCH, the characteristic ladders associated with DNA fragmentation were not observed. These results suggest that BCH inhibits the growth of KB oral epidermoid carcinoma cells through the inhibition of transport of neutral amino acids into cells without DNA break down. This phenomenon will be a new rationale for anti-cancer therapy.y.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1581-1588
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• 2018

The growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) generates a high number of metabolites related to aromas and flavors in fermented dairy foods. These microbial proteases are involved in protein hydrolysis that produces necessary peptides for their growth and releases different molecules of interest, like bioactive peptides, during their activity. Each genus in particular has its own proteolytic system to hydrolyze the necessary proteins to meet its requirements. This review aims to highlight the differences between the proteolytic systems of Streptococcus thermophilus and other lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus and Lactobacillus) since they are microorganisms that are frequently used in combination with other LAB in the elaboration of fermented dairy products. Based on genetic studies and in vitro and in vivo tests, the proteolytic system of Streptococcus thermophilus has been divided into three parts: 1) a serine proteinase linked to the cellular wall that is activated in the absence of glutamine and methionine; 2) the transport of peptides and oligopeptides, which are integrated in both the Dpp system and the Ami system, respectively; according to this, it is worth mentioning that the Ami system is able to transport peptides with up to 23 amino acids while the Opp system of Lactococcus or Lactobacillus transports chains with less than 13 amino acids; and finally, 3) peptide hydrolysis by intracellular peptidases, including a group of three exclusive of S. thermophilus capable of releasing either aromatic amino acids or peptides with aromatic amino acids.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.7-20
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• 1995

Taurine, a ${\beta}-amino$ acid, plays an important role as a neuromodulator and is necessary for the normal development of the brain. Since de novo synthesis of taurine in the brain is minimal and in vivo studies suggest that taurine dose not cross the blood-brain barrier, we examined whether the choroid plexus, the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier, plays a role in taurine transport in the central nervous system. The uptake of $[^3H]-taurine$ into ATP depleted choroid plexus from rabbit was substantially greater in the presence of an inwardly directed $Na^+$ gradient taurine accumulation was negligible. A transient in side-negative potential gradient enhanced the $Na^+-driven$ uptake of taurine into the tissue slices, suggesting that the transport process is electrogenic, $Na^+-driven$ taurine uptake was saturable with an estimated $V_{max}$ of $111\;{\pm}\;20.2\;nmole/g/15\;min$ and a $K_M\;of\;99.8{\pm}29.9\;{\mu}M$. The estimated coupling ratio of $Na^+$ and taurine was $1.80\;{\pm}\;0.122.$ $Na^+-dependent$ taurine uptake was significantly inhibited by ${\beta}-amino$ acids, but not by ${\alpha}-amino$ acids, indicating that the transporter is selective for ${\beta}-amino$ acids. Since it is known that the physiological concentration of taurine in the CSF is lower than that in the plasma, the active transport system we characterized may face the brush border (i.e., CSF facing) side of the choroid plexus and actively transport taurine out of the CSF. Therefore, we examined in vivo elimination of taurine from the CSF in the rat to determine whether elimination kinetics of taurine from the CSF is consistent with the in vitro study. Using a stereotaxic device, cannulaes were placed into the lateral ventricle and the cisterna magna of the rat. Radio-labelled taurine and inulin (a marker of CSF flow) were injected into the lateral ventricle, and the concentrations of the labelled compounds in the CSF were monitored for upto 3 hrs in the cisterna magna. The apparent clearance of taurine from CSF was greater than the estimated CSF flow (p<0.005) indicating that there is a clearance process in addition to the CSF flow. Taurine distribution into the choroid plexus was at least 10 fold higher than that found in other brain areas (e. g., cerebellum, olfactory bulb and cortex). When unlabelled taurine was co-administered with radio-labelled taurine, the apparent clearance of taurine was reduced (p<0.0l), suggesting a saturable disposition of taurine from CSF. Distribution of taurine into the choroid plexus, cerebellum, olfactory bulb and cortex was similarly diminished, indicating that the saturable uptake of taurine into these tissues is responsible for the non-linear disposition. A pharmacokinetic model involving first order elimination and saturable distribution described these data adequately. The Michaelis-Menten rate constant estimated from in vivo elimination study is similar to that obtained in the in vitro uptake experiment. Collectively, our results demonstrate that taurine is transported in the choroid plexus via a $Na^+-dependent,saturable$ and apparently ${\beta}-amino$ acid selective mechanism. This process may be functionally relevant to taurine homeostasis in the brain.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2023

Neutral and non-essential amino acid, glutamine (Gln), plays an essential role in supplying nitrogen to all the amino acids and nucleotides in the mammalian body. Gln is also the most important carbon source that provides intermediates for gluconeogenesis and fatty acid synthesis and supplements the tricarboxylic acid cycle in fast-growing cancer cells. Among the known 14 Gln transporter genes, soluted carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5) has been reported to be closely associated with cancer cell growth. Three variants (v1, v2, and v3) have been derived from SLC1A5. Here, we established a heterologous gene expression system for the active form of human SLC1A5 variant-2 (hSLC1A5v2) in Escherichia coli. v2 is the smallest variant that has not yet been studied. Four expression systems were investigated: pBAD, pCold, pET, and pQE. We also addressed the problem of codon usage bias. Although pCold and pET overexpressed hSLC1A5v2 in E. coli, they were functionally inactive. hSLC1A5v2 using the pBAD system was able to catalyze the successful transport of Gln, even if it was not highly expressed. Initial activity of hSLC1A5v2 for [¹⁴C] Gln uptake in E. coli reached up to 6.73 μmole·min^-1·gDW^-1 when the cell was induced with 80 mM L-arabinose. In this study, we demonstrated a heterologous expression system for the human membrane protein, SLC1A5, in E. coli. Our results can be used for the functional comparison of SLC1A5 variants (v1, v2, and v3) in future studies, to facilitae the developement of SLC1A5 inhibitors as effective anticancer drugs.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.183-187
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• 1999

To establish an efficient screening system for new herbicides using plant cultured cells, responses of tobacco photomixotrophic cultured (PH) cells to various herbicides with different modes of action were surveyed by measuring the cell growth and ion conductivity in medium. The cells were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.7mg/L 2,4-D, 0.3mg/L kinetin and 30 g/L sucrose at $25^{\circ}C$ in the light (100 rpm). Chemicals were treated to suspension cultures of tobacco PH cells at the time of subculture. The cell growth and ion conductivity in the medium were investigated on 12 days after chemical treatment. The ion conductivity assay gave well correlated results to the cell growth inhibition data. The responses of tobacco PM cells were dependent on the modes of action of chemicals tested. Atrazine, an inhibitor of photosynthetic electron transport (PET), strongly inhibited both the cell membrane and cell growth ($IC_{50}$/, about 1 $\mu$M). Butachlor (an inhibitor of cell division), glufosinate (an inhibitor of amino acid biosynthesis), and fluridone (an inhibitor of carotenoid biosynthesis) showed a dose-dependent inhibition. However, Quinclorac, a herbicide with an auxin activity, did not affect the cell growth and ion leakage. These results suggested that tobacco PM cells is suitable materials for the simple screening of new herbicides such as PET, amino acid biosynthesis, ceil division inhibitors by measuring the cell growth and ion conductivity.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2009

AfsR2 in Streptomyces lividans, a 63-amino acid protein with limited sequence homology to Streptomyces sigma factors, has been known for a global regulatory protein stimulating multiple antibiotic biosynthetic pathways. Although the detailed regulatory mechanism of AfsK-AfsR-AfsR2 system has been well characterized, very little information about the AfsR2-dependent down-stream regulatory genes were characterized. Recently, the null mutant of afsS in S. coelicolor (the identical ortholog of afsR2) has been characterized through DNA microarray system, revealing that afsS deletion regulated several genes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis as well as phosphate-starvation. Through comparative DNA microarray analysis of afsR2-overexpressed S. lividans, here we also identify several afsR2-dependent genes involved in phosphate starvation, morphological differentiation, and antibiotic regulation in S. lividans, confirming that the AfsR2 plays an important pleiotrophic regulatory role in Streptomyces species.